Delegations say 370, 35A perpetuated discrimination
*National interests supreme, not Internet
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 10: Seventeen activists drawn from West Pakistan and PoJK refugees, Advocates, women, Gorkhas, Nepalis, Gujjars and Bakerwals, Balmikis among others today gave detailed account of the sufferings they faced due to Articles 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir to the visiting 15 foreign Envoys saying following abrogation of these two Articles they feel they have gained independence in real terms now.
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Couple of them were highly critical of two Kashmir families which ruled the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir for quite a long time and told the visiting diplomats that they should be allowed to rot in the jails for depriving large population of their basic rights for nearly 70 years.
The foreign envoys from different countries, who had reached here yesterday afternoon after visiting Srinagar, returned to New Delhi this afternoon after briefing by civil and police administration, meeting 17 activists in the form of delegation and visiting Jagti Kashmiri Pandit migrant camp at Nagrota.
After conclusion of two-day visit one of the members of the delegation Pham Sanh Chau, Vietnam’s Ambassador to India, said he saw normalcy in daily life of the people which is very positive sign.
“Seeing is believing. We saw normalcy in daily lives of people. We have interacted with different groups and feeling from them is that they are happy with the current situation,” Chau said.
Asserting that they were not a fact finding delegation or Judge of International Court, the Vietnam Ambassador said: “We don’t have that mandate, so we just came and observed and have assessment of our own. I see signs of happiness on faces of people when I talk to them”.
Insiders told the Excelsior that some of the foreign Envoys were surprised by the facts narrated by the delegations which met them in Jammu this morning as they were not aware of the consequences of Articles 370 and 35-A on PoJK, West Pakistan refugees, Balmiki Samaj, Napalese, women and others.
Two women Neha Gupta and Anu Malhotra, who were educationists but married outside J&K told the foreign Envoys that they were doing jobs in Jammu University and Kathua College but their children here had no future in the absence of State Subject in view of Section 35-A.
“The Article was clearly gender bias which has been undone by the Government by scrapping it,” the women were reported to have told the delegation saying till Article was scrapped their children were not able to apply for jobs and avail other facilities in Jammu and Kashmir.
On being pointed out by one of the foreign Envoys as to why the people didn’t raise their voice for 70 years for scrapping of the two Articles, Jammu Bar Association president Abhinav Sharma responded saying the demand was raised long time back but the Kashmir-centric rules didn’t allow it to be raised and it was continuously suppressed.
“Now when there was the BJP Government at the helm which had the agenda of revoking Articles 370 and 35-A, they fulfilled long standing demand of the people,” Sharma said, adding that there was long history of struggle of the people in getting these two Articles abrogated.
Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK) refugee leader, Dr Narinder Singh, who also happens to be the J&K BJP general secretary, told the delegation that not only the PoJK refugees but West Pakistanis, Balmiki Samaj, Nepalese, women marrying outside and many other sections of the society, were worst hit by the continuance of Articles 370 and 35-A and added that the Government has done a right thing by scrapping special Constitutional provisions of Jammu and Kashmir.
To a pointed question by a foreign Envoy as to what were expectations of the people post abrogation of special Constitutional provisions and bifurcation of J&K into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh, majority of the delegation members said they were hopeful that promise for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be fulfilled. They also called for domicile rights to the people to protect their land, jobs and culture.
On another specific pointer by some of the Envoys on continued ban on mobile internet services, most of the delegation members were of the view that the people did face problems on account of ban on internet but added that they were ready to bear them in the national interest. Moreover, they pointed out, this is not the first time that internet has been snapped in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Gujjars and Bakerwals, who were part of the delegation, charged that two families who ruled J&K for most of the time, deprived them of their due right of political reservations, which have been given by the Central Government after scrapping special Constitutional provisions of J&K. They justified the Central Government decision to keep leaders of these two families in jails and said they should rot there for doing “grave injustice” with the people.
Some of the Envoys were virtually moved after Balmiki Samaj activist Radhika Gill narrated woeful tale of their society in Jammu for last 70 years due to failure of successive State Governments to accord them State subject and other rights. Few Envoys were surprised to hear her woes.
“We told them (envoys) that abrogation of Article 370 has been welcomed by Gujjars. It has facilitated reservation in the community and rights on the forests, which were denied to us for the past 7 decades,” J&K Gujjar United Forum Chairman Gulam Nabi Khatana said.
“We have given the envoys the correct picture that Kashmir-centric parties have always kept their interest at the forefront but denied others their rights,” he said.
Advocate Asif Choudhary from Rajouri district, who met the Envoys, said Article 370 was not beneficial to them and its scraping has opened new doors of development and progress for their community.
The Chairman of West Pakistan Refugees Organisation, Labha Ram Gandhi told the envoys that “scrapping of Article 370 was delayed justice to them.”
“The scrapping of Article 370 was a step towards justice to the community. For the past 7 decades, we were unwanted citizens of J&K as Kashmir centric Government did not grant us the right to vote, right to jobs, right to education and right to land.
“Now we are proud citizens of Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370. It was discriminatory to deny us the right to live in J&K,” Gandhi said.
A total of 17 activists briefed the foreign Envoys and replied to their queries.
The delegation, accompanied by Secretary (West) of the Ministry of External Affairs Vikas Swarup, was briefed by Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu here last night at the dinner meeting.
Before meeting of delegations with the Envoys, an official team led by Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam and DGP Dilbag Singh briefed the Envoys on various aspects of the security situation post abrogation of Article 370 and carving out of two UTs.
The Chief Secretary and the DGP gave an overview of the security setup post abrogation of Article 370 and answered questions posed by the envoys on various issues including arrests, internet ban and law and order situation.
They briefed the envoys about ‘zero causality’ during the period, which they said was exemplary on the part of the police and security forces while dealing with the situation.
Financial commissioner, Health Atul Dulloo briefed the team about the health facilities created by the Government to ensure people and patients do not face any problems and also gave an overview of the sector.
Besides the United States Ambassador Kenneth I Juster, the delegation included diplomats from Bangladesh, Vietnam, Norway, Maldives, South Korea, Morocco, and Nigeria. They returned to New Delhi this afternoon.
Brazil and Uzbekistan’s envoys Andre Aranha Correa do Lago and Farhod Arziev were also scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir. However, they didn’t join the delegation because of their preoccupation.
This is the second visit of a foreign delegation to Jammu and Kashmir since August 5. Earlier, 23 European Union (EU) MPs visited Kashmir for two days to assess the situation in the Union Territory.
Envoy surprised on PDP leaders’ expulsion
One of the foreign Envoys was surprised over expulsion of eight senior PDP leaders including former Ministers by the party leaders, for meeting them in Srinagar yesterday.
Insiders told the Excelsior that at the beginning of meeting with 17 members delegation in Jammu this morning, one of the Envoys pointed out (to the delegation) that he has read in newspaper about expulsion of eight senior leaders by the PDP for meeting them (the Envoys) in Srinagar yesterday.
“Are you sure you will not be expelled by your parties or organizations’’? the Envoy asked the delegation members, leading to laughter all around the meeting hall.
It may be mentioned here that the PDP had immediately expelled eight senior party leaders including former Ministers and ex-legislators after they met the foreign Envoys in Srinagar.
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