Kashmir: Its Political Leaders' Undoing

The entire nation is celebrating the abrogation of article 370 that bestowed upon citizens of Jammu & Kashmir special status, separate tricolor and constitution. This status was envy to many of us for decades. These privileges to Kashmiris were seen defeating the "One India, One Nation" theory. Jammu & Kashmir was also seen as "Most Pampered State".

Look at data. The state has received 10 per cent of all Central grants given to all states in the last seven decades period, despite having only 1 % of the country’s population.And in contrast, the largest state Uttar Pradesh making up about 13 per cent of the country’s population has received only 8.2 per cent of Central grants. That means J&K, received Rs.91,300 per person over the years as against Rs.4,300 per person received by U.P.

As per Finance Ministry data, Jammu & Kashmir has received Rs.1.14 lakh crore in grants during 2000 to 2016. Its more than a quarter of the Central funds disbursed to other 11 special category states including Himachal in that period. The special category states including J&K get a higher share of central grants, Even among them, Jammu and Kashmir is getting a higher share due to its disturbed status.

Moreover, Service Tax is not levied in Jammu and Kashmir and state does not get a share of the same in the devolution of central taxes to states, which, in turn, means that the centre has had to send it more money to cover up this deficit.

Over and above, plan Grants continued to be given NE and hilly states including Jammu and Kashmir, while other states do not get it after it was stopped by the Twelfth Finance Commission.

As if this was not enough, the state government had been spending crore on providing security cover to secessionist leaders. As many as Rs 506.75 crore were spent on the security cover of 1472 political activists including Kashmiri separatists leaders in a five year period as disclosed in state assembly on April 1, 2015,

The state government at that time also informed the Assembly that o an average an amount of Rs 118.63 crore is spent on security of 1472 political activists in the State.

While in 2011-12, Rs 93.70 crore was spent on security cover of political activists, in 2015 the state government informed that the total expenditure incurred on security of political activists in 2012-13 touched Rs 101.06 crore and it was Rs 107.06 crore in 2013-14.

Despite all this, the state continued to reel under secessionist violence. More than 40,000 people have been killed since 1989. More than 300 people killed in six months this year alone. Its state political leaders undoing that simple people of Kashmir have to bear. And for common man. it doesn't matter whether state is ruled by state leaders or center. They just want to live peacefully to earn their livelihood.

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BJP Has Fulfilled Its Promise But Kashmiris Betrayed

Finally, the saffron party has fulfilled its promise though in the process it has nullified the spirit of a nation's vow that followed the accession of a Muslim majority state ruled by a Hindu price into India. Kashmir is the only Muslim majority state in India.

At the time accession many Kashmiris suspect Hindus to migrate to the state. This didn't fit well with local Muslim population of the Jammu & Kashmir and they sought to protect their distinct identity in Hindu maority India. As such. the article 370 ad 35 A came into existence in the same was Maharaja of Kashmir passed such a law in 1927.

Let us not forget that it was the fear of Hindus during the rule of The Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh, that he first passed the law in 1927 to stop the influx of people from the northern state of Punjab into the state.He did this on the urging of powerful Kashmiri Hindus. The law still exists in parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The law on in its current form was introduced in 1954. It's part of Article 370, the constitutional provision that grants Kashmir special status within India.

When the Jammu and Kashmir constitution was adopted in 1956, it ratified the then two-year-old permanent resident law.

Article 35A of the constitution allows the legislature of Jammu & Kashmir to define the state's "permanent residents" and what distinguishes them. It applies to all of J&K including Jammu and Ladakh.

All identified residents are issued a permanent resident certificate, which entitles them to special benefits related to employment, scholarships and other privileges. But the biggest advantage for permanent residents is that only they have the right to own and, therefore, buy, property in the state.

All those who were living in the state as of 14 May 1954, when the law came into effect; and those who have lived in the state for 10 years anytime since, are counted as permanent residents.

Saffron party was never comfortable with this law and opposed it from the very first day India become independent.

The founder of Jan Sangh- erstwhile incarnation of the BJP- Syama Prasad Mukherjee was strongly opposed to Article 370 seeing it as a threat to the unity of the country and fought against it inside and outside the parliament.The abrogation of the article was one of the prime goals of Bharatiya Jan Sangh. Syama Prasad Mukherjee died in Jammu while leading a movement in J&K for the abrogation of the article 370. Jan Sangh and BJP both have since his 'martyrdom' vowed to scrap the article 370 and 35 A.

Interestingly. Modi govt kept silent in its previous tenure and assured its ally PDP not to abrogate the article 370. However, after winning a second term, it went lock, stock and barrel to prepare a pitch for its abrogation. BJP chief and how home minister was on the forefront to demand the abrogation of article 370 and 35A. BJP has just fulfilled its promise to the nation and one must appreciate it but nation has betrayed the Kashmiris.

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Whats Happening In Kashmir ?

What's happening in Jammu & Kashmir? My gut feeling is that something like emergency in seventies is going to happen. Top leaders of the state including ex-chief minister and once BJP ally Mehbooba Mufti, former chief minister, Omar Abdullah are among many leaders put under house arrest.

The state has been locked out as restrictions have been imposed in several parts of the state, with mobile internet and landline phone connections being blocked on many places. Section 144 CrPC has been imposed from midnight 5th August. in state capital Srinagar. There is relatively an deceptive calm like before "storm", Last week authorities ordered tourists and Amarnath pilgrims to leave, citing a "terror threat".

It is unclear what is behind the latest moves, yet it has stoked tensions. All these developments remind me the tough period.before emergency, Is the disturbed J& K heading for an emergency. Last week authorities also ordered tourists and Amarnath pilgrims to leave, citing a "terror threat".
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Under article 352, emergence could be declared for "internal disturbance" in any part of the country, but after 44th amendment act 1978, but can only be declared on grounds of "External aggression or war" and on the ground of "armed rebellion", also called as Internal Emergency.

The situation has been aggravated with rumours doing the round that government may try to withdraw special rights conferred on the state, including article 35 A that prevents people from outside the state from buying property there.

These concerns have been expressed as ruling BJP has promised in tts election manifesto to abolish Kashmir’s autonomous status.

Let us wait what happens next.

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Shedding Tears On The Plight Of My Alma Mater

The golden jubilee celebrations of my Alma mater yesterday (July 22), Himachal Pradesh University made me quite nostalgic. Down the memory lanes. 

50 years ago, we the students of newly established university attended classes for sometime at the Dingle Estate on Cart Road down the hill near Gorton Castle (AG office). Before the HP University came into being, a regional center of Punjab University for PG classes used to run here. This center was quite nearer to most of the students. Soon, varsity PG classes were shifted to Summer hill campus where temporary tin sheds were put up. We happily shifted to university new campus. All through nearly 4 years ( right up to M.Phil degree), classes were held in temporary structures. Those were the golden days of the university.

The eminent educationist, Dr. R,K. Singh was the first vice-chancellor and there was hardly any political interference. Dr. Singh had a connection with the state. His wife was from Nahan. He was personally picked up by Dr. Y,S. Parmar, the then chief Minister of the state. Dr. Singh was a academician to the core. He engaged top academicians and made HP university the par excellence. Professor P.L. Bhatnagar in Mathematics (later conferred with Padam Bhushan), Dr. DD Narula in Economics, Dr. Shanti Swarup in Political Science. Prof management SR Mehrotra in History, Dr. Baldev Singh In Saskrit, Dr, Bachchan Singh in Hindi, Dr, Tiwari and Dr, R Singh in business to name a few.

Even after five decades, the sweet memories of the emiment teachers scholarly loge style still storm my mind. I still remember how ministerial staff used to remind Prof Bhatnagar for classes. He would remain too engrossed to books unmindful of even his wofe presence. His wife was a simple lady and would always bear with her husband academic pursuits. On being told about impending clss, Dr. Bhatnagar once came in lungi wearing chappal. He was reminded midway by his colleague.

I still remember Mrs Shanti Swarup searching for her husband who used to spent most of the time in university library. Can't forgot our 'bhulakkad' teacher Dr, Narula, More often, Dr, Narula had to attend national and international conferences and he had to board a train from Summer hill as there was no flight from Shimla. The booking of tickets was done at Mall Road counter in advance. On the journey day, Dr. Narula would board the train but would often forget the ticket at home. He had to buy another ticket. Dr. Bachchan Singh of Hindi department was qite popular with girl students. He was quite affable and girls used to enjoy tea and snacks at his home.

The Mehrotra couple (SR Mehrtra and Eva Mehrotra) alwata remained nearer and dearer to students. The had no child and would rear students as their child. Both remained wedded to the university and hills. Prpf Mehrotra often used to tell us that he would live to die in salubrious hills. He breathed his last in Shimla last week. And finally. the sweet memories of short-stature Dr. R.K. Singh never faded in my memory. He would often walk silently into classes to watch the proceedings. That was his style to monitor the teaching standard. Whenever, he found us loitering in the campus, he would advise us to sit in library.

Dr, Singh was a renowned educationist. He helped me out on many occasions. Once, I was to attend an interview for scholarship at IIM (Indian Institute of Management) Ahmedabad. I never visited the Gujarat capital and was little scared of barding and lodging. I went to Dr. Singh house (always accessible. His daughter Kunju would offer us sweets). He gave me a letter ( mind you, it wasn't a siparshi letter) addressed to the Dean of the institute (Dr. Tripathi). It worked so fast that I was the only candidates who was alloted campus accommodation.

HP University was on top during RK Singh tenure, He introduced semester system not only in university but for colleges and M.Phil, He saw to it that campus remained free of political activities. Sadly, all his efforts were went haywire after his unceremonious exit. He was succeeded by a man (Dr.Jogi, a bureaucrat turned agriculture expert) who was more of a politician than an academician. During this period, most of top names left the university, He was succeeded by Dr. Ganpati Chander Gupt, a hindi professor linked to RSS. University became hotbed of politics during his stint.There is no point of return since then, Today, my Alma mater cries fr its golden days.

(Chander Sharma)

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Sheila Dixit: Soft-spoken, Warm And Affable {p;otician

Nation is deeply grieved at the passing away of India's longest women chief minister, Sheila Dikshit. The soft-spoken, warm and affable, Sheila Dixit was motherly figure to many. She will be remembered for transforming India's capital, Delhi.She started off as a reluctant politician assisting her father-in-law, a veteran Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Uma Shankar Dikshit, a minster in Indira Gandhi's cabinet. 

It was in 1998 assembly election, I first met her in Delhi courtesy. veteran Congress leader Vidhya Stokes. Madame Stokes was appointed as observer for Delhi assembly elections. I was working for a newly launched Hindi daily and assembly election were important for us. We were haunting for some breaking news and it was provided to me by madame Stokes. She hinted that if Congress gets the majority, Sheila Dixit would be the chief minister. We broke this news but were laughed at by the rivals. 

Congress was then dominated by the grand old man of Delhi politics and veteran congress leader Jag Pravesh Chandra, a journalist by profession. He had held several important positions in the party. was a member of the Delhi assembly, chairman of the interim metropolitan council and chief executive councilor of Delhi from 1983 to 1990. He was also the leader of opposition in Delhi assembly between 1993 and 1998 when BJP government was in power. As was the Congress practice, Jag Pravesh Chandra was the natural choice for chief minister-ship.  Madame Stokes was right. After Congress won the clear majority, Sheila Dixit was chosen as chief minister. Rest is history.  

Sheila Dikshit for the first time won from the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh in 1984. She was a close associate of former PM Rajiv Gandhi and a minister in his cabinet.

Born in Punjab's Kapurthala, Sheila Dikshit was credited with many people-friendly programs.Appointed as Kerala's Governor in 2014, Sheila Dixit  resigned in just six months.
Earlier this year, Sheila Dikshit  contested Lok Sabha election but lost to the BJP's Manoj Tiwari. It was a big setback to her .

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