No doubt Jammu had high expectations from Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit, especially when the issues like All India Institue of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for Jammu and artificial lake were in the air. On the contrary the hyped visit turned out to be a low key affair and looked like a social gathering and nothing else. A day earlier the Bharatiya Janata Party’s National Spokesperson and Member of Parliament Meenakshi Lekhi was here and during the press conference she was caught on the wrong foot on the issue of AIIMS. It looked Lekhi did not do home work properly or was not prepared for the issue and it looked as a test for tempers in Jammu. There was nothing unusual in it and Jammu as usual is still searching for its identity and answer to the issues which have been plaguing it for years together. Rajnath was as candid as and went on to warn Pakistan and its sympathizers to keep away from Kashmir and to vouch for security forces capabilities to tackle the situation. Few days ago Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was in the state and while visiting border areas cautioned Pakistan to keep hands off Kashmir. By going their statements it looks as if the integrity and existence of the country is under threat of external aggression. And it has become ritualistic for the Central leaders to issue such statements when visiting border states giving credence that it will be heard across better than issuing such statements from New Delhi. All rhetoric over no party leader or minister spoke on the issue of AIIMS or the artificial lake for which Jammu observed a complete bandh to express solidarity minus BJP. The whole gamut of BJP leaders visit has given credence as far as saffron party is concerned these issues have no standing and political survival by clinging to the PDP hook is prime which even the leadership in New Delhi also must be aiming. So sacrificing local issues won’t have much impact on national canvas is the feeling these leaders carry with them. In all this game of pros and cons it is the Jammu and its people are the biggest loosers in the long run.
