Extending Tatkal facility in J&K in Passport issue rules will also shed some misconceptions about J&K

• Omar Sahib need now work for emotional & material reconstruction of his people.
• J&K has been a victim of vote bank politics infested with some ‘Myths’ used to their Convenience by ‘either Sides’

Daya Sagar

No use digging into the past and finding faults with others. Governments all these years have been claiming for their relentless working for socio economic development of the subjects of J&K and for undoing the nefarious designs of the ‘foreign’ powers and their supporters from within J&K. No doubt much more may be needed to be done but one thing could be surely said that nobody should ( and no one does) totally dismiss the positive status reports of the administration that are being regularly placed in the public domain as regards the status of peace & stability in J&K, particularly over last two decades. But it has to be also admitted that there is utmost need for the civil society to for supporting the administration by working on ground through unofficial channels ,for medicating the social & emotional controversies generated over the years, as also is the need for the political cadres to shed their political plans that target only vote bank game plans. All internal negativities need be defeated as priority one including any ideologies / political ambitions of some that hint towards separatist opinion making even a bit of support which is also very much must for fighting the external enemy forces.

75 years have been already lost and let not be wasted even a day now onwards. India need to send clear message from grounds to the the world that J&K is no more adversely affected by the ill plans of the external forces and most of the internal anti forces are either totally dismantled or are near to losing grounds thereby dismantling all styles of indicators that make the world sense that J&K is a disturbed area, we are now on the path of peace & stability in J&K and over last 10 years meaningful achievements have been there which will reflect from the government reports on very much reduces , strikes, demonstrations , violent local protests ( and stone pelting even on security forces), growing tourist flow and reduced separatist influence ( particularly w.r.t Kashmir Valley) .
Making outside people to feel that J&K has in 2024 nearly returned to a stage where there are no separatist pressures on the local environment there is utmost need for dismantling the separatist wits for which Government must take steps to wipe off any impressions radiating towards outside world , may be by reviewing even some existing security related policies / orders for which actions like prioritizing self sponsored return of Kashmiri valley migrants & reviewing the over stretched security related policies could be the likes which could message the outside world about reducing separatist & anti India influences there by weakening the voice of anti elements worth attracting the the outside world.
To quote as regards security related policies government could review the policy regarding issuing of new passports and renewing the passports of J&K residents. Presently the provision of “Tatkal” in relation to J&K residents is not there which surely sends a message of concern to outside world also. So strangely the “Tatkal’ facility is not available for even renewal of a passport and also not even for issue of a copy of additional pages where the pages of existing passport are consumed for frequent travelers ( here too one has to apply like a new passport for which routine physical police verification is done and the passport copy that is issued is only for the remaining period, question here is in case all process is to be followed as for new passport why not issue the new copy with full period of 10 yrs or so ). Imagine the in convenience caused to the common citizen also and the time lost. Non availability of Tatkal not only puts people to inconvenience but also sends message to outside world that “J&K’ is not in peace.
National Conference manifesto for 2024 elections to Legislative Assembly of J&K UT on page 11…… under the caption “RESTORING NORMALCY” has said (i) The JKNC is strongly committed to the dignified return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits (ii) Eased Passport Verification: Ensure that passport verification procedures are simplified, removing hurdles and making it easier for people to obtain passports. Union Government has also opined that over last 10 years J&K has moved steps ahead on the path of peace & stability so Omar Sahib must impress upon GOI to get the passport process simplified for residents of J&K like allowing Tatkal also for J&K also which will also undo any misconceptions about fairness of civil environment in J&K with the outside world and simultaneously ensure that the police verification channels are minimized so as to limit the quarry only for referring to the District Police SP and sending clearance to Passport Officer direct by SSP itself. No doubt after physical police verification the Passport Seva Kendra issues passport in a day or two by post.
Similarly we could quote the like the negative indicators that radiate from the existing special rules for issue/ renew of Passports in J&K like no Tatkal facility and multichannel physical verification of the applicant there also radiate negative indicators from the fact that as on date there is no clear line drawn between the mainstream and separatist ideologies/ ‘political’ parties so that too should be done now before Indian lands in 2025. Since J&K is no political issue how could those who profess/ professed that Pakistan and India should have common control on some affairs related to J&K or talked of autonomy for J&K from India Nation State or have/had ‘Achievable Nationhood’ as their mission have all these years ( particularly after 2000 ) be taken as mainstream elements unless they have divorced such ideologies ?Omar Abdullah is now the Chief Minister of J&K and he has to take J&K ahead on the path of peace and stability so issues be taken very pointedly worth winning the confidence of common masses and what could be the better course for him than taking to the promises made in the election manifesto. Enough of price has been paid by the common man of J&K over last seven decades. So, those who have so far used the mythful idioms of ‘special status’, ‘separate flag’, ‘separate constitution’ , Art-370 ‘ a Bridge’ between India & J&K , J&K State not fully integrated with India till 2019 ( although Art-1 of COI and Section- 3 of constitution of J&K < Section- 3. Relationship of the State with the Union of India:-The State of Jammu and Kashmir is and shall be an integral part of the Union of India > very explicitly refuted such notions) had been not only simply targeting the electoral vote politics by promoting for or against debates must henceforth shed such myths out of their pockets in the overall interest of our people so that energies are not unduly spent in related controversies and are hence forth used for strengthening the process of emotional & material development of J&K and fighting the extra territorial aggressions.
Now no more time should be lost in starting the process of making and promoting ideological corrections/ medications , no doubt that has to be done adopting very accommodating but truthful & patience studded approach like drawing clear line between the mainstream & separatist ideologies so that the common man has no confusions.
The UT Government headed by Omar Abdullah has lesser work load since the issues related to public order , police and like are to be more shared by LG & Union Home Ministry hence Omar Sahib will have more time for emotional & material reconstruction of his people. Let us hope for lesser vote bank politics for atleast a couple of years…………..
(The writer is a Sr Journalist & a known analyst of J&K affairs)