news details |
|
|
| 2015: A year that saw Jammu attacking its own representatives | | Betrayal, betrayal, betrayal | | Early Times Report
jammu, Dec 31: Things in Jammu region worsened with each passing day in 2015, despite the fact that it gave a decisive mandate to a party that it (wrongly) considered its true representatives. The party was the BJP, which sought and got votes in the name of Jammu and took no time in bartering its own constituency for a few loaves and fishes of office. In fact, it sealed the fate of Jammu even before joining the J&K Government for the time on March 1. It all happened due to the high command's changed ideology or changed stand on J&K and Pakistan as well as its desire to prove its "secular" credentials.
Hitherto, the BJP used to be a marginal but a very vocal outfit vociferously championing the cause of the nation and of the people of Jammu. It was known for its protests against the ruling elite in the Valley, as also for its no-holds-barred campaign in favour of full merger of the State into India and Jammu's empowerment and against Article 370. In between, it also betrayed the people of Jammu region and exploited the nationalistic sentiments of its people.
The biggest betrayal was the BJP's unqualified support to the February 2002 anti-Jammu amendment to the J&K People's Representative Act that scuttled the demand in Jammu for a proper representation in the Assembly. The amendment was moved by the ruling NC and the Kashmir-controlled Congress, the ungrateful BJP and the Kashmir-based People's Democratic Forum supported it. Not a single BJP MLA out of eight raised even his small finger against the anti-Jammu and anti-democratic amendment.
The BJP exploited the religious sentiments of the people of Jammu region in 2008 or exploited the Amarnath land issue to the extent that it could and won 11 seats, as against its 2002 tally of just one seat. Again, the BJP betrayed Jammu, when the party's seven MLAs cross-voted to ensure the victory of the NC-Congress candidates seeking election to the Legislative Council. The BJP had also done the same during the Rajya Sabha elections.
However, the people of Jammu region forgave the BJP in 2014, as they had no other alternative. They had no love lost for the Congress, the NC and the PDP, and hence, a massive mandate for the BJP. Actually, they didn't vote for the BJP; they voted for Narendra Modi, though they didn't vote in the manner they had done in the Lok Sabha elections. In the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP got 32.5 per cent of the total votes polled in J&K. But it could get a little over 22 per cent votes in the Assembly elections, held six months later.
What the BJP did to its own constituency in Jammu after joining the J&K Government is too well-known. Suffice to say that it left no stone unturned to defeat the Jammu's cause. It championed and promoted the Kashmiri cause in a most shameful manner and left the Congress far, far behind. Today, Jammu stands totally marginalized. The people of the region are chaffing and seething with anger, with the Jammu-watcher predicting the repeat of 2008 in the region anytime from now.
Jammu may witness 2008-like situation in case some concrete actions were not taken to salvage the fast-deteriorating situation, they are saying. "The Congress never upheld the Jammu's cause. It always played second-fiddle to the Kashmir-based parties, but the plight of Jammu was not that miserable as it was after March 1. Congress Ministers from Jammu did from time to time took cudgels with the Kashmiri rulers, but the BJP left Jammu to the care of Kashmir," they are saying. "The BJP has already sealed its fate in the region by adopting pro-Kashmir and anti-Jammu attitude" and that the people of Jammu, who voted for it in large numbers, will not forgive it. We want Assembly elections at the earliest to avenge all of our humiliations. The misled people of Jammu committed a sin by voting for the BJP," they have also been saying.
"Economic neglect was only one factor that alienated the people of Jammu region from the BJP. The other very important factor was the New Delhi's appeasement policy and neglect of the political aspirations of the people of Jammu region. The people of Jammu region wanted complete integration with India, but the BJP Government at the Centre consistently flirted with the Kashmiri leadership and ignored Jammu's aspirations. This is not acceptable," they are further saying.
Indeed, 2015 turned out to be a very bad year for the people of Jammu region. Time is running out. The patience of the people is ending. The BJP has already witnessed several massive protests and demonstrations against it. It is the duty of the BJP to intervene because it represents Jammu in the Government. It will not be in the interest of the BJP if it overlooked the developing situation in the region. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
