BLUNT BUTCHER / ANCHOR
JAMMU: In Indian set-up, every reform begins with the intent of benefitting poor but ends up for the greed and lust of rich and powerful.
Emergence of Jammu and Kashmir Guest Control Order, surfacing after 13 years of futile and fractured exercise, has raised more eyebrows than generating any enthusiasm among the poor, who are supposed to be the beneficiaries. Reasons are many. First and foremost, the poor will not only get further burdened under debt for ensuring befitting hospitality on the marriage of his daughter or son but may have to shell out more to escape the ‘wrath’ of corrupt law enforcing agencies in order to avert any awkward scene at the wedding functions. 
The Guest Control Order will pursue its own death whenever weddings in the families of high-ups in the politics and bureaucracy take place. The movers of the order-politicians and bureaucrats-know well the fate of their document as they will be the ones to trample it with impunity. Will they wish successful implementation of such an ‘obnoxious’ order which seals prospect of their earning?
Politicians and bureaucrats are meticulous and smart enough in planning marriages of their sons and daughters. These are generally solemnised during their active tenures. Marriages are not just tying the wedlock for them but these are major sources of earning, as during their heydays, the list of invitees stretches even beyond their own imagination. Each invitation carries a weight, in terms of valuables and cash that is to be presented to the groom or the bride. Generally, in such marriages earnings exceed manifold the spending (in most of the cases the hosts even don’t know the sponsors who make arrangements, right from booking the banquet halls to arranging multi-cuisine dinners and lunches which are spread for days together. Such marriages are real merry time for the politicians and bureaucrats.
Will they restrict their guest list and the menu as per ‘diktat’ of the government?
Yes, the Guest Control Order will surely make its presence felt at each of the banquet hall where poor and middle-class boys and girls shall be tying their nuptial knots. Their parents will not only get burdened under huge debts but shall also have to keep provision for ‘enforcement’ agencies may be omnipresent to implement the order. So, such occasions will bring cheer in the lives of corrupt as well.
Jammu and Kashmir has seen the fate of Guest Control Orders many a times even during the tenure of mighty Sheikh Abdullah. It could not succeed. In fact, a similar order met a worse fate immediately after issued on 27th October 2004 when Mufti Mohammed Sayeed was the Chief Minister. It was issued on the analogy of SRO 455 of 1973. The order generated such a controversy that the then Minister for Food and Supplies had gone public vowing to resign in case the control is effectively implemented. However, the order was challenged by All J&K Banquet Hall Caterers Association and on 6 June 2006 the Jammu and Kashmir High Court had set aside this order that had placed restrictions on the number of guests and the dishes to be prepared. Since then nothing was heard about the Guest Control because it had potential to hit hard the mighty politicians and bureaucrats.
