Harsh Dev Singh
J&K has been divided into two parts. And while Ladakh has been conferred with UT status and made an autonomous unit, Jammu has again been annexed with Kashmir. Rather made to continue as an appendage to Kashmir. While Ladakh rejoices, Jammu sulks. For it still has to continue with the second class status that its people have been perennially subjected to for the last seven decades, Is it to be accepted as fait accompli? Shall we allow ourselves to be governed by a valley centric regime and Kashmir dominant political system for all times to come? Shall we allow ourselves to be left at the mercy of those who always treated us with contempt, derision and scorn? Shall we allow ourselves to be clubbed with those who robbed us of our share of states resources, employment and development projects? Or shall we assert for a better and secure future for the progeny by seeking a separate statehood for Jammu region? Its time to deliberate.
Jammu region is known for its rich dogra culture, history and heritage which however continues to crumble with passage of time. The magnificence of our pristine culture is getting overshadowed by the Kashmir’s perpetual dominance over the affairs of the state. Not only Kashmir but New Delhi too has looked at us with disdain, with a jaundiced eye. We are not even mentioned in general parlance and expressions where only “Kashmir” and “Kashmir issue” are the focus of attention. Have we not become irrelevant? A kind of outlaws in our own land where all decisions are taken keeping Kashmir in mind. We have suffered immensely during the past seven decades. We did not have Panchayat and Municipal elections for several years only because of turmoil in Kashmir. And therefore we lost several hundreds of crores for development of these local bodies which could become available to us only upon constitution of these units of local self governance. We did not have democratically elected govts despite a peaceful Jammu region only because of tensions in Kashmir. And contrarily we continued to be robbed of our share in funds allocation, development and Employment by an all powerful and pampered Kashmir. When AIIMS was sanctioned for Jammu, it was offered on a platter to Kashmir. We were made to struggle on roads. Similarly we had to resort to agitational course and face Jails and Police atrocities while fighting for establishment of central University in Jammu. The people of Jammu have to take to roads to get even their minor demands conceded. Again, the dogras were humiliated and humbled when they sought CBI probe in Rasana case with no takers for their pleas for Justice. And contrarily they were dubbed as communal, bigots, fascists. Educated youth of Jammu have been the worst sufferers of the discriminatory policies of state and centre with a highly pampered and mollycoddled Kashmir given preference in all recruitments. While a lion’s share in employment has along been going the Kashmir way, the Jammu youth have often been made to content with a sprinkling in the form of few crumbs. Even during BJP rule when 10,000 posts of SPOs were sanctioned for J&K in 2016, they were all allocated to Kashmir region in the name of national interest. The dogras were refused Dogra Certificates under pressure of Kashmir separatists and Hurriyat leaders. Kashmir language was trust upon the Degree Colleges of Jammu region during the BJP-PDP regime. And while the Kashmir leadership wants us to observe July 13 as Martyrs day and has declared it a state holiday it is opposed to declaration of Holiday on 23rd September, the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh. Our youth, in particular, has continued to bear the brunt of Kashmir’s hegemony in the affairs of the state. We can’t allow the same arrangement to continue till infinity. We are answerable to the progeny. We can’t allow the future generations to continue to live in subjugation. It’s our ancestors who created the dogra state with their countless sacrifices and which has been dismantled today only to re-organize it in the most contemptuous manner. The dogras have to rise to the occasion to seek a full fledged statehood for ourself without any influence or role for those who always treated us as their colony. It’s unfortunate however that as and when the demand for Jammu statehood grows, the self appointed arbiters of patriotic ardour besides few agents of Kashmir and New Delhi start with their negative, misleading campaign. They create apprehensions in the minds of the people about Kashmir going the Pakistan way. They indulge in boisterous revel talking of Kashmir getting usurped by Pakistan deliriously oblivious of the fact that no power on earth can penetrate our sovereignty over our territory. The mighty India and our most decorated armed forces are capable enough of defending our territories and our frontiers which they have been ably and successfully doing for the past over 70 years. So better keep such sadists at bay. And no justification for suppressing an already suffering and subjugated Jammu region should be ever acceptable. We need to show to the nation that dogras too have leaders. We can no longer afford to succumb to the dictates of New Delhi or Kashmir. We can’t shrug our shoulders and go on. Limits of our patience have surely breached. We can’t acquiesce in the pressure tactics of New Delhi or get scared by the terror tactics unleashed upon us. Dogra power must exhibit itself. Long closed lids must burst open. Long silenced voices must speak out. Pent-up feelings must be provided outlets to ventilate themselves. Lets express and elucidate ourselves. Reluctance needs to be shun. And lets prepare ourselves to bite the bullet. There, ofcourse, are Cheer leaders from the ruling party who claim that Delimitation would be held, seats enhanced with a higher number of seats for Jammu. And that there will be a Chief Minister from Jammu. Sounds good. But more of impractical. Delimitation, if held, would be of entire state and shall be conducted by Delimitation commission comprising rtd Judge of Supreme Court and representatives of Elections Commission of India who shall carry out delimitation under set norms and not on the dictates of the saffron brigade. Besides one can’t believe those who betrayed Jammu while in power in the state. Trusting the devil, as goes the proverb, is neither wisdom nor expediency.
Well surely its time for introspection. We have always complained of most hostile discrimination at the hands of Kashmir politicians and often accused them of playing with our honour and self respect. Shall we once again reconcile with our second fiddle role in the newly conceived UT. Are we option-less people? Weak and exhausted. For how long have we to continue to suffer, to lose, to bleed. Shall we not ask for a Jammu state which even the allied organizations of the NDA Govt like the RSS had been advocating in the past. Remember, our honour is at stake. And there can’t be anything more valuable than self pride and more ghastlier than insult to our honour. We have to shun “Jo hukum sarkar” and “yes boss” mentality. We need to rise to the occasion. Let’s make the coming generations proud of the exchequered dogra history and its resplendent glory.
New Delhi has abandoned us. It has also resorted to beating the already beaten. As the saying goes, a married woman left her husband’s house and approached her father complaining that her husband beats her. The father gives her a bracing slap and retorts back, “Go and tell your husband. If he can beat my daughter, I can beat his wife”. We were the victims of Kashmir politicians’ atrocities. We approached Delhi who too resorted to bizarre act of beating of the beaten. Time to think all over again. Can the people of Jammu get justice by any arrangement other than separate statehood? Your comments please.
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