Mahadeep Singh Jamwal
It is a bad luck of Jammuities (Jammu region) that the discrimination with us is our fate and we have to wear it in spite of heavy but hollow slogans aired by all political parties, whosoever comes into power. The Jammu leadership has only one agenda and that is the discrimination with Jammu, when elections are round the corner but their voice choked after the elections and their slogans turn out to be mere a joke and they become puppets to dance to the tunes of Kashmiri leadership, which ever remain discriminatory towards Jammu region. The discrimination ranges from inadequate representation in Assembly seats, allotment of funds, government jobs, medical facilities, engineering aspects, payment of wages, and what not. Discriminatory traditions, policies, ideas, and practices have ever remained to be directed towards Jammu region from Kashmir dominated politics, even after almost equal representation from Jammu. Obvious reason for it is the loyalty of our Jammu representation towards Kashmir leaders to secure power share for their personal gains and not for the benefit of Jammu people. Many political fronts from time-to-time came into existence claiming to fight against discrimination without realising that it is the requirement of one platform for the outcry of this audacious attitude of Kashmir centric politics, which has ever remained hostile to the Jammu cause. What self-interest pushed these fronts on the back seat? There are many cooks of this tasty food ‘discrimination’ but their selfishness has spoiled the broil. More bad luck is our lack of vision to access the attitude, mindset, level of the vision, educational standard and intelligence of our Jammu based politicians, who are always messaging the Kashmir leadership, for their personal scores rather than the interest of the common mass hailing from Jammu region. A number of times these power hungry henchmen have badly been exposed on face by the Kashmir leadership not less than CM themselves, on Jammu cause by publicly exposing them that this representation of Jammu cry, beg and lean before them for their personal interests and for engineering and medical seats, but never raise any concern for Jammu people. But this shameless fraternity, how boastfully face the public is beyond the understanding of the common man and they have surpassed the Hindi saying ‘Chullu Bhar Paani Mein Doob Marna’.
Here we have to introspect in real meaning, which are to be blamed for the discrimination with Jammu, is it our leadership (a creation of we people) or we have to blame ourselves for choosing this hopeless leadership. When we blame our leadership at the same time, we must blame ourselves as the equal share holder. We are far away from the true meaning of franchise and this may be because of the circumstances created or developed by these politicians in their own interest in which we fall easy prey. This may be illiteracy, economic factor, poor conditions, religious exploitation, communal factors, unemployment, caste divination and number of other dominating factors. We fell easy prey to this booby trap and as a result undeserving people become the voice of we people in ‘house of democracies’.
The Jammu region is badly affected especially in the government jobs when we find 80% of the jobs are secured by Kashmir youths in selection process. This is not because of a fair system of providing jobs but a laid out strategy to discriminate the Jammu region and to accommodate the Kashmir based people in the government jobs under a well knit conspiracy, there by taking the Jammu in runaway situation. This is also a strategy of Kashmir centric politics to give a message to the nation that Jammu youth are not so qualified, lack competitive skill and an inefficient slot. Our Jammu region based representation is a party to it and playing with the future of our qualified generation of Jammu region. Here the educated youth has to come forward against this leadership, who are mute spectators against the due share in jobs.
The present period was expected to bring solace to Jammuities as the massive mandate given to BJP on the various promises, slogans and commitments of a leader who happened to be PM of India from the same BJP. The people voted every Tom and Harry projected by BJP as their candidate without looking for their profiles and without looking for their loyalty in the political parties. This was also a period when many opportunists leaving their parties were accommodated by BJP and people respecting the sentiments of BJP shown towards Jammu discrimination elected them not for their efficiency but just only being candidate projected by BJP. The people of Jammu region voted for BJP en-block and created history by mandating 25 seats to BJP. These were the manifesto, vision document, speeches, press conferences and statements of this BJP that filled the aggrieved people of Jammu province with hope of doing away the discrimination. With the passage of time all the slot so elected proved to be better for dust bin rather than for representation. The allegations of family promotion culture, corrupt practices and many other allegations were leveled and some of them holding party position were publically accused of running the Ministries of their better halves from behind the curtain were shown doors as per liking of practical force behind this BJP government i.e. RSS. All the representation from Jammu region including Ministers have practically become rusted and they cannot muster courage to oppose the Kashmir leadership being fear of thrown out from the power corridors owing to the reasons of their inefficiency, existence and even total rejection by the common public.
Now the vital question which required answer is how this Jammu representation can be pulled for their willful avoid of raising voice of Jammu discrimination?, politically it is we people who have strengthened them by electing as our representatives without going into their merit and demerit, hence till franchise availability, we have to wear the brunt, till the next elections fall due, so presently, we are redundant for any move this direction on political platform. What on civil/social platform, we have powerful tools with us to awaken this deaf, dumb and blind representation from deep slumber and to revive their dead conscious.
(To be continued)