Jammu-a divided region; with different directions!

JAMMU BANDH TODAY

*When it comes to fight for common cause and people start going in different directions for their own interests, affiliations and associations; agitations or the strikes die halfway without attaining the results/goals for which they are started.

Ajmer Alam Wani

JAMMU, AUG 9: It is imperative to have mass support, complete backing by one and the all, maximum participation of people irrespective of age, sex eye on the goal and disassociations from all the political affiliations etc with one aim and cause, to make an agitation or strike successful. But when it comes to fight for the common cause and people start moving in different directions for their own interests, affiliations and associations; agitations or the strikes die halfway, without attaining the results/goals for which they are started.

See, if we are talking of entire Jammu region, people of the region including Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar etc are divided over the issue of Central University while the Kashmiri people are watching the whole situation silently.

In Jammu region, demands are being raised in every district for setting up Central University, which indicates that Jammu region is not united, every part, leader and the association is going in different directions are been dictated by their bosses.

This indicates one more thing that those who go for agitations or strikes either have less public support or their ideology is conflicting with those of others who do not support them.

It was required that entire Jammu region should have united on the issue of Central University but the result as seen is contrary. The reasons are many. Few are like (1) Political players have succeeded in creating inter-regional divides by provoking people to raise the demands for Central University as PDP has done in Rajouri-Poonch and Kishtwar districts.

(2) People of Jammu regional (Jammu, Rajouri, Poonch, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Banihal, Samba, Reasi, Akhnoor etc) have communication gap so are easily misled by opportunists. (3) People of Jammu region have affiliations with several political parties and groups and every party has their own interests and ideologies so they mobilize people in their own way. (4) Political leaders of Jammu region are divided in two categories- (i) Those in power speak different as dictated by their bosses while (ii) Those out of power speak exactly what the people wants to hear (but interestingly when the same leaders were in power, never spoke like this). There are many more reasons. See the Transporters of Jammu have refused to observe Jammu Bandh and sought security from administration for safe playing of vehicles. The decision of transporters invites clashes between students and transporters on Monday as some elements will try to create law and order problem in Jammu. This will not only weaken the agitation/struggle but also create a divide and wedge among different sections.

Moreover, the Central University Andolan Samiti (CUAS) Jammu Bandh has not been only opposed by transporters but fissures among the student bodies have also surfaced, which indicates division has been created by the claver players and the agitation has been confined.

The student wings of the ruling National Conference (NC) and the Congress - the National Conference Students Union and the National Students Union of India have disassociated themselves from the agitational politics over the issue.

NSUI members’ are of the opinion that if the government has assured that the Central University will be set up in Jammu so there is no need for the agitation.

However, CUAS has called for complete Jammu shutdown on Monday over the ‘vague’ statements made by the Jammu and Kashmir Government regarding setting up a Central University near Jammu, the state's winter capital.

The shutdown call comes even as the Omar Abdullah Government on Wednesday said the first CentralUniversity in Jammu and Kashmir will come up near Jammu. There was simmering discontent among student organizations who were protesting the government's reported move to shift the Central University to the Kashmir Valley.

The Jammu shutdown on Monday is to press for the issue opined CUAS, a group of various students' and social organizations that spearheaded the agitation.

According to CUAS Convenor, Pavitar Singh, retired Judge, the government is vague in its utterances and statements on the issue. HE told media that it has not been specified where and when the Central University will be set up.

After the Union Government announced that a Central University will be established in Jammu and Kashmir, the state government had identified a place close to Samba. 40 km from Jammu, for the site of the institution, but later, there was a proposal to shift it to the Kashmir Valley, triggering a series of demonstrations in Jammu by student groups, who were supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and some trade bodies.

Though the Samiti lead led by Sunil Sethi, Bar President held talks with Revenue Minister, Raman Bhalla and officials of the District Administration made efforts to persuade Samiti to withdraw Bandh call, yet Samiti has decided to go ahead with its proposed programme.

Revenue Minister repeatedly assured delegation that CU is being set-up in Jammu and a team of HRD officials is shortly going to finalize the site for its creation.

IF sources are believed, Bhalla has mentioned that he would be last man to allow Central University to be shifted to Kashmir Valley.

Samiti members continued insisting Bhalla to give in writing that CU would be established in Jammu and at Samba only, sources added.

Referring to CU being subject of Union Government, Bhalla mentioned that assurance of five cabinet ministers is far more credible than that of something written on a piece of paper.