Rajan Gandhi
Politics is always an art to understand public sentiment as well as regional dynamics, our PM Narendra Modi ji has special mastery of this. Wherever he goes his connect with masses is too obvious and reasons are not hard to find. December 2013 Jammu’s Lalkar Rally was one such interaction which changed political discourse of Jammu and Kashmir forever. Among other issues one most important aspect was his special reference to his earlier Jammu and Kashmir visits as an ordinary karyakarta. He told,” My association with Jammu and Kashmir is very close. Today a gentleman came here and gifted me a 25 year-old picture of mine and reminded me of my old days here. Today I specially want to think of my Gujjar friends, who used to say that we are your people. We are associated with Gujarat that is why we are called as Gujjars. They used to say that our ancestors have been associated with Gujarat, and I can even today see that the living style, the dressing pattern and culture of people in a few areas in Gujarat is very similar to my Gujjar friends. Gujjar families where I used to have food, even the taste of food was a bit sweet like the food in Gujarat. Friends, even today you have come here in large numbers, and I feel really happy meeting my own people..! Friends, in Kargil, where the people of Shia community live, I have stayed there for some time and have tried understanding their problems. Jammu & Kashmir development, there are talks of progress in Kashmir Valley but what is the reason that the Shia community of Kargil is left untouched from development and growth, why this unfairness to them..? Injustice with Gujjar, Bakarwal and Shia community… separating them from others, pushing them backwards, till when will it last? In Jammu & Kashmir, the politics of discrimination that prevails, injustice with Ladakh at times, sometimes getting unfair with Jammu, getting unfair with Shias on various occasions and then treating Gujjars or Bakarwal in unjust manner… till when will this inequity prevail?”
Upliftment of backward and leftover communities have been hallmark of Modi Government throughout his tenure, be it through various schemes or direct representation at top positions of party as well as India. Selection of President Ram Nath Kovind earlier and now Droupadi Murmu is a testimony that he keeps up his promises at every juncture. Jammu and Kashmir is no exception as with nomination of Er. Gulam Ali Khatana as member Rajya Sabha PM Modi has fulfilled his promise of Lalkar Rally. With this Master Stroke PM Modi has once again set new parameters for upcoming Assembly elections in JKUT. Dynamics of Jammu and Kashmir are quite clear, as per 2011 census Gujjar and Bakerwals are around 12% of total population and are decisive in around 20 assembly segments. Recent Delimitation exercise was not just gerrymandering as accused by many but a well planned intentional step to provide 9 assembly seats to Schedule Tribes (6 in Jammu Division and 3 in Kashmir) and 7 to Scheduled Castes. Minutest political calculations have been done to get maximum out of every move. With around 69% population of total in UT, Muslims cannot be out of scheme for any political party.
Since 2019 there is total vacuum of elected representatives in UT, with only 5 MPs to represent 1.5 crore population and none in Rajya Sabha, too little to live up to public expectations. Things for BJP are even more troublesome as no Muslim face is representing the Government with the result a feeling of disconnect. With nomination of Er Gulam Ali Khatana this vacuum has been filled both for Jammu as well as Kashmir. Elevation of Khatana is again a testimony that any BJP dedicated worker can become PM or President or CM or an MP. Rise of Khatana is neither sudden nor unexpected, his moderate humble childhood, initial schooling and then transformation into leader during his engineering college days, a step by step rise to power corridor. GCET was the first engineering college in Jammu Division and to establish it Gulam Ali Khatana played a very crucial role, right from approval to land allocation to construction and finally establishment of engineering college, initially named as Jammu College of Engineering Technology but afterwards politically motivated got changed to Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET). This college was initial political learning class of Khatana, subsequently got associated with Jammu Joint Students Federation, a premier students organization. Khatana was prominently involved in JJSF led 1998 MBBS/BDS selection list agitation and who can forget one week hunger strike of Khatana after which SMVDU and SKUAST Jammu got established. He never looked back as afterwards he joined Panthers Party in 2001and learnt a lot from Prof Bhim Singh. Shri Amarnath agitation of 2008 changed the course as he tilted towards RSS, worked for communal harmony at that crucial juncture and despite living in the most sensitive area of Kashmiri Muslims dominated Bhatindi at Jammu he brought thousands of Muslims in the RSS/BJP fold. He worked as National Co-Convener Muslim Rashtriya Manch, incharge Northern India, was instrumental in getting over one lakh Muslim signatures from Jammu Division for Gau Raksha Abhiyan which Muslim Rashtriya Manch submitted to the President of India. As member of famous Lalkar Rally at Jammu he mobilized over ten thousand Gujjars at MA Stadium Jammu of whom four thousand appeared with turbans which was clearly noticed by Modi ji as such specifically addressed Gujjars as mentioned above. In BJP he worked in the BJP National team of Tribal Morcha as Secretary and National Minority Morcha as Vice President and as Prabhari Uttar Pradesh, to his credit his many suggestions have already been implemented. He got responsibility of J&K Tribal/Minority Morcha from 2010 to 2012, as Secretary J&K BJP from 2012 to 2018 and Prabhari of Ramban and Doda districts. He was elevated as Vice President of J&K BJP from 2018 to 2020. He was member of Rajnath Singh led Study Group on J&K comprising Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Raman Singh MP and at present he was Spokesperson of J&K BJP. Till date, to his credit, Gulam Ali has conducted thousands of programmes from Lakhanpur to Kupwara – Kishtwar to Poonch for spreading the message of BJP/RSS policies and programmes among Muslims and still continuing. He was actively involved in awareness of Article 370 issues and as such got printed over 5 lakh pamphlets on Article 370, circulated it among Muslim population of J&K in the age group of 40 plus after identifying them from voter lists. Being Co-convener of Mahasampark Abhiyan in J&K he organised several seminars on Article 370.
With all these feathers in his cap, Er Gulam Ali Khatana is unsung Navrattan of Modi team who has worked tirelessly for years together for BJP/RSS without any lure or ambition, got encouragement from Central leadership in the form of various party positions from time to time and right now is key leader of happening both at Central and UT. After Mukhtar Abbaas Naqwi and Shah Nawaz Hussain it seems he has to play a pivotal role as PM Modi’s resolve for embracing and upliftment of Pasmanda Muslims and it is another historic turn in BJP history. Pasmanda is a Persian word broadly meaning backward people at disadvantage. There is misconception that muslims don’t have caste system and discrimination, Kunjre (Raeen), Julaha (Ansari), Dhuniya (Mansoori), Kasai (Qureshi), Hajjam (Salmani), Carpenter (Saifi), Manihar (Siddiqui), Tailor (Idrisi) are few to mention.
With all the above facts and secular activities of Er. Gulam Ali Khatana, it isn’t surprising that his nomination to Rajya Sabha has been widely welcomed across all castes, religions and political parties across Jammu as well as Kashmir. Presence of different party leaders at his felicitation functions held by various organisations at different districts of J&K is another milestone in today’s political scenario. Lining of groups of people at his Bhatindi residence makes one believe he is unique, ready to meet and greet one and all, attends all incoming calls personally. Jammu and Kashmir has found a leader to connect with and public is rejoiced with PM Modi’s, HM Amit Shah’s and BJP President JP Nadda’s choice. Fact is BJP has found a perfect ‘Game Changer’.
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