Dear Editor,
Well before guns could stop booming and spitting fire to conclude ‘Operation All Out’ in the few troubled districts of Kashmir Valley part of the J&K State, there have been more ‘thrillers’ in stock for the State. J&K state is very expensive to the nation in terms of funds that have been pumped in, the enormous security related expenses, maintenance of troops and arsenal at enormous costs, other aides for development etc., and the rampant corruption and lack of accountability. Hence any disturbance here has far reaching ramifications and manifestations on the whole of the country with tremors beyond our borders.
The NIA probes and findings are no surprise to anybody in the state who has all personally seen the main ‘Separatist’ actors growing from rags to riches, blatantly demonstrating their anti-national stance and links with Pakistan. Yet they have been receiving, protection, care and favoured concern and recognition from New Delhi over 70 years. The action/arrests thus came as pleasant thrill to nationalists and chill to the direct/indirect beneficiaries of the anti-national ‘separatist ilk’. Closely on the heals, is the issue related to Article 35A, a 63-year-old law in Jammu and Kashmir that has turned into a political flashpoint now. It is discomforting only the Valley-based parties and their leaders of small truncated areas who see a threat to the state’s special status and anxieties over disturbance to their ‘apple carts’. The merits demerits of Article 35 A which is NOT contained in the Constitution of India, the legality of its unconstitutional back door “addition” and imposition are being debated in great detail on media and hence not repeated here. The climax point was when the Chief minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti called on the arch rival Dr Farooq Abdullah to discuss the situation/ reactions in case the Supreme court verdict on Art 35A goes towards the petitioners. It seems that the Chief Minister has lost faith and confidence in her own cabinet collegues, legal luminaries within the State and the Country, the Central leadership, her government’s coalition partners and above all the much larger population of J&K whom she represents as Chief Minister. “Madame, You are Chief minister to us all including Jammu, Ladakh regions and the Dogri, Pahari, Gojri, Balti speaking majority of the State and areas beyond the few hostile Districts of South Kashmir”, said the Veteran warrior Col Dr Virendra K Sahi adding the please “Do not take us for granted”.
Similarly, the veteran took exception to the imposition to the forced arbitrary imposition of Kashmiri language in Dogra regions. He cautioned the government, that the issue can blow up to unrest much bigger than the Shri Amarnathji transit camp land issue. The matter is serious and raking it up most untimely when the State is struggling through much graver issues like the armed insurgency, separatism and the threats of boosting terror from Pakistan/ Afghani Taleban and the Chinese indulgence. The decision to create Kashmiri teachers’ vacancies in non- Kashmiri speaking area will NOT be accepted. It must be rolled back or else create similar number of Vacancies for teaching Dogri in the non- Dogri speaking areas. Where was the need for meddling with the ongoing system? Asked a JU Professor retaining her anonymity adding that it seemed to be creation of a mischievous mind trying to disturb the smooth going education in non- Dogri Speaking areas like it is disturbed in Kashmir Valley by the evil designs of the separatists.
Col Dr Virendra K Sahi
Jammu
