Dr Vikas Padha
As per famous saying that history repeats itself, the electoral history was repeated for people of Jammu exactly after 73 years. In September-October 1951, the elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in which no member of Jammu based Praja Parishad Party was elected as their nominations were rejected fraudulently on the behest of then Prime Minister of J&K Sheikh Abdullah. All members of 75 member constituent assembly of J&K belonged to Sheikh Abdullah’s Kashmir based regional political party National Conference with no representation from Jammu’s party to decide about the constitution to be adopted by J&K.
73 years later, in September-October 2024, Assembly elections of Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory were held for the first time on the directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India . On October 8 , 2024 when the results were declared, people of Jammu had feeling of deja vu as they went through same sense of disempowerment as they had in 1951 when results of elections for Constituent Assembly were declared. On that occasion in 1951, Jammu was denied any say in framing the constitution of J&K and now in 2024, the first Government of J&K Union Territory will exclude BJP, the party that bagged 29 out of 43 seats in 10 Districts of Jammu region. On October 31, 1951 Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah took oath as first elected Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir State. On October 14, 2024, his grandson Omar Abdullah took oath of first elected Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory. Nothing changed for public of Jammu even after 73 years as a leader of Kashmir region was heading J&K state then and even now , the leader of Kashmir region is the head of J&K Union Territory. Jammu region’s wait to see Jammu’s leader heading Jammu and Kashmir is still not over even after Abrogation of Article 370 and 35A.
In this millennium, the era of coalition Governments began in 2002 when PDP and Congress formed coalition Government followed by NC-Congress Government in 2008 followed by PDP-BJP Government in 2014.One common factor in these three coalition Governments was that one of the coalition partners used to get mandate from Kashmir (PDP in 2002 & 2014 and NC in 2008) and other coalition partner used to get mandate from Jammu (Congress in 2002 & 2008 and BJP in 2014). So all these coalition Governments had representation from both Kashmir region as well as Jammu region.
In 2024, Congress & NC had pre-poll alliance that crossed majority mark securing 49 seats in J&K and has formed next Government. But unlike earlier coalition Governments that had mandate from both provinces of J&K, this coalition Government has mandate of only Kashmir province as NC-Congress Alliance could win only 8 seats out of 43 seats in 10 districts of Jammu province (7 seats bagged by NC and one seat by Congress). After this verdict, there is genuine concern in the minds of people of Jammu that who is going to represent Jammu in NC-Congress Alliance Government as the party that won highest seats in Jammu province (BJP) is going to sit in the opposition despite winning 29 out of 43 seats in Jammu province and getting highest vote share of 25.64% in entire J&K .
And this question has led to revival of demand of granting separate statehood to Jammu region because had Jammu been separate state with 43 Assembly seats, the mandate of Jammu would have led to installation of BJP Government lead by a Chief Minister hailing from Jammu, the Dogra heartland. The common sentiment in Jammu is that till Jammu is with Kashmir, the odds are so much against Jammu region politically that Jammu will never be able to install the Government of its choice like the present scenario and Jammu will remain as much politically disempowered as was in 1951 after the elections for the constituent assembly of J&K.
The demand of separation of Jammu province from Kashmir has emerged from time to time. First Sadr-E-Riyasat Dr Karan Singh had advocated this demand in 1960s. Former President R Venkatraman had advocated for separate Jammu State in 1980s. RSS had passed resolution for trifurcation of J&K into Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh in 2001. BJP too supported this demand at that point of time. Jammu State Morcha, a regional political party of Jammu was formed with this demand of creating Jammu State and fought J&K Assembly Elections successfully as well and its candidate Ashwani Sharma became MLA from Bishnah. J&K National Panthers Party has demanded separate state for Jammu. Another regional political party from Jammu named Ikkjutt Jammu was floated with demand of separate Jammu State. Choudhary Lal Singh also formed Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan to voice demand of creation of Separate Jammu State. The fresh Verdict of October 8 2024 has sparked fresh debate amongst general masses of Jammu about the need to create separate Jammu State.
There has been precedence of creating smaller states out of bigger states to remove regional discrimination and provide better governance. In the past, Punjab state was divided into Himachal and Haryana, Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh , Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar, Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh and latest of all, Telangana state was carved out of Andhra Pradesh. This reorganization was done with the aim to ensure political empowerment and equitable development as well as better governance .There are seven small states in North East called seven sister states that are also in border areas of India .Similarly , creation of a small separate Jammu State will improve security scenario of Northern India as Jammu has remained nationalistic region that has helped in countering Pakistan Sponsored Terrorism both in Kashmir region as well as adjoining Punjab because the nationalist population of Jammu region has always stood by our nation India .
Now a common Jammuite has realised that the only way left to empower Jammu is the creation of Separate State comprising of 10 Districts of Jammu Province with 43 Assembly constituencies. Jammu needs to be rewarded for its nationalism and maximum participation in democracy during elections. Through the Verdict of 2024 Assembly Elections of J&K, one must decipher message of electorate of Jammu region as the yearning of Jammuites for the Separate Jammu Pradesh or State . Let New Delhi hear it loud and clear .
(The author is Senior Joint Replacement Surgeon & Jammu based political analyst)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
