THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015 DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU daily Excelsior Amend Article 370 Established 1965 It is a break-through Prof. Om Gupta Founder Editor S.D. Rohmetra K.N. Pandita level; he is a migrant; he has which humanism and not petty Constitutional safeguards rticle 370 is an enigma for Indians in particular and the whole lived in camps and he has politics is the guiding principle. for specific groups are accepted world in general. This article created in 1950 by the then omination of a dis- worked shoulder to shoulder Whatever will be the con- as dependable source of confi- Indian leadership headed by Jawahar Lal Nehru in a tearing placed Hindu (Pandit) A with his community members tours of restitution of displaced dence building mechanism. hurry to appease world opinion continues to be Achilles' heel of suc- from the valley as World Bank loan N in their hour of suffering, exile minority community back in the These safeguards come in a cessive union governments of India. Not only the parliament but Member Legislative Council and destitution. valley, the obvious condition is variety of forms and can be even the office of president of India has been compromised in this n September last, Kashmir valley and parts of (MLC) of J&K has its own sig- BJP has given an opening to that people have to live as moulded to fit in the scheme of historic blunder. Let's understand how. Jammu were struck by unprecedented natural nificance. It is different from the displaced community to social entities in an environ of things. This is a subject for cool Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim-majority state of India. At the calamity in the shape of flood caused by incessant nominations of a valley minori- voice their woes, disappoint- mutual trust and understanding. and considerate deliberation of time of partition, it was broadly agreed upon that the then princely I ty member in the upper house rulers will decide whether they want to remain in India or become a rains. The city of Srinagar, situated on both banks of ments, hopes and expectations For restoration of trust, multi- our law makers. It is here where during previous regimes. The in the house of people's repre- dimensional mechanism has to the voice of the grassroots leg- part of Pakistan. The religion of the majority of the population was Jhelum, was flooded up to second storey of residen- one of the criteria. Despite being a Muslim state, the then ruler of J difference lies firstly in the sentatives. It is the legislature, be pressed into service. We will islator of the minority commu- tial houses in low laying areas. The State incumbent viz. Mr Surinder the elected representatives of and K Maharaja Hari Singh was indecisive. His initial stance was need to create instruments of nity has to be eloquently per- that his state would remain independent but under the pressure of Government was not prepared to meet the challenge Mohan Ambardar, coming from suasive. grassroots level of the minority Nehru, he conceded to merge with India. from such devastating floods, and the problems it Who does not know that a Pakistan waged an attack on India with the help of Afghan trib- community, and secondly, nom- Constitutional safeguards for specific minority group of whatever brought in trail. Survey teams appointed by the State inated by a party that is only als. Maharaja got panicky and sought Indian help. Before Indian denomination is somewhat forces could take control of the situation, Pakistan forcibly occupied partner in the Government, and groups are accepted as dependable as well as the Central Government, gave detailed handicapped in a democratic a large portion of J and K that it continues to control. It is known as reports of vast damages to residential houses, public unlike previous regimes, does source of confidence building mecha- arrangement where power lies Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). At this juncture, the United establishments and the infrastructure. The not enjoy outright numerical in numbers? Nevertheless, Nations intervened and enforced a ceasefire. Nehru agreed to not majority in the Assembly to rule nism. These safeguards come in a Government was paralyzed because life came to a nationalism demands that only this but also accepted a plebiscite to decide where the majority the roost. variety of forms and can be moulded majority carries the minority of population go to India or Pakistan. India later took a position that standstill for some days and communication broke It is for the first time that with it through persuasion and successive J and K Assembly elections have established that the down in full. BJP has nominated a displaced to fit in the scheme of things. This is not coercion or show of num- people of Kashmir believe in Indian Constitution and the democrat- Heavy rains are not unknown to Kashmir or to member of Kashmiri Hindu bers when national cause is at ic system by voting in elections. minority to the upper house. In a subject for cool and considerate Coming back to Article 370, it was added in the Constitution by Jammu. Even floods are not unknown. But stake. It is possible that at times the Constituent Assembly as a temporary measure and its sole pur- other words, one may say that serious difference of views September floods unleashed their tremendous this is the first and maiden deliberation of our law makers. It is pose was to control the monarchy of Maharaja Hari Singh. Article becomes an irritant. These are 370 clearly states that the President of India has the sole power to capacity of devastating the city of Srinagar as was attempt by any political party of the occasions when responsible national or regional standing to here where the voice of the grassroots make any law but with a condition. He will have to take the concur- never witnessed before. Low lying areas often get political leadership assumes the rence of the government of Sheikh Abdullah on March 5, 1948. The inundated but the city has not seen such a calami- concede the right of Kashmir legislator of the minority community role of buffer and unleashes its Maharaja had appointed Sheikh Abdullah, the Prime Minister of J valley Hindu minority commu- tous situation. A number of reasons are given for the potential to bring about rap- and K. But the million dollar question what was the need to create nity to political space in the has to be eloquently persuasive. prochement of sorts. The Article 370. Why Maharaja's rights were not confiscated like it hap- flooding of the city. Of late, we are told that absence State. Apart from the fact that minority community needs to pened in case of other princely rulers. More than 500 such rulers had BJP is the ruling party at the signed the annexation conditions. It is surprising why an exception of an outlet in Hokarsar wetland, into which the water the people of the State to hear accessibility. learn providing space to the of the Flood Channel disgorges, forced the flood Centre, the more significant Very thin dispersal of the buffer to play its role. was made in the case of Maharaja Hari Singh. It was a blunder on him and come out with a solu- the part of then federal Government. The situation was made more aspect is that BJP is a national tion of the problems which the Pandit community in the valley I look at Surinder Mohan waters to push back and break the bund of the river level party. Recognition of the confusing by imposing the condition that the President of India at vulnerable sites close to the city. displaced community is made in pre-militancy era was a Ambardar's induction into prac- could could armed laws in J and K as per Article 370 but only after claim of Kashmir Hindu minor- to face. He is not expected to mixed phenomenon of a boon tical politics as the opening of a Whatever is the reason, the task before the ity to political space is in itself taking the consent of the J and K government. make any formula and module, and a curse. The advantage was window on the displaced com- Shockingly enough, no debate, no discussion was done by the Government and the society is to rebuild the dam- a very significant path breaking no. A formula or module must the voluntary generation of munity to cast a glance on the event on the whole. It opens a historians, legal experts, constitutional scholars chose to remain aged infrastructure and rehabilitate the people who come from the House. All that social acceptability among the political scenario of very com- silent. Article 370 would have died a natural death when J and K window on the beleaguered he can do is to respond to the became victims of flood. On the request of the State stakeholders whereas the disad- plex and confusing nature. Constituent assembly passed a resolution to dissolve the monarchy community from where it can House with feedback which he vantage was the bulldozing of They need acclimatization to of Maharaja Hari Singh on 29th August, 1952. Along with this gets from the community. In Government, endorsed by the Central Government, have a bird's eye view of what their political identity by the this panorama, which may crown prince Karan Singh was made the Sadar-e-Riyasat (Head of the World Bank has agreed to offer a loan of 1500 lies ahead. this way, a platform will be the state). History will continue to ask why Indian government opted available for continuing a dia- road roller of democratic dis- appear to them a combination The question is not what the to look the other way at this development.. But Nehru ordered to crore rupees for rebuilding the devastated infrastruc- logue in an atmosphere of pensation. of the sublime and the ridicule. nominated member can precise- arrest Sheikh Abdullah on August 9, 1953 and put him behind the sobriety and seriousness taking Restitution of the Pandits in With him begins our political ture and rehabilitating the affected people. There are ly do for the displaced commu- bars. Again the thinkers of this country chose to remain silent spec- into account the entire spectrum the valley will open up the journey in realpolitik. We three parties to the agreement; the State nity now in a state of distress. tators. of the rise of armed insurgency, question of their political should also remember that he Government, the Central Government and the World The issue of the displaced extirpation of the minority and empowerment and recognition owes equally to the entire peo- Perhaps Abdullah dethroned Maharaja because he wanted to Bank. minority community is intricate- now its return and restitution. of their specific identity. This ple of the State and the party seize power or might be as per the suggestion of the UN adviser Owen Dixon, he wanted to declare J and K as Islamic Republic of We cannot say whether the sanctioned amount ly linked to the core of Kashmir Apart from that, nomination thinking is rooted, albeit very that has charged him with oner- issue. It has made the prospect Kashmir. Whatever might be the actual facts, the day Maharaja was would be sufficient to replace the damaged infra- of a member from grassroots subtly, in the essence of Article ous duty of putting straight the dethroned and monarchy was abolished Article 370 became redun- of their return and rehabilitation level of the displaced commu- 370 of the Indian Constitution. record of Kashmiri Pandit saga structure. Nevertheless, State Government has highly contentious and sensitive. dant. because as per the Constituent Assembly decision, the nity can be instrumental in psy- Pragmatism of non-recognition in the annals of history of this President could only seek the consent of Maharaja to amend laws. made it clear to the World Bank what tasks the State To expect a nominated member chological reintegration of the of any minority group on reli- country. We hope that his pres- Now there is no Sheikh Abdullah, no Maharaja's monarchy and would precisely undertake by debiting these to the of the Upper House to come out community in the broader gious, linguistic, cultural and ence in the House of Law not even the Constituent Assembly. In January 1957 the Constitution loan head from the World Bank. As there is firm com- with a cut and dried formula of Kashmir milieu after a long gap ethnic count by the Constitution Makers reverses the traditional of J and k was adopted by the J and K Assembly. According to its resolving rehabilitation issue of mitment from the State as well as the Central of estrangement vitiated more of the State of Jammu and thinking of considering the section 3, J and K is an integral part of India and will always be so. the displaced community is by plethora of suspicions, alle- Kashmir fails to respond to Pandits as mere trust (amaanat) Then what is the relevance of 370. Government of India is fully Government, one understands that the State of J&K unrealistic. gations and counter allegations. social dynamics of contempo- and not equal partners in con- empowered to amend Article 370 and remove all confusion and will respond to the goodwill gesture of the World However, as I said, he He could serve the lynchpin in rary India as well as the very structing Naya Kashmir. It has chaos. That is the only solution. Bank with all seriousness. We have noted with comes from the grassroots inter-community dialogue in spirit of Article 370 to be a break through. (The author is Sr Journalist) despair that in the case of many Central projects, the State has not been able to do justice, and, in some crucial projects, funds remained unutilized. The Why India doesn't have a Shoaib Akhtar ? World Bank is keen to monitor the utilization part of the amount of loan advanced to the State of Jammu Dr. Sahil Gorka early 140's. But India has Khan and Waqar Younis in youngsters with stats of their Steyn, Mitchell Starc can easily last genuine express bowler) and Kashmir. It has promised to begin releasing never produced an express their teens. Indian children can high economy rate , and force swing the ball both ways at were way faster than their coun- is arms swaying rhyth- funds once the State Government starts specific bowler who can bowl consis- barely look out for a name to them to focus on line and scorching speed and are thus terparts, hovered in mid 150's mically by his side, consistently but their bodies work. Essentially, the State Government will have to tently above 150 kmph, threat- follow. length and sacrifice speed, unplayable at times. Speed is a Hholding a brand new ening the 161 kmph record Bad coaching is another which the boys happily do to very important factor. The frac- couldn't hold the stress for long divide the task into two sections, building infrastruc- hard white leather ball, he is owned by the legend Shoaib big factor. If I recall, team india save their spot. At that very tion of time available to the and broke down. During their ture and rehabilitating the affected people. running like a panther, his Akhtar. has seen a few genuine quicks point, a speedster dies and a batsman while facing brett lee, short careers, they were lighten- long locks flying past his ears. Now let us see what is the in the past, but for shorter time military bowler is born. Shoaib Akhtar, Shaun Tait was ing quick. All they needed was a There is the priority of taking preventive steps so Sporting a blue jersey, he flies that in a situation of rains and flood in the river and reason that Pakistan, a country frames, like Munaf Patel ( 150 Somebody who would bowl nearly around 0.2 seconds , concerned board who could nur- past the umpire, takes a giant similar to India , produces fast kmph) , Zaheer (148kmph), day in and day out at 128kmph, quick enough to startle a bats- ture them and use them conser- its tributaries, the city of Srinagar or any other town leap and lands on the popping bowlers in dozens while India , man. Also, the typical robust vatively. in the valley or in Jammu region is not threatened. crease. With a demonic swing a country of billions, still attitude of a fast bowler doesn't It is now more of a batsman De-silting of the Flood Channel and tributaries, outlet of arm, he releases the ball at strives for a single fast bowling Also, the typical robust attitude come naturally to the usual dominated game, people focus supersonic speed that curves at Hokarsar wetland area and removing the silt that legend. docile Indian men of urban on not getting hit for six rather inwards as it lands close to the of a fast bowler doesn't come than aiming to send the middle has piled up there, restarting the drudging of the nul- Fast bowlers are actually India. Hence India produces toes of the batsman . The born and not made. Youngsters Vinay Kumar's , Bhuvneshwar stump cartwheeling. The num- lahs and river and other water bodies in Kashmir and already scared batsman tries in with agricultural backgrounds, naturally to the usual docile Kumar's one after another, a ber of limitations on bowling in parts of Tawi in Jammu, are among the first priori- vain to block but he is a little raw energetic village boys are band of military bowlers, who and field setting has further ty of reconstructing the infrastructure. It is important late and out goes his stumps, the ones tailor made to be gen- Indian men of urban India. Hence eventually fade away in the ruined the attitude of fast uprooted and cartwheeling 10 that the State Government removes illegal construc- uine fast bowlers. It requires crowd. India badly needs bowlers. Hence the art of attack- feet behind towards the wick- India produces Vinay Kumar's , ing bowling is rarely seen. A tions on water bodies that obstruct free flow of water. immense hard work, physical express bowling superstars. etkeeper !!! endurance and crude force Bhuvneshwar Kumar's one after Diet is a controversial rea- few of the deadly pure speedy At the same time, providing adequate shelter and Who, amongst all you along with genetically big son to say the least. Cricket pun- spells that we have seen in the means of subsistence to the flood affected families is cricket frenzied fans, can tell structures to become an aver- another, a band of military dits often argue over the fact past are, Mitchell Johnson vs also among its priorities. We are hopeful that the me what is wrong in the above age fast bowler, let alone the that eating hard red meat is England in Ashes, Mitchell paragraph? Answer is Blue jer- Government will initiate these works without loss of thought of express bowlers bowlers, who eventually fade essential to build the structure Starc in worldcup 2015, Wahab sey!!! Yes, with blue Indian whose demands are huge. for enduring the stress of fast Riaz vs Shane Watson, Shoaib time as money will also begin to flow in. jersey you donot associate The childhood practices in away in the crowd. India badly bowling. Indian bowlers like Akhtar in IPL vs Delhi supersonic speeds or stumps street cricket are the main cul- Ishant Sharma, who is a pure Daredevils, Shaun Tait vs Assembly work culture cartwheeling to 10 feet behind. prit. Gully cricket is where needs express bowling superstars. vegetarian, loves rajma instead, Pakistan in a T20 game. Those It is a well known fact in crick- every Indian cricketer starts . a kind of pulse not known to were the superhuman efforts igh level Committee of Speakers of State et world that Indian speedsters Firstly, as mentioned by nurture tear away pace bowlers. that not everyone can dream of. are never expected to cross the Assemblies recently met in New Delhi on the Shoaib Akhtar in an interview, Ishant Sharma (153kmph), and do no harm to his body or While others believe that diet Now the question is , can speed gun markings of we Indians lack fast bowling of the late Varun Aaron and opposition batting line up. supplements, proteins can fulfill india ever produce a bowler Hbehest of the Speaker of the Parliament 95miles/hour or 150km/hour. heroes. No child in his normal Umesh Yadav (both 154 Munaf Patel and Parvinder the need of the body, Shoaib who would bowl consistently at Sumitra Mahajan, to discuss reforms in work culture why is it so? when Pakistan, senses would imitate Ashish kmph). They came , they sur- Awana are perfect examples , agrees on the fact that building 155 kmph like Shaun Tait, of State Assemblies. The focus was on giving due South Africa , Australia can Nehra, or Lakshmipathy Balaji prised everyone, they injured both of them were the winners muscles in gym is of utmost someone who would torment importance to the Question Hour and Zero Hour have bunch of bowlers who while choosing roles during themselves, went to the MRF of speed hunt competitions and importance as it increases the the psyche of batsman like muscle mass and increases Shoaib Akhtar, someone who practice and fixing the minimum sessions of legisla- regularly cross 150 kmph, why gully cricket. All they want to pace academy ( it's a slaughter used to bowl at 150kmph regu- cant India have someone who be is Sachin Tendulkar, house for genuine fast bowling larly but we can see where they strength and stamina. A careful would send down lightening ture in a year. The necessity of bringing in some can be called an express Sehwag, Yuvraj and Kohli. talents). These guys went there are now. trainer, nutritionist and physio- quick deliveries like brett lee ?? reform in the work culture of the Assemblies was felt bowler. Someone who idolizes sachin , freshly shocked and battered Pitches in India are not too therapist are as necessary to The answer is Yes !!! Hire good in the wake of giving more opportunity to the law Gautam Gambhir once will always focus on his bat- due to injury and courtesy conducive to fast bowling. build a genuine pace battery as fast bowling foreign coaches, are the pacers themselves. makers to raise current issues of vital importance admitted, "… facing balls at ting. Hence we need to give some negative feeds from the Dead slow tracks , end up let people like Umesh Yadav, 125 kmph and 140 kmph won't some stars to our young bud- mediocre Indian coaches, they extracting the juice out of the Express Pace bowling requires Mohammad Shami, and Varun and seek Government's response to them. It has have much of a difference , but ding cricketers whom they can decided to cut down on their bowlers knees, rendering him super human effort, extraordi- Aaron bowl in excess of 145 been unanimously resolved by the Committee of facing a ball at 145 kmph and imitate and eventually surpass. pace, ending up bowling in mid more prone to injuries. More nary force goes in each and kmph for the next 5 years, and Speakers there has to be a minimum 60 meetings of 148 kmph surely needs skill. In Pakistan, they produced 130's or early 140's , a speed the injuries, lesser the fitness, every delivery thereby the risk stay assured that a boy some- the legislature in a year. There is hell of a difference". Wahab Riaz, Irfan Khan, that batsmen relish upon. These and lesser the speed. Also, It's a of injuries are ever so increasing where in a remote village in their careers. Players like The direct impact of this decision will be that leg- Traditionally, Indian fast Mohammad Sami, Shoaib mediocre coaches /mentors, general misconception that ball would emerge in the coming 5 bowlers have been seen clock- Akhtar because they all fol- who never bowled express pace only swings at moderate Shane Bond, Nantie Hayward, to 10 years and become india's islators will get more time to put important questions ing at late 130's or a few in lowed Wasim Akram, Imran at their own times, scare these speeds. Bowlers like Dale Fidel Edwards, Shaun Tait (the hero for generations to come. to the Government and seek clarification. The Committee has recommended that in no way will Question and Zero Hour be overlooked or eschewed Conundrum of corruption AIIMS for Jammu and a business session will begin only after this pro- Sir, does not serve purpose until and Sir, brazenly adopting anti-Jammu approach. Its leadership perhaps unless enquiry committee is made Kudos to K B Jandial, the author of "Jammu bandh: A believes that adopting a pro-Kashmir policy the party would win vision is exhausted. If democracy is the Government This is reference to the article " accountable because past record wake up call for BJP!" (DE Apr 29). He has set the record over the people of Valley. It will not happen. They will never of the people, by the people and for the people, then Conundrum of corruption in J&K" shows that many enquiries are initi- straight and called the bluff of those in BJP who sought to divert vote for BJP because they consider it anti-Muslim. It should obviously people's problems need to be highlighted by Dr. D R Kapoor. It would be ated due to public resentment attention of the aggrieved people of Jammu from the real AIIMS remember that the people of Kashmir voted in large number in highly unfair if it goes without against tainted employees but issue through misinformation campaign that the Vajpayee-led the assembly election only after Hurriyat leader Syed Ali shah and questions asked by the representatives and the appreciation because the writer in NDA Government had sanctioned AIIMS for Jammu in 2004 Geelani and other Kashmiri leaders urged them to come out in a Government has to be answerable. nobody knows the fate of these the article has exposed all forms of enquires and tainted employees go and that anti-Jammu forces hatched a conspiracy to scuttle the massive numbers to ensure the defeat of BJP in Kashmir. We appreciate decision of the Committee and at corruption prevailing in the state. on looting spree. decision. It is clear from his article that nothing of this kind hap- Separatists, PDP, NC, Congress and civil society groups in pened during the Vajpayee regime. Kashmir, including Bar Association Kashmir, had all warned the the same time believe that more reforms in the work From top to bottom the writer has I would also like to add that 80 exposed all forms of nexus to pro- K B Jandial's comment on Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal people of Kashmir that the victory of BJP in the Valley even in a culture of the Assemblies could be brought forward. percent corruption is controllable Singh's provocative and Kashmir-centric statement that no one single constituency will weaken the Kashmiri cause. mote corruption. The writer has not but it is highly unfortunate that peo- The Speaker of Lok Sabha has taken a good and left any room to add on but still I can "snatch" AIIMS from Kashmir was also appropriate. For, the BJP leadership would do well to respect the Jammu senti- ple at the helm of affairs do not Union Budget (2015-2016), which was presented in the Lok ment and convince the national leadership that the establishment useful step that will streamline delivery system in our would like to add a little. The nexus want to eradicate this deadly virus. to withdraw excess/fake bills from Sabha on 28th February, nowhere said that the proposed AIIMS of AIIMS in Jammu is the need of the people of this neglected Assemblies. J&K Assembly has not been having The administration should be made will be set up in Jammu. It had said that AIIMS will be estab- region. Why should Kashmir have another AIIMS-like institute state exchequers, nexus to get audit accountable for the welfare of peo- more than 30 sittings on average during a year and report passed smoothly by bypassing lished in J&K State. It is a different issue that the PDP-BJP when it has already prestigious Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of ple but unfortunately it is made so Common Minimum Programme (CMP), which was signed Medical sciences, besides Government Medical College and glaring findings has slipped. I also only little time is given to Questions and Zero Hour. much cumbersome which has led to before 25th February and released to the press on 1st March, pro- hospital? The author is right when he said "it is high time that Hopefully with the resolution of the Committee of agree with the writer that transfers the spread of corruption vided for the establishment of AIIMS and Super-Specialty in BJP wakes up and takes course correction to prevent deepening on the name of punishment are mere Speaker, this work culture will improve and more Yours etc… Kashmir. disenchantment of its home constituency". eye wash. Moreover ordering of Arpan Kumar BJP is scoring self-goal after self-goal and is in a self- Yours etc... enquiry against tainted employee issues will be addressed in the process. Kathua destruct mode. It is eroding its support-base in Jammu region by Akhil Mahajan