Early Times Report
JAMMU, Nov 27: The Congress says that it believes in the principle of justice and equity and that it alone can do justice to all the three regions of the state. No one will buy this assertions of the Congress. The history of the Congress in Jammu & Kashmir is, in fact, history of pro-Kashmir line and anti-Jammu line. Only one example will prove that.
According to the Wazir Commission report of 1983, Jammu deserved 10 districts and Kashmir 7. But the Congress-led Government in the state bypassed this recommendation and increased the number of districts in Kashmir with one stroke of pen from the existing 6 to 10 in 2007, one each for 1585.3 sq km on an average, with a couple of districts just one-tehsil district (for example, Shopian). The State Government created 4 more districts in Kashmir despite the fact that there was no such demand anywhere in the Valley. It also increased the number of districts in Jammu from 6 to 10, but one each for 2629.3 sq km.
The people of Jammu, who fought for more districts between 1975 and 2007 and laid down half a dozen lives for this cause, wanted the State Government to implement the Wazir Commission recommendations in letter and spirit. But the State Government implemented the report in a wrong way, saying it believed in the "principle of justice and equity" overlooking the fact that Jammu had more land area, major portion of which was inaccessible.
The people of Jammu region had hoped that the Congress-led dispensation would treat all the three regions of the state equally. The hope had stemmed from the fact that the Congress had contested the 2002 Assembly elections in the state on four Jammu specific planks -- implementation of the Wazir Commission report and creation of three additional districts in Jammu and one in Kashmir, establishment of regional development board, due share to Jammu in the Assembly and end of discrimination (Election Manifesto, 2002). But this did not happen. What happened was to the contrary. Take, for example, the July 6, 2006 Cabinet decision on the creation of new districts. The July 6 decision proposed to create an equal number of districts in Kashmir and Jammu -- 4 districts each - despite the fact that there was no demand whatever in Kashmir for additional districts - a fact acknowledged by the Chief Minister on the same day while interacting with the media persons. The State Government implemented the decision despite bitter opposition in Jammu.
The Srinagar district in Kashmir, which had a land area of 2,228 sq km and which consisted of 168 villages, was divided into two districts -- Srinagar and Ganderbal. Contrast to this, Jammu district, which had an area of 3,079 sq km and consisted of 1,054 villages, was left high and dry, nothing withstanding the creation of Samba district out it. It is important to note that Jammu district was far more superior to Srinagar district in terms of population and land area, including the balanced area. For instance, the population of Jammu district, according to the 2001 census, was 15,71,911, as against the Srinagar district's 11,83,493. As for the balanced area (where developmental activities could be undertaken), it was 1, 882 sq km in Jammu and 1,537 sq km in Srinagar.
Similarly, the erstwhile Pulwama district in Kashmir, which had an area of 1,398 sq km and balanced area of 315 sq km and which consisted of 536 villages, was divided into two districts -- Pulwama and Shopian. On the other hand, Kathua district in Jammu province, which had a land area of 2,651 sq km and balanced area more than five times that of Pulwama and which consisted of 555 villages, was left untouched. The balanced area of Pulwama and Kathua districts was 315 sq km and 1,616 sq km, respectively. Hiranagar tehsil in Kathua district was bigger in size as compared to the erstwhile Pulwama district.
Besides, Srinagar city, which was way behind Jammu city in terms of population and area, was divided into two tehsils - Srinagar North and Srinagar South - with river Jhelum as the dividing line. On the other hand, Jammu city, through which River Tawi passes, was left untouched. It would be appropriate to point out here that while Jammu Municipal Corporation consisted of 71 wards, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation consisted of 65 wards.
One can cite example after example to prove that the Congress perpetrated injustice after injustice on Jammu. The worst aspect is the very negative attitude of the BJP, which won 25 seats in 2014 and became part of the coalition government only to hit Jammu hard. All the decisions which the state government has taken are patently Kashmir-centric and the BJP willingly became party to them. One example: selection list of Assistant Professors in history - Kashmir 74%, Jammu 26% and Ladakh nil. |
