Case for a separate Jammu

The very intrinsic necessities of life have never made one flirt with issues of parting ways but have only brought many under the same umbrella, but as the human race evolutes from simplicity to complexities so does its leanings. Though the science claims, that we humans come from ancestries linked very close, regardless of races, nations, faiths, creeds and all the divisions made, but the nature of species tells otherwise. Throughout the history, circumstances have lead unions and divisions, of course on merits altogether different. No doubt that the argument of the division of any kind is always ridiculous and hate breeding, but happens to be a reality against all odds. We humans, however same in Genesis, have diversities throughout. Every person on the planet carries some sort of identity. Every race has its medium of communication, which it calls its mother tongue, a distinct way of life and ethical values, which they may call their culture, except for few a belief system too. These aspects. however extrinsic have a great romance in one’s heart and thoughts, and as I mention it above that “ species evolutes from simpler to complex” these aspects find more leanings in people. There is nothing wrong to be sceptical about this, it’s rather natural. Where at one hand it divides people it also makes sure that every race respects the other at the another, if one pledges loyalty to his identity, he implicitly acknowledges the same for the other as well, that is how beautifully nature enshrines harmony and understanding.

But, if anyone finds his identity being denied or feels the risk of its extinction, they feel suffocated and oppressed and in this situation, the repercussions can be very disappointing. Because, this is something very closely related to one's conscience and is rooted so deep that if it's offended people may resort to any means, however wrong they may be, to redeem their identity element. History stands witness to this fact.

The above mentioned can be a possible reason, that the Indian constitution considers it one of the fundamental right and guarantees every citizen to maintain his diverse identity, and articulate their aspirations to make sure that none feels neglected and fears the threat of anonymity, and every culture can flourish within the principles of the Idea of India.

The Region of Jammu is no exception;

Since before India’s Independence, it has been the part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, though it had its independent identity before becoming a part of Jammu and Kashmir in 1846, when in accordance with the Treaty of Amritsar the state of Jammu and Kasmir was founded by Maharaja Gulab Singh. Since then the people of the state have been living together irrespective of the unnatural union, that too except for only a few instances of chaos, but peacefully by and large. Co-existence has been exercised by everybody; trust has been never much between the regions. But, as I have mentioned twice earlier, society keeps on moving from issues simpler to complex, so the people of the state being no exception have also evolved to this stage. Quite surprisingly, as a fact it would be, regions so different in every aspect and given the mistrust, managed to keep up the unnatural union for about one and a half century.

I will mention Kashmir as less as possible because whenever we talk of Jammu, Kashmir issue highjacks the whole discourse. And this is one amongst the main reasons, why separation is voiced.

The Lack of Representation;

According to the 1941 census of India, the population of the state was around 4 million. Jammu Province had 19,81,432, Kashmir Province had 17,28,705 and Frontier districts of Ladakh and Gilgit had 3,11,478 respectively.

When the Legislative Assembly was formed in 1957, there was no census data available for 1951 so the data of the 1941 census was chosen to be the basis data. 100 seats were assumed for the whole state of Jammu and Kashmir (including 25 for the territory with Pakistan) i.e. A representative for every 40,000 people.

But only 30 seats were given to Jammu i.e 60,000 per seat by the delimitation commission, and 43 were reserved with Kashmir i.e. the say equation of 40,000 per seat. However, going by the population alone, 35-37 seats would have been distributed around to Jammu and 33-35 around to Kashmir. 

It’s important to further mention that unlike other Indian states, according to the Jammu & Kashmir people’s representation act of 1957, the population is only one factor for delimitation and other factors such as geographical compactness, nature of the terrain, facilities for communication must also be taken into consideration.

Taking into account all the set parameters, Jammu should have got more seats than Kashmir. So the basis for giving 43 seats to Kashmir and only 30 to Jammu, is quite hazy and worth being sceptical of. Or maybe the idea was to secure that Kashmir exercises full control over the entire state.

Even in 1994 when the legislative constituencies were to be rearranged, the delimitation commission seemed to be unfairly distributing seats only on population basis i.e. 27.18(37 seats for Jammu) and 31.34(46 seats for the valley).

Over these 70 years, the Kashmir centric govt. has at every point exhibited, it has no plan to reckon Jammu as an equal player and prove it’s part as fair. It’s quite clear that Kashmir centric administration deliberately rested the maximum power in its hands.

Difference in Political Aspirations;

During last 70 years people of all the three regions, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh respectively have developed diametrically opposite aspirations for their future.

The people in Valley are in a homogeneous majority and are demanding for “right to self-determination” to secede from the Union of India.

The Ladakhis keeping aside all their political differences have unequivocally demanded a U.T.(Union Territory) status.

The people in Jammu are as much Indians as any Marathi, Gujarati or Punjabi for that matter would be. They don’t buy even the minutest part of the Kashmiri secessionist idea. Jammuites are very patriotic people and they don’t just say this, their numbers in the armed forces in comparison to their population share in India prove it.

Here the Ladakhis and Jammuites share the common apprehension. Citing the uncertainty prevalent in the valley regarding the future of the state, both the ethnicities want to redeem their rights over their land and destinies and safeguard themselves and the coming generations from the present uncertainty. To them, there seems no way out of this issue, other than separate statehood for their regions

Lack of Development;

One amongst the grievances of the people of Jammu is, the discrimination meted out to Jammu. As the bulk of the capital allotted to the state is used in the valley and small parts are used in Jammu and Ladakh. Besides this, in every aspect Jammu and its people have been target of institutional discrimination, whether you check the list of appointment in Police, Education department or for that matter any of the J&K government’s department, you will come across to know the ratio of candidates selected from Valley and Jammu, and to no surprise it will be unbalanced on the greater part.

One of the Examples can be quoted as the River Tawi Lake project. About approximately 4 years ago it was Omar Abdullah lead National Conference- Congress alliance government, when he once said,“ before the end of next year god willingly, we will complete this project”, along with many other candy flosses for Jammuites, who btw are an easy prey to such promises. It’s been more than 4 years since then, Omar is also out of the chair, leave completion, even a ‘start’ can not be seen on the ground, such are their hollow promises. And it’s contemporary projects in Kashmir has been completed without fail and are in the service of people successfully.

This was just a single example, there is a lot if one starts exploring them. So, it should not come to anybody’s surprise, when people of Jammu say, that government’s behaviour with them has been, that of a partial establishment.

The Death of Dogri and Dogra Culture;

Just like all their compatriot sub-nationalities sharing the land mass of India, the people of Jammu have their own culture too. The people of Jammu have a totally different culture than that of the valley. They have their own language( Majority Dogri, but Poonchi, Bhadarwai and Gojri are also spoken) heritage, history and ethical Values.

 Though mainly Hindus, many Dogras also follow Sikhism and Islam, and some 30 % of the Jammuites are Muslims.

It’s important to mention the crisis of the Dogra mother tongue. After Independence in comparison to other languages spoken in India, it’s level has declined badly and run the risk of being on the brink of extinction. Though the main culprits for this condition of the Mother-tongue are we Jammuites, Government has also played its role without fail. On the one hand, where Kashmiri is taught in every school in Kashmir Division up to Matric,  there is no such provision in respect to Dogri and Jammu, on the another.

Possible attempts have been made since Independence to replace Jammu and Kashmir with the synonym Kashmir alone. And to dub as Kashmiris and Kashmir the people and the land of both the regions, Ladakh and Jammu, in general, and Jammu in particular.

There is a deliberation to kill the Dogra culture, which would indeed make sure the abrogation of distinct identity and that everybody surrenders to the Kashmiri narrative alone.

It shouldn’t be hard for one to analyse this and understand what this distortion is aimed at. There is no doubt that this deliberation is being practised, to portray to the outer world that the whole state is ‘Kashmir’ and Kashmiri hegemony is established throughout the state.

The situation of crisis in which Dogra culture has landed can only be rescued by some sort of state protection besides public awareness, which would make sure that everything pertaining to the identity is safeguarded against the threat of anonymity and extinction in a generation or two.

It’s high time for Jammuites to reclaim what was their’. We do have Dogri as a subject in our courses, but as an optional, which is skipped by most of the schools and the trend in few schools is rather rude, who would never add it in their curricular citing it just as an illiterate’s and villager’s language. Most of the families have easily given up to the trend and easily buy the biased notion and stop their children from learning Dogri and encourage them to speak Hindi alone. This can be really a pathetical condition for any language, a language whose speakers are persuaded that speaking their mother language would make them look illiterate, is doomed to end. Let’s not buy this, there is no equation to a language you speak and your wisdom, knowledge and intelligence you possess, it’s just a medium and is as equal to what English and Hindi are. Had British fallen to the same disease, we wouldn’t have been studying English today.

The State of Jammu and Kashmir being a multi-linguistic state can not give such institutionalisation to a particular region and its language and culture. So, the only way out seems to be is a separate administrative entity or statehood to be more precise.

Conclusion;

There are people who deduce these demands to be communal notwithstanding the fact that nothing communal is enshrined in them. It is possible for political reasons, that opposition is put up. Now, given the fact that 30% of Jammuites are Muslims, 3% Sikhs, 2% Christians, this demand doesn’t seem to be a communal agenda but a regional one.

It must also be made clear that whether it be Geography, Political aspiration, Culture, Linguistics, or Economics,  Jammu is totally different from Kashmir. This indeed is an unnatural union which is destined to break someday, but then repercussions can be severe.

Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Telangana are major examples in this regard which have undergone reorganisation for the issues same that of Jammu and Kashmir.