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| An assembly of contradictions | | Budget Session | | NEHA
JAMMU, Mar 3: The budget session of Jammu and Kashmir legislature started on February 23. Ever since then, the legislators from Kashmir, including ministers, and legislators from Jammu province, excluding those belonging to the Congress and the NC, have been treading diametrically opposite paths, thus establishing once again that the state legislature is nothing but an assembly of contradictions.
During the last 10 days or so, the ruling National Conference raked up political and emotive issues and left none in any doubt that they are interested more in the resolution of the so-called Kashmir problem and revocation of laws such as AFSPA and PSA than in providing an administration that delivers and mitigates the people's hardships. The National Conference leaders not only insisted on the resolution of the Kashmir issue and revocation of AFSPA but also held the People's Democratic Party responsible for retention of AFSPA and non-implementation of the so-called rehabilitation policy meant for militants and separatists, surrendered or otherwise. Besides, the National Conference dismissed as motivated and false the charges of corruption against the coalition ministers. But basically the focus of the Kashmir-based legislators, including ministers, without any exception, was on political, emotive and divisive issues with the Chief Minister in the forefront and his alliance partner Congress neither here nor there.
During these 10 days, it also became quite clear that the Congress has little or no say in the government and that its only duty is to endorse whatever the Congress does and say and work for the development of the already extraordinarily-developed Kashmir Valley. The EARLY TIMES has carried a number of stories during the last 30 days or so highlighting the contribution of the Congress ministers to Kashmir and their negative, nay hostile, attitude towards the people of Jammu province.
However, the Jammu-based legislators belonging to the official BJP, the Panthers Party and the Jammu State Morcha played a different role. Apart from cornering the ruling coalition over issues like corruption, including political corruption, they highlighted the adverse impact of the discriminatory policies on the Jammu society and economy. They raised several issues demonstrating the extent to which the ruling coalition has harmed and ignored the people of Jammu province. Besides, they took up the issue of refugees a number of times and demanded not just citizenship rights for the refugees from West Pakistan but also proper compensation for the refugees from Pakistan-occupied-Jammu and Kashmir. As for the official BJP, it, in addition, demanded minority status for Hindus and threatened that it would not mind demanding separation of Jammu province from Kashmir in the event of the ruling coalition not dispensing justice to the people of this province. Significantly, the attack of the BJP was directed more towards the Congress than the National Conference and it is understandable. After all, in Jammu province, its main political rival is the Congress party.
All this shows that the existing legislature in the state is a blend of disparate elements representing different interests and regions. But it is not something new. This legislature was like this ever since its inception in 1951. This arrangement is neither good for Kashmir nor for Jammu. In fact, this arrangement has only sharpened angularities between the regions. Why should this assembly of disparate elements be kept intact? Let the people of Jammu province, Kashmir and Ladakh have three separate assemblies so that they are able to legislate independently taking into consideration the specific needs and compulsions of the people inhabiting different regions. Statesmanship demands a drastic change in the existing politico-administration and constitutional set-up as it has outlived its utility and failed Jammu and Ladakh. |
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