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| Outcome of Congress-NC CC meet, an evaluation | | Coalition Of Contradictions | | Rustam
JAMMU, Jan 8: The Congress-NC Coordination Committee (CC) met in Jammu yesterday after months to discuss issues of governance, inter-party relations and agenda for next three years. The meeting was chaired by Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz. He is the chairman of the CC. If one goes by media reports, one can definitely say that nothing concrete emerged out of the meeting. The only concrete suggestion perhaps was regarding certain commissions, which, according to the CC members, needed to be strengthened and made fully functional. The other point which merits some appreciation was the decision that the CC would meet more often.
The outcome of the meet once again established that the relations between the two major coalition partners are as strained as they were before and that the Congress and the NC have different views on the 73rd and 74th Amendments in the Indian Constitution (Amendments aimed at empowering the Panchayati Raj institutions) and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Prof Soz reiterated his stand that the 73rd and 74th Amendments needed to be adopted to empower adequately the Panchayati Raj institutions so that these institutions are able to cater to and meet the immediate local needs. As expected, the NC leader and the concerned minister Ali Mohammad Sagar turned down the suggestion saying the state government has its own mechanism in place to empower the local-self governing institutions. He told the chairman of the CC that the state government has already accepted the recommendations as made by the Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, in this regard and that there is no need to go in for the 73rd and 74th Amendments. In other words, the NC held its ground firmly and told the Congress that the latter has no other option but to fall in line on the issue, which Prof Soz and other Congress leaders hold very dear.
It is not known if the AFSPA came up for discussion during the meeting, but media reports did suggest that the NC and the Congress continue to hold contradictory stands. Prof Soz candidly told media persons after the meeting that he stood by what he said last October-November on the issue and that all the stakeholders needed to be taken on board before proceeding further as far as the revocation of the AFSPA was concerned. He made a significant statement that right now the issue was not under the consideration of the government. Even far more significant was his assertion that the "issue is not debatable".
Anyway, the contradictory stands taken by the Chairman of the CC and the NC on the twin issues of Panchayati Raj institutions and the AFSPA should not surprise anyone. For, they only restated their positions. However, what should surprise everyone was the startling revelation made by Prof Soz that "I haven't seen the document" (compendium). "I haven't seen the document. If it is an assertion (idea of enhancing reservation quota for Other Backward Classes) of the Chief Minister's achievement, I congratulate him". This should explain everything and indicate the extent to which the NC could go to keep the JKPCC president aloof. His revelation was a poor reflection on the attitude of the NC towards him and the Congress party. Besides, it indicated lack of coordination between him and the Congress ministers. It was, however former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma who did some plain-speaking and accused the NC of "neglecting Congress leaders ad workers" and added that the "Congress workers are feeling ignored in the coalition government". In other words, both the JKPCC chief and the former Deputy Chief Minister expressed their anger against the NC in their own typical style. Prof Soz was sophisticated in his reactions and responses and Mangat Ram Sharma candid.
It is clear from what Prof Soz and Sharma said that all was not well and that things would not improve in the next three years as well. It is for the JKPCC to work out a strategy to make the NC fall in line or work in unison with the Congress party so that both the parties have an equal and effective say in the governance of the state. No one can do anything in this regard. This is a matter between the two parties and they have to straighten things and overcome angularities.
But one would surely suggest that the CC meet did not bring cheers to the people of Jammu province who have been crying for justice since decades and demanding parity with their counterparts in Kashmir in all spheres and at all levels. The CC neither discussed the issue of Jammu's empowerment through the promised instrument of regional council, nor did it take up the issue of delimitation, the age-old demand of the people of Jammu province. It would be well to remember that the Congress had promised in 2008 the setting up of a regional council in Jammu by amending the state constitution. All in all, one can say that the CC meet turned out to be an exercise in futility and that the CC didn't set any agenda for the future. In other words, the CC members met, sat together for some 90 minutes and dispersed without suggesting anything concrete. |
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