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| Azad became CM to harm Jammu, promote communalism | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Nov 13: Four, the JKNPP moved another "Private Member's Bill" seeking incorporation of the words "secularism and socialism" in the preamble of the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution. Its refrain was that "since the preamble of the Indian Constitution contained these two words, the same needed to be incorporated in the State Constitution so that the state polity was given a secular and socialist orientation". The bill failed to carry conviction. The ruling Congress, its coalition partners, including the Left parties, plus the opposition NC, rejected out-of-hand this bill, thus indicating their negative approach to the cardinal principles of secularism and socialism.
Five, the JKNPP moved yet another "Private Member's Bill" in the Assembly in the same session. It was designed to ensure parity between Kashmir and Jammu as far as their representation in the Assembly was concerned. The bill said that Jammu province and Kashmir division each be divided into 52 Assembly segments so that the Jammu's age-old grievance was redressed. But it was bitterly opposed. The ruling Congress, like the PDP, the NC, the CPI-M and the PDF, repudiated outright this bill. The opposition of the Congress to the bill was all the more surprising considering the fact that its core constituency was Jammu province, especially its Hindu-majority areas, which returned as many as 24 members to the Assembly.
Six, the NC sprang a surprise in the Assembly when it moved a "Private Member's Bill" seeking protection of the temples and shrines of the Kashmiri Hindus. It was expected that this bill would be adopted at once. But it did not happen. All the coalition partners, excluding the JKNPP, and the BJP and the JSM, joined hands and decided to refer the said bill to the joint-select committee. It is hardly necessary to catalogue the reasons behind the opposition of the ruling coalition to this bill. Seven, the NC moved another "Private Member's Bill" on the need to adopt Shariat laws. While the ruling coalition and the JKNPP extended their unqualified support to this bill and adopted it, the BJP and the JSM opposed it. The ideologue of the PDP and Deputy Chief Minister, Muzzaffar Hussain Beig, did express some reservations, but ultimately he also voted for the bill.
Eight, the JKNPP moved one more "Private Member's Bill" seeking reduction in the life of the Assembly from six to five years. Its argument was that "since the term of the assemblies in the country was five years, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly should also be constituted for a period of five years". The Bill was defeated in no time. Health Minister Mangat Ram Sharma made a mockery of himself and his party when he said in the Assembly that the bill, if adopted, would mean "reduction in the pension of the legislators". He said that "six-year term benefits the legislators". The NC and the PDP, on the other hand, opposed the bill saying that "Jammu and Kashmir enjoys a special status within the Union and, hence, the life of the Assembly has to be six-year". It needs to be noted that it was the NC, a staunch supporter of greater autonomy, which had in 1977 adopted the central legislation enhancing the life of the Lok Sabha and the assemblies from five to six year -- legislation which the Janata Party Government repealed.
The bitter opposition of the ruling coalition and the NC to certain "Private Member's Bills" and their unqualified support to certain other bills indicated two things: Support for those bills which had the potential of further widening the already rather wide gulf between the state and New Delhi and opposition to those which had the ingredients of bringing the state closer to New Delhi, secularizing the state polity, empowering the refugees from West Pakistan and dispensing justice to Jammu province. The message was that they stood for a system that was different from what was in vogue in the rest of the country. (To be continued) |
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