Ravinder Jalali
Recently former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah charged the present Govt. of allotting land for setting up Sainik Colony in Kashmir. It seems to be amusing. If the land is allotted to Sainik Board for establishing colony for the ex-servicemen of J and K State, what is wrong in it? Normally it seems to be no-issue but deliberately it is being raked up by NC and its leader Omar Abdullah to create an atmosphere of unrest in the Valley keeping in view the ensuing tourist season in the Valley.
Equally it is strange when the present regime reacted in response to the opposition. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti immediately said that no land allotment has been made for setting up Sainik Colony in Kashmir for the welfare of ex-servicemen who toil day and night for our safety and security in general and for VIPs and leaders in particular and sometimes sacrifice their lives and attain martyrdom. This is strange and there should have been consensus and no objection to any party. The Govt. immediately including Chief Minister was quick to clarify that there is no such land allotment as if it was illegal, unconstitutional and un-ethical.
There is a Sainik Colony in Jammu as well and there is no problem. It is the same State. There is a Sainik School in Manasbal in Kashmir, there is no problem but why it is with Sainik Colony in Kashmir. There seems to be a dirty politics being played in it. Mehbooba charges Omar Abdullah that it was his (Omar) government who first started the process of land allotment for the Sainik Colony for the ex-servicemen of J and K State. And again there is nothing wrong but the fact of the matter is that they are playing politics with sole aim of creating divisions among the societies and the regions. It is just pitting one region or one community against the other, as most of the ex-servicemen are from Jammu region as compared to Kashmir Valley. These leaders and politicians are spreading hatred for people of one region against the people of another region.
The National Conference is speaking the language of separatists that it will not allow to have Sainik Colony in Kashmir on the pretext that it will be a game plan of the Central Govt. to settle outsiders and to change the demography of the Kashmir Valley which is Muslim majority, rather a Muslim state after the ethnic cleaning of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990.
Last time also and every now and then when ever a move is made to establish colonies for the resettlement of KPs in the Valley, the hell breaks out. All the parties, leaders and politicians of Kashmir Valley across board unanimously object to the settlement of KPs and vow to fight tooth and nail to oppose it. It is not the separatists only who oppose but the Govt. also which responded to call of the separatists and the greatest proof was that when former Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Syed had to make a statement on the floor of House that no separate place has been earmarked and will not be allotted for the settlement of KPs. He announced in the Assembly that the Govt will not like to have to separate colonies for KPs as it will amount to create Israel type of settlements. This is the mind set of the elected Govt. which had already accepted to settle KPs with honour and dignity. The resettlement of KPs was high on the agenda of State Govt. and Central Govt. as well and the Home Minister of GoI announced the proposal and asked the State Govt, to find land in the Valley. The tragic part is the role of BJP which is a partner in the State Govt and is also in command at the Centre and is committed to the honourable and dignified return of KPs to the Valley. The State Govt. as well as all the parties in the State is showing tremendous interest for honourable settlement of KPs but when the actual time comes for the action to be shown in this regard, every body takes a back seat and succumbs to the pressure of separatists who oppose the return of KPs to their native place. The irony is that on one hand they want KPs return with honour and dignity and on the other hand when ever Govt. makes a move for their return they create a hostile atmosphere, there by demolishing all the hopes of their return to Valley.
This is not for the first time that the Govt succumbed to the separatists but previously when ever there is any issue related to the KPs, all parties rallies behind separatists on anti-KP move. During Amarnath Shrine Land Row in 2008 similar situation took place and the entire separatist leaders resented to the allotment of forest land for Amarnath pilgrimage. The Govt. at that time under the Chief Minister Gh. Nabi Azad supported by PDP, vide Govt. order allotted some land for construction of some structures on way to Amarnath Cave to facilitate the Yatris. The order of allotment was cancelled by the Govt. due to the pressure of the separatists, followed by widespread resentment in Jammu which everybody knows. In the same way when the permission for Kousar Nag Yatra in Aharbal of Kashmir was allowed by the Distt. Administration, same was revoked on the protests of the separatists. So this not for the first time such things took place. It is a routine manner because no body wants to displease the separatists because these are the same people who campaign and canvass for the parties in the Valley. Needless to mention that the PDP was born out of militancy and the same people voted and ran the campaign.
Though everybody is in favour of the setting up a colony for the ex-servicemen but the parties want it to make an issue just to polarise the voters on the basis of region and community. The Congress Govt. deserves a pat for supporting the setting up of a Sainik Colony in Kashmir. Everyone will fully understand that nobody from Kerala or Bengal, or Assam will come and settle in the Valley even if the land is allotted free. I would like to ask those who oppose the Sainik Colony in Valley, how many people from Jammu region or more specifically the Hindus from Jammu region have settled in Valley or purchased land or plot in Valley. Not to talk of even ordinary people, how many bureaucrats and the politicians have purchased land and are staying in the Valley. But the fact of the matter is vice-versa, the people of Kashmir including the leaders and the politicians across the board have not only purchased the plots but have constructed houses in Jammu Division and in ghettos. They have set up new colonies and are all along the peripheries of Jammu. If their coming and settling in Jammu Division does not change the demography of Jammu, which actually has changed, how it could change the demography in the Kashmir Valley as feared by the separatists.
This is a deliberate attempt to divide the people on the basis of religion and region and damage the social fabric of our State.
