The political verdict in the recent Assembly elections has thrown many questions at the people of Jammu, which they cannot help but find answers with its future in mind. Jammu has to look at the political mandate that it has given, and recognize the overall mandate that has come about, giving National Conference the majority to form the government.
There are some of the fundamental issues, which need focus with all the objectivity. The reality of the day is that everything that Jammu wants cannot be delivered overnight by the new government. The Omar Abdullah government is just in its second week in office and to expect that all what the people of this region want can be done 100 percent is a misplaced expectation. In this context, there is a need to understand the areas of discrimination handed over to Jammu over the decades, and the responsibility needs to be fixed of those who are at fault.
A historical grouse has existed that Jammu has been denied its due share in the political decision making, government services and opportunities to progress. Added to this is the primary question of the quality of leadership. There are genuine issues which should have been addressed. Jammu took to streets and few commissions were also constituted, but at the end of the day these did not change anything worthwhile for the region and its people.
In today’s context, Jammu should introspect where it stands and why it is not getting what it aspires for. This introspection should lead the people to look at their own drawbacks and also suggest pathways for the future. This is a watershed moment in the history of Jammu, and after learning its lessons from past experiences, it should look at the future ahead as a place which can contribute to the nation-building and at the same time attain a takeoff position for itself.
The most important point that needs to be understood is, the leadership in Kashmir Valley generates their own issues and lead the narratives on those lines. They may be distinguished by their flags but their manifestoes speak the same thing. They haven’t taken eyes off from the day-to-day issues and the larger ones which they have been consistently agitating for. Their geographical and ethnic make-up is different. They have relied all along on their regional parties – big or small. National Conference is a premier party; PDP its competitor born 25 years ago, and then there is People’s Conference which appeared on the political scene more than four decades ago. Their timing of the birth, and the forces that cradled them, may be different, but they are part of the same chorus. They do change their slogans and narratives as per their political convenience but there lies something different beneath. Some reckon that as their political acumen. But, look it through another angle, it is also a blind pursuit of delusions.
In contrast, Jammu has always lived in reality. It has stuck to its patriotic roots and never allowed any compromise on its commitment, dedication and devotion to the nation. It suffered a lot because of its patriotism as it brought into direct confrontation with the anti-national forces, which operated in other parts of the erstwhile state that is now split into two union territories – Ladakh, and J&K. It paid price for its nationalistic commitment – its young men in armed forces and in other fields made supreme sacrifices; it had to share the image of disturbed area, and its business suffered no end. Each and every incident in the Valley impacted Jammu. It did not give up its values- tens of thousands of Kashmiri Pandits were welcomed and accommodated – now it is for over 35 years- without any whimper.
Jammu as of today should not see itself in competition with the other region in the UT. It should carve out its own niche and place in the Indian union with a clear understanding that the leadership in the Valley would always oblige its voters and people at large. This is natural – the voters who voted for a particular party and gave it a majority to form the government would be genuine in asking for the fulfilment of their demands and easing of difficulties first. The government has to oblige them first.
These occasions for a serious thought on the larger issues involved. Jammu cannot depend on the doles or the wishes of the leadership elsewhere. It must ask questions of leaders whom they elected. It doesn’t have to be all about the traditional ‘Sadak, Pani, Bijli’ issues, but as to how should the region look at its future with all the challenges and opportunities lying ahead . Sitting and waiting for others to grant them what all they want is just shirking own responsibility.
