On ground very less has been done even to check the events that could disturb JK on regional and social lines. Rather right since 26th October 1947 the people of J&K have remained entangled in the webs woven by their own leadership with the yarns of religion, regionalism and hopefully hoping for ‘some ultimate’ peaceful settlements. And those at the helm of affairs in Delhi too cannot be excused of having played so casually with the affairs concerning in the state.
So, far Mehbooba Mufti Government has only talked of peace and stability but how would it stand to challenges has yet to be seen. It is not out of place to mention here that even after Mufti Mohd Sayeed Ji took oath of office on 1st Mar 2015 J&K government as well as the BJP Government at Center too got caught in the regional controversies from day one itself. The political leadership started playing vote bank politics from the day it was known that PDP- BJP Government will be sworn on March 1st 2015. To quote, setting up of All India Institute of Medical Sciences in J&K was pushed in to severe controversies by the leadership and both Jammu & Kashmir Regions remained disturbed for more than 6 months. Still the issue was half solved and ‘IIT-IIM virus’ was left for “other side” to agitate at some later date.
Now a private member resolution moved by National Conference’s legislator Qaiser Jamsheed Lone has been adopted by Legislative Council on 13th June 2016 demanding the Center to sanction one IIT and one IIM for Kashmir Valley ( as has been done for Jammu ). It was on 17 Aug 15 that I did write to PM submitting that since AIIMS controversy has been given birth by “political leadership” and the Jammu AIIMS coordination committee will not settle for anything less than a separate AIIMS for Jammu also, wisdom will lie in also sanctioning IIT and IIM for Kashmir Valley since if it is not done so Valley will surely agitate. No doubt AIIMS for Jammu was sanctioned but!. And now the Legislative Council has passed a resolution and it is surely going to disturb Mehbooba’s road to peace and stability in case it is not unattended immeditely.
A well considered saying is ” Lamhon Ne Khataki, Sadioan Ne Saja Payee”. It fits well to explain the style in what the issues regarding sanction of Indian Institute for Medical Sciences for Jammu & Kashmir and nominating its geographical location in JK had been handled even by some in ministerial position. The Union Finance Minister ArunJaitley while presenting the 2015-16 Budget on 28th February 2014 announced that five more institutes on the lines of All India Institute of Medical Sciences will be set up in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Assam. And immediately a MOS in the Union Government rushed to inform his people back home that the J&K AIIMS ‘is’ for Jammu Region. It was just a day after that, on 1st March, that BJP-PDP government was sworn in Jammu and the “Agenda for Alliance” very plainly laid down for ‘Setting up a super specialty, AIIMS in the Valley. No one would believe that the ‘agenda for alliance’ was drafted only during the midnight of 28th Feb 1st March and the MOS who made the statement on 28th February was not aware that AIIMS was not for Jammu region (he had also thanked the Finance Minister ).Any how then also there was time to apply corrections and handle the issue with wisdom without letting it become an issue worth drawing more regional divides, but instead even those in power appeared adding more fuel to fire. To be brief the conditions as emerged suggested that in the cause of peace and harmony wisdom would lie for the Government to immediately announce that two separate AIIMSs will be established in Jammu and Kashmir Valley , and not only that ,in case people from Kashmir Valley press for also setting up IIT and IIM like Jammu region in Kashmir Valley as well, the same should also have been accepted since Lamhon ne khatakihai hence that much extra price would have to be born. In the overall interest of peace. But that did not happen immediately.
In response to submissions made in August 2015 I did receive acknowledgement in June 2016 informing that case closed — date of action: 29 Feb 2016 with status as AIIMS in both Jammu and Kashmir has been covered in PM package for state. State govt has identified sites in both Jammu and Kashmir region.
Central team has inspected sites in Jammu region and its report is under consideration. Site visit of Kashmir is likely to be undertaken shortly. Now it is the state legislature that has resolved for IIT and IIM in Kashmir Valley as well. And GOI will have to agree for that sooner or later. I had suggested it in August 2015 and had it been done then one more link in the ‘chain of JK Controversies’ would not have been added.
(Daya Sagar is a Sr Journalist and a social activist can be reached at dayasagr45@yahoo.com)