Mahesh Chander Sudan
We, the people of India, witnessed an historical event wherein Home Minister of India presented to Rajya Sabha (Upper House of the Parliament) the Constitution Order 272 dated 05 Aug 2019, amending application of Article 370 to the state of Jammu and Kashmir except for clause 1 of the said article along with bills for extending 10% reservation to EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) and reorganization of the territory of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The application of said Constitution Order changes the status of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Supersession of Article 370 except clause 1 and article 35A removes the special status granted to the state of Jammu and Kashmir and her legislative powers to decide permanent residents of the state. This Constitution Order issued under the signature of the President of India on 05 Aug 2019 supersedes Constitution Order of 1954, bringing an end to an era of special status of having its own State constitution, limited powers to Indian Parliament to legislate, and powers to decide permanent resident and few other issues like voting rights, property ownership, right to employment etc . Another important bill which would change the geographical map and historical record of the state of Jammu and Kashmir is reorganization of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. We the people of Jammu and Kashmir in turn would lose historical identity, regional integrity and century’s old cultural ethos of brotherhood based on Sufism. The Home Minister of India while presenting the bills declared that these bills convey the mandate of the people of Jammu and Kashmir but sadly unknown to majority of us as to how he arrived at this conclusion, and administrative arrangements made to impose Sec 144 with a large strength of security forces deployed on this day speaks otherwise.
The proposed reorganization of the state territory puts three regions of the state into two categories. The Ladakh regions is proposed to be granted the status of Union Territory without Legislature, and Jammu and Kashmir regions are proposed to be granted the status of Union Territory with Legislative Assembly of her own. We the people of three regions of the state would be pained to shed our original identity and are helpless to be mute puppets in the hands of political masters of Indian Union who cared a least for our feelings towards each other. The geographical map of Jammu and Kashmir represented historical growth of ancient India and it actually nurtured different cultures and religious faiths and provided pious and serene environment for their growth. Monumental Gompas of Budhism, Masjids of Shia Muslims and sikh gurudwara in Leh and Kargil besides historical Jamia Masjid, Hazratbal Shrine, Shree Amarnath cave, Shankracharaya Temple, Holy family catholic Church, Sikh gurudwaras in and around Srinagar stand testimony to theological understanding of the people. This territorial reorganization of the state wound not only demarcates the geographical limits but also barricades us into different identities and widens our social gap. Our cultural heritage of three regions showcases our past and the resultant separation will create a void minimizing visual approach and appeal to any visitor. It is also an accepted fact that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered many ups and downs of migrations during partition and thereafter due to decisive tricks played on us by vested interest of our neighbor. We are yet to settle with excesses carried out on our ancestors during partition of 1947 and recent forced exile of Kashmiri Pundits from their mother land and upcoming reorganization of state with two different power centers divide us once again to fight for our identity.
As it stands now that our state has been divided into two parts and one part of our body namely Ladakh has been slashed to make it union territory without legislature like Chandigarh, and Jammu and Kashmir provinces are blessed, thanks to almighty, to remain together as union territory with single house of legislative assembly thereby dissolving Legislative Council of J&K. The Home Minister while presenting the bill in Rajya Sabha assured all round development of Union Territory through clean and inclusive governance to people of Jammu and Kashmir. No doubt, we have lost our original identity, our cultural heritage, historical background and above all a sacred assurance given by then government of India to our esteemed Maharaja who signed the accord of accession on behalf of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, let us usher into new era of our political journey in the interest of our future generations with positive note and leave history to decide the act of present leadership of India and be rest assured that history spares none. We embraced democracy as a nation and in democracy majority wins, and imposes strict accountability of the leaders for their act towards minority. Time is great leveler. It never remain constant and shifts side, hence leaders of today are required to respect the mandate of mute puppets of Indian democracy otherwise they would have to stand the test of accountability sooner or later. God bless our Union Territories of JK and Ladakh a happy and prosperous future as a part of Indian Union.
The author is Wg Cdr (Retd)
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
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