Credible legislators- Is it a distant dream?

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Dr Nirmal Kamal

Countdown to elect new Government in J&K has begun with mainstream parties having announced candidates at least for the first two phases. 67 years have passed, the public of the state still long for a dynamic, visionary Government genuinely intending to serve people. Successive Governments in the past 67 years placed their own vested interests on priority over the self sustained economy, development and growth of the State presently marked by high debt, low GDP, lack of infra-structure, water shortage, bleak power scenario, sick public sector  undertakings, scams creeping up in education sector also, dilapidated condition of interior roads etc. Flood Disaster of September this year has exposed the government’s false claims of disaster management preparedness and development. State Planning Department has always claimed of attaining self-sustained economy which turns into flip flop show every year when for every inflated budgetary support, State has to depend on the Central Government. Roads, power generation, water-conservation, employment generation projects or basic essentials required by the people seem placed on the vindictive list. Yes, the State is relishing meager revenue from excise and pilgrimage tourism.

Apparently the State appears quite progressive with zooming small and luxury cars on the roads,  multi- story buildings – shopping Malls, mushrooming petrol pumps and other commercial  zones  which can be symbols of  prosperity at the first glance. But reality really bites after the second look at the scenario. Car manufacturing  and distributing agencies and builders are  flourishing vertically at the cost of lower middle class purchasing loan financed luxury items. Instead of investing on infra-structure, capital investment on unproductive and short term projects catering only to the superfluous demand reflects unsound policy as well lack of expertise in decision making. Though the trade sector has come to the rescue of the people but basic essentials for what people pay tax, they are still deprived of. Narendra Modi of Gujrat as Prime Minister, had to remind as well float the idea of making Kashmir  Pashmina Hub of Asia. Why no leader of the State or even from Kashmir, could think of it? Certainly lack of vision is the only answer. Chosen representatives enter the electoral politics with an eye for all legitimate and illegitimate perks, admission of their children in “charitable” technical institutions for what middle class has to pay through their nose and prestigious “laal batti and bungalow” at the expense of the tax payers not to serve the people with the result that the genuine multiple demands of all the three regions are now compounded over the years. No successive Governments made sincere effort to fulfill those grievances except laying inaugural stones engraved with legislators‘ names. Poll planks were rhetoric about manifested promises through respective manifestoes. Mandated candidates projected as “Masihas” during election campaign, flourished their own bank balances, expanded properties through all  fair and unfair means after being successfully  elected but people’s concerns were deferred issues for the next elections. Obviously, elections in J&K provides blooming business to lay strong foundation for making the State more corrupt –a  very successful Development Model(!) contrary to the Gujrat Model, coined and supported by Congress and National Conference. During Congress- PDP coalition rule National Conference leaders (in private conversations) exclaimed over the magnitude and scale of corruption during Congress-PDP and taking the inspiration from their predecessors, they themselves exceeded all heights after NC formed the coalition Government with Congress. The State laddered up to number 1 status from number 2, an achievement one can be envious of! These mainstream parties have again put most of the tainted and incompetent candidates in the poll fray believing that public memory is very short but forgetting that voter’s memory is consistently being sharpened due to IT connectivity. Social media extracts facts from the graves. Political Parties ought to be cautious when allotting mandate.

True, the public want change  of the spent force and new faces not the incompetent and tainted who totally lack vision to develop the State. Just shuffling of the pack of cards is not sufficient. The State’s pack of 87 cards necessarily need not be super brains like dedicated “9 pearls in   Darbaar of Akbar –the Mughal King” but each representing a constituency compulsorily be concerned to the constituency and dedicated to the public. He should be well versed with the problems of the area that he is representing whether the people of that area have voted in his favor or not. Here is a legislator who publically  often declares, in reference to Channi Himmat colony that since people of this colony did not vote for him so he will not oblige them. However, rotary outside the residence of Commissioner, Vigilance Organization is well maintained. Selective development has become the order of the day. This reminds me that during 2008 elections, ex Chief Minister of Delhi, Shiela Dikshit  found Jammu roads well maintained the moment she landed at the Jammu airport. A local cab driver from Srinagar who never ever came to Jammu, informed  me  last August when I visited Srinagar that condition of roads in Srinagar is worst while roads in Jammu are like the roads in Japan. He never ever visited Japan either. I was fallen struck at his updated information. The spinal road from Jammu airport to secretariat via fly over is twice taken care with “Darbaar Move” signifying that all is well with entire State. Our legislators when elected do not move an inch without repeatedly thronged by the deputations for even minor repairs.

The State of Jammu & Kashmir has its own specific needs and aspirations. The three regions of the State, distinct in terms of topography, religious and cultural ethnicity, have been consistently discriminated by the successive governments in the State. People from Jammu and Ladakh regions, have rigorously protested against the discriminatory policies pursued openly and fearlessly by the mainstream ruling political parties- National Conference, Congress and People Democratic party during their rule till now. The misconceived and misconstrued polices on development have led the State to nowhere are, employment generation for youth, distribution of financial resources more oriented towards wide fiscal deficit, Central financial packages, establishing projects of prime importance prone to regional imbalances, infrastructural development, power deficiency, unequal size of constituencies representing in Legislative Assembly leading to imbalanced political power, non-inclusion of 73rd and 74th Amendment in J&K Panchayti Raj Act to empower Panchayats in totality, denial of rights to the refugees and women of the state, widespread and deep rooted corruption which has accorded No.1 Status to the state in the country, non-implementation of pro-people policies like road connectivity is still awaiting, education sector  infested with bungling of high order etc, non implementation of people friendly projects which could boost tourism potential of Jammu and Ladakh regions and others etc have led to discontentment.

To divert the attention from the burning concerns of corruption, mis-governance, unemployment etc earlier Government continued befooling common public with new experiments. The various experimental combinations and permutations of PDP-Congress and NC-Congress Governments have failed on all the fronts. Congress,  NC and PDP continue to befool people by indulging in the politics of deceit and rhetoric and soft secessionism.

Atmosphere for BJP seem favourable in J&J. Its Mission 44+ need to be proceeded with utmost care. People have high expectations from the Party led by Narendra Modi at the centre. Denial of mandate to sitting MLAs and women from the Jammu region are bad political moves. Anymore wrong step may add the strength of jokers in the pack of 87 which the Party cannot afford to if it want to form Government in the State to add its bit to “Mission India First”.

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