Politics

Mr PM, Grant of statehood to UT of J&K would be disastrous

The very idea of the UT of J&K being granted statehood is as questionable as it is dumbfounding.

June 8, 2021

“UT of J&K may get statehood status sooner than later”. “Jammu province could be separated from Kashmir and given the status of statehood and Kashmir will be maintained as a Union Territory”. “South Kashmir will be made part of Jammu State and the rest of Kashmir will be merged with the UT of Ladakh”. “Hindu-majority areas of Jammu province will be constituted into one state and Chenab and Pir Panjal will be merged with the UT of Kashmir”. This has been what doing the rounds in social and political circles and a section of media for hours now with many concerned citizens asking if all these are rumours or realities? It’s only natural. What has disturbed all the more is the stoic silence of the powers-that-be at the Centre and in the UT.

Three rumours/ realities have alarmed and upset almost all in the Duggar land/ Duggar state:

The UT of J&K is likely to get the status of statehood.
The South Kashmir will be merged with the to-be-carved–out Jammu State.
The Chenab and Pir Panjal will be de-linked from Jammu and merged with Kashmir before the Hindu-majority areas of Jammu province were accorded the status of statehood.

How could the policy planners in the South and North Blocks even think of what is doing the rounds in some very important socio-political circles, particularly in the under-threat Jammu?

There are reasons for the concerned people of Jammu province to feel alarmed. For example, the very idea of the UT of J&K being granted statehood is as questionable as it is dumbfounding. For, such a status would automatically mean a big concession to Pakistan, which has put forth a condition that if the Narendra Modi Government sincerely wished to talk to Islamabad, New Delhi has to give statehood status to J&K. This is also the demand of the gang of Gupkaris.

What will be the immediate fallout if statehood status is granted to the UT of J&K? The whole power will be transferred from the Union Government to Kashmir. In other words, it would mean the retransfer of Home, Finance, Revenue, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, General Administration and Forest Departments and the office of the Advocate General to Kashmir. These were the departments which pro-Pakistan elements or which the votaries of the two-nation doctrine exploited to the hilt to grievously hurt the nation’s paramount interests and promote the Pakistani cause in J&K after 1947; disturb its delicate socio-religious equilibrium and convert Kashmir 100% in January 1990; promote secessionism; shield and support terrorists and separatists; change ruthlessly demography of Jammu and Ladakh; and destroy the people of these two regions socially, culturally, economically and politically.

How could the policy planners in the South and North Blocks even think of what is doing the rounds in some very important socio-political circles, particularly in the under-threat Jammu?

Similarly, how could anyone with any knowledge about the history of J&K post-1947 in general and post-1987, in particular, think of merging the terrorist-gripped South Kashmir, including Anantnag, Pulwama and Kulgam, with Jammu province? The merger of South Kashmir with Jammu province would only mean the transfer of the epicentre of terrorism from Kashmir to Jammu. The result would be a disaster and migration of the Hindus, especially from Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda districts. Such a merger will immediately undo what the security forces did in these areas to defeat jihadists after making supreme sacrifices.

The very idea or suggestion that South Kashmir should be merged with the Jammu province is dangerous. It has to be rejected and it must be rejected if there is any truth in the stories doing the round to this effect.

Likewise, the rumour or the reality that Chenab and Pir Panjal will be segregated from Jammu province and merged with Kashmir also has caused an alarm in Jammu province. Jammu province sans mighty Pir Panjal Mountain and invaluable Chenab River means total disintegration of the historic Duggar state. It would also mean a splendid victory for those in Kashmir, who have been seeking to create Greater Kashmir comprising Kashmir and Jammu’s Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch and Rajouri districts since 1947 itself.

As said, the Duggar state is a historic state, which was built brick by brick by the visionary, mighty and chivalrous Dogras rulers, including Maharaja Gulab Singh.

It needs to be underlined that the enemies of the nation have been working day and night to capture the Pir Panjal Mountain ranges and occupy the mighty Chenab River. Once they achieve their ulterior objective, the whole Duggar state would fall. And if the Duggar State falls, India would also not survive. The Duggar state as it has been existing for centuries is very vital for national unity and the country’s sovereignty. The whole region is highly strategic and the policy planners can’t tinker even slightly with the Duggar state.

What, then, is the lasting, rational and national solution? The separation of Jammu province from Kashmir and grant of statehood status to the Duggar land and the maintenance of Kashmir as a Union Territory is the only logical and rational solution to the problem facing the nation in Kashmir. Duggar state, like Ladakh, has to be strengthened to defeat the nation’s enemies and there is but one way in which it can be strengthened and that is by granting it the status of the full state. Similarly, there is but one way in which Kashmir could be retained and that is by maintaining Kashmir as a UT with New Delhi controlling Home, Finance, Revenue, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, General Administration and Forest Departments and the office of the Advocate General. Besides, a separate homeland for the internally displaced Kashmiri Hindus has to be created within Kashmir so that they could return to the homeland and live a peaceful, secure and dignified life. The sooner the Government of India takes these steps, the better.

Note:
1. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.