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| Even Indian commentators refuse to recognise Jammu problem | | Creation Of New States | | Neha
JAMMU, July 25: The people of Jammu Pradesh have been crying for justice since November 1, 1947 and urging the authorities to hand down to them a system of Government that is of them, by them and for them, but without evoking any positive response from the powers-that-be in New Delhi, from the Indian political class, and even from Delhi-based political observers, commentators, trouble-shooters and conflict-managers. In fact, the cry in Jammu Pradesh for justice and empowerment has consistently evoked a negative response from the Indian political class. A section has even repeatedly denounced as "anti-national", "communal" and "anti-Kashmir" those in Jammu who have been vouching for the State's reorganisation saying that the State of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh is an unnatural formation and that it consists of three disparate regions whose aspirations and needs are conflicting and mutually exclusive. It is obvious that this section is under the baneful influence of the Kashmiri leadership which is rabidly opposed to the demand in Jammu and Ladakh for the State's reorganization and which says the reorganisation of the State will "hurt the psyche of Kashmiri Muslims".
One can understand the reasons behind the opposition of the political parties, including the so-called pro-Jammu BJP and the so-called secular Congress, to the demand in Jammu for empowerment or for a definite political instrument that enables the people of Jammu Pradesh to manage their own affairs themselves independent of Kashmir but within the Indian Constitutional framework. Both the BJP and the Congress are one as far as their attitude towards Ladakh Province is concerned. They support the demand in Ladakh for Union Territory status. But one fails to understand why the Delhi-based commentators support the demand in other parts of India, including Ladakh, for the creation of more States, and refuse to recognise the age-old Jammu problem.
Only the other day, a senior commentator, who worked with Hindustan Times for decades and reported on Jammu & Kashmir for years, Mahendra Ved, came out with his latest political essay "Creation of New States", which urged New Delhi to "constitute a Second States Reorganisation Commission". He wrote: "The Central Government has 10 applications pending for the creation of new States, including Vidarbha in Maharashtra, Telangana in Andhra Pradesh, Saurashtra in Gujarat, Mithilanchal in Bihar, Bhojpur straddling Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (UP), Harit Pradesh and Bundelkhand in UP, Coorge in Karnataka, and Gorkhaland and Cooch Behar in West Bengal. There are other aspirants who have not yet formally applied, but are watching the developments on Telangana very closely. They include Bodoland in Assam, Kosal in Orissa, Ladakh from Jammu and Kashmir, Vindhya Pradesh from out of Madhya Pradesh and Maru Pradesh in Rajasthan".
The operative part of "Creation of New States" reads like this: "As Prof Dipankar Gupta, formerly of Jawaharlal Nehru University recalls, in the 1980s, any demand for a smaller State used to generate anger and disapproval and fear that only enemies of the country would benefit from a 'divided' India. We have come a long way since then. The demand for smaller States indicates evolution of our polity. It is time to constitute a Second States Reorganisation Commission".
Why did Ved overlook Jammu Pradesh? Hundreds of articles on the plight of the people of Jammu Pradesh and the demand in Jammu Pradesh for the State's reorganisation have appeared on opinion pages of leading national dailies and journals like The Hindustan Times, The Times of India, Indian Express, The Statesman, The Hindu, The Pioneer, The Tribune, Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala and Indian Defence Review. Most of these articles appeared in these national dailies and internal journals like Indian Defence Review when Ved was on the staff of The Hindustan Times. It is intriguing that he has ignored Jammu Pradesh where a number of political groups like JKNPP, JSM, and even the BSP have been organising activities calculated to make the authorities reorganise the State of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. However, there is a problem. The problem is that the people of Jammu Pradesh have never taken recourse to unconstitutional methods, including violence. Perhaps, the likes of Ved rcognise only those who take recourse to violent methods to force the authorities concede their demands. How unfortunate! |
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