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| JAMMU CHAMBER POLLS | | Internal democracy, LoC trade tops priorities | |
After a staggering gap of nine years, the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry is currently in the middle of a hectic electoral exercise. A 75-year old powerful body of leading businessmen, the Jammu Chamber has always played a lead role in espousing the social causes, besides watching interests its basic stakeholders. For the post of the President of Chamber there is a triangular contest between a two-time former President Romesh Gupta, another former office bearer YV Sharma and a representative of the pharmaceutical traders Rajesh Gupta. Just ahead of elections, ZAFAR CHOUDHARY catches up with the three ace contenders to find their motivation for elections, claim for the post and the priorities. Here are excerpts of conversations:
Romesh
There is an interesting paradigm for this senior contender for the Chamber’s high office. He was President at the end of two decades of last century –late 1980s and late 1990s –and believes that elections being held at the end of first decade of present century prove his mettle third time. “Elections for the governing seats of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry is most important moment in my life”, say Romesh Gupta as he adds: I have been fighting for restoration of democracy at the Chamber for last nine years. “To the utter misfortune of traders and industrialists of Jammu, the Chamber had been reduced to a fiefdom of few people with a complete collapse of the democratic decision making process”, he says. For Romesh Gupta, an old warhorse, restoration of democracy at the echelons of top business and trade lobby holds key to redress of all issues. One of the three contenders for the top position at the Chamber, Romesh has been President of this prestigious business body twice earlier. A veteran of last century, he was the Chamber President for 1989-90 and then 1997-99. “I am not a politician or misguided bigot, I am a businessman and follow the principles of business quite religiously”, says Gupta as he adds, “Jammu Chamber of Commerce of Industry has a larger role to play in the present times…while doing business dutifully we can bridge gaps where government have failed…business has language of its own and we can bind hearts and win minds”. Carrying larger vision, Gupta points out that implementation of his visions needs a democratic space and that is what forms his top most agenda. Once elected President, “my first task will be make the Chamber a hallmark of democracy, do away with the narrow baggage of history, reconcile and consolidate strengths of all businessmen whether they are traders, retailers, merchants or industrialists”. Second most important priority, Gupta says, will be to lobby with the government for creation of modern infrastructure at all trade and industry hubs. He alleges that people at the helm of affairs did very little for benefit of businessmen leading to sprouting of various smaller organizations which weakened the negotiating power of the businessmen with the government. Recalling from his past tenures, Gupta said, “when power tariff was substantially hiked in late 1980s, we took up the matter with government and did not budge an inch till the order was reversed. Businessmen of all hues got the benefits. Similarly, we made the government to roll back ST35 form which had put the traders in huge inconvenience”. Institutionalizing the Cross-LoC trade is also one of the major priorities for Gupta. He said that expanding the identity and role of Jammu Chamber at national level will continue as priority as he recalls the first national level tie up with FICCI during his tenure.
Rakesh
The youngest and new entrant among the three contenders says that baton must pass on to the next generation for energy and innovation. Rakesh Gupta, currently heading the association of pharmaceutical traders believes that he is the best bet to lead Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry. His reasons may not be valid for all the practical purposes but he has a point to make. He alleges that his rivals –Romesh Gupta and YV Sharma –could not deliver at the micro level and therefore they don’t make the ideal choices for Chamber leadership: “Romesh Gupta led the warehouse traders for long…see the condition of warehouse…has he been able to deliver. YV Shrama could not get mandate to represent his residential locality (in Municipal Elections) while Chamber is a very large organisation”, says Rakesh as he claims to offer businessmen a befitting leadership. When asked why he is so confident about his leadership, Gupta said, “the need of the hour is to have unity among the businessmen and I have proven track record of unity the common interests. I already have the track record of bringing all pharmaceutical traders from Kathua to Kupwara on a single platform”. When reminded that he adopted a tough posture with Kashmiri traders last year, Gupta said, “things were blown out of proportion. I talked tough when some people wanted us to play second fiddle but needs to be recalled that I was the one who issued appeal through the media to all Kashmiri traders to resume trade and normalize the relations”. Rakesh says allegations coming from Kashmir were far from reality. “They (Kashmiri traders) talked about economic blockade and scarcity of medicines but I have records to prove that I supplied medicines worth Rs 14 Crores during the months of agitation”. What brings you to the election for top post of Chamber? Rakesh Gupta has an aggressive reply to this question. He says: “I have an inherent urge to safeguard interests of Jammu and Chamber is a powerful body to take care of many public interests. I can’t be a bay-watcher to enjoy the game of musical chairs…after having done my bit at the pharmaceutical level now is the time to go for a larger role to represent the businessman of all hues”. Listing Cross-LoC trade as one of his major priorities, he says, “I have been a votary of free trade between all parts of Jammu and Kashmir”. “When the traders from PoK came here last year we had organized a massive reception for them despite the fact that medicines were not part of Cross-LoC trade”, says Rakesh as he adds, “a democratic Chamber can help in writing off differences wherever they are”.
YV
But for razor thin margin of 38 votes, YV Sharma lost the presidency when last elections to Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry were held nine years back. Having served the Chamber twice earlier in different capacities, Sharma is being seen as a middle path between an old guard and a new entrant in the fray. When the dominant discourse during present elections is about restoration of democracy in Chamber’s governance, Sharma suffers one allegation that he was among those who got the election process stalled by moving Court at the time of last notification. However, he skirts the issue saying that he is not to be blamed for delayed elections due to Court stay. “It was a group which had grievances and moved Court, I can’t be singled out in any case”, says Sharma. When election process was initiated in 2003, a constitutional question was raised. If elected President, is amendment in constitution top his agenda? “It is not question of a single person pointing out problems”, says Sharma as he asserts, “I am a man of consensus”. He adds: “If given an opportunity to lead the Chamber we will refer the matter to a panel to recommend if there is any requirement for amendments. Only after that it can be seen and discussed what changes are needed. This has to be an institutional process and not an individual decision. I shall make all efforts to institutionalize all decision making process”. Sharma’s priorities are not much different from others but what he wants to keep at the top of his agenda is making government to give a practical shape to the existing rules and norms. For example, he says, single window clearance has just been reduced to a term but an entrepreneur still has to run from pillar to post for every petty issue”. “Of course, we will work towards making the life of businessman or industrialist less troublesome in dealing with government but strictly speaking, at least ongoing norms should be adhered to”, says Sharma. He holds a slightly different opinion from others in case of the Cross-LoC trade where Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry is taking lead for last one year. Sharma says barter trade is not going to lead us to anywhere. “We will lobby for making the Cross-LoC trade practical on the lines of International Trade with facilities of currency exchange, modern infrastructure and communication. When asked what makes his claim stronger than others, Sharma points out, “I carry a vast experience and vision for having served the Chamber twice”.
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