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| Duggar Pradesh appropriate name for Jammu province | | Historical Necessity -- II | | Neha
EARLY TIMES REPORT
jammu, July 18: That the forces inimical to the unity of Jammu province are all out to create schism in Jammu society by playing a religious card became quite evident when the state's revenue department issued on March 25 an order entitling the Dogras to obtain from the designated authorities Dogra certificate and avail two paltry concessions in order to join the central paramilitary forces - concessions in terms of height and chest size. The order had nowhere envisaged concessions for the Hindus. The order was applicable to all inhabiting Jammu province, including Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. But Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz and a number of other Kashmiri leaders, including Farooq Abdullah, and media persons upped their ante against the government. Geelani described the decision as a conspiracy hatched by New Delhi and the state government to establish Duggar Pradesh, assimilate the Muslims of the province and weaken their "freedom struggle against India." New Delhi and the state government should have explained the implications of the order and called the Kashmiri separatists' bluff. But they didn't do so. On the contrary, they sought and got the support of the Congress government in New Delhi and ensured the collapse of the order on April 28, thus becoming a party to what the people of Jammu described as a "conspiracy against them and their province." The decision evoked adverse reaction in Jammu from all sections of society.
One can cite several similar other instances to prove that an insidious influence is at work to undermine the identity of the Dogras, but the controversy created by the likes of Geelani should be taken as a clinching evidence in this regard and, hence, the need for changing the name from Jammu province to Duggar Pradesh. It would not be a new name. Jammu province was known for centuries as the land of the Dogras. Names of several cities and states have been changed in the country during the past few decades. State of Madras is now called Tamil Nadu. Madras is now called Chinnai; Calcutta Kolkata, Bengalore Bangaluru, Bombay Mumbai and so on.
It's true that Jammu province houses nearly 1.5 million refugees from West Pakistan, Pakistan-occupied-Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) and Kashmir Valley, but they have become part and parcel of the Dogras. Refugees from West Pakistan and POJK have been living in Jammu and they are not only sharing their joy and grief with the Dogras and the vice-versa but also suffering at the hands of the state administration as well as irrational and biased New Delhi. Jammu is the home of these refugees and there are cogent reasons to believe that they would appreciate the change in the nomenclature of Jammu province. After all, the Dogras, unlike the Raj Thakres in Maharashtra and Bodos in Assam, have never asked these refugees to quit Jammu. Nor would they ever say so because they are living as one man.
Similarly, the refugees from Kashmir have been living Jammu since ages, notwithstanding the fact that (what could be termed as) the last and final exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from the Valley took place in early 1990. They have identified themselves with the Dogras and the Dogras have identified themselves with the displaced Kashmiri Hindus. Is it not a fact that they and the locals fought together in 2008 to force the state government to retransfer the snatched Baltal land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board? It is a fact. They, along with the locals, suffered brutalities for the cause. It is extremely unlikely that they would not appreciate the change in the nomenclature of Jammu province. They would surely support the change, if takes place. And, it can take place. Things are heading towards that.
As for the authorities, they would do well to take all the necessary steps in this direction. The change in the nomenclature of Jammu province has become a historical necessity and those who refuse to take cognizance of the historical forces operating beneath and over the surface ultimately bemoan their inaction. One can say it for sure that the historical forces have become quite active and the latest development that gave a definite fillip to these historical forces was the avoidable Dogra certificate controversy. (Concluded) |
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