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| Pushing people of Jammu to the wall | | |
Hari Om
The political situ
ation obtaining in
Jammu province was already highly volatile and it continues to remain so even today. Many activists had also been on the roads since days protesting the March 1 decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Government to establish the proposed All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-like institute in Kashmir, instead of Jammu as promised by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his second budget speech in the Lok Sabha on February 28. The aggrieved and outraged people of Jammu province were hoping that the State Government would appreciate their sensitivities and genuine concerns, as also the fact that Kashmir already had two prestigious, fully-equipped and modern medical institutes and colleges and reverse its irrational decision to mollify the agitating people. Jammu province doesn't have a single medical institute or hospital worth its name which could cater to the needs of its over 5 million population, bulk of which is poor.
They had entertained such a hope following the April 24 massive shut down across Jammu province.
At least, they had never expected that someone would come all the way from Srinagar to Jammu on May 15 to cause a grave provocation and an affront to their self-respect by rubbing salt on their wounds by making a statement that the AIIMS will be established in Kashmir and the ongoing Rs 100-crore Artificial Lake Project over River Tawi in Jammu, also called Surya Putri, which is considered by the people of Jammu "a dream project", could be shelved, as, according to him, "it was not technically and economically viable". Half of the sanctioned amount has already been spent on the project, which was approved by all the concerned departments and agencies years back after a detailed survey.
It was none other than patron of the PDP and Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who snubbed the already enraged and protesting people of Jammu province in Jammu itself. He declared that their demand for establishment of the AIIMS could not be considered and that his Government was of the view that the Artificial Lake Project was technically and economically not viable and could be "shelved". Significantly, it was during his regime (November 2002-November 2005) that an artificial lake was constructed at the ski resort of Gulmarg (Kashmir) ignoring stiff opposition from environmentalists, security agencies and local population, as also the fact that Kashmir had numerous natural lakes and there was little or no need of any artificial lake. The argument of those who vehemently opposed the decision of the Mufti Government was that the "artificial element would deface the virginity of the Gulmarg meadows" and the project was just "wastage of public money". But adamant Mr Mufti held his ground firmly and had the project completed "on time".
It is important to note that Mr Mufti was not really competent to make an announcement that the Tawi Artificial Lake Project was viable or not viable, as he didn't hold the portfolio of Public Health Engineering (PHE) and Irrigation.
It was the BJP which held, and continues to hold, this portfolio. Similarly, Mr Mufti crossed the line when he interfered in the working of Minister of Health and Medical Education and made an announcement that the AIIMS will not be established in Jammu. The Health and Medical Education portfolio was, and continues to be, with the BJP. In fact, Mr Mufti not only ridiculed and taunted the people of Jammu province, but also sought to undermined the position and authority of the PHE and Irrigation and Health and Medical Education Ministers both of whom are from Jammu. Indeed, he embarrassed both the Ministers.
As expected, the statement of Mr Mufti stung the people of Jammu province. What stung them all the more was his suggestion that the people of Jammu could come to Kashmir for medical treatment, as it was not far away from Jammu. He asserted that Kashmir was the most suitable place for the location of the sanctioned AIIMS. He could have thought otherwise to end inter-regional bitterness, but it was not to be. People of Jammu hardly go to Kashmir for obvious reasons.
The provocation caused by the Chief Minister was so grave that the entire Jammu-based political class and civil society groups reacted very sharply and violently. His statements were denounced in downright language by one and all and his Government was condemned by them as "rabidly anti-Jammu".
The nature of the provocation could be gauged from the fact that the J&K High Court Bar Association (JKHCBA), Jammu, which had in the past fought several successful Jammu-centric agitations, on May 19 held an all-party meeting within the premises of the High Court to discuss ways and means calculated to force the authorities to establish AIIMS in Jammu and withdraw the statement on Tawi Artificial Lake Project. The meeting turned out to be a massive affair with all the political parties, social and religious organisations, business and transport leaders and who not assuring their unstinted and unqualified support to the JKHCBA and authorised it to launch a full-scale movement. Two days later, it constituted a 71-member Coordination Committee under the JKHCBA president for the purpose and threatened "extreme steps", including demand for the resignation of elected representatives from Jammu province.
It is pertinent to mention here that many in the May 19 meeting had demanded separation of Jammu province from Kashmir, saying this was the only panacea available for the people of Jammu province, and urged the people of the region to "prepare themselves for a final assault". "Let us resolve to launch a non-political movement to achieve a big political goal," some participants had said.
Just at a time when the JKHCBA and those who extended their unflinching support to it were discussing ways and means aimed at making the authorities establish AIIMS in Jammu, the Mufti-led Government reportedly took one more step to provoke the people of Jammu province.
The case in point was the May 22 report that the State Government had "unofficially" decided to discontinue the 8-year-old practice of maintaining "summer secretariat" in Jammu.
It was in 2006 that the then State Government introduced the concept of "winter capital and summer capital" taking into account the needs of the people and their financial constraints and the fact that the State had two capitals, Jammu and Srinagar.
But these are only three of the several such instances which have aggravated the situation in Jammu province.
It is hoped that the authorities would take note of the changing political scene in Jammu before it is too late.
(The writer if former Dean of Jammu University's Faculty of Social Sciences) |
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