Respect Jammu!

The
expected verdict has come true in Jammu & Kashmir, which might soon
have a NC-Congress government and the rebirth of the infamous
‘Abdullah-Nehru’ combine through their descendents may continue to be a
hindrance for national interests. The likely formation of the NC-INC
government will neither curb ‘separatism’ nor help ‘nationalism’. It
may continue the wishy-washy governance of appeasing the Muslims and
neglecting the Hindus.

 

Though the Election Commission
has conducted a reasonably free and fair elections, the 65% turnout of
the electorate cannot be taken as a defeat of the separatists, because,
the PDP’s improved show with an increase in the number of seats as well
as vote share is an indication of the role played by the separatists.
Though the separatist Hurriyat gave an open call for the boycott of
elections, it rather covertly supported the PDP, which in itself is a
separatist organisation and has been inclined more towards the
separatists and joining them even during the Amarnath issue.

 

The observation of the separatists that the voter turnout
must be attributed to the people’s grievances and that their main
aspiration of ‘Freedom’ is still very much alive cannot be ignored. The
new government, which is likely to be headed by any one of the
father-son duo, will not be assertive and tough against the separatist
and anti-national elements, but will attempt to cajole them in the name
of ‘talks’ & ‘negotiations’. The ‘secular & senile’ Congress
will support such an attempt and the PDP will achieve its nefarious
objectives by resorting to agitations along with the separatist
elements.

 

On the other hand, the response from the leaders to the verdict exposes their mentality. The effete Prime Minister has said that the people have voted for ‘democracy and national integration‘ without remembering the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits and his party colleague and former Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad
has insulted the BJP winners as ‘communal’ elements showing scant
regards to the verdict given by the Hindus of Jammu. The Senior
Abdullah has brought something new from the air and owed his victory to
the militants, who have not taken to the guns on the instructions from Pakistan!
One wonders whether he always remains in touch with the militants and
Pakistan! The junior Abdullah has expressed his ideas of dealing with
the separatists at the negotiating table while not mentioning anything
about negotiating with the Hindus of Jammu.

 

The
blessing in disguise is the rise of BJP and the assertiveness of the
Hindus from Jammu. While misreading the verdict as a reply to
separatists, the BJP has not spoken anything concrete about its plans
for its voters in Jammu.
Also the fact that the Congress has been able to win thirteen seats in
Jammu region indicates that the party is still having some support from
the Hindus despite its blatant appeasement of Muslims.

 

The
one painful fact in the entire process, right from the announcement of
election to the days of campaigning and to the aftermath of the
verdict, is that, no single party has talked about the Kasmiri Pandits,
who have been persecuted and driven away from the valley by the Muslims
with the connivance of NC, PDP and the INC, and are living like
‘refugees’ in their own country. No single leader has had the courage
to say that he would fight for the rehabilitation and resettlement of
the Pandits in the valley and the restoration of their properties.
There is no point in expecting the NC-INC government to take any steps
in this regard, for the PDP and the separatists would certainly thwart
such genuine democratic actions. It is the utmost responsibility of the
BJP to focus on this vital issue. The people of Jammu must put pressure
on the government and their candidates to look into the resettlement of
Pandits in the valley. The new government must take the verdict given
by the people of Jammu as a warning signal and must not ignore their
aspirations.

 

When
it was in power at the centre, the BJP too has done little to end the
discrimination of Jammu & Ladakh regions and for resettlement of Kashmir
Pandits. The party has been given an opportunity again and it must
utilise it to the hilt. Also, the power at the hands of Abdullahs, and
the Muftis in the opposition backed by the separatists in J & K,
may prove to be detrimental in India’s Pakistan policy and in such a
scenario the BJP has greater responsibility of playing a vital role in
national interests.

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