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| Dogras leaderless, in a state of trauma | | | Neha
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, June 10: "Dogras of the Jammu province are the only community in the country which is leaderless. They are in trauma. They are in a state of shock. Their very identity is under grave threat. Neither Kashmir cares for them nor New Delhi considers them relevant. Their life is not one of social, economic and political aspirations. Their life is one of toil and penury. Their only job is to take care of the Kashmiri needs and enrich the Kashmir's economy. It is not an exaggeration. It is a statement of fact. They have been suffering and facing humiliations at the hands of Kashmir and Delhi since October 1947, when the state acceded to India. In fact, while India attained independence and Kashmir got extraordinary powers from Delhi, the brave Dogras, who had been ruling the state since March 1846, lost their independence; Congress rulers of the time threw in their lot with the Kashmiri leadership and they became slaves. The Dogras have been defeated and badly let down by their own leaders." This is the well-considered opinion of the keen Dogra and Jammu-watchers.
According to these unbiased Dogra-watchers, "there is nothing whatever on the ground that could even remotely suggest that the leadership of the Dogras has done anything concrete for them during all these years of the state's accession" and "it has, instead, shamelessly bartered away their rights and interests to remain in the good books of the Kashmiri rulers." The Dogra-watchers are also of the view that the "plight of the Dogras was never that miserable as it has been since April 13 last, when their representatives voted for the Kashmir-centric and anti-Dogra candidates seeking election to the legislative council." They hint at the BJP, the Panthers Party and the Jammu State Morcha MLAs, 15 in number, and not on the Jammu-based MLAs belonging to the Congress, the NC and the PDP, as they consider them the
stooges" of the "Kashmir-based and Kashmir-centric parties" like the National Conference and the people's Democratic Party.
The views of the Dogra or Jammu-watchers just cannot be brushed aside. For, what they opine is what the ground situation in the land of the Dogras indicate. In fact, there are reports and reports, all official, which clearly indicate the extent to which the Dogras have been systematically marginalized at all levels and in all spheres and which also indicate that the Dogras have been getting only crumbs. Hence, it is not necessary to catalogue here what the reports like the Gajendragadkar Commission report, the Wazir Commission report and the Singhal Committee report have said and suggested. However, it is necessary to refer to the post-April 13 attitude of the Jammu-based legislators to the miserable plight of the Dogras. And, suffice it to say that their attitude has been totally negative; it has been one of indifference. They have not taken up any issue during this period the Dogras hold very dear. There is not even lip service. Leave aside a few vague statements issued for public consumption and to remain in news.
Had the representatives of the Dogras -- barring those belonging to the NC and the PDP -- represented their constituencies in the real sense of the term the authorities would not have withdrawn the Dogra certificate order. The withdrawal of this order, which had envisaged only a couple of petty concessions - relaxation in height and chest expansion - should clinch the whole issue and establish that there is none in Jammu province who is prepared to take up the genuine causes of the Dogras. One can catalogue here numerous other similar instances to show the failure of the representatives of the Dogras, but it is not required, as everyone is fully aware of their role. As for the attitude of the so-called Jammu-based non-political Dogra associations, including sabhas and societies, literary organizations and intellectuals, less said the better. They are playing their own games, of course, in the name of the Dogras and the communities, they say, they represent.
It is time for the representatives of the Dogras to refashion their whole approach towards their constituencies taking into consideration what the Kashmiri leaders of all hues do with single-minded devotion for their province and their constituencies.
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