J&K: Groups representing Jammu denounce NC’s demand for autonomy

NEW DELHI: The all-party delegation on Kashmir, which was in Jammu on Tuesday, heard views diametrically opposite to ones expressed by representatives of political parties and interest groups in the Kashmir Valley.

Different groups representing Jammu denounced National Conference’s demand for autonomy and PDP’s self-rule, demanded more representation to Jammu region in the state assembly and Lok Sabha. A few even demanded abrogation of Article 370, the constitutional provision that guarantees special status to J&K.

Almost all Jammu groups questioned the decision by a small contingent of parliamentarians to visit residences of separatists, including pro-Pakistani hard-liner Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

It was not just BJP’s state unit which raised these issues, a member of the all-party delegation told ET on condition of anonymity. Congress MP from Udhampur, Mr Lal Singh, speaking to the delegation, which included National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah, denounced the autonomy proposal being pushed by Mr Abdullah’s party.

His contention was supported by members of local units of other political parties such as JD(U), JD(S), BSP and even representatives of the Sikh community.

The autonomy and self-rule proposal of NC and PDP, the two main parties of J&K which contests elections, were criticised by groups, including representatives of various student bodies, academic groups, traders’ associations, doctors and industry federations.

They were very critical of CPM polit bureau member Sitaram Yechury, who led a smaller group to visit houses of separatist leaders in Srinagar.

The Jammu representatives argued that this was a “disincentive to nationalism”.
“Kashmiri pundits were not being given time to meet the delegation. But a few members of the team found it convenient to meet leaders such as Geelani, whose anti-India views are known to everyone,” members of a student group from Jammu are learnt to have said.

The Shiv Sena’s state unit asked how Mr Yechury and the other members of the sub-group could ‘breach discipline’ by going to meet the separatists.

Another issue which came to the fore during discussions was the strong demand, aired by almost every group, to give more representation to the people of Jammu in the state assembly and the Lok Sabha. Their argument was that the region covers more area, has a larger population, yet had fewer seats (37) in the assembly and (2) in the Lok Sabha, against 45 and 3, respectively, for the Valley.

“Set up a delimitation commission to redraw the boundaries of constituencies and increase the number of seats,” was their refrain. The state was excluded from the delimitation exercise undertaken a few years ago given its sensitive nature.

Representatives of the Sikh community raised the issue of safety and security of their community members staying in the Valley (numbering around 90,000), alleging that they were receiving threats from terror outfits for changing their religion.

Ladakhi groups, which called on the delegation, both in Srinagar and in Jammu, endorsed the demand for a UT status for their region.