The nationalist Jammu discriminated

Omkar Dattatray

It is not hearsay but a stark reality and truth that the nationalist Jammu has been discriminated and continues to be discriminated even today though some efforts have been made by the present powers. The discriminated with Jammu is as true as the sun, stars and the moon and there is no exaggeration in this.

Right from the days of the accession of the Jammu and Kashmir with India the malady and problem of discrimination has been there and has eaten the very vitals of Jammu. Jammu has been left in lurch by the democratic and so called secular dispensations. The nationalistic people of Jammu have been at the receiving end and they have suffered a lot and their condition is pitiable. They have suffered because they are nationalistic and patriotic and have been thus taken for granted by the successive rulers and all the schemes and projects are first implemented in Kashmir and Jammu is relegated to the background.

In fact Kashmiris' stand benefitted for being the sympathisers of separatists and the successive rulers of the centre wanted them to fall in line but inspite of the tones of the money they did not change their behaviour and remained sympathetic to the separatists and anti India forces.

So far as the Jammu is concerned it was given a step motherly treatment. The hard earned money of the tax payers was spent in Kashmir and the Jammuites were abandoned and discriminated. Kashmir has respite of the fact that it has more seats in legislative assembly than Jammu inspite of the fact than Jammu has more area than Kashmir.

Jammu needs delimitation exercise more than Kashmir to correct the wrongs done with Jammu. This nationalist Jammu has been discriminated in development funds and in all the walks of life. The planned schemes were implemented in Kashmir and funds were spent in Kashmir and much attention was given to the development of Kashmir than Jammu as if it was a step child. Kashmir has more schools and hospitals than Jammu. Thus whether it is education or health and other services Jammu lags behind and Kashmir has got a lion's share.

In fact there has been maltreatment with the people of Jammu. One of the reasons of this maltreatment and discrimination is that the leadership of Jammu is vastly divided and they do not put up a joint resistance against this discrimination and the result is that the jammuites stand neglected and there is urgent need to address the problems of Jammu and redress them for the equitable development of Jammu and Kashmir.

Another point of discrimination with Jammu is the decision of the government to install 80,000 smart electricity meters in Jammu as against the 35000 in Kashmir province. The establishment of the toll plazas at Ban Nagrota, Saroor and now at Akhnoor is the height of discrimination with Jammu and these tool plazas are looting the public and they need to be abolished for the benefit of the people. The jammuites are bearing the brunt of these discriminatory steps. There should be equal distribution of the funds between Jammu and Kashmir to bridge the discrimination with the Jammu province. The  history of the discrimination with Jammu is not a new phenomenon dates back to the days of the accession of Jammu and Kashmir with India.

The representation of the Jammuites in the government jobs and in the seat of power that is the secretariat is very less. There are very few officers of Jammu as compared to Kashmir in administration. Thus it is obvious that there is stark discrimination with Jammuites and this needs correction to bridge the gap of discrimination so that the Jammuites will feel a sigh of relief.

Kashmir seems to be the prodigal son of India and tonnes of money is spent in Kashmir. The fact remains that Jammu gives more revenue to the exchequer than Kashmir and still more funds are spent in Kashmir for its development. And the doors of employment and development are closed for Jammu as the Jammuites do not have any importance for the rulers both centre and the UT.

It follows that heaps of discrimination are meted to Jammu province and the need is to correct the wrongs of discrimination so that people of Jammu will taste the fruits of development. It is also a fact that the tourist places of Jammu province are not developed so that tourists will be attracted to Jammu and against this the tourist spots of Kashmir are developed and there is much tourist foot fall in Kashmir as compared to Jammu in spite of the fact that the Jammu has more pilgrim tourist spots than Kashmir.

After chest thumping over abrogation of article 370, polarised Jammu waits for end to discrimination but there seems no end to the discrimination with Jammu. Everything including central government schemes and jobs were hijacked by Kashmiris while the Jammuites were left to say with fend for themselves with whatever was left. Anyway we can say with certainty that Jammu has always been discriminated with. Now with the scrapping of controversial article 370, Jammuites hope that the discrimination with them will be eliminated.