news details |
|
|
| For Attention of Abdullahs | | |
Daya Sagar
Jammu and Kashmir State is the only Province of Indian Union where the local affairs do matter significantly from international point of view as well. { It is more so in view of not so wise handling of affairs by New Delhi, particularly as regards the anti 1947 accession and separatist elements. Had it not been so the British Foreign Secretary David Miliband would not have said on 15 Jan 09 that resolution of Kashmir dispute was important for peace ( surely he intends to refer world peace ) } .US President Barack Obama has also been quoted as having called for resolution of Kashmir dispute. Taking advantage of all this the separatist Kashmiri leadership to has contested that Kashmir dispute is not an internal issue of India and cannot be resolved within the ambience of Indian rule, its constitution and elections. Mufti Mohd Sayeed ( till recently partner in UPA) too has indirectly said that David Miliband has stated something that has been felt by many people and we ( India ) need to address Kashmir dispute since Kashmir is an issue.
Therefore, National Conference and Omar Farooq Government has first and prime task to work for isolation of separatist elements and pro separatist so called mainstream political leaders. NC will have to fight alone since Congress has many other political interests at all India level. The separatists need be isolated. NC should retain its old policy and should not kneel before separatist ideology. New Delhi will have to come at the back of NC rather than taking sides with those who support separatists.
At local level National Conference has to attend to regional and religious divides being cultivated by the separatist elements , more particularly after 2002. National Conference has been the worst sufferer of all this being a regional party and staunch supporter of 1947 accession of J&K with Indian dominion. It will have to take to its original total pro 1947 accession stand. Farooq Abdullah is required at the national level too but he is more needed to fight the anti India forces and their supporters in J&K. Socio communal disintegration in J&K could be checked with reins of National Conference in the hands of Farooq Abdullah .And ofcourse with more strength in case both BJP & NC too go along cordially. Congress can not go with BJP in J&K in view of coalition needs in other Indian states. But National Conference has no Congress like political compulsions . Hence NC can and should give more weight to interests of J&K people in particular instead of treading all India level political gamesmanship. Let there be no political gamesmanship atleast in J&K.
The separatists have succeeded in scrupulously cultivating impressions /shadows of colonial monopoly against intentions of India in the innocent kashmiri youth more after 2002. Need is to work for social reconstruction at ground level through private social GROUPS to undo those who have been able sow seeds of “”Kashmiri Nationalisn”” over the Indian Nationalism.
Omar Abdullah should refrain from giving suggestions of international significance over Indo-Pak relations like the one suggesting inviting third party intervention. Instead National Conference could fight forces ( political opponents ) like PDP by other methods. Omar Abdullah should give priority to social problems in the state and try to proactively control all militant-related activities being incharge of Unified Command. Human rights of victims of militancy should be given priority. Slogans like healing touch would indirectly help the propaganda of separatist elements and their local mentors. NC must raise a new team of advisors for this purpose to save the people of Kashmir valley from becoming victim of wrong propaganda of anti India elements.
Ways and means need be worked out seriously to increase the number of Hindu families staying in common with muslim families in Kashmir Valley. This would only help to fight the separatist ideologies polluting the innocent minds in valley ( more particularly ) over last 20 years. Simple programmes like Sadbhawna through armed forces have not met the real need so far.
Omar Government should set return of Kashmiri pundit migrants as priority number 1.This issue has international significance as regards Kashmir affairs. Roads and buildings could be constructed later. Ways and means need be worked out seriously to immediately increase the number of Hindu families staying in common with muslim families in Kashmir Valley. Immediately take back Migrant Kashmiri Pundit government employees..
NC has more groups to compete in Kashmir region .But NC can not afford to preach separatist ideology like others. The legacies of political surrender and compromise to stay in power should not tempt / compel Omar Abdullah since in the past such approach has already done lot of damage to the monolithic social structure of J&K. Such approach would never secure any one a respectable place in history. Revoking detention of 15 people detained under Public Safety Act (PSA) for participating in June/ July 08 demonstrations just within 10days of taking over government has not sent right signals. Such actions could be taken otherwise by some people and could come in the way of NC refixing its roots in Jammu and Ladakh regions.
To Check inter regional rivalries more attention need be given to the rural and farflung areas. In Jammu region the infrastructure development ( particularly for road infrastructure development to promote commercial tourism ) has to be taken at triple the normal pace. This will surely help Omar Abdullah to even rebuild his party.
Migration of over 2,000 families due to militancy has taken place along border belt of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu Region and as also Reasi District as per some reports. From March 1997 militancy-related activities in Rajouri and Poonch districts escalated ( spread over 4000 sq kms hilly terrain mostly falling in assembly constituencies - Reasi, Gulabgarh, Darhal, Rajouri and Kalakot ). National Conference government will have to rehabilitate the displaced people like those who took shelter at Talwara , Pouni , etc and Doda migrants ( may be there are over 5000 families, registration will have to be done to settle the disputes ) .Sheikh Abdullah had particularly taken care of POK DPs in 1950s locally. Farooq Abdullah will have to see that Omar Abdullah lead Government takes immediate care of local people displaced from interiors of Doda, Rajouri and Reasi in Jammu Region . Discrimination with migrants of Jammu region has done some damage to socio communal matrix of J&K.
Omar Government should immediately take up the job for registration properties left behind by all the POK DPs of 1947 ( unfortunately so far only registration done is of some families who came with in the ambit of conditional ex gratia relief proposed in 1960s ). No regular registration of Pakistan Occupied J&K displaced persons has ever been done by JK Government as well as GOI. Even after 60 years of 1947 attack on J&K by raiders we do not know the exact number of families uprooted from POK. The properties left behind by all the displaced persons have not been recorded by Government. It remains a big question how will the claims be paid if any time a decision is taken for that. Some people may not be able to even recollect the particulars of their properties . Some may even over state the value of their properties. Descendents of some Mirpur / Muzafarrabad displaced persons who settled in Delhi or other states are today not able to construct a house in J&K since their elders did not get their State Subject certificate made. Government must attend to their problem.
Other thing that Omar Government needs to order immediately is that the areas of Mirpur / Punch/ Kotli/ Bhimbar that are in POK should be in files mentioned under the jurisdiction of Divisional commissioner Jammu. Similarly Muzafarrabad / Skardu / Gilgit/ Baltistan should be ordered for listing under the jurisdiction of Divisional Commissioner. So strangely POK areas are not formally shown as under the jurisdiction of Divisional Commissioner Kashmir / Jammu although 24 seats in Legislative Assembly are constitutionally kept for POK areas.
(Daya Sagar is a social activists and senior scribe on J&K Affairs [email protected])
BOX IN ABOVE ARTICLE
• National Conference has to undo regional and religious divides being cultivated by the separatist elements.
• Check inter regional rivalries by paying more attention to the rural and farflung areas. ***
• Discrimination with migrants of Jammu region has done some damage to socio communal matrix of J&K.
• Human rights of victims of militancy should be given priority.
• The areas of Mirpur / Punch/ Kotli/ Bhimbar that are in POK should be listed under the jurisdiction of Divisional commissioner Jammu and similarly Muzafarrabad / Skardu / Gilgit/ Baltistan should be listed in the jurisdiction of Divisional Commissioner.
• Some descendents of Mirpur / Muzafarrabad DPs settled in Delhi or other states have no house in J&K since their elders did not get their State Subject certificate made.
• Work for isolation of separatist elements and pro separatist mainstream political leaders.
• Even after 60 years we do not know the number of families uprooted from POK
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
