Author: Hari Om
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: May 1, 2015
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/oped/the-bjps-challenges-in-jammu.html

While the PDP has taken control of the State's political and administrative apparatus, the BJP has been relegated to the status of a junior partner — so much so that it is failing to secure the interests of its core constituency in Jammu

 The Bharatiya Janata Party created history in Jammu & Kashmir by winning both the Lok Sabha seats from Jammu and the lone Ladakh Lok Sabha seat. It obtained almost 32.5 per cent of the total popular votes share. Six months later, it created yet another history by winning 25 out of the 37 Assembly seats from Jammu.

 It emerged as the second largest party in the State, notwithstanding the fact that its vote share decreased by 10 per cent. Obviously, this disturbed BJP poll managers. Still, the BJP’s vote share was more than the Peoples Democratic Party, which emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly election by winning 28 seats — 25 from Kashmir and three from Jammu.

 Surprisingly, the BJP failed to open its account in Kashmir and Ladakh, which together send 50 MLAs. The political scene of Jammu & Kashmir would have undergone a radical change had the BJP won half-a-dozen seats from Kashmir and Ladakh. Then the party would have been in the driving seat.

 After the PDP-BJP coalition Government was formed on March 1, the situation for the BJP in Jammu has seen a dramatic change. A sort of anti-BJP wave is sweeping Jammu. Several factors have been working against the party.

 Inadequate representation of Jammu in the State Cabinet is one reason. The other is that the PDP has occupied nearly all the vital portfolios. There is hardly any crucial portfolio that is held by a legislator from Jammu even though the region had hoped that it would get parity with Kashmir, considering the mandate it gave to the BJP.

 The third reason is the manner in which the PDP has put its people in almost all the State departments. The PDP has established its hegemony over the State’s political and administrative apparatus and financial institutions. The decision to let the PDP hold the office of the Chief Minister for a full six year term has also annoyed the BJP’s core constituency.

 The rejection of Jammu’s demand for the issuance of ‘Dogra certificate’ to Jammu youth seeking jobs in the Central Reserve Police Force and other central paramilitary forces has also been disheartening. Jammu is blaming the BJP for the rejection.

 Political policies being evolved and implemented unilaterally and ruthlessly by the PDP, as well as the fast-deteriorating situation in the valley and its negative impact on national interest, are the other two fundamental factors that have alienated Jammu from Kashmir and dented the image of the BJP.

 On a number of times, top BJP leaders intervened to rein in and snub the PDP. And these interventions did produce the desired results — but not to the extent that could help the BJP enjoy the kind of love and trust it used to get before it joined hands with the PDP.

 Yet another factor that has provoked and angered the people of Jammu is the decision of the coalition to set up an All-India Institute of Medical Sciences-like institute in Kashmir instead of Jammu. The people of Jammu, cutting across party lines, are chaffing.

 The extent of anger of the people of Jammu against the BJP can be gauged from the bandh they observed on April 24 to register their protest against the decision on the AIIMS-like institute. Notably, while presenting his second Budget in the Lok Sabha on February 28, Union Minister for Finance Arun Jaitley had announced the establishment of such an institute, worth Rs1,600 crore, in Jammu.

 Thebandh was a massive affair and it was the first one against the BJP. It was peaceful and the participation was voluntary. The organisers of thebandh didn’t have to ask any shopkeeper to pull down the shutter. The nature and magnitude of the bandh could be seen from the fact that not a single auto was plying on the roads of Jammu — and this happened for the first time. It could also be seen from the fact that all non-BJP-PDP political parties supported the bandh.

 This included the Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party, the Congress, the National Conference, the Jammu State Morcha, the Jammu Pradesh United Front, the Kranti Dal, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Shiv Sena as well as RSS affiliates like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal and even the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the powerful Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association, all transport unions, all student organisations including the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the National Students’ Union of India.

 Organisers of thebandh argued that Kashmir already has the prestigious Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, a medical college and the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital. They said, and rightly so, that Jammu deserved the AIIMS-like institution as it has only one Government-run medical college and hospital, which is not only ill-equipped but also under-staffed. Hence, the people of Jammu have to go to Delhi, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Mumbai or Bangalore for medical treatment. Many can’t afford this expense.

 The situation, as it prevails today in Jammu, is volatile. The BJP will do well to take some definite steps at the earliest, so that the impending conflict in the otherwise peaceful and nationalist region, is averted. There is no other option available so as to assuage the feelings of the people of Jammu.