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| Time has come for Congress to intervene | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, June 6: Things in Jammu are again heading towards a full-scale confrontation between the people, especially the 4 million Hindus, and the "unaccommodating and inflexible" Governor NN Vohra and the "equally rigid and arrogant" State Government. Things have deteriorated to the extent that almost all the Jammu-based social, religious and political groupings, barring Congress, National Conference and People's Democratic Party, have made up their mind to create in Jammu the 2008-like situation that led to the fall of the Congress-led government. Had the BJP-RSS combine not given up their third demand, Governor NN Vohra too would have been recalled by the "unnerved and frightened" Central Government. The other two demands were dismissal of the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led government and transfer of the piece of land at Baltal to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.
That things have again changed dramatically in Jammu province could be seen from what could be termed as a very impressive protest rally that was organized on Saturday by at least two MLAs belonging to the saffron party. It was a very-largely participated in rally in which women also took part in large numbers. The protestors, like the 2008 protestors, were raising such slogans as "Bam, Bam Bhole", "Down with National Conference-Congress Government" and "Governor Vohra Hai Hai". Their demands, like the demands being raised by many others, included "abolition of Jazia on the Amarnath Yatris", "No tax on Free Langars" and "No additional taxes on buses, trucks and light vehicles carrying Amarnath Yatris and food stuff meant for the Yatris".
It can be said without any hesitation that if the things remain as they are today they may take an alarming twist in the coming days. If at all it happens, and there are reasons to believe that it would happen, then it would be extremely difficult either for Governor NN Vohra or for the State Government to control the situation in Jammu. The immediate fall-out of this avoidable conflict would be on the Congress party, which has been repeatedly supported by the people of Jammu province.
It may be recalled that the Congress had adopted a negative attitude towards the movement in Jammu over the Amarnath land issue. The result was that its leaders had become objects of ridicule and contempt. Such was their plight that they could not come out of their houses for a number of days or face the angry public. The Jammu-based Congress leadership soon realized that any move on their part to oppose the Jammu movement would jeopardize its electoral interests. As a result, all the Jammu-based Congress leaders, barring Mangat Ram Sharma, Gulchain Singh Charak, Mula Ram and a few others, joined the movement. Madan Lal Sharma, Choudhary Lal Singh, RS Chib, Raman Bhalla, Sham Lal Sharma, Yogesh Sawhney, Dharam Pal Sharma, as a matter of fact everyone, became an important part of the movement. They said "first they are Jammuites and then Congressmen". They also said the "demand of the people of Jammu is secular". They approached the Union Government and the Congress high command and successfully persuaded them to accept the demands of the people of Jammu.
The situation as it prevails today in Jammu warrants an immediate intervention of the Congress. Its intervention would not only amicably resolve the controversy and help maintain peace in the region, but would also help it win the hearts and minds of the people of Jammu province. The Congress can intervene; the Congress can persuade Governor Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to withdraw all kind of taxes imposed on the Amarnath Yatra because it is part of the government. In fact, the need of the time is an immediate intervention of the Congress. Any failure on its part to do so would only mar its electoral prospects and help its political adversaries like the BJP and the Panthers Party. Weakening of the Congress in Jammu province is not in the nation's interest.
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