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| From curing people to becoming their voice in Assembly, MLA Kamal Arora strives hard | | |  Kunal Shrivatsa
Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 30: "Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all," a famous quote by Dale Carnegie, fittingly describes the political journey of over three decades of National Conference's Member Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Bishnah Constituency, Kamal Arora as getting defeated in three consecutive Assembly elections of 1996, 2002 and 2008 did not deter his firm resolve to achieve political glory someday. After tasting three successive defeats, Arora ultimately proved his detractors wrong in the final outcome of Assembly elections of 2014 as he emerged victorious at the hustings from Bishnah constituency.
Being a pharmacist, the trait of comforting and lending a helping hand to the needy is deep rooted in Kamal Arora's personality which kept him determined to face the challenges in his life and eventually helped him to overcome the political uncertainties.
In an exclusive interview with Early Times, MLA Kamal Arora candidly shared his political views and other burning issues being confronted by the state particularly Jammu region. Here are the excerpts:
Q) What reasons prompted you to take up politics as a career? How was your political journey so far?
A) Since I was involved in the profession of health care, I used to help those who are in dire need of immediate medical help. Zeal to serve the people started to develop within me. But I want to provide a helping hand to more and more people which I thought was possible only be entering the field of politics. Keeping that in mind, I decided to be a politician. As a youth I was highly impressed with the political stature of the then Chief Minister Jenab Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah… His eagerness to serve the people at any given point of time motivated me to take up the issues affecting the common masses of my area…Slowly but steadily, I started to raise the public issues at the concerned forums which ultimately led to my entry into the field of politics in 1980 and I joined National Conference. Since, then I am in the forefront of the politics in Bishnah and gradually, I began to get recognition in the entire constituency. However, some differences with the NC leadership compelled me to quit the party and join Congress in 1996.
But in the Assembly polls of 1996, the Congress denied me the mandate despite assurances for the same. I had no option but to contest the election as an independent. Though I lost and stood third but I polled more votes than the official candidate of the Congress. In 2002 elections, I contested as a NC candidate and stood second by bagging more than 13,000 votes. In the 2008 polls, I contested as a BSP candidate and narrowly lost by about 200 votes. Ultimately, the lady luck smiled on me in the Assembly elections of 2014 when I as a NC candidate romped home defeating my nearest rival Ashwani Kumar Sharma of the BJP with a margin of nearly 3000 votes despite a strong Modi wave across Jammu region.
Q) How much have you succeeded as an MLA? Talking about roads, power and water which are considered to be the basic necessities, as a legislator, what are your achievements so far in this regard?
A) As a public representative, I am fully satisfied with the kind of efforts I have put in so far for the welfare and development of my constituency. Even though I have become a legislator, my dedication for serving the masses has not changed a bit… I am still the same person and takes as much interest I used to take earlier. I am indebted to the people of Bishnah constituency for their overwhelming love and support. Last Assembly elections proved that the people of Bishnah have recognized that Kamal Arora is their real well wisher and made me their voice in the Assembly. As far as my achievements as an MLA are concerned, the power supply system was upgraded and it has improved a lot…The capacity of the transformers in several villages and towns of Bishnah has been upgraded. Talking about road connectivity, which was in shambles earlier, has been improved vastly in several villages of my constituency in the past three and a half years…..Several major roads and link roads have been black-topped. I also vigorously ensured to improve and modernize lanes and drains of Bishnah area, earlier hardly anyone paid attention to this. I provided funds for the construction of a state of the art public toilet in Bishnah…. I bet you will not find such a neat- clean public toilet having all the amenities including an air-conditioner anywhere in the state or country except metro cities.
Q) What are your views on the recent border shelling and what solutions and steps do you think are appropriate to safeguard the people residing along International Border?
A) I am saddened and anguished over the mass destruction, deaths and injuries to locals of border areas due to heavy shelling carried out by Pakistan troops in violation of the cease fire. Pakistan's action on border is deplorable and condemnable. The neighbouring country has defamed the religion of Islam in the entire world as it indulged in heavy shelling on residential areas along International Border in the holy month of Ramzan. The border area people are forced to face the consequences of the off and on border skirmishes between the two nations. As a permanent solution for this nightmare of the border area people, I always maintain and demand allocation of 5 marlas plots at safer places to them but our government is sleeping over the issue and not initiating steps to realize it….During the elections, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had promised to provide 5 marlas plots to the border area people, who are under constant threat of firing and heavy shelling from across the border but their assurances have only proved to be hollow. I demand that reservation for the students of border areas should be given on the pattern of RBA and ALC keeping in view the regular firing and shelling from across the border. |
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