The Kashmir Mess-Up !

 

‘Jammu pays the bills -- taxes -- and Srinagar Valley gets the benefits. This has been the story of Kashmir.’
- Sushil Pandit,
Kashmiri Pandit leader 
(on a television channel, post-elections.  

THIS caustic comment highlights the actual problem of Kashmir. Even as the region grapples with the political conditions available after the recent legislative elections, those who understand the complexities of politics have many questions to ask, many points to raise -- like the one by Mr. Sushil Pandit. His comment -- and also those by other experts -- point to the flaw in the so-called developmental narrative the Central Government under Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s leadership has presented for Kashmir. These experts insist -- with ample evidence to quote -- that the Kashmir region suffers from two clear-cut categories of people. As per that observation, the Jammu region has very high collection of taxes, while the Kashmir Valley’s contribution to taxes is much, much, much lower. Yet, the Centre has adopted the policy of giving maximum developmental benefit only to the Valley. The experts cite the example of giving a branch of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to Kashmir Valley and denying that advantage to Jammu area. But then came strong protests and forceful demand for an AIIMS in Jammu as well.

 

So, the Centre agreed to give both the areas an AIIMS each. “This shows the way the Centre has handled the developmental situation post-abrogation of Special Status,” experts insist while exposing the nature of actual problem in Kashmir. And then they come up with another issue that is shouting for attention but for which the Government has little time and inclination -- of the resettlement of displaced members of the Kashmiri Pandit community. Very little has been done in the past five years, experts have insisted. -- not just now but all along. This argument’s substance cannot be brushed aside. For, even as the Centre keeps making tall claims about the achievements on the developmental front in Kashmir after the abrogation of Articles 35A and 370 in Kashmir. “Yes, some hope had risen above the ground when the abrogation took place. But later on, that hope faded since the Centre appeared more geared to lend developmental benefits to the Valley rather than to Jammu region. This is absolutely unacceptable.

 

For, it is the people from Jammu who pay their taxes most diligently, but the benefits go to the people in Valley where tax realisation is only minimal -- for historical reasons with communal shades,” experts insist. If there is even an iota of truth in this charge, then it must be said sadly that the Government is working on mixed-up political priorities in Kashmir. And if this is really so, then every benefit of withdrawal of Special Status will be dissipated soon. Can the Government -- and the nation -- afford such a catastrophic after-effect? But it is more important to talk about the vexed issue of resettlement of displaced Kashmir Pandit families with about 5 lakh members living in refugee accommodations and elsewhere but their homes -- from which goons had evicted them around 35 years ago. If this problem is not solved, nothing will be achieved. This is, of course, a very serious issue, thus. Unfortunately, the Government at the Centre appears rather casual about these unholy dimensions of the Kashmir situation. When seen from this standpoint, all official claims of betterment appear rather hollow.

 

And if there is no substance in the complaints, then the Government -- of course at the Centre -- needs to step forward and erase all the misunderstandings. But such a response does not appear forthcoming. In fact, there are reasons to suspect that the Centre is rather casual about handling of the developmental priorities merely out of shoddy and superficial political considerations. And the situation threatens to get worse with the National Conference getting majority in legislative elections. It was during its rule 35 years ago )when Dr. Farooq Abdullah was the Chief Minister) that goons had effected what was described by their own ideologues as ethnic purge. With such a background, can the Kashmiri Pandits expect to get real justice at the hands of the Centre -- which could do damned little during the last fives after abrogation of Special Status ?

 

This is the question the Centre needs to address on an urgent basis -- so that the new Government in the Union territory will not be able to subvert a good idea. But then, does the Centre has the courage and conviction to act tough and straight and bring a sense of justice to the people in Jammu region? This is not just a political question. It has serious nationalistic undertones -- which the Centre just cannot afford to ignore. If it does that, then a great national disservice will be meted out to the unfortunate Kashmir region.