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| Significance of Slathia’s spectacular victory | | BAJ Elections -- II | | STARK REALITY
RUSTAM
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Dec 20: It needs to be noted that the BAJ was highly critical of the Union Government. Its grouse against the authorities in New Delhi was that it had adopted “appeasement policy towards the Kashmir region, where even the bandh call given by the anti-national, fundamentalist and separatist forces is given serious consideration at the cost of sentiments of nationalist forces agitating in the Jammu region.”
Although the BAJ was an important constituent of the SAYSS, yet Bhupinder Singh Slathia also operated on its own to make the Amarnath land restoration movement a grand success. He and his team members crisscrossed most parts of the region to activate all the branches of this association and educate the already rather educated people about the nature of the struggle the Jammu province was undergoing. Their focus was mainly on two issues – the Baltal land and the plight of Jammu. Everywhere they stated that the “BAJ was fighting for land restoration and for an instrument that could end the menace of age-old discrimination with the people of Jammu.” “Everywhere they demanded the recall of Governor N.N. Vohra, saying he had violated the Shrine Board Act to meet the demand of anti-national and fundamentalist forces.” On occasions, Slathia came into direct confrontation with the civil administration. His complaint was that “it had deployed army in almost all the civilian areas in order to prevent people from holding demonstrations.” He had described this action of the administration was as “undesirable and deplorable.”
However, the most significant aspect of the whole situation was the nature of the Slathia-led BAJ and the Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS). The relations between him and the SAYSS leadership were not always very cordial. The reason, according to him, was that the “BAJ did not like the soft attitude of the SAYSS towards the BJP.” Besides, he also wanted the SAYSS leadership to broaden the base of the organization so that representatives belonging to different political, social and religious organizations were also taken on board. He was of the view that “both the SAYSS and the BJP were one and that the BJP had virtually hijacked the Jammu agitation.” He had repeatedly warned the SAYSS that the
BAJ would not allow any political party to hijack the people’s movement.” He was not happy with the SAYSS for another reason: its decision to call off the strike on July 8.
The SAYSS also was very unhappy with Slathia and his association. It was particularly annoyed with the BAJ for organizing what it used to call “parallel activities, including the two meetings it organized within the premises of High Court on July 12 and 13 in which representatives of the various political parties, the CCI, social and religious organizations and traders and transporters participated.” The purpose behind these meetings was to discuss and decide the mode of agitation.
It is true that Slathia and his team of committed colleagues did organize parallel activities. But it is also a fact that the BAJ under his leadership never precipitated matters. He always ensured the defeat of all such moves as were aimed at creating an impression that the “people of Jammu were a divided house.” That he always gave a due importance to the SAYSS could be seen from his August 6 appeal to the Union Government to “hold dialogue” with it.” Similarly, the SAYSS leadership did not make any adverse comment against the BAJ, though there were elements in the SAYSS who wanted the samiti leadership to publicly denounce the BAJ leadership. The leadership of both the organizations displayed remarkable maturity.
The victory of Slathia signifies many things. It signifies the victory of those who have the necessary courage to take cudgels with the anti-Jammu and anti-national forces; victory of those who would not mind making supreme sacrifices for the cause. The victory of Slathia, in short, is nothing but a manifestation of that psyche that asserted with great enthusiasm and confidence Between June and August, 2008, and that continues to assert unabated. Slathia was a mouthpiece of that psyche and the enlightened and politically conscious members of the BAJ have reposed their full faith in Slathia only to rededicate themselves to the cause for which they had fought and suffered enormous financial losses in the process. In conclusion it can be said that the ignored people of Jammu province have again got in the person of Bhupinder Singh Slathia a committed soldier. In fact, his victory is the victory of the people of Jammu province. (Concluded)
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