WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU daily Excelsior Established 1965 Heed the Chief's warning Founder Editor S.D. Rohmetra Harsha Kakar active militants, of which over 350 are operating thus eliminating them along with the structure, at a NC party event in Srinagar North of the PirPanjal. Interference during opera- while reducing casualties to own forces. This and Congress Veteran P Chidambaram are cases he recent comments by the Chief of Army tions is more pronounced in South Kashmir, than approach did cause hardships to the local popula- in point. Most others criticizing the army chief are Traffic jams on NH Staff (COAS),General Bipin Rawat,on in any other part of the state. tion as it destroyed their meagre households. In the doing so fearing a return of the summer of 2016. Tstern action against those interrupting anti- A combination of the above factors has present context, a prolonged operation, with the However, for security forces, the options remain assive traffic jams are reported on National militancy operations, led to debates in every form increased casualties to security forces, which is aim of flushing militants out without damaging limited, they must battle on, ensuring destruction of media, with most liberals, activists and politi- detrimental to morale and can induce additional dwellings is likely to be impacted by mob inter- of anti-national elements, irrespective of com- Highway from Jammu to Srinagar. This is cians from opposition parties, decrying his com- the key link for the three regions of the caution, which is undesirable. Conversely, it ference, which could enable their escape or ments or discussions in the media. M ments. Articles in magazines and newspapers emboldens militants and enhances their support increase casualties to security forces. Thus, secu- It is therefore more prudent to adopt a firm State particularly Kashmir and Ladakh. In fact it is adversely commented on his statement, suggest- base. The ambush on security forces a few days rity forces may be compelled to once again resort stance now and seek to restore the situation before the life line of the State. Normally, this life line ing that this attitude would alienate locals and re- ago, resulting in three deaths and five injured is an to the earlier tactic of destruction rather than pre- it becomes grave in the ensuing summer. The gov- incite violence in the valley. The same critics and example of emboldened militants taking advan- vention of damage. Similar changes could become ernment needs to ignore the likes of NC leaders, should have been converted into the most crucial politicians had maintained silence when Kashmiri highway in the country keeping in mind its strategic tage of an opportunity. This situation is detrimen- the order of the day in most other nature of encoun- opposition parties and so-called liberals and crit- Pundits were hounded out of their homes and Sikhs tal for the nation as it enables Pak to gloat on the ters. ics,granting security forces more laxity to bring importance. Why that was not done for last seven- massacred, changing the demography of the val- success of its policy, while permitting it to project Inducted militants have no concern for collat- the rising levels of insurgency under ty years is a big question and speaks of intransi- ley, leading to the situation which the region J and K as a case of a home-grown terror. Anoth- eral casualties or damage. They mostly battle to control.Media commentaries and discussions have presently faces. In reality, the ground situation as gence and inefficiency of our policy planners. China er cause for worry is that the present level of mil- safeguard their own lives and escape any dragnet no relevance in matters concerning national secu- prevailing today,has amply proved the chief's crit- itancy is solely based on militants inducted pre- established by security forces. They have no rity. The state writ must run unhindered through- could build the historic Karakorum Highway con- ics wrong. We fail to realize that increased mili- winter, before passes closed. With summer around remorse or feelings towards locals and exploit out the valley. The government may need to also necting Xinjiang with Pakistan via Gilgit in a couple tancy impacts development and tourism, affecting the corner and passes opening, increased infiltra- them to further the aim of Pakistan. For security adopt a strong stance against separatists and be of years but our policy planners did not even have the general population. tion may occur, irrespective of border sealing forces, the present period is important as it aims at willing to risk the situation temporarily worsen- The army released a press statement recently the vision, leave aside building a six lane all weath- actions, only adding to pressures on security reducing the number of active militants to accept- ingbut accepting the fact that it will return to nor- stating that actions by flash mobs, including stone forces.As the level of militancy rises, it threatens able levels, prior to the onset of summers, when mal in due course. er highway that would connect Kashmir and Ladakh throwing and forcibly moving towards encounter the writ of the state, especially where it garners possibilities of enhanced infiltration could raise Mollycoddling should cease as desperate times regions to the world outside. sites, permitted over twenty-five militants, includ- local support. the tempo of operations. call for desperate measures. We as Indians should ing hardcore members of various groups, to escape As inputs of increased infiltration of militants' The critics of the COAS need to realize that the remember, that national security and national It was Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who their dragnet. This was the result of extra precau- had realized the importance of this vital road link flow in, the forces deployed to deal with it also words chosen and the timing, apart from being interest are paramount and forces deployed to tions adopted to prevent collateral casualties. increases. Enhanced tempo of operations conduct- announced at a poignant moment, are a warning ensure the same must be given the authority and and approved its four lanning. But given the intrica- Another visible change, compelling security ed over prolonged periods increases chances of to the national and state leadership that unless we power to enforce it. The nation must remain unit- cies of our administrative system and the red tape, forces to alter tact, is that most encounters now collateral damage and civilian casualties. Securi- work together to control the situation now, the ed, if the designs of Pak have to be foiled and the take place in villages, indicating increased support the work of four lanning could not keep its time ty forces had discarded the use of rocket launch- coming months would only make it more difficult. writ of the nation restored across the length and to militants at local levels. Post the violent sum- ers in their conduct of operations for almost a Losing valuable lives of soldiers and civilians due breadth of the country. schedule. It has been going on at snail's pace. mer of 2016, the number of locals joining militan- decade. These were initially employed for destruc- to inciting of locals for political advantage belies (The author is a retired Major General of the Indian Army) cy is also on the rise. Present assessment by intel- When it will actually become functional is a matter tion of structures where militants had taken refuge, a mature nation. The comments last week by [email protected] of surmise. Nevertheless the work is going on and ligence agencies estimate that J and K has over 450 of course rather in an unplanned way. There are Anil Anand NC, Ghulam Mohiuddin Karra some patches that are under reconstruction mean- had distanced from Sheikh. He ing widening of the road to make it of four lanes. For ilitancy apart, politics Karra's Congress-plan for Kashmir founded Political Conference of Kashmir has never post 1953. Karra had his own example, the stretches from Udhampur to Chenani been synonymous M he had vacated after falling out Farooq Abdullah-Omar close family members Ghulam Karra's quitting the murmurs of politics that would keep him tunnel or from Digdol to Ramban are under con- with stability. There have been with the Muftis, whether he Abdullah, father son duo, dom- Mohammed Sadiq was the chief dissent are being heard from away from the governance sys- occasional stints of stability struction. As the work is in progress and debris is does so or not import of his inated National Conference minister in the 1960s-70s. PDP quarters of this region that tem. But when the 1971 war led which have been marred or lying on the sides of the road, it leads to traffic jam decision could have strong which he was once briefly part Karra surely would be hav- includes some sitting MLAs. to the slicing of Pakistan, the more positively interspersed bearing on the poll outcome. of, float a new outfit or join ing some concept of how to pur- In Srinagar (central for long time. Commuters travelling from Jammu to with bouts of instability mostly impact was felt by Kashmir's There could not have been a Congress. Floating a new party sue a different stream of politics Kashmir) Congress almost has a entire leadership. Karra was not Srinagar have been complaining that instead of six the creation of political experi- more proper opportunity for seemed difficult and so was to extricate Kashmir out of the negligible presence and Karra's an exception. mentation borne out of either Karra, a former Finance and joining NC as it did not fit into current political mess while joining provides it much needed or seven hours of journey it takes them 12 to 13 Karra had an ideological individual ambitions or ideo- Planning Minister in the Mufti's his current anti-RSS thesis. being part of a national political fillip. His presence could help hours to cover the journey. It is because of traffic shift. On the request of Jai logical fallout. As the past cabinet, to leave PDP than this. Aligning with BJP had resulted party. But bi-elec- revival of Congress's dormant Prakash Naraian, Karra agreed jams at various places along the highway. track-record suggests such sce- Both Srinagar and Anantnag areas of influence and workers. According to IGP Traffic the reason why there is narios always had direct bear- Lok Sabha seats were won by Karra had an ideological shift. On the So the importance of to contest for Lok Sabha in 1977 traffic jam is that firstly the road is under widening ing on the Valley's politics. PDP in 2014 and the latter was hisjoining the Congress! Firstly, as a Janta Party candidate. That Politics of Kashmir has to time it was NC versus JP and the work at various places that makes it narrow and vacated by request of Jai Prakash Naraian, Karra he would not have to contend be viewed in isolation of when she became chief minister with any local high command as latter was supported by therefore only one way traffic is allowed. Secondly, Jammu and Ladakh, the other with BJP's help following her agreed to contest for Lok Sabha in is the case with PDP and NC. Moulana Masoodi, Mirwaiz the small cars usually try to overtake the trucks and two regions of the state, as three father's demise. Known to be a Secondly, Congress locally Molvi Farooq and Abdul Gani this is the main cause of traffic jams. Thirdly, there regions are as politically low profile politician belonging 1977 as a Janta Party candidate. That could provide him a wider can- Lone. He lost the election. Post- diverse, as linguistically and is mismanagement on the part of traffic police that to a prominent political family, vas to work. Of course he would defeat, he remained restricted to ethnically. This is despite the this could be Karra's time to time it was NC versus JP and the latter have to master the art of gen- his home till he passed away in hinders smooth flow of traffic along the highway. fact that any political develop- elevate himself politically. uinely convincing the party 1996, on the day Srinagar polled For example there is a mess of job at the road toll ment happening in Kashmir Karra's breaking ranks with was supported by Moulana Masoodi, leaders in Delhi about the need for the state assembly elections. post and it takes a vehicle more than an hour to deeply impacts the state's poli- the PDP was on pure ideologi- to strengthen forces ideological- Tariq Hameed Karra who ty. cal grounds as he had been Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq and Abdul ly opposed to communal ele- defeated Abdullah scion, says clear the road toll. The traffic police could have So what does Peoples vehemently opposing an ments. he was trained by Mohiuddin looked to this problem and removed the bottleneck. Democratic Party leader Tariq alliance with RSS-backed BJP. Gani Lone. He lost the election. Indications emerging after Karra from his early days. The Hamid Karra's decision to part The differences had started dur- Similarly, there are so many bottlenecks that a com- his initial interactions are that 1955 born Karra is law graduate muter needs to clear. Why does not the road traffic ways with the party which he ing the life time of Mufti in shrinking of political ground tions have an immediate task the party is receptive to his idea had founded along with Mufti who briefly practiced bar as a Mohammed Sayeed and of both PDP and NC as the lat- cut-out for him. If he decides to of galvanising the secular forces wing think of innovative measures to reduce traffic Mohammed Sayeed only in the junior of Mian Abdul Qayoom. became deeper when his daugh- ter had also been an ally of the contest to retain his old seat cer- both at the national and the state jams? recent past and subsequent join- Before becoming the founding ter took over, particularly in the party-led NDA at the Centre. tainly he would be a formidable levels though this would be a ing the Congress denote? His general secretary of the PDP, We agree that when road widening programme aftermath of unsavoury devel- Despite certain ground reali- candidate but more importantly long term strategy. Certainly, all making common cause with the Karra had a brief spell with NC, is in progress it will reduce the width of the road opments propelled by loose ties which could favour even while sitting out he can eyes would be on the two bi- Congress just on the eve of two cannons of Sangh Parivar. Congress in the Valley, Karra become a rallying point for all a relation that did not last for thus shrinking the space for the movement of vehi- Lok Sabha bi-elections in elections which would provide long. He was nominated to the While Mehbooba was unrelent- was convinced that it was those sulking within the PDP for Karra an opportunity to assess cles. But the traffic police can and should regulate Kashmir brings out the signifi- ing Karra grew restive and unconceivable that Congress same reasons. Legislative Council in 2003 and his own strength. cance of his move. As Karra waited for the right time to call would ever drift towards RSS. South Kashmir has been a was later elected from the movement by not allowing smaller vehicles to Slightly prior to Sadiq drift- denies any plans to contest the it quits. So his choice fell on the grand- PDP stronghold with pockets of Batamaloo to the assembly. overtake at any and every place they like. Secondly, ing away from the family-run poll from Srinagar seat which He had three options; to join old party of which one of his Congress's influence. Post [email protected] the traffic police can shift the movement of trucks to more convenient hours when there will be less of Dr Sapna K Sangra fast developments taking place in traffic pressure. It is true that traffic police cannot Corruption the society. Arrest, attachment of be deployed on every kilometer of the road but we hough Mehbooba Mufti property, professional investiga- after taking over as the need to think about innovative means to streamline tion and fair trial, a few visible TCM in 2016 has been all evidences of existence of any traffic on this highway. out struggling to make the state Strike at the Right Place graft body was almost invisible. corruption free, there seems to be In view of the fact that widening of the highway Both the Capital cities, Jammu no respite and the fact that contin- cannot be eradicated merely by the trust of the people in the the Anti graft bodies under whose the bars after 10 years of his and Srinagar have witnessed has to be continued and it is likely to take a long ues to haunt us is that J&K installing CCTVs at vital public administration by making it more command crusade against cor- retirement and most recently, A.P mushrooming of illegal and unau- time maybe a year or two, the traffic police should remains in top 5 most corrupt offices. One needs to understand transparent and corruption free. ruption is launched but also in the Singh under whose command the thorized constructions by the states in India irrespective of the that the corruption in these places Vohra reiterated that the erosion other departments right from the CBI probed 2G spectrum scam draw a roadmap of how traffic jams can be reduced unscrupulous developers over the political party that remained in though seems writ large, but does- of credibility lends credence to advisors to Advocate Generals. and the CWG scam and made and act upon them. It should have a long term plan last one decade. The acts of cor- power. In November 2016, her n't even constitute 10 percent of the common perception that The basic tenet of the rule of law: high profile arrests including that ruption, negligence, indolence of regulating uninterrupted traffic along this most Government ordered termination the total corruption in the state. while the rich can get their jobs 'Be you ever so high, the law is of former telecom minister A and complicity with the builders vital national highway. of the services of 21 Government The remaining 90 percent corrup- done by greasing the palms of the above you', cannot be adhered to Raja, Suresh Kalmadi and sever- by the officials of the Jammu employees of various depart- tion takes place in Mega projects, corrupt, it is actually the poor who in letter and spirit unless the anti al corporate and public servants Kathua sets example ments after declaring them Dead- Constructions, Purchases, allot- generally suffers. Hypothetically, graft body itself is not impartial, was booked by none other than Municipal Corporation (JMC) wood on the basis of reports ments of tenders, transfers, post- even if the Governor has to transparent and accountable in its CBI itself for allegedly conniving and Srinagar Municipal Corpora- ender discrimination has been the bane of obtained against them from the ings etc in which, behind the cur- address the same conference in working. There can be no deny- with the controversial meat tion (SMC), JDA and SDA our society. By any standard, gender discrim- State Vigilance Organisation. Her tains, maneuvers by the business- March 2017, that is, after nine ing the fact that corruption flows exporter Moin Qureshi. The case destroyed the concept of planned from top to bottom but the cru- against A.P. Singh comes close on development and converted the ination is a sin against humanity. Prime father, Late Mufti Mohd Sayeed bureaucratic-political elite plays years, his address can well be the G in a similar move had sacked 63 the lead role, something which same as nothing has changed over sade against corruption always the heels of the agency's probe cities into concrete jungles caus- Minister Modi declared Beti Bachao Beti Padhao as corrupt officials by invoking Arti- the general public has no idea nearly a decade. The anti graft and every time starts from the bot- against another former CBI ing severe hardship to the inhab- the slogan of eradicating gender discrimination. cle 226 against them. However, about. Had this fact been consid- bodies and various Commissions tom and seldom goes up. As Director, Ranjit Sinha, IPS. These itants on one hand and severely brought out, the fight against cor- few incidents remind us that per- District administration of Kathua took up this and the Courts have struck down ter- ered by the Commission, some set up to address the malady has affecting the ecology and envi- mination orders of about a dozen directions to tackle the corruption miserably failed to deliver and we ruption remains confined to curb sons come and go but the paper ronment on the other without other associated social welfare programmes as its 10% of the corruption and the and the files never die and remain officers so far while the cases of in these areas would have been are proud to be where we were being held accountable by the political-business-bureaucratic- alive for decades together. The cherished project and achieved commendable suc- many others are pending in the suggested. Even in the places and that is, among top 5 corrupt anti-graft bodies for the wrongdo- elite nexus remains untouched. arbitrary decisions, selections, cess. Statistics available with us show that child sex High Court at various stages. where installation of CCTV cam- States in the country. There has ings. This narrative needs to be favoritism, abuse of official posi- The recent recommendations eras has been suggested, lower neither been any arrest of top offi- With the change of guards in ratio has shown significant improvement of 10 changed as things are fast chang- tion, concealment of facts by the court complexes failed to seek the cials in corruption cases nor any the SVO and appointment of a of Kuldeep Khoda, IPS who ing at the national level. officers sitting at the helm of points-up from 861 to 871-which was a healthy and due attention of the Commission. attachment of property in the dis- person of high esteem as the State completed his term as CVC a cou- Former Haryana Chief Minis- affairs while deciding any matter encouraging sign. Actually, this is the result of inten- My memory goes back to the proportionate assets case in the ple of days back suggesting ter, Om Prakash Chautala; his son to favour or disfavor is not some- Information Commissioner, Aam sive awareness campaign which the district adminis- installation of CCTV Cameras at summer of 2008, wherein, the last many years and the situation Ajay Chautala and two senior IAS thing which will now get buried Admi can repose the faith in the tration under able guidance of Deputy Commissioner Toll Posts, Patwar-khanas, police Governor N.N Vohra while looks so hunky-dory as if all is officers are serving 10-year jail and forgotten. impartiality of both the organiza- stations etc is a good suggestion addressing the 8th Departmental well with the system. term in Tihar since 2013 in a Over the last couple of years, tions. I am keeping my fingers launched in collaboration with other departments Seriousness of any govern- but the CVC needs to be remind- Vigilance Officers Conference at teacher recruitment scam of 2000. the working, impression and crossed! besides the Social Welfare Department. This suc- ed that the evil of corruption Srinagar had expressed his con- ment in eradicating corruption Only three months back, the for- effectiveness of prime investigat- (The writer teaches Sociology in which has spread its tentacles to cern over the menace of corrup- can be judged by the kind of cess is so impressive as to have inspired the Prime mer Chief of the Air Force S.P ing agency of the State was at the University of Jammu) every sphere of life in the state tion and had called for restoring appointments made not only in Minister to make a mention of District Kathua as the Tyagi was arrested and put behind lowest ebb unconcerned by the [email protected] model which other districts in the State and the coun- try can emulate. The improvement in gender ratio in Ceiling on celebrations Killing of Army Jawans Kathua district actually reflects the changing mindset of the people of the district which, in turn, indicates Sir, Sir, the type of awareness campaign launched by district Decision of J&K State Govt to restrict the marriage celebrations This is in reference to the news item regarding frequent Exam fever to a certain limits is a harsh decision. This is great injustice partic- authorities. killing of Indian army and security forces jawans by terror- Sir, ularly with one community in the state. As per traditions, celebra- Kathua, which was identified as one of the dis- ists. Jammu and Kashmir state has been bleeding due to the Come February and March, and it is examination time in the coun- tions of marriages/functions in the Valley by majority community Pakistan sponsored terrorism since the ninetees and has result- try. During this time, students usually suffer from Exam Anxiety Dis- tricts with adverse child sex ratio (CSR) in Census i.e beating of drums, playing of amplifiers and use of crackers is ed into mass scale migration of Kashmiri Pandits from the order. 2011, has been selected for "Effective Community undesirable and against their ethos with religious point of view. As valley. Country has seen abrupt increase in the terrorist activ- A lot of students go through this stage so one should not feel that he Engagement" for valuing and respecting the girl regards other communities in the state, marriages are celebrated ities after Pathankot Air Base attack. The abrupt increase in with music, dance and religious ethos as there is myth that 330 mil- is the only person who faces it. This fever manifests in the form of stom- child under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. It is not only the recent terrorist incidents in the valley, clearly indicates the ache, nausea, increased heart rate; excessive sweating and severe lion Devtas (Gods) participate in the marriage function and show- role of the local population in preventing army jawans reach in gender awareness area but in other areas also er their blessings to the couple for their peaceful married life. As headaches. Emotional symptoms such as the mind going blank, lack of or eliminate the terrorists or lift the injured jawans for treat- district Kathua has shown considerable improve- per traditions of the particular community, God is pleased with var- concentration, inability to organize, exam apprehension, fear of failure ment and provide the terrorists a safe passage to escape unhurt ious vegetarian dishes (Shapan Bogh) whereas non veg is not used. and low self-esteem and so on. This in turn leads to sadness, anger, ment to take lead over other districts of the State. from the scene. This has made it clear that but for the sympa- Moreover, beating of drums, using crackers etc is one sort of tra- depression, severe anxiety, panic attacks. In terms of awareness of women health and preg- thies of the local population, the harbours and pseudo secu- dition to please God and guests. Use of only seven dishes in a The students usually suffer from this disorder because parents put nancy and related matters there is perceptible marriage function will certainly hurt the feelings besides serving larist politicians the terrorists would not have succeeded in pressure on their wards to excel in the exams. If somehow the child does change. During mass awareness campaign, of non veg in the marriage functions is totally against the traditions making the situation in the valley volatile. not succeed then he feels depressed and his morale also gets affected. Kathua district got 220 orphan girls adopted by 110 of a particular community. Hence, Govt should roll back its deci- Therefore the persons with illegal weapons using against Some students become withdrawn, cranky, irrititable and throw tantrums. the country, those giving shelter to the militants, stone pelters, private higher secondary schools, giving them free sion of imposing restrictions mentioned above in the marriage cel- Some are not able to tolerate it and get addicted to drugs. and helping the terrorists escape unhurt must be dealt like ter- To avoid it, it is necessary that students plan very well in the begin- education. Similarly, 100 girls were given free ebrations whereas restrictions with regard to strength of participants is welcomed. rorists. ning, and parents avoid having great expectations. bags, uniforms etc in the Government schools. The Yours etc..... Yours etc.... Yours etc... Nari Niketans were also enrolled for welfare of the H.S Saini Shiv Kumar Padha Medansh Thusoo girl children. Digiana Jammu Basohli on e-mail