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| 2 years on, black sheep in admin conspire to alienate people | | ‘From Govt employees to businessmen to youth, scores at verge of starvation’ | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 6: Much against the vision of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to revive peace and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir through the abrogation of the so called special status, some of those at the helm are acting in a way that the public alienation seems to be only on rise.
While the bold decision taken on August 5, 2019 was expected to win the hearts and minds of people through deliverance of good governance not only in Jammu but even in militancy infested Kashmir, the fact remains that the Bharatiya Janta Party couldn’t do well at the District Development Council elections even in the winter capital region itself.
In December 2020, the so called People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) swept the first-ever DDC polls held in Jammu and Kashmir after the erstwhile state lost its so called special status to abrogation of Article 370. The Farooq Abdullah-led seven-party coalition, which comprised Abdullah’s National Conference (NC), and Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP), won 110 seats. Though BJP bagged 75 seats, emerging as largest wining party, the expectations were bigger from the nationalist party, which had taken historic decisions on J&K.
The DDC elections seemed to have a message that public alienation has been on rise as a section of bureaucrats are accused of behaving like autocrats “having no respect for the aspirations of the citizens, who actually happen to be the tax payers.”
For the common people, they are unable to get respite even from “civic woes like that of electricity, roads and water.”
This year, the winter capital of Jammu has been bearing “worst ever power crises” in the scorching heat –something which prompted the government to order a probe.
Nevertheless, the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, who is known for his integrity and dynamism, had to apologize before the people while ordering a formal probe into power failure.
Water woes have been similar. And as about the road connectivity, the condition is so pathetic that the national highway snaking though the summer capital of Srinagar awaits proper blacktopping for the last around three years now, said residents of Bemina.
Forget news houses, even FM radio stations, which are supposed to air entertainment, have been running shows on topics like “Biggest Potholes in your town.”
For the business community, the stakeholders say, the two years of their relationship with those at the helm has been “nightmarish.”
Observers say baring the promotion of tourism in Kashmir, the business players are up in arms.
Just some months ago, the Jammu Inc took a dig that the J&K government saying that the decisions as being taken in the corridors of power are against the interests of the local business community.
In times of slowdown in the wake of Covid pandemic, when the government was expected to announce special relaxations for the business community, the stakeholders have been often taking to streets.
“When the business community is not happy with the decisions as taken by the government from time to time and the Jammu Chamber gives hard hitting press conferences against those at the helm, the plight of common people can only be imagined,” said a professor at Jammu University on the condition of anonymity.
The youth alienation, on the other hand, has been such that during Covid19 when New Delhi generously funded the war against the pandemic in J&K, there was a larger public demand that skilled youth from various fields be atleast given need-based jobs by the government in emergency services dealing with the crises.
“But the fact remains that when paramedics were needed the most, the government disengaged hundreds of them form hospitals, thereby adding to unemployment during economic crises,” said a delegation of affected paramedics.
The government employees seem to be sailing in the same boat. While the employees of J&K Cements are starving for the release of wages for around three years, the employees of some other corporations say they are given monthly wages after two-three months.
Amid all this, eyebrows are even being raised over the frequent holding of the cultural and sports events to give a rosy picture. “While a lot of events, festivals and shows are being held by the government, such events have neither resolved the issue of unemployment nor has improved even the basic of bijli sadak and paani,” the professor added.
Observers believe that such events mainly “benefit either the event management firms or the concerned officials.”
This is happening in Jammu and Kashmir when the country is headed by the Prime Minister who is known for his iconic slogan: “Na Khawunga Na Khane Dunga!”
The blacksheep seem to having a field day but at the cost of Modi’s vision of naya Jammu and Kashmir! |
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