Accusing the BJP government at the centre of taking almost all the decisions pertaining to J&K by keeping the Kashmir situation alone in mind, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman-JKNPP & former Minister said that Jammu was fast losing its identity and relevance even as a region during the currency of BJP rule. “The BJP led government is guided solely by its Kashmir policy in its administration of the affairs of J&K leaving Jammu and its people high and dry. The only consideration which weighs with the central BJP government in its decision making is the possible fallouts of such decisions in Kashmir to the utter disregard of the urges and aspirations of the people of Jammu region which gave its 25 seats in Assembly and both seats of Parliament”, said Singh.
“While dismantling the age-old Dogra State and converting it to UT, it did not occur even once to the BJP government that it would operate more harshly against Jammu than Kashmir. It took the unilateral decision keeping Kashmir phenomenon alone in mind without providing for any safeguards to protect the interests of peaceful and nationalist Jammu region. Jammu lost its statehood and was made appendage to Kashmir again only because it did not fit in the itinerary or the scheme of things of the BJP government and was shown the least concern. We were also therefore deprived of our statehood status only due to Kashmir centric policies of New Delhi. Likewise, 4G was banned in Jammu region as the situation was not conducive in Kashmir in the reckoning of the central government. While the situation in peaceful Jammu region is immaterial, it’s the Kashmir ground situation that would determine the future course of action in Jammu. Similarly, the holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday has been denied only because the BJP government fears that it could ‘disturb’ the situation in Kashmir. The Rohingayas and Bangladeshis have been allowed to continue in Jammu only to keep the Kashmir centric parties and some of Kashmiri associates of BJP in good humour. And even in employment sector, while the Health Department employees of Kashmir engaged under SRO-24 were allowed to continue, their Jammu counterparts were most arbitrarily disengaged”, lamented Singh.
Asserting that Jammu and its issues were fast becoming irrelevant in saffron rule, Mr. Singh said that the marginalization of Jammu had in fact started at the time of formation of BJP-PDP government in 2015 itself. “The ‘Agenda of Alliance’ (AoA) laid the foundation for a Kashmir centric approach which was pursued the relentlessly by the collation partners. Who can forget that BJP partnered government released around 11,000 stone-pelters as a part of its Kashmir policy, announced unilateral ceasefire, framed policies for rehabilitation of stone-pelters and militants, bifurcated Jammu region into Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley by authenticating these names in AoA, registered FIRs against Jawans, imposed Kashmir on Jammu colleges shelved Sainik Colony and KP Township Projects for Kashmir and so on and so forth”, Questioned Singh?
While Jammu and its people were suffering ignominy and deprivation in all these years, the Dogras were of late facing a threat to their identity as well. With complete disregard shown by the rulers towards the ever deteriorating plight of Jammu, what had fallen to Jammu’s kitty were Toll Plazas and changes in the names of a few Chowks.