Face the Truth : Jammu Aspirations

I always wonder as to why are we afraid of facing the Truth. It may be because of the fear in our childhood that make us tell a lie to save ourselves from severe thrashing at the hands of our elders. In my entire childhood, I have not seen anyone who may have appreciated one speaking the truth out of conviction. But in the life of the Countries a time comes when Facing the Truth is the best option. Now, looking at the present agitation going on in Jammu, I believe facing the truth at the very onset would have saved the State from unprecedented loss of life and economy.

Had Ghulam Nabi Azad realized the truth that he should not bank on the so called secular credentials of the Valley Centric parties, he would not have ignited the fire which has engulfed the whole State. Umar Abdullah states with pride in the Parliament of India that He is a Muslim and Indian but when it comes to Land for Amarnath S.B., he becomes Kashmiri only. The truth is that Azad was trained to teach P.G. Classes and not in High School. It is one thing to run a Central Ministry but it is quite another thing to run CMship of a State like J&K. Were that he was able to face the ground realities instead of lofty ideals, things would have been different. He must ask himself that if, as he says that the present Agitation is being spearheaded by BJP, then why his close aid Th. G.S. Charak and ex-MLA Sham Lal Sharma have joined the Sangharsh Samiti? Why Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Jains have joined the Samiti? How long can you ask Jammu People to keep their mouth shut in the name of National Interest?

The matter of the fact is that the Agitation for the restoration of the Land to SASB, has taken the shape of a mass movement and now it will not be possible for the Samiti ( spearheading the Agitation) also to abandon the Agitation without transfer of the Land. I know of the Areas where there was no presence of BJP or the so called hindu organisations, but there the agitation is more severe and complete as compared to the Jammu City.

One wonders as to why did it not occur to the Centre to address this agitation for more than a month untill the Kashmir started crying foul. The reason is that right from Azad to ordinary Jammuite no one could imagine that this agitation will acquire such magnitude and proportions and shall last so long and spread to every nook and corner of the Jammu region, and the resolute people of Jammu will be prepared to sacrifice anything for the cause of Shrine Board Land. It may not be out of place to indicate here that 'Land' has now become a symbol of Govt. of India's weakness towards the hardliners of Kashmir. The Govt. of India failed to guage the mood of Jammu People as it had always been concerned with the mood of Kashmir People. As a Hindi Poet has said, I qoute, " Bhalo Bhalo Kahi Chhandiye, Khote gruh Jap Daan". But now Ache Gruh have also woken up from deep slumber and are demanding long overdue justice.

Mr. Mufti as well as the Central Govt. have been claiming improvement in the ground situation in the Valley. But one wonders as to what kind of peace they had been harping upon? A peace that evaporates so quickly just on one issue that had nothing to do with the everyday life of ordinary Kashmiri. An issue which was blown out of proportions on false pretexts. One must give careful thought to the very fact that why India has failed to win Kashmiris and if it has won them then why this winning is so fragile?

One fails to understand that where were these people who today are more than willing to give sermons to Jammu People to understand the niceties of the issue and maintain peace and communal harmony. Barring stray skirmishes, there are hardly any incidents having communal overtones in the Jammu region, during the ongoing Agitation. Then where is the justification for Yasin Malik to sit on Hunger Strike?

A time has come for all of us to face the truth and find out a lasting solution to the aspirations of Jammu People as well, because Ladakh and Kargil have already got the Autonomous Hill Councils no doubt after long stuggle.