Author: Agencies
Publication: Indian Express
Date: August 13, 2008
Even as the Amarnath issue shows no signs
of abating, the BJP demanded that delimitation of constituencies should be
conducted in Jammu and Kashmir as done in the rest of the country. "We
demand that the delimitation process should be started at the earliest in
Jammu and Kashmir. It has been due for a long time," BJP senior leader
Venkaiah Naidu said.
The delimitation exercise was initiated in
the country by the Kuldip Singh Commission in 2002. Interestingly, the BJP-led
NDA government which appointed the commission had agreed with other political
parties at that time that Jammu and Kashmir should be exempted from the delimitation
process.
The present demand from the BJP has come at
a time when Jammu and Kashmir is on the boil with growing chasm between people
from Jammu and those from the Valley (Kashmir).
Making the demand for delimitation, BJP argued
that Jammu had been discriminated against in allotment of Assembly and Lok
Sabha constituencies.
"The Election Commission figures show
that of approximately 56.12 lakh voters, 28,92,290 are from the Jammu region
while 25,46,913 are from Kashmir. Around 1.73 lakh voters are from Ladakh,"
the BJP leader said. To further strengthen his argument, Naidu said the area
occupied by Jammu is 26,000 sq km while Kashmir occupies only 15,000 sq km.
"Despite this, there are only 37 Assembly constituencies in Jammu while
Kashmir has 46 constituencies. Similarly, Jammu has only two Lok Sabha seats
while Kashmir has three," Naidu said.
The outburst in Jammu is due to accumulation
of grievances over the years and the government should take serious steps
to address this feeling of neglect among the people of the state, he added.
Other than Jammu and Kashmir, delimitation
of seats has not been done in four north-east states and Jharkhand due to
opposition from some local groups.
