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| BJP just a 'Gapod Shankh' in Jammu | | | Jamwal Mahadeep Singh
The word 'Gapod Shankh'
neither exists in the vocabulary section of English dictionary nor it is part of data base of search engines. Basically 'Gapod' is 'Dogri' pronunciation for the person who is just gossiper (Gossip is the Devil's radio - George Harrison) and making fake commitments and 'Shankh' is Hindi word for 'Conch shell' of a large predatory sea snail found in Indian Ocean that being empty makes much noise. The collective word 'Gapod Shankh' is derived from a story of a 'Conch shell' who was master in gossiping. The connected story goes as; a 'Shankh' was lying in an off route track, un-noticed for a considerable period. Occasionally a poor, devoted, innocent 'Karmu' traversing that path stumbled upon the 'shankh'. Being a pious man, Karmu, picked up the 'shankh' and placed it at one side of the path to protect it from crumbling but 'shankh' appealed to the person to take him to his home as he possess miraculous qualities of fulfilling all whims and wish of his master. Karmu to test the veracity of his words asked for some money for sustenance. The shankh committed for it, once he takes him to his home and worship him every day. The innocent Karmu took the shankha to his home. The shankha thanking the Karmu asked for his all wishes. The innocent Karmu asked for a job for securing his future, a small house to live in, better education for his children and respectable life. The 'shankha' promised more than that asked for. The clock kept moving on for days and months together with poor fellow always speaking high of shankha and worshipping it every day and with every passing day 'shankha' used to repeat his assurances for fulfilling all commitments. Fed up with only commitments, one day Karmu took the shankha and threw it from his house. The shameless shankha then revealed that he is master in making commitments but never fulfill them and he is known by the name of 'Gapod Shankh'. He makes fool of the people for comforts in their heart and home and when thrown out he expects some other fool to take him to his home like you.
This was a story told in my earlier days by my father with the lesson not to believe such gossipers but the Karmu's story assumed practicability, when in 2014 the state was to witness the elections and BJP government was just installed in Delhi in 2014. The party was exposed when it's elected MLAs sold out mandate obtained by exploitation of religious frenzy of 'Amarnath Land Row', and six of the BJP MLAs elected in 2008 were expelled for cross-voting in April 2011 in legislative council polls in J&K. In 2014 the BJP was on high tide in J&K also like other states owing to reasons of Modi installed on Delhi Gaddi owing to splash of many lucrative dreams. The BJP in J&K rolled out a chart of honey words but with evil mind such as; just and honorable re-settlement of Kashmiri Pandits, reserve three seats in the state assembly for displaced Kashmiris out of the 46 assembly seats meant for Kashmir valley, reserve five seats for refugees from the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir from the 24 seats kept vacant for the PoK, work out a one-time settlement for refugees from POK of 1947, 1965 & 1971, take measures for sustenance and livelihood of the West Pakistan refugees. Some special commitments, keeping in mind the aspirations of Jammuites, doled out by BJP were; autocratic rule and favoritisms will be curbed, construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, abrogation of the Article 370, deliver economic growth with regional balance and social justice in the state, constitute a delimitation commission for the delimiting of Legislative Assembly Constituencies as required by law, will build a Model Basmati Village in Jammu, develope greater Jammu as mega city; upgrade all towns with population size class of 30,000 to 99,999 into cities develop Jammu as an independent tourism circuit with specific plans for: Suchegarh - Samba - Hiranagar border tourism, Katra - Patnitop - Bhadarwah sector, Parmandal - Utterbeni -Surinsar - Mansar sector, Katra - Majalta - Billawar- Basohli sector, Bani - Sarthal- Jai circuit and Rajouri - Poonch (seven lakes) sector, Enhancing connectivity by building Basohli-Bani-Baderwah road, develop, preserve, and promote the Dogra Heritage, setting up of a new specialized high tech IT park and Bio tech parks in Jammu, developing a ring road around Jammu city for decongestion of traffic, develop Ranjit Sagar, Mansar, and Suruinsar lakes, improved power supply throughout the year, 100% female literacy, 100% Primary Health Care, earmarking 2 per cent of revenues from hydro power for the development of the Chenab region etc. etc. The colorful chart of crazy dreams for J&K especially for Jammuites was taken to unmatched heights of expectations of Jammuites and without looking for the profile, bio-data or previous political baggage every Tom, Dick, and Harry was elected on the analogy Karmu brought 'Gapod Shankh' on his fascinating assurance. But after the elections when BJP failed to achieve its target of 44 plus, it went into alliance with PDP and for power lust it surrendered completely before its alliance partner and all election promises especially for Jammites proved to be hollow and fake commitments like that of 'Gapod Shankh'. I need not mention fate of each of the commitment that is well in public domain and Jammuites are best judges on the subject. BJP believe on the phraseology that "Never apologize before you are accused". But we must appreciate the futuristic vision of the BJP leadership in Delhi that realized its future prospect in total dark in Jammu and mustered courage to pull out of the alliance by rolling over the ball in PDP's court for plunging the state into a brim situation but at the same time failed to realize that it is the BJP itself for the situation so arrived in J&K. Those who talk about others, have lots to hide about themselves. As BJP could not stand the heat, hence it came out of the joint kitchen.
The election Year always comes brimming with new goals, possibilities, and expectations. Now when 2019 elections are round the corner and feeling heat of rejection, BJP much worried about retaining; many voters who were swayed by Modi's promise to usher in 'Achche Din' by reenergizing the Indian economy have also grown restive. Many flagship welfare schemes upon which Modi dispensation is relying for 2019 win stand badly remarked as complete failure. They have to account for commitments and achievements of BJP dispensation to tilt the voters in their kitty. The BJP has very less material to criticize the opposition that was bountiful in 2014. More so voters are in denial mood to endemic the hollow slogans and fake commitments like that of 2014. Contrarily opposition has nothing to lose but power packed with full wagon of bundles of BJP's failures to be shot at BJP as election fodder to the voters. So definitely architects of election agenda will come up with another set of promises, commitments, soft policies, relaxations and some befooling slogans and schemes. Indian middle classes had for long been spectators in electoral politics. I pen down a set of quarries that every voter must ask from Modi je seeking his second tenure as PM, before deciding their choice of contestant. How we should believe, when commitments of 2014 are licking the dust when just concluding months are left for occupancy of the honey chair. The disturbing questions to be asked are; promise of Uniform Civil Code, peace and harmony in society, electrification of all urban and rural houses, Pakistan policy, and the Rs 15-lakh promise, no Lokpal yet, employment promise, clean Ganga mission, Ram temple, black money worth Rs 2 lakh crore etc. etc. What about Human rights group' Amnesty International' report of 2016-17, speaking of cow vigilantes, communal and caste-based violence in Modi government as a major concern, recent UN report on human rights violation in Kashmir, Thomson Reuters report casting India as most dangerous country for woman. Lastly what is the logic of accommodating 31% as ministers in government accused of rape, murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and of sexual abuses? As the country prepares for the 17th general elections, the BJP is walking on tightrope hence its leaders will be more visible and audible everywhere with some new trends to woo the voters. Whether these 'Gapod Shankhs' will be taken to home by the voters is yet to be seen in 2019 elections. I will just conclude with the lines of Criss Jami, Healology, an American philosopher, essayist, poet and designer "Any halfway clever devil would decorate the highway to Hell as beautiful as possible". |
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