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| Jazia on Amarnath pilgrims: Is J&K a secular polity? | | IN FOCUS -- VII | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, June 5: Like the BJP-RSS combine, the JKNPP, which also claims that it represents the Jammu sentiment and says it believes in religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence, too, has adopted a negative attitude to the demand that Jazia on free Langars be abolished and additional taxes imposes on buses, trucks and light vehicles carrying yatris and food material for the pilgrims be withdrawn. It appears the JKNPP, whose chairman Bhim Singh maintains very friendly relations with Governor N N Vohra, has thought it better to remain silent on this issue. Perhaps, the likes Bhim Singh, who always flirt with the Kashmiri secessionists and who also sometimes speak their language, believe that their support to the religious cause of the Hindus might anger the State Governor and hurt the sectarian psyche of the fanatics in Kashmir. Bhim Singh has on occasions more than one demanded the release of ultras and he is also responsible for the release of Bitta Karate, killer of dozens of Kashmiri Pandits.
Even during the Amarnath land agitation days, the chairman of the JKNPP had played a negative role. He flirted with the State Governor and Kashmiri communalists of all varieties. He did try to befool the people of Jammu by sitting on hunger strike, but failed. In fact, he at the behest of Prof Amitabh Mattoo ended his so-called fast-unto-death, with his supporters saying the people of Jammu wanted Bhim Singh to live for a longer time. Bhim Singh made a mockery of himself and his party, notwithstanding the fact that his party legislators Harsh Dev Singh Singh, Balwant Singh Mankotia and Yash Pal Kundal did contribute to the success of the movement in their own way.
Bhim Singh gave his support to the movement only when he felt that his non-cooperation would mar the electoral prospects of his outfit. But his joining the movement at its fag end did not help him anyway. He who calls him Sher-e-Jammu was shown his rightful place in the last Assembly elections. He contested election from the Jammu East Assembly constituency, but could get only some 300-plus votes. His was a crushing and humiliating defeat.
One can understand the reasons behind the indifferent attitude of Bhim Singh. After all, he is known for his inconsistency. But one fails to understand why the otherwise very vocal Harsh Dev Singh and Balwant Singh Mankotia have not taken a clear-cut stand on this issue of great import. Have they thought it prudent to follow in the footsteps of Bhim Singh whose political inning is already over? It is for them to give answer.
As far as the Bar Association Jammu (BAJ) is concerned, it has only issued a couple of vague statements on this issue. It has neither organized any press conference to register its protest against the communal decision of the Raj Bhawan and the State Government nor has it taken any step whatever to educate the public opinion on the issue or to mobilize the public opinion on this issue.
The BAJ is an organization the people of Jammu respect. They respect the BAJ because the lawyers have always fought for their cause and suffered in the process. The BAJ just cannot afford to watch the developments in Jammu as a mute spectator. It has to play an active role because it is known for playing a very, very active role. Take, for example, the role Sunil Sethi's predecessor, Bhupinder Singh Slathia, played in 2008. So much so that he resigned from the coveted post of Additional Advocate General in order to make common cause with the agitating people of Jammu province.
This is the situation. The State Raj Bhawan and the State Government are doing their best to prove that there is no place whatsoever in their scheme of things for the non-Muslims and that they are concerned only with one community and its aspirations. In short, the State Raj Bhawan and the State Government have proved by their words and deeds that they stand for a communal polity and that they could go to any extent to outrage the religious sentiments of the Hindus in order to please the fanatics.
It is for the people of Jammu province to take cognizance of what the State Raj Bhawan and the State Government have been doing to pollute and discourage the Amarnath Yatra. It is also for them to take note of the indifferent attitude of the BJP-RSS combine, the JKNPP and the BAJ towards their genuine secular demand and act accordingly. But more than that, it is time for the members of Shrine Board to take on those who have been outraging the Hindu sentiment by taking out-and-out communally-motivated decisions. One can only hope and pray that good sense would finally prevail and the authorities take steps that would make the non-Muslim minorities in the state believe that J&K polity is genuinely secular, and not communal. (Concluded)
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