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| Yet another political sermon from Omar | | | During the last three years
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, has perfected the art of issuing political sermons on one issue or the other. He has learnt the art of being in the news and like his father he has become a news maker though he is yet to touch the heights his father has gained in being a news maker. The latest sermon Omar issued was from the barren stretches of Drass which had suffered badly during the 1999 Kargil conflict. Omar has,once again, committed himself and his Government to removing regional imbalance by ensuring equitable development of all the regions of the state.The idea is good,sound and desirable. In fact resolution of regional discrimination or ensuring equitable development was part of the poll manifesto of the National Conference in 2002 and 2008 Assembly elections. Yes, people living in the regions of Ladakh and Jammu favour equal distribution of political power and funds among the three regions.
What has the National Conference led Government done as far as ending regional discrimination is concer ned during the last three years ? One wishes the National Conference in general and Omar Abdullah in particular to answer this question. If one reviews the performance of the successive state Governments run by the National Conference since 1948 one will find that it has sown the seeds of regional imbalance. Why so ?Ever since its birth in 1938-39 the National Conference and its leaders have remained Kashmir centric. In the initial stages of its existence it was normal for it to be Kashmir centric because its main support base was in the valley. Gradually its areas of influence got extended to Jammu and Ladakh regions which is evident from the fact that it has been winning a number of Assembly seats from these two regions. Hence it was mandatory for it to initiate measurs that could end discrimination of people of Ladakh and Jammu regions.
If it has not done in the past it could have done it since 2009 by ensuring that there was equitable devolution of political and financial powers,main demand of the Jammuites and the Ladakhis.It has not been done and on certain development schemes, including the centrally sponsored projects, the Kashmir valley has been receiving over 60 per cent funds,followed by 25 per cent in Jammu and 10 to 15 per cent in Ladakh. As far as the share of each region in the Government services, especially in the civil secreta-riat,is concerned Jammu and Ladakh have received a stepmotherly treatment. During the last three years Omar has not taken any step to correct,if not reverse, the tilt in favour of Kashmir. The worst case of regional discrimination is the wide gap in the number of Assembly and Lok Sabha segments between the Kashmir valley and the Jammu region. Despite its area and population being greater than the valley Jammu region has 37 Assembly seats and two LOk Sabha constit-encies against 46 Assembly segments and three Lok Sabha seats in the valley. This has denied political power to the Jammuites.And whenever the BJP, the Panthers Party or some congressmen demand fresh delimitation of Assemby seats the NC leadership is the first to oppose it. So Omar stop issuing sermons and instead take some specific steps for ending regional discrimination. |
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