JAMMU: Short of terming them incompetent, BJP MP and Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Dr Jitendra Singh has lashed out at his party’s Jammu MLAs in meeting the challenge posed by almost entire Kashmir-centric mainstream block as well as separatists over ‘identity certificates’ to West Pakistan Refugees. Jitendra Singh has a valid point in expressing dismay over lack of guts among his party colleagues in daring the opponents of WPR identity certificates to prove their own credentials. The Kashmir centric leaders and secessionists have no moral grand-standing in questioning the prerogative of the government, as they themselves are confused over being Indian nationals. They are the lot who openly question the accession with some terming it temporary and some clamouring for the implementation 0f UN Resolution that has since lost relevance.
What has been the response of BJP ministers and legislators in countering their own government which buckled under pressure and made U-turn by dispensing domicile certificates with identity certificates? BJP Pradesh chief is on record having stated that domicile certificates would be beginning of the process of covering the WP Refugees under State Subject Laws. For sheer lust of power they did not speak a word, at least in the public domain, which is why Jitendra Singh is calling them ‘innocent’. The terminology may be contemptuous but given the response of the BJP to issues pertaining to Jammu, it is apt. But how the Union Minister will justify his comments, as the Centre too has been playing into the hands of those whose commitment to the nation is wavering? Enjoying immense clout, Dr Jitendra Singh has not been able to brief his high command or political executives in right perspective about Kashmir psychology and duplicity of its leadership. He may come up with lofty sermons and belittle his colleagues in the BJP’s ‘once upon a time’ stronghold, but he cannot escape the responsibility of acting fiercely.
The BJP indulged in lavish promises and raised tempting slogans during 2014 elections with regard to West Pakistan Refugees but when it came to actually delivering at ground zero, the party backtracked the same way it abandoned nearly seven-decade old stand on Article 370 and Ek Nishan, Ek Pradhan and Ek Vidhan.
True, Dr Singh has been doing a nice job in his constituency but he cannot dictate terms to his colleagues or make public ridicule of them because of his proximity to the powers that be. They may be tolerant because of their inherent weaknesses but they reserve right to defend themselves. Some of them, on the condition of anonymity, took exception to the uncalled for observations of the MoS in PMO, saying, “We may be innocent, incompetent or whatever he may call, he has no right to cast aspersions on us or interfere in our working”. They termed Dr Jitendra as a political novice and creation of circumstances. “It is sheer accident that a political novice got accidently or incidentally elevated to a position of reckoning”, one of the senior legislators and lawmakers observed.
It is ironical for the BJP that even when the controversy over WPR identity certificates is refusing to die-down, the release of Masarat Alam, the top India-basher and supporter of Intifaada, a movement to secede Kashmir from Indian domain, has been released on bail, reportedly due to weak prosecution or arguments put by the government. How will the BJP explain such a development, which has potential of snowballing into a big trouble for the fragile Kashmir peace?
In the midst of arguments and counter-arguments, the BJP is settling scores within the party instead of fighting the smart political manveours of the cunning elements in the so-called mainstream politics and dubious separatists. “One only hopes yet another course of sermons from Dr Jitendra Singh”, said a BJP lawmaker.