STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Referring to the recent statement of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for evolving a solution to the prevailing crisis in the State under the policy of “Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat” Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman JKNPP and former Minister, said that the aforesaid slogan needed modification so as to include ‘Dogriyat’ within its ambit.
He said that there had been enough of experimentation with the AB Vajpayee’s slogan of “Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyhat” which had failed to cut the ice and to achieve the desired results with large scale death and destruction witnessed in the State during the last couple of years.
He said that the votaries of the said policy must bear in mind that the slogans of Kashmiriyat and Insaniyat had failed to prevent the large scale persecution, migration and exodus of miniscule minorities in Kashmir in the past. He said that though the concept of ‘Kashmiriyat’ as promulgated by Nund Rishi and Badshah was laudable but the same had undergone tremendous metamorphosis under the influence of Pak and its paid mercenaries thus bringing in it the element of intolerance. He said that the rich culture of ‘Kashmiriyat’ nourished by the Sufi saints and Rishis had largely been vitiated and polluted by certain vested interests who preached non violence and intolerance as against pluralism, brotherhood and co-existence advocated and promoted under original ‘Kashmiriyat’.
Lambasting the central leadership particularly the BJP for pushing ‘Dogriyat’ into oblivion, Singh said that it was the Dogra rule which provided the most glaring example of co-existence, tolerance and pluralism. He said that from 1846 to 1947 the State witnessed an era of pluralism and communal harmony with hardly any instance of communal polarisation. He said that the rich Dogra culture has displayed infinite tolerance since times immemorial and still continues to be reconciling and accommodative adding that during the past several years of insurgency and turmoil in the Valley, it was the Dogra land that received the migrants and other victims of militancy with open arms and gave them not only space in Jammu but the much needed love, affection and solace irrespective of their caste, colour, creed or religion.
He said that the Dogra land with its age old tradition of tolerance and peaceful co-existence is the only land in the world where lion and lamb flourished and survived together. He observed that ‘Dogriyat’ was all inclusive and covered Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Gujjars, Bakarwals, Budhists, Jainis besides al others communities inhabiting Jammu region.
Lampooning the BJP for harping ‘Kashmiriyat’ to the utter neglect of ‘Dogriyat’ despite having won 25 seats from Dogra land, Harsh said that the saffron leaders had done the greatest dis-service to Jammu region by relegating ‘Dogriyat’ to the back ground.
Strongly emphasising the adoption of the Dogra philosophy in addressing the present crisis, Harsh remarked that ‘Dogriyat’ with its all encompassing, all embracing and exceptionally tolerant principles could alone be the panacea for various ills afflicting the State.
