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| Passage of recuitment ban bill leaves BJP a confused lot | | | ARTEEV SHARMA
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Apr 9: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-claiming to be a party with difference-today presented a confused and divided state of affairs of its ideology inside and outside the Legislative Assembly over the passing of the controversial Bill seeking ban on inter-district recruitment.
The 'Party with difference' virtually became the 'party having differences' among its leadership when the senior party leaders made different statements vis-à-vis passage of Inter-district recruitment bill.
The chaos and confusion within the leadership began in the Lower House of the State Legislature when the Leader of BJP Legislature Party Chaman Lal Gupta firstly described the ban as "unconstitutional" as the Speaker defended the amendments moved by Jammu and Kashmir National Panther Party's MLA, Harsh Dev and the Bill passed through certain amendments.
Ironically, though the BJP had given a strong warning to fight tooth and nail against government's move to pass the Bill, and had called for Jammu bandh which turned out to be complete shutdown even, Chaman Lal's immediate shift of stance to impress upon the House persons about his own contribution while seeking credit for the 'partial' amendment in Scheduled Castes (SC's) in favour mooted by him left the party's credibility on stake.
Later, talking to the media persons outside the Legislative Assembly, the BJP leader again tried to take credit of 'safeguard' of eight percent reservation for SCs in inter-district recruitment, saying, "It is due to our efforts the bill was passed with amended form. I had made a dissent note to the Select Committee vis-à-vis dilution of SCs rights in the Bill."
While welcoming the decision of eight percent reservation for SCs, the BJP leader however, said, "The Government has virtually sown the seeds of state's disintegrations by passing this Bill."
"If the party had resolved to fight against the banning of inter-district recruitment, the party leaders' soft approach inside the House is unacceptable. The party cadre made the call of Jammu bandh a great success, the party MLAs silence inside the House has demoralized the party cadre," lamented a senior party leader seeking anonymity.
In a hurriedly called press conference, the BJP state chief, Shamsher Singh however, condemned passing of the Bill saying that it would harm the "secular" character of the state.
And in its other perspective the BJP chief joined in haste to appreciate the government's move of securing free eight percent reservation to SC's throughout the state irrespective of inter district impediment.
Interestingly, the state BJP chief was not fully aware about the Bill, saying the amendments in it were moved by the PDP.
He however, said "It is due to pressure of Jammu people, government has excluded SCs from the Bill but all is not well. Government has proved its anti-Gujjar and Bakerwal stand. Our party would fight for their rights also."
If party sources are to be believed, the party leaders had strong differences over inter-district recruitment bill. Even the Udhampur unit of the party had opposed the bandh call and no shutdown was observed in the district. And it was confirmed by the party chief when no mention of Udahmpur vis-à-vis shutdown was made in the press statement.
"There was already an indistinct consensus among the BJP rank and file to oppose the passing of the Bill, as most of them representing rural areas never wanted the Bill to get defeated because of their commitment and assurance to public to get their jobs' rights secured within their districts only," said a source in the party.
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