Should not J&K G.O. No. Rev. (LB) 69 of 2011 be operative for issue of Dogra identity Certificate

DAYA SAGAR

Dogras have been recognised as warriors and the areas where they predominantly live have been named as Dogra region. Indian Army also has an infantry Dogra Regiment and regiment has been part of all the wars in which Indian defence forces have been engaged after independence and have remained one of the most decorated and prestigious regiments of the Indian Army. Dogras have also been described as an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic clan/ groups primarily living in Indian states of “Jammu & Kashmir” ( predominantly areas of Jammu region including areas occupied by Pakistan ) , Himachal Pradesh , small part of some adjoining areas of Punjab and in some parts of northeastern Pakistan. The region/ lands associated with Dogra are commonly recognised as Duggar .Dogri is ethnic language of Dogras and is named by some as a member of the Western Pahari group of languages which has several varietal styles but with lexical similarity. As per 2011 census Dogri was spoken by over 25 Lakh people in India and is included in the list of 22 scheduled Indian languages and is one of the 5 official languages of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The Dogras are known warriors but are at the same time very simple , docile, unassuming , accommodating and caring people which may be the reason for their also being not eminently placed in history. No doubt the Dogra Dynasty that finds identity with Maharaja Gulab Singh who during British times could have the distinction of establishing Jammu & Kashmir as the largest Princely State of British Indian Empire does have some well recorded identity.
No doubt some initiatives have been there to give some place vale to Dogra but they have been only occasional / not regular and with no perusal. Earlier it was Gulam Nabi Azad somewhere in 2007 who had talked of Dogriat but could not stand much with it. But then it was Raman Bhalla in April 2011 the then J&K Revenue Minister ( ofcourse with the support of Omar Abdullah) had once again ventured into the subject in the name of Dogra Certificate for all the subjects of Jammu Division and had got issued (J&K Revenue Department Order No. Rev.(LB) 69 of 2011 dated: 25-03-2011 in that regard naming whole of Jammu Division as Duggar . Minister for Revenue Raman Bhalla advised the people of Jammu division to get Dogra Certificate for identity, residents of J&K ( PRC) were eligible to get the Dogra Certificate, Tehsildar (Territorial) was competent to issue and above all residents of Jammu division irrespective of ethnicity, cultural background and mother tongue would be classified as Dogras (,provided their forefathers were residents of Jammu Division prior to 1944 ( cut-off date of 1944 shall not apply to displaced persons from POJK ). But this time it definition of Dogra had pushed the then government into some ‘regional’ controversies , on the call of Sayeed Ali Shah Geelani a strike was observed in some parts of Kashmir valley from 2nd to 4rth April 2011, even the Middle East’s English language daily Arab News said on 8 April that March 25th 2011 Dogra Certificate order of J&K Government may stir unrest in Kashmir.
Defining all people of Jammu Region / Province (irrespective of ethnicity, religion, cultural background and mother-tongue ) as Dogra is what appeared having disturbed “the players” ‘ of conservative political game since that was surely going to weaken the evil designs of those who are working to divide the people of Jammu Region / Division on communal lines. Some of the questions that I had asked then were like i. Why the objections to Dogra Certificate and demands for withdrawal of any orders / policy issued by J&K Government had particularly come only from some leaders belonging to Kashmir Valley ? ii Why there were not any impressionable objections to calling whole of Jammu Division as ‘Dogra’ from any part of Jammu region or Ladakh region ? iii. Why do some leaders react when someone talks of Dogriat where as they themselves talk of Kashmiriat?
No doubt it was appreciable that still in 2011 the NC- Cong Government lead by National Conference had come up with the plan to officially identify all the permanent residents of Jammu Division of J&K from outside Kashmir Valley as Dogra. Some NC leaders belonging to Kashmir Valley did in low tones criticized the intentions of Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla but since they did not have much political base in Kashmir Valley. By then it were only the people of Kashmir Valley who were more known out side J&K and the basis / guidelines for issue Dogra Certificate was in a way going to disclose to the outside world that there is a large part of J&K known as Dogra extending from Kathua to Doda /Poonch/Rajouri/Mirpur lands of Jammu Division. The identity that would be given to residents of Jammu Division was atleast going to echo identity of oneness worth standing more firmly against the forces who may be there to weaken the socio religious ties amongst the simple & innocent Hindu and Muslim masses of Jammu Division.
What with otherwise pressures mounting and Jammu sambhag leadership remaining ‘mum’ the then Omar Abdullah led NC-Congress Government issued another Order under No.. Rev (LB) 82 of 2011 Dated: April 7, 2011 informing that Dogra certificate will be issued to only those who wanted to apply for jobs in security forces for some relaxations in recruitment standards. It all did not end there. It was on April 22, 2011 that Union government order under the signatures of Director (Personnel) Ajay K Singh ordered that the relaxation in chest and height, which was earlier applicable to Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh will be applicable to residents of entire J&K State. And J&K Government referring the MOHA order in principle withdrew the orders of March 25, 2011 on April 28, 2011.But the ‘Dogra’ leadership from Jammu Division did not unitedly got retained the provision of obtaining the Dogra Identity certificate even if it did not deliver some advantage in employment / social benefits . J&K Revenue Department Order No. Rev.(LB) 69 of 2011 dated: 25-03-2011 should have been kept operative atleast Dogra Identity Certificate but that has almost remained an unknown identity after 2011.
A large number of Jammu Dogras believe in Islam as well. To be brief the Dogra Sambahg/region is bound on the north by the Pir Panjal Range of the middle Himalayas, in the south by Punjab, on the east by Ladakh and is bordering Pakistan.
The leaders from Kashmir valley so often talk of Kashmiriat and Kashmiri interests. They do not see any dangers to integrity of J&K when they see J&K only in ‘Kashmiriat’. But when Minister in NC lead NC-Congress J&K Government Raman Bhalla talked of DOGRA identity as whole Jammu Division , the Kashmiri leaders saw dangers to J&K. How funny some Valley leaders were even quoted as having said that Dogra Certificate was intended to divide J&K on Communal / ethnic lines. Whereas Raman Bhalla had named the people of Jammu Division (Jammu Province of erstwhile J&K State of Maharaja Hari Singh) whose elders were residents of J&K in 1944 are Dogras irrespective of the religion, ethnicity. But the then NC-Congress government surely needed support of all other parties to defeat the separatists and pseudo nationalist elements but it was not there . People should have kept on approaching the Tehsildars for issue of Dogra certificate atleast for DOGRA identity sake. The first Param Vir Chaktra of Swantra Bharat was also awarded to a Dogra from today’s Himachal Pradesh PVC Major Som Nath Sharma. Demands have been regularly made over last one decade for honoring atleast the first Param Vir Chaktra decorated soldier of Swantra Bharat Maj Som Nath Sharma, a Dogra, by naming the Srinagar International Airport as PVC Maj Som Nath Sharma International Airport Srinagar, it is hoped that what the earlier J&K State Government could not do will surely be done by the present J&K UT Government.
(The Author is Sr Journalist &
leading analyst J&K affairs [email protected]).