Chanakya Charan Dass “Tikri”
Well…well…
The recent article “Jammu state is a chimera” is quite interesting. It turns the past, the present and real situation of Jammu today on its head and pontificates that “Jammu state is a chimera.”
Yes, I agree with the author that Jammu is a heterogeneous mix of various cultures, traditions, languages and dialects. It is an abode to various religions of the world. It is home to Hindus of all castes and denominations, Muslims (Sunnis and Shias), Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists. Besides a large number of Kashmiri Hindus have found their abode here after they were “flicked” out of Kashmir in 1989/90. Later many Kashmiri Muslims too built their dwellings and mansions in Jammu to escape the harsh winters in Kashmir.
Yes, I also understand that Jammu is not one district but 10 districts that comprise of 63 percent of the total territory of Jammu and Kashmir. I also understand that more than 12 languages and distinct dialects are spoken in Jammu as compared to one language spoken by more than 98 percent of the population of Kashmir.
Then you have various tribes such as Gujjars, Bakarwals and Gaddis living here in Jammu adding colour and lustre to the rainbow that is Jammu. There are thousands of migrant workers engaged in several trades in Jammu from, UP, Bihar, Bengal, MP and also from several southern Indian states.
At the same time Jammu can have a genuine pride in giving shelter to a large population of Pakistan refugees and those from POJK dating back to 1947 and who are now Jammuites in every sense of the word. Well, you also have illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas ensconced here, practically permanently – whether you like it or not. In fact, today, Jammu is the most secular of the territories of Jammu and Kashmir. Can the same be said of Kashmir? Unfortunately, not!!
The concept of Jammu State, though old, has gained currency once again as the idea is to protect this very important and strategically located secular space in the north of India and strengthen the nationalist and secular forces in a strategically located place. It has nothing to do with religion, caste or creed that the writer is making it out to be.
Statehood for Jammu, within the parameters of the Indian constitution, must be treated as an issue of pride of Jammu province; pride of all the 10 districts and its population. The point that the author of “Jammu State is a chimera” remains oblivious to is as to why Jammu and Kashmir has not had a chief minister from Jammu province since 1947? The one it had in Ghulam Nabi Azad, was thrown out unceremoniously because of the machinations of the Kashmiri political class.
He was thrown out practically the same way as were the BJP MLAs from the State Legislature recently in Srinagar.
It seems that because of the “chimera syndrome” of a few, Jammuites are destined be thrown out by the machinations of the Kashmiri politicians. Initially it was “Quit Kashmir Movement” of 1946 targeting a liberal and forward-looking Dogra dispensation of its times. This was followed by the exit of Maharaja Hari Singh from Srinagar consequent to the advice of VP Menon who didn’t want the Maharaja to fall into the hands of the Pakistani raiders or the “insiders” who might have been working hand in glove with them.
This was followed by the exile of the Maharaja from the state of JandK on 20th June 1949. It did not end there; in 1989/90 around 500,000 Kashmiri Hindus, who were the ethnic inhabitants of the Valley, were also thrown out.
In fact, the democratically elected Governments of JandK were thrown out nine times in last 75 years and that too because of the machinations of Kashmiri politicians. The political parties or the politicians from Jammu had no role in it. In fact, if Jammu were a state, it would have continued to be ruled by democratically elected Governments. Thus, the unnatural bonding between Kashmir and Jammu was responsible for Jammu being robbed of its democracy several times for no fault of its.
Coming back to the present and forgetting about the Chief Ministership; can someone say as to how many Finance Ministers, Revenue Ministers, Law Ministers, Home Ministers has Jammu province had since 1989/90, the year after which several coalition ministries ruled Jammu and Kashmir, including the one by PDP-BJP? There have been none!
These departments are the key power centres that frame major policies and decide about the direction the Government must take. These departments have a direct bearing on the lives of the people and the society in general.
Candidly speaking the geographical boundaries of the Valley and the contours of the territory of JandK as well as the structure of the JandK assembly is such that Kashmiri political parties don’t really need Jammu for formation of the Government in JandK. The assembly elections of 2024 have very vividly proved it once again. If the political parties of Kashmir (of all hues) unite then the Jammu region or its electorate become irrelevant for governing JandK.
It is also a fact that the present Government has inducted three Ministers from the Jammu region in the Cabinet. But the fact also is that these ministers do not draw their power from the people of Jammu. They are not similarly placed as the Ministers from the National Conference party who derive their power from Kashmir. The NC Ministers, because of the strength of NC legislators in the assembly, are responsible to the people of Kashmir, who have elected them and will obviously look after their political, social, cultural and day to day interest.
The Ministers from Jammu will always have to look over their shoulders regularly to maintain cordial relations with the NC leadership as otherwise they will lose their jobs. Therefore, they will always remain subservient to the politics, the politicians and the sensibilities of Kashmir rather than to the sensibilities and requirements of the people of Jammu – be they Hindu, Muslims, Sikhs, Gujjars, Bakarwals or whosoever. Obviously, the interests of Jammu province will suffer.
This makes it imperative for Jammu to be a state, de-hyphenated from Kashmir. In a Jammu state it wouldn’t really matter if the Chief Minister is a Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Gujjar, Bakarwal or from any other caste or creed, man or a woman. The CM would be responsible to the people of the Jammu region – all the 10 districts. He/she would never have to look over his/her shoulders for confirmation in any regard from Srinagar. He would be free to initiate political, cultural, development initiatives that are good for the people of the 10 districts of Jammu province.
In fact, the idea of Jammu State is not a “chimera.” It was the intent of the consecutive Governments that instituted commissions like the Gajendra Gadkar Commission, Wazir Commission and the like which were always illusory and deceptive. These commissions were assigned the task of suggesting measures to end discrimination with the Jammu and Ladakh provinces. However, the reports of these commissions were either thrown into the dustbin outrightly or their suggestions became handmaidens of the Kashmiri political dispensation as they used them selectively to further their own interests. The net result for Jammu province was a cipher.
Coming to the provincial autonomy. It may be mentioned that Dr. Karan Singh tried as early as 1952 and later in 1967 through his letters to Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to grant legally binding provincial autonomy to the 3 provinces viz Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu. But his proposals always fell on deaf ears. There was always a talk of provincial autonomy, but nothing actually happened. Several other people made efforts with successive Central Governments for empowerment of Jammu, but “Jammu blindness” continued to be a rule.
Late Kushak Bakula, the popular Buddhist leader of Ladakh requested Dr. Karan Singh to convey his request to Jawaharlal Nehru for autonomy to Ladakh as early as 1952. His wish was fulfilled by the Modi led Government on 5th of Aug 2019. Today Ladakhis are the steering their destiny as per their choice. They are solving their own problems and are also fighting for their own cause whenever required.
Kashmiris too have their own cause high on agenda. Its only Jammuites who are entangled in a web. They know that the cause of the Kashmiri politicians is not their cause but their strength of 28 in the legislature makes them unceremoniously bulldoze-able. If Jammu was a state, they would have been masters of their own cherished destiny. They would have ensured development of 63 percent of the territory of JandK as per the wishes of the people of the Jammu province inclusively. Alas, that is not the situation today!!
However, Jammu State, de-hyphenated from Kashmir is a distinct possibility. It would be good for Kashmir too as the constant “chik-chik” and blabber between the two would be over. Resultantly politicians would be able to concentrate on the development of their own administrative units. The CM of Kashmir and his/her cabinet would be responsible for Kashmir without extra territorial ambitions in Jammu and the CM of Jammu would be responsible for his/her own state without bothering to look over his/her shoulders every time before taking a decision.
Since 1947 all kinds of paeans have been sung about political empowerment of Jammu region, but nothing concrete has come out of them. In fact, all “still-hearted” efforts have always led to Kashmir centricity. To quote Albert Einstein “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Let this be clearly understood by the powers that be. Let the insanity end. Let Jammu be carved out as a state, de-hyphenated from Kashmir. That is the only way to politically empower Jammu province and its inhabitants. All other methods have proved to be Kashmir centric.
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