| Indeed, population of Jammu is more -- II | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Nov 13: A number of political formations, including the then out of power BJP and the JKNPP have repeatedly asserted that the population of Jammu province was equal to Kashmir, if not more. It is universally acknowledged that more the population more the number of voters. In 2002, the number of voters in Kashmir was 28,83,550, which also included approximately 1.5 lakh Kashmiri Hindu and Kashmiri Sikh voters, who have been exercising their franchise in exile since 1990, when their communities were forced to quit Kashmir by fundamentalists. In Jammu, the number of voters was 30,59,986. That means Jammu had 1,76,436 more voters as compared to Kashmir.
In 2008, Kashmir had, according to the State's Chief Electoral Officer, 32,60,663 voters. As for Jammu, the number of voters was 30,84,417. In other words, while the number of voters in Kashmir increased by 1,00,867, the number of voters in Jammu increased by only 24,431 votes.
It was the startling revelation made by the then Chief Electoral Officer, B. R. Sharma, at a time when the Amarnath land agitation in Jammu was at its zenith, which made several political and social groups to question the assertion of Kashmiri leaders that the "Valley has more population". They interpreted the assertion of the Valley leadership as "ridiculous" and misleading. They pointed out that the population difference between Kashmir and Jammu was never so huge between 1941 and 1991 and went on to say that the population of Jammu was more as compared to Kashmir in 1941. They said that it was true that many Muslims migrated from Jammu to Pakistan in 1947 in the wake of the country's communal partition, but also stated that it was equally true that nearly hundred per cent non-Muslims, including Hindus and Sikhs, from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir migrated to Jammu the same year to escape their physical liquidation at the hands of the votaries of the two-nation theory. They repeatedly bemoaned that "the Kashmiri leadership, in collaboration with the Union Government, manipulated 43 seats for Kashmir in 1951 and Jammu was forced to remain content with just 30 seats". There was no census in Jammu and Kashmir in 1951. Whatever the Kashmiri leadership did was an arbitrary action.
A scrutiny of the census figures reveals that the population difference between Kashmir and Jammu was never so huge. In 1961, the population of Kashmir was eighteen lakh and that of Jammu sixteen lakh - difference two lakh. In 1971, the population of Kashmir was 24,35,701 and that of Jammu 20,75,640 - difference 3,60,661. In 1981, the population of Kashmir was 31,34,904 and that of Jammu 27,18,113 - difference 4,16,791. In 1991, the state was excluded from the census exercise. But, according to the Department of Economics and Statistics, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, the population of Kashmir in 1991 was 40,10,202 and that of Jammu 35,37,957 - difference 4,72,245.
Now let us look at the population growth in Kashmir and Jammu between 1961 and 2001. Such an exercise is imperative to call the bluff. Between 1961 and 1971, Kashmir witnessed population growth to the tune of 6,35,061 and Jammu 4,75,000 - difference 1,60,061. Between 1971 and 1981, while Kashmir witnessed population growth to the tune of 6,99,203, Jammu's population increased by 6,42,473 - difference 56,730. Between 1981 and 1991, the population in Kashmir increased by 8,75,298 and Jammu's by 8,19,844 - difference 55,454. And, between 1991 and 2001, while Kashmir registered growth in population by 14,66,768, the population in Jammu increased by 9,02,234 - difference 5,64,534.
This huge difference of 5,64,534 should clinch the whole story and establish that those at the helm did commit a fraud on Jammu with a view to countering the movement in Jammu for representation as per the 2002 voters strength, if not on the basis of population.
That those at the helm did not act fairly is further evident from two other major developments which took place in the State between 1990 and 2001. One, the population of Jammu suddenly increased in 1991 by about three lakh because of migration of Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs from the militant-infested Valley. Two, the population of Kashmir decreased by about five lakh owing to the migration of Kashmiri Hindus, Kashmiri Sikhs and Kashmiri Muslims from the Valley to Jammu and elsewhere in the country.
The story of the 2011 census also appears to be no different. In fact, many experts have questioned the census figures.
It would be only desirable if an impartial census operation is conducted to know the truth and it has become absolutely necessary after the NC opposed the government's reported move to rationalize the assembly constituencies. (Concluded) |
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