Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 3: Jammu citizens have made it clear today that they are not prepared to live a life of servitude even for a day now and need a dispensation for their own which is nationalist in spirit.
On the eve of the visit of All Party Parliamentary Delegation to the State the Jammu Citizens at a press conference here urged the Union Government to delink Jammu province from Kashmir forthwith.
The demand was made by former Minister and MLA Udhampur Pawan Gupta while talking to reporters here today along with Rajiv Chuni, chairman SOS, Dr Ajay Chrungoo, Chairman Panun Kashmir, Rattan Singh Gill, advocate and activist, Dheeraj Pargal, Dr Agnishekhar and Ajatshatru Singh.
Pawan Gupta said that Jammu people have their own political, social and economic aspirations, which cannot be met under the failed 70-year-old Kashmir-dominated dispensation. The people of Jammu reject outrightly the demands of Kashmiri leaders ranging from autonomy to self-rule to Azadi to merge with Pakistan to free economic zone to religious State. “We also resolve to accomplish two goals – separation from Kashmir and complete merger with India”, he added.
Gupta cited three specific reasons for de-linking of Jammu province from Kashmir.
Elucidating one by one, he said Kashmir has been gripped by radicals who, in the words of PDP leader and MP Muzaffar Hussain Baig himself, are not fighting for autonomy or self-rule, but for a Muslim State.
Gupta said the existing politico-constitutional and administrative structure is unitary and Kashmir-centric.
It is a structure that the Kashmiri leadership exploits to the hilt and on a daily basis to its own benefit and to the benefit of the Kashmiri people. It is aimed at depriving Jammu and Ladakh and the minorities of their legitimate due share in the State’s political, economic and social processes. This is slavery of worst form so not acceptable to us.
The last reason assigned by MLA Udhampur is that the policy of the Government of India towards Jammu and Kashmir is fatal to the vital interests of the nation, the people of Jammu province and the two million refugees from Pakistan, PoJK and Kashmir valley.
He said so the Jammu citizens urge the Union Government to de-link Jammu province from Kashmir without losing a moment and limit this Kashmir unrest to 6000 sq km Kashmir valley and not allowing the secessionist/separatist elements to paint entire State of J&K black and in turmoil, failing which they will have no other option but to unleash a relentless movement in the region to achieve their twin objectives as stated above.