Statehood : Jammu needs it as much as Kashmir does

What ought to be a given has, unfortunately, become   a matter  of controversy,  with  two regions of Jammu and Kashmir, perceivably, placed against each other. Restoration of the statehood to  J&K seems to  have ignited  the underlying faultiness  in the  erstwhile state.  When on 5^th  August 2019 the Union Home Minster, Amit Shah, moved a resolution to de-operationalize  Article 370  and a Bill to reorganize  J & K state, by separation of Ladakh and demoting state to a Union Territory, he assured  Rajya Sabha that  J & K will  soon  be  a State, again .  The assurance  is  yet to be redeemed  despite Supreme Court   reminding  the  GoI  of it .

In addition to  asking  GoI to hold  Assembly elections  on the date fixed by it  the Court  told   government to restore  statehood to J& K,  rather soon.  These  recommendations   came up   in  a  case   in which  Apex  Court  upheld  the validity of   constitutional changes  made  on the date mentioned hereinbefore.

The elected government, though  in  the saddle, is  constrained  because  J&K is presently a Union Territory, with  very limited  powers  for the C M. Appreciating these  limitations, the cabinet in its first meeting passed a resolution calling upon GOI  to restore statehood at the earliest.  L G, on his part,  blessed the decision  and  with considerable dispatch forwarded it to the Central government for  necessary  action. The resolution doesn’t  seem to have received attention with the same earnestness. With the result the MLAs and  well meaning political observers – particularly in the Valley – have  started feeling an unease.   C M Omar Abdullah had to  counsel  calm.  An impression has  started gathering in Jammu region that people here are not enamored of the demand of Statehood. A perception of indifference – if not vocal opposition to it  -  is in Jammu’s political air.

The  cleavage  between two regions  marked  by the recently  held Assembly election,  is perhaps,  coming into  play. Omar Abdullah  admitted  it  on the first occasion available  and appreciating the adverse repercussions  the divide would have he ,  rather quickly,  assured people of the Jammu region  of their equal right  in the  ownership  of   political and administrative enterprise   that  emerged after the elections.  It being so, there is an impending necessity to  narrow  down the divide . Certainly, it can’t be allowed to go on widening .

Restoration of statehood is a necessity . Dual  power structure is always hurting . The  Chief Minister,  Omar  Abdullah  has  publicly said   that  the dual power system is unacceptable  as it is beneficial to none. In the  UT governance structure no   Chief Minster, howsoever well meaning  he is, and the L G, howsoever accommodative he be,  friction is bound to creep in.  An elected CM can’t do without   having an administrative  control over higher  and  medium level bureaucracy.  Some unease was   visible  when matter of continuance of the Advocate General  in the office and transfer and postings of some middle  level officers  came up.  There must be clarity in  the  governance field.  It is  important  in  J&K where  ground situation is far from satisfactory, on all fronts.

It would be a travesty if a demand of statehood is made an instrument to widen the regional gap.  Absence of statehood affects   every   resident  of J&K, no matter in whose hands the  reins of   governance are. The UT architecture has its own administrative dynamics  which ties down hands of any elected government  from  working  out its manifesto. The situation gets  aggravated when  the elected government is  of  different political color  from the one to which the LG reports. Even a normal  administrative matter  gets stuck  in the power tussle. Result! A common man sufferers, regardless of who he has voted for.

Reportedly,  a memorandum  containing   draft   Rules of Business  for   governance  has  been forwarded to  the MHA which  demarcates the areas  where Chief Minster   and  the  L G can operate , independently  of each other.  Approval is  awaited. As and when it is received, that  would, at best,  be a temporary measure  but could not  provide  enough leverage to the popularly elected government  which needs unwavering cooperation of  its  officers  to provide relief to the  people.

How  ironic?  What has been promised six years back  needs to be demanded  years  thereafter.   It  is in the interest of all that a demand for restoration of statehood  resonates in  every  quarter of  Jammu and Kashmir.  Omar Abdullah has a point when he says  “Jammu and Kashmir has a right  to full statehood  as the people have elected their own government   and this government should be allowed to  work for the people .”

The regional and sub regional divide has affected us and will continue to do so. To  bridge the gap  it will indeed be a herculean task. Here in comes a role for the civil society groups  of both the regions, to rise to the occasion and drive in  some sense to the  polarizing  atmosphere. Politicians are beyond redemption. In  the first place  business community of two provinces  may come forward .

They are the real sufferers. It is time they  took a leaf out of the post Amarnath  land agitation  developments, in 2008, when Kashmir and Jammu  Chambers of Commerce came forward to have a compact  that - politics being there - they would  interact with each other  in furtherance of their interest.    A  kind  of  bond of inter-dependence  was   stitched   which worked well till 2019, weathering the  storm of  2016. It is well in the  realm of possibility:  because  we live in the world where  all relations  have become transactional – built upon pure  commerce.  Ideologies and morals  in international  relations  and national  politics have receded  significantly.

B L SARAF, Former Principal District and Sessions Judge