Rajan Gandhi
Since independence Jammu and Kashmir has been an experimental laboratory for same old appeasement, outlived Kashmiriat and more recently secular policies. Right from day one of merger of Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir with India, flip flop decisions have been the hallmark of administration with separatist ideas including separate PM, own state flag and separate laws drafted at the whims and fancies of politicians from every party that has ruled Jammu and Kashmir till now. One wonders what logics and circumstances compelled such ludicrous decisions to be taken and implemented at first place. 2014 elections gave a ray of hope as PM Modi got overwhelming support to clear the mess of corruption, separatism, nepotism, favouritism, discrimination and what not. But surprisingly instead of clearing the mess BJP got in coalition with hardliner PDP to rule the state, thereby leaving aside all promises it made in its election manifesto. For three and a half years it was sitting in the lap of PDP, too reluctant to counter PDP agenda. Decision after decision it was just a case of rubbing salt on the wounds of nationalists. By the time better sense prevailed among the ranks of BJP to get out of PDP’s devilish charisma almost first term of PM Modi was over, in fact with a permanent scar, Pulwama.
2019 election victory gave another opportunity to BJP to fulfil its election manifesto and first salvo for Jammu and Kashmir was fired in the shape of abrogation of Article 370, widely appreciated but along with it came two more significant decisions, downgrading State into two separate UTs and complete blockade of telephone and internet. Only after intervention of SC telephone, mobile as well as mobile internet services were restored but only 2G services. Announcement of examinations during ongoing pandemic for JU instead of promotions as announced by KU is another set of double standards set by administration. More sordid is the claim of online classes being conducted in the absence of 4G mobile internet services and even more astonishing is the fact that some remote areas have no mobile connectivity at all. No preparation of competitive examinations, no timely filling of forms are few other deficiencies never considered by authorities in power. Rubbing salt on the wounds is recent circular regarding opening of schools from mid June. It seems those at the helm of affairs either simply don’t read MHA guidelines at all or their mission is something else, procurements in the shadow of COVID 19. Another shocker came in the shape of Vehicle Registration Tax; a flat rate of 9% was enforced as against an earlier slab-based approach depending on engine capacity of vehicle. Decision regarding registration tax to be levied on old vehicles applying for renewal was kept in abeyance for months together without showing any urgency in the matter, with absolutely no consideration to the hardships caused to public. With Jammu and Kashmir’s business community suffering continuous losses since August 2019 on one hand but administration instead of devising workable strategies to revive economy has just done the reverse by imposing huge additional excise on liquor, petrol and diesel without considering economic scenario of UT. Not satisfied with this only another popper of retrospect Vehicle Registration Tax on every vehicle purchased before August 2019 SRO has been issued. Along with it came another bolt from blue declaration of installation of some eighty thousand prepaid electronic meters in Jammu division and only thirty five thousand in Kashmir division, how this ratio got calculated is anyone’s guess only but reasons are too obvious.
Since October when UT of Jammu and Kashmir came to existence, expectations and enthusiasm were high, more so in Jammu Division but all these are crumbling one by one like castles built in dreams only. Be it March end decision of Domicile notification with provision of jobs reservation for fourth class only to be amended within forty eight hours to have all categories of jobs reserved for domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir only. It’s really strange how an important notification of Domicile was treated so casually while drafting, was it a deliberate one to test the fishing water or change of heart subsequently, whatever it was it just sounded an alarm bell for public. Issuance of Domicile certificates has yet to be started despite lapse of two months. Lopsided scrapping of J and K Bank selection list requires much to be answered as after examinations were conducted by IBPS cancellation was done on flimsy grounds of irregularities which could have been easily avoided, rectified and results declared. Subsequent information in public domain is more startling as allegations of it being cancelled as more Jammu candidates were there in the final list than Kashmir. The scrapping cannot be challenged in the court as earlier HC verdict has treated J&K Bank as private entity as such court cannot intervene. Another order to be reversed was appointment of senior IAS BR Sharma as Chairman of UT’s PSC to be revoked within hours as prior consent from Central Government was pending.
No decision on State Forest Corporation till now with three month’s pending salaries of employees in this pandemic is just an example of insensitivity of administration. Indecision on discriminatory SRO 202 is another administrative issue calling for immediate attention. Privatisation of PDD with no clear cut vision or policy is another alarming issue long carving for practical solution. Instead of catching the bull by horns by weeding out pilferage, improving infrastructure or recovery of dues in planned targeted phase, administration has just decided to shrug off its own responsibility to pass on the buck. Frequent conflicting orders on COVID management are another problematic area which is still being experimented by hit and trial methods with dire cascading effects on ground. Flouting of rules by higher officials to the extent of bypassing airport’s mandatory screening, SOPs not being followed with the result more than hundred officials are in home quarantine including many Commissioner Secretaries and medical staff.
Some senior officers are still out of the preview of mandatory quarantine for being in contact with infected IAS officer. Source for infection is still elusive and IAS is being treated at a private hospital instead of GMC which itself speaks about the confidence of administration in their own medical facilities. Overnight placement of Jammu from Orange Zone to Red Zone despite it being COVID free and then from Red to Orange Zone despite numerous active cases is just flummoxing with no rationalization from administration. Missing test reports, retesting of quarantined public, inadequate facilities at quarantine centres, stranded inter district citizens, odd time amended circulars after office hours with no one to clarify are too botched up issues with no respite despite being in third month of lockdown. Still shortage of PPE kits in hospitals, limited OPDs, no preventive kits for other COVID warriors of PDD, PHE and police on ground are other glaring lapses which are only increasing number of active positive cases with each passing day.
With visible resentment among public by these glaring orders, PMO Dr Jitendra Singh himself has to come to forefront through series of tweets and requested administration to defer both school opening and Vehicle Registration Tax decisions and third order of meter installation to be equally distributed among two divisions of Jammu and Kashmir. PMO has just saved the day for local administration but the question of accountability remains unanswered. It is interesting to mention that many of these higher officials issuing ‘Tuglaqi Farmaans’ are involved in corruption and other irregularities like Roshni Act frauds, Board of Directors of Banks sanctioning huge loans without following due procedures and subsequently declaring NPAs without following SOPs, some even under investigation of CBI/ ED in fake gun license cases and some booked by ACB.
Bureaucrats are not public representatives and as such neither in direct contact nor answerable to public but why ruling dispensation is dancing to their tunes is just baffling everyone. With almost standstill development work for last three months, hallucinated ideas, coagulated strategies, do nothing look busy approach is not going to work in this age of social media. Politicians require votes and this TINA (there is no alternative) Mode is not going to work for BJP anymore. ‘No Kangri – No Bukhari’ is mere rhetoric only in which no one is interested, this time around public want results on ground.
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