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| Kashmir already over-developed, Delhi needs to focus on marginalized Jammu | | | RUSTAM
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Sept 3: Yet another complaint of the people of Jammu province has been that they have never ever received due share in other important sectors like agriculture, health, sewerage, drainage and housing and urban development. That their complaint is well-founded can be seen from the funds allocated to Kashmir and Jammu during the 1oth and 11th Five-Year plan period.
During these plans period, Kashmir got Rs 380.29 crore and 519.41 crore, respectively, for agricultural development. The share of Jammu was Rs 270.29 crore and Rs 337.56 crore, respectively. During the same period, Kashmir got Rs 390.25 crore and Rs 819 crore, respectively, for the promotion of healthcare facilities. Jammu's share was Rs 330.32 crore and Rs 510.81 crore, respectively. Again, during the same period, Kashmir got Rs 71.42 crore and 35.67 crore, respectively, for improving sewerage system. The share of Jammu was Rs 30.61 crore and Rs 11.54 crore, respectively, for the same purpose. Similarly, during the same period, Kashmir got Rs 75.41 crore and Rs 109.61 crore, respectively, for the improvement of drainage system. The share of Jammu was Rs 32.31 crore and Rs 67.75 crore, respectively, for the same purpose. Likewise, during the same period, Kashmir got Rs 162.52 crore and Rs 518.88 crore, respectively, for housing and urban development. The share of Jammu was Rs 69.65 crore and Rs 27.94 crore, respectively for the same sector.
All these are official figures and these speak for themselves. These establish beyond any shadow of doubt that Jammu province has been consistently discriminated against by the successive Kashmir-dominated Valley-centric governments, with the Jammu-based ministers not doing anything to make the government allot adequate funds for Jammu talking into consideration its under-development, extreme backwardness, geographical area and its terrain and accessibility factor. The fact is that the Kashmir-based ruling elite and its henchmen in Jammu have destroyed it politically, economically, culturally and socially. It appears that the Kashmir-ruling elite and its henchmen in Jammu, who are being supported to the hilt by the ruling elite at the Centre, do not consider the people of Jammu province worthy of enjoying the rights and privileges their counterparts in Kashmir enjoy. They take the people of Jammu province to mean a human resource worthy of exploitation for enriching the Kashmir's economy and meeting the financial needs of the Kashmiri rulers, Kashmiri bureaucrats and other Kashmiri civil and police officials. In other words, the life of the people of Jammu province is not of political and economic aspirations.
The result of the discriminatory policies of the state government is that Jammu province has become quite weak. The situation has reached a point where it threatens the very integrity and identity of the Jammu province. There are elements in Kashmir who have been consistently seeking to change the Jammu's demographic profile like Pakistan has been doing in the Shia-majority Gilgit-Baltistan by sending members of the other sect in their thousands so that they settle their, change the demography of the strategic region and neutralize those in the area who have been seeking independence from what they call oppressive Islamabad.
One can very easily understand the reasons behind what the Kashmir-based ruling elite has been doing to jeopardize the legitimate political, democratic and interests of the people of Jammu province and destroy its identity and personality. But one fails to understand why the authorities in New Delhi and the bulk of Jammu-based political leadership are siding with the controversial Kashmiri leadership overlooking the great role the people of Jammu province have been playing to defeat the evil designs of the Kashmiri leaders, notwithstanding the indifferent attitude of New Delhi. It would be only appropriate to say that it is the authorities in New Delhi and the bulk of Jammu-based leadership which are squarely responsible for the Jammu's all-round degeneration and neglect. This is indeed a very dangerous policy. Exclusion and neglect of the people of Jammu province mean weakening of the country's core, time-tested, most dependable and exceptionally committed constituency in the state.
It is very important to note that New Delhi has consistently fought secessionism and communalism in Kashmir from the soil of Jammu, hub of nationalist activities. The political history of Jammu of the past 63 years tells that Kashmir is within India because of the heroic role of the people of Jammu province. Even today it continues to play the same role. Hence, making Jammu politically strong is a national requirement. You cannot fight Kashmiri secessionism and communalism from Pathankot. You have to fight out the evil forces in Kashmir ad Pakistan from the great Jammu soil, which has all along won spectacular victories for India. Even otherwise, New Delhi needs to focus its attention on the marginalized Jammu so that it is able to obtain its legitimate due share in the country's political and economic processes and fight out secessionist forces in Kashmir more effectively. Strong Jammu is in the national interest. You have overfed Kashmiri leadership and you have seen for yourself what they do and what they stand for. Give Jammu its due and you will see for yourself the zeal with which they would work for the unity and integrity of India. Jammu is the battlefield. It has to be secured, strengthened and looked after well. You cannot afford to undermine the importance of the nation's most sacred battlefield, called Jammu, the land of chivalrous Dogras. (concluded) |
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