Early Times Report
JAMMU, June 11: It was on May 31 that the Congress MLA from Inderwal GM Saroori submitted to the Speaker's office a nasty resolution seeking separation of erstwhile Doda district from Jammu and establishment of Leh-type Autonomous Hill Development Council in the to-be-segregated-areas from Jammu. The Speaker accepted the resolution for discussion - a move that created anger in Jammu region with the concerned citizens condemning the Congress and accusing it of flirting with anti-India and votaries of Greater Kashmir. They demanded that the divisive resolution should be rejected out-of-hand.
It was hoped that the BJP would oppose the move that was designed to help Pakistan establish its full control over the Indus Waters, but it was not to be. Instead of opposing the Congress' resolution, the BJP on June 10 officially supported it. No, the BJP went beyond that and demanded not just one council but asked the authorities to establish separate councils for Reasi, Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts, saying these were the most neglected districts and creation of councils for these districts would greatly help the people of these districts.
"Creation of district councils and decentralisation of political, administrative and financial powers among the district councils are essential for the equitable development of all the districts," BJP State Spokesman Virender Gupta said, adding that "the districts located in the hilly terrain of the state shall be the major beneficiaries". "The hilly areas of Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch districts are the most neglected parts of the state," he further said.
What the BJP spokesperson said was the negation of the stand the party took all through till 2014. That the BJP went beyond the Congress' resolution and demanded councils for Reasi, Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts overlooking the fact that there already exists district development boards only suggested that the BJP was all out to break Jammu region into smithereens and help the anti-national and pro-Pakistan forces establish Greater Kashmir. The BJP, in fact, blamed the powerless and neglected Jammu for the neglect of Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu. He didn't say a word on Kashmiri leadership and its henchmen in Jammu, who actually were responsible for the marginalization of the whole of Jammu province.
What the BJP on Friday demanded was what exactly the Dixon Plan, the Musharraf formula and Kathwari plan advocated. Indeed, the people of Jammu committed a blunder by voting for the BJP. This is what the people of Jammu say day-in and day-out. In fact, they say that the 2014 national mandate and Jammu's mandate for the BJP have turned out to be a curse for the nation as a whole. They do make a point. |
