RNI ; JKENG/2007/26070 ISSN 0974-5653

Jammu, February 1, 2009 / Vol 3 / Issue 2 || Price Rs. 30 || Postal Registration No. JK-350/2007-09 || www.epilogue.in

SETTING OUT
AGENDA FOR

OMAR
GOVERNMENT
Salman Haider l PR Chari l Rita Manchanda l Balraj Puri
C Uday Bhaskar l Ashok Jaitley l Madhu Kishwar
Lt Gen V K Patankar l Tahir Mohiuddin l Leela Karan Sharma
M Ashraf l Rekha Chowdhary l Vikram Gaur l Murtaza Shibli
K.N. Pandita lVerinder Gupta l Dipankar Sengupta l Mahesh Kaul

THEME MODERATORS
ZAFAR CHOUDHARY
D SUBA CHANDRAN
RAGHAV SHARMA

BOOKS SPECIAL REPORT

New Challenges and Unending Puzzles Lost in Pay Din, Officers of All India Services
 J&K ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION AGENCY

Economic Reconstruction Agency, under the financial assistance of Asian Development Bank has launched several schemes to
augment the water supply through drilling of Tube wells, replacement of worn out pipes for leak proof delivery system, laying
of new rising and distribution mains for adequate water delivery, construction of Over Head Tanks and Ground level Service
Reservoirs for storage of water.

TUBE WELLS (TARGETS)

Scope of Works Water Supply Augmentation Population to be benefitted
Construction of 22 Tube Wells in Jammu (East) 10.05 MGD 3,35,000.00

Location of Tube Wells in Jammu East :

Sainik Colony, Sector-C, Sector-G, Sanjay Nagar, Adarash Enclave, Gangyal, Deep Nagar, Apna Vihar, Rehari Park, Kunjwani,
Jamwal Residency, Trikuta Nagar Sector-5, Narwal, K.C. Colony, Nakrain, Babliana, Balmiki Chowk, Digiana, Nanak Nagar
Sector -8, Channi Himmat Sector-IA, Greater Kailash, Dill, Chatha

Construction of 30 Tube Wells in Jammu (West) 16.53 MGD 5,51,000.00

Location of Tube Wells in Jammu West :

Science Collee - I, II, III, Rajinder Nagar, Durga Nagar, Dental College, Medical College, Barnai, Relief Commissioner Office,
Kabir Colony, Indira Vihar JDA Park, Paloura, Suryananshi Nagar, Dharmal, Poonch Colony, Gole Gujral, Agricultural Complex,
Rajpura Mangotrian, Gole (Shamshan Ghat), Canal Road, CPS Muthi, Roop Nagar Stage II, CPS Bantalab, Lower Barnai, Patoli
Brahmana, Lale-Da-Bagh, Muthi Village, Keran, Talab Tillo, Gole Pulli.

?
With the commissioning of 52 Tube Wells in Jammu City, about 26 MGD of potable water supply shall be made available to
the population of 8,86,000 souls.
?
Of 52 Tube Wells, 10 Tube Wells have been handed over to PHED and are under sue.
?
About 4.5 MGD of Water Supply is being harnessed by the Tube Wells under use.
?
About 1,50,000 souls are getting benefitted by this augmented water supply.
?
20 Tube Wells are proposed to be commissioned as per 100 days target set by Hon’ble Chief Minister.
?
About 10.5 MGD Water Supply shall be augmented by the commissioning of 20 Tube Wells.
?
Flow meters have been / shall be installed at each Tube Wells to record the continuous flow of water.
?
Fully Automatic AVRs have been / shall be installed at each Tube Well.
B R I D G I N G T H E I N F O R M A T I O N D I V I D E

Taking J&K Closer to World

Bringing World Closer to J&K

Epilogue
because there is more to know

F O R
26 T H E
Volume : 3, Number : 2
ISSN : 0974-5653
RNI : JKENG/2007/26070
www.epilogue.in

M O N T H O F F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 9

The coalition government of the National

Conference and the Congress headed by Omar
Abdullah took over on January 5 but it is yet to
come up with a Common Minimum
Programme –a shared agenda for next six
years. In this issue, Epilogue has put together
opinions of well meaning people from across
the country setting out an agenda for the Omar
Abdullah Government.

Epilogue Ø
1×
February 2009
 FALL OF COALITION

T he coalition government peoples PDP and the Congress had come up with a
Common Minimum Program at the time of its formation in 2002. When the
government fell down in July 2008 after a bitter acrimony between coalition
partners, they went out without leaving a report card on their performance. Epilogue
brought out a point-wise examination of all 30 points contained in the CMP of
governance and concluded that the pledges were forgotten.
Aug. 2008
J&K'S SUMMER AGITATION

S ummer of 2008 will always be remembered as a dark chapter in the secular and
tolerance history of Jammu and Kashmir. On Amarnath land row, the lunatic and
hawkish voices had completely taken over the sensible voices. We launched a search
for the voices of peace and reason and came up with as many ideas as possible. We are
happy that no chance was given to the narrow regional or religious views to creep in
our pages.
Sept. 2008
INTRA-KASHMIR CONTACTS AND TRADE

S hortly before the historic cross-LoC trade was launched between two parts of
Jammu and Kashmir, the United States Institute of Peace had come up with a most
comprehensive study on making borders irrelevant. Under a special endowment from
USIP, Epilogue carried reproduced the study in fall. It was a painstaking research
taken by Hassan Askari and PR Chari, two leading policy experts of Pakistan and India,

A limited number of unbound back volumes is available in our stocks.

respectively.
Oct. 2008

ELECTIONS: CHALLENGE 2008

A R E Y O U M I S S I N G O U R PA S T S T O R I E S

W e have brought out three issues on assembly elections 2008 and the November
issue was first in the series. Elections were being held in the backdrop of a worst
separatist and communal agitation in state. With a commentary on the prevailing
political and security atmosphere, the November issue carried a complete
backgrounder on the past elections.

Nov. 2008

For booking your copies call us at 9797599365

HUNG ASSEMBLY

I n the middle of elections our small team of staffers along with some 30 volunteers
traveled across the length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir to gauge the public
mood. The conclusion was that there will be a hung assembly with NC as largest party,
PDP second and Congress third. Looking at the pages of our December issue one can
see all parties have come up with same number of seats as we had predicted except
the BJP.
Dec. 2008
MANDATE :

A collectors issue, the special number on our second anniversary came as fastest
possible, yet professionally correct work, on J&K elections. Result were declare
on December 28 and our issue carrying complete elections analysis and elections
trends at constituency level was out before the government was sworn I.

Jan. 2009
 Epilogue
because there is more to know

CONTENTS
www.epilogue.in
SETTING OUT
Editor
Zafar Iqbal Choudhary

Consulting Editor
AGENDA FOR
Who Said What
Prologue
Letters
4
5
6
D. Suba Chandran

Associate Editor
Irm Amin Baig

Designs & Layout

OMAR
GOVERNMENT
Note Book
10 Essential Entries
8 Essential Stories

Diplomacy
9
14

Keshav Sharma IN FOCUS Obama’s Kashmir Conundrum 15

Mailing Address
PO Box 50, HO Gandhi Nagar,
Jammu
Phones & email
Office : +91 191 2493136
Editorial: +91 94191 80762
Administration: +91 94190 00123
editor@epilogue.in
editor.epilogue@gmail.com
subscription@epilogue.in
Edited, Printed, Published and
Owned by Zafar Iqbal Choudhary.
Published from : Ibadat House,
Madrasa Lane, Near Graveyard,
Bathindi Top, Jammu, J&K -
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Ashram, New Rehari Jammu
(J&K)
Disputes, if any, subject to
jurisdiction of courts and
competitive tribunals in Jammu
only.
RNI : JKENJ/2007/26070
ISN : 00974-5653
Price : Rs 30
Agenda for Miliband’s South Asia Blunder 18
Omar Abdullah Government
28 Agenda for Omar
Special Report
Agenda 1 : Provide better Governance Sixth Pay Panel Dillema
Agenda 2 : Improve the Economy Lost in Pay Din,
Agenda 3 : Generate adequate energy supply Officers of All India Services 20
Agenda 4 : Provide Humane Conditions
The Leh Verdict
Agenda 5 : Bring the regions and
communities together
The Change we Need 51
Interview
The Team. So far
Agenda 6 : Work and Bargain with New Delhi UT demand was prompt
Agenda 7 : Continue Cross-Loc Interactions reaction to Greater Autonomy
Resolution 51
38 Letters to Omar Abdullah
Keep the Official and personal apart
Beyond 100 day Honeymoon Politics
End the Chain of HR Violations The Return of Farooq 25
A Non-Conventional Agenda
Revive Panchayats, Empower SWC, SHRC Columns
Initiate from Top to End Corruption Oral Traditions and History of
Make difference at Govt, Party Level Jammu Hill States 56
Give Jammu its due share Prof. Jigar Mohammad
Bring Reforms to Power Sector
Debate Wisdom on J&K’s Accession On Defining Freedom 59
Discrimination against Jammu is well Prof. Noor Ahmed Baba
known, end it by delimitation
Address the Displacement of the Kps
Governance is Important but don’t Abandon Reviews
Politics Books 61
47 NC-Congress
Will they ever have a common agenda ?
Epilogue Ø
3×
February 2009
 H E A R & H E A R
Who Said What

In Verbatim
Epilogue @ Rs 30

WE HOPE YOU
‘No Elections could produce a result with
UNDERSTAND
reference to final settlement of Kashmir'
Abdul Ghani Bhat, Senior Separatist Leader, Epilogue was launched
commenting on recent J&K Assembly Elections. in January 2007 with an
inaugural issue priced
at Rs 320 and
subsequent monthly
‘Resolution of the dispute over Kashmir would help issues had cover price
deny extremists, in the region (sub-continent) one of Rs 40. We had always
of their main calls to arms'. wanted to make this
David Miliband, British Foreign Secretary, writes in magazine affordable
an opinion piece for the Guardian Newspaper. and easily available to
our esteemed readers.
Therefore, in July 2008,
the cover price was
slashed to Rs 15 but
'Youth are the greatest treasure of any nation'. over the months it made
Being young, I am aware of their problems. nearly impossible for us
Omar Abduallh, Chief Minister, in his Republic Day to continue operations
Greetings. at this price as
subscriptions and retail
sales are the only
backup for continued
'In our liberal democratic framework, there is publication of your
enough space for any divergent thought or magazine. As all of you
opinion' are aware of the
N.N Vohra, Governor, in his Republic Day economic atmosphere
prevailing around us,
Greetings. we had no other option
but to hike the cover
‘PDP would forcefully pursue its self-rule agenda price. At Rs 30,
Epilogue is being now
for Kashmir Resolution to usher the state and the offered to you at
region into era of peace' roughly half of the cost
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Former Chief Minister of production of every
and PDP Patron, speaking to media on the sidelines copy. We hope you
of a party function. understand our
compulsions continue
your unflinching
'Kashmir is the ”root cause” of tension with India’ support for making
Yusuf Raza Gilani, Prime Minister, Pakistan while your magazine richer in
addressing a press conference at Islamabad on his content and wider in
return from the World Economic Forum (WEF) at reach
Davos
Management

Epilogue Ø
4×
February 2009
 P R O L O G U E
From the Editor

Realise Real Challenges

Zafar Choudhary

W
henever a new predecessor of
government takes over Omar Abdullah. He
in Jammu and Kashmir, can't be challenged
people refer to the much when he says
arrival of a new that his regime's
opportunity. A renewed opportunity to development
meet the challenges. Newspapers and performance is
magazines come up with editorials and better than all Chief
commentaries with the catchy title Minister over past
–“new opportunity in Kashmir”. Six six decades put
years later, when the government ends t o g e t h e r. I f
its term –or even before when it is made development alone
to fall –an audit of performance remains is the role of State
elusive. When there is no balance sheet government in
at all, somebody concluding “an Jammu and Kashmir,
opportunity lost” can be entirely the devastating fire
disapproved. Omar Abdullah's of summer 2008
government has come at a time when that shook the very
challenges are enormous and the foundations of this
young Chief Minister has really state would never
historic opportunity before him to have erupted. That
meet the challenges. His sweet talk experience of
has been liked by many particularly governance is fresh
when he candidly admits that his and brings home
party made many mistakes in past and much needed
he vows to correct those. It needs lessons –political Immediately after fall of the PDP-Congress coalition
courage to admit your faults and Omar process can't be government, our August 2008 issue did an audit of the
has shown that. Good. But what abandoned and Common Minimum Programme –a vision document on
development alone governance and political processes they released when
disappoints is when Omar says that his
government had taken over in November 2002. A
government is for governance and can't resolve issues pointwise performance analysis of all pledges in CMP
governance alone. Such statements Jammu and Kashmir was made with supporting statistics.
hold good when they comes from is plagued with.
leaders like Sheila Dixit or Narendra Third from Abdullah
before him should be on reducing this
Modi as Jammu and Kashmir can't be dynasty, Omar has taken over as Chief
gulf and setting the process of
taken as just another Indian state like Minister at a time when distance
political consolidation in motion.
Delhi or Gujarat. A government which between Kashmir and New Delhi is at
State government can't wash its hands
intends to limit its role to merely that its longest and the gulf between
off this major responsibility leaving
of Municipal Corporation cannot do three regions of the state has been
people to explore other options.
any good to Jammu and Kashmir. Look left widest in the history. In my
Feedback :
at Ghulam Nabi Azad –the opinion the single biggest challenge zafarchoudhary@epilogue.in

Epilogue Ø
5×
February 2009
 L E T T E R S
Readers Write

Change by New Delhi, again

Dear Editor

I fail to understand the media interpretation of Jammu and Kashmir elections. Yes, there was a high voter percentage and that
indicates peoples' growing faith in the institution of democracy. But why are the media calling it vote for change. Where is the
change? The party which has now come to rule –National Conference –got exactly the same number of seats as it bagged in last
elections -28. Its partner, the Congress has suffered loss of three seats over the 2002 performance. The parties which have been
made to sit in the opposition have actually improved their position –PDP from 16 to 21 seats and BJP from 1 to 11 seats. Jammu and
Kashmir has long been fighting a political disease of governments being fixed un in New Delhi. So why the media is ignoring the fact
that the latest change in Jammu and Kashmir has been brought by New Delhi and not by the peoples' mandate.

SHAFI MIR
Nowhatta, Srinagar

Terrorism v/s Secularism technology. The primary responsibility of any security force is
to provide security to people and their property. The various
Dear editor branches of the security force should have well coordination in
terms of information of any future plan of attack. By doing so,

T errorism refers to acts of violence or the threat of such

violence used as a political strategy by an individual or a
group. Terrorism tries to paint violence as a legitimate
political tactic, even though such acts are condemned by
virtually every nation. Terrorist also bypass established
channels of political negotiation. Terror is, therefore, a weak
organization's strategy to harm a stronger foe. Indeed,
Terrorism has become almost commonplace in international
politics.
The 9/11 of India that is the brutal Terrorist attack on the
financial capital of our country. The unprecedented attack on
world's largest democracy is of urgent and serious concern not
only for the nation as well as the world. The recent attack on
HOTEL TAJ, HOTEL OBERIO and the NARIMAN HOUSE shows that
the terrorist were intensified their striking attack with the
help of modern gadgets and information technology to handle
such a terrorist attack the nation of the world should come
forward to crab the menace of terrorism, because unilaterism
did not works, to fight and control the menace of terrorism the
approach should be multilaterism.
Our security personals should be equipped and updated within
modern trainings, gadgets, weapons and information
they were capable of preventing any terror attack on vital
installations as well as common. Why the terrorist succeeded
in executing the recent terror attack? The one and only answer
is lack of coordination among the security forces.
The Indian constitution provide for a secular character of our
country. The constitution says that there is no discrimination on
grounds such as caste, colour, creed and sex. The very
foundation of our secular character is very strong, but there are
some anti-national and anti- social elements present in the
society who is always ready to take advantage of such
opportunities for their self and vested interests. They use
different platforms and means to achieve their vested interests,
either moral or immoral. By doing so, they help to fulfill the
mission of the terrorists, whose primary target is to divide the
society as well as the country on the basis of religion. Here comes
the burden on the shoulder of the common man. The common
man should not come in the trap of such elements. The example
is seen in the recent terror attack on the financial capital of our
country (MUMBAI). The people of Mumbai maintain communal
harmony, so they deserve the credit of not spreading the fire of
communal violence, which we see after an terror attack. This
shows that the very foundation of secular India is very very
strong, impossible to break.

Epilogue Ø
6×
February 2009
 L E T T E R S
Readers Write

Hostage taking and outright killing provoke popular anger, and
there is little doubt that the nov-26, 2008 attack united India.
But taking action against terror groups is problematic. Because
most terrorist groups are shadowy organization with no formal
connection to any establishes state, it is difficult to point a
finger of responsibility and a reprisal may be all but
impossible.
A final reason for continuing militarism is regional conflicts.
During the 1990, for example, localized war broke out in
BOSNIA, CHECHNYA, and ZAMBIA, and terrorist today run
high in the Middle East as well as between INDIA and
PAKISTAN. Even limited wars have the potential to escalate
and draw in other countries. INDIA and PAKISTAN both
nuclear powers- moved to the brink of war in 2002, raising
fears of atomic war. In 2003, the announcement by north-
korea that it, too had joined the nuclear club ensures that
tension will remain high in ASIA as well. The resignation of
union home minister, Chief Minister and the deputy chief
minister is not the answer to the menace of TERRORISM. The
solution is only possible when the government, the security
force and the common people come together and fight the
growing problem of TERRORISM.
MOHAMMAD SHAMIM
Old Bus Stand, Leh Ladakh

LAHDC discouraging minor thing at the Bank. In the J&K Bank
Leh the manager asked me to submit a
entrepreneurs copy of FPO license before starting the
Dear Editor loan procedure. When I approached
Delhi for the FPO license I was told that
machineries again and at that moment I
got completely disappointed and
requested him a lot saying that I had
already taken the machineries from
him. After huge request and struggle he

S etting up of a small industry to

promote local produce in Leh is a
distant dream for aspirant youth on
account of bureaucratic irregularities.
After taking a diploma course in fruit
processing in 2003 from Jammu I have
struggled for the last six years meaning
to set up a fruit processing industry. My
aim turned out to be a distant dream
and years of struggle due to lack of
support from concerned authorities at
Leh.
It took me six months at the District
Industry Centre (DIC) Leh just for the
Provision Number, the basic registration
of being unemployed. The DIC Leh is
being handled by an officer as the
manager who is also responsible for the
Employment department. The next step
after DIC was the Bank loan procedure
and this has also been a two-year long
struggle for a person who aspires to set
up a small industry. My case in the J&K
Bank was the first for fruit processing
and it would take more than week for a
FPO license is granted only after
building for the proposed industry is
complete in all respect and the required
transferred draft into cash by charging
rupees of 80,000 as tax. On the other
hand I had to stay in Delhi in rented
machineries are bought. I followed the room for over three weeks for this
suggestions and I first arranged some particular purpose. I returned to Ladakh
loans from my relatives and friends and with the remaining money from Delhi
invested an amount of rupees 5 lacs and and reimbursed to different places..
then I invited the inspector from the Having a few months passed I got a
Ministry of Food Processing who, after platform to question whether the loan
two weeks, granted me the FPO license. assistance comes before or after the
When I produced the FPO license the FPO lincense but I have not got the
Bank manager from Khalsi came for answer yet.
inspection and asked me to bring
Then comes the Land issue: As I had
Performa bill from the authorized
applied for a piece of land at Leh to
dealer but when I submitted the proper
promote the industry in a bigger scale,
bill which I had got from the dealer, the
another dramatic trouble I had to
Bank refused it. Then I brought a new
undergo. I was allotted 10 marlas of
Performa Bill from the authorized
land at Leh industrial estate, only on the
dealer in Delhi from whom I had bought
paper. I virtually didn't get the piece of
machineries and submitted the new
land. I have given my 6th reminder to
Performa Bill to the bank. The bank
DIC and Hill Council but I'm now told
sanctioned me a draft of 4 lac rupees in
that there is no vacant land available.
the name of the dealer. I went to Delhi
But the ground reality is such that a non-
with the daft to transfer the draft into
Ladakhi who had applied for land after
cash. The dealer told me it will not be
me had got a land allotted at the
transferred unless I took the

Epilogue Ø
7×
February 2009
 L E T T E R S
Readers Write

Industrial estate. I am also aware of some influential

people who are using such lands for residential and
other commercial purposes in the name of industry.
For a person like me, who hails from a rural
background can't afford to use influential connection,
has no other choice but to follow the proper channels. An idea that worked
But then all hopes shuttered when proper channels are
also found dysfunctional. It's very sad that even the
executive councilor for industry is ignorant about the
ground reality of the land allotted at the industrial
W hen Epilogue was just an idea, an energetic Zafar
talked endlessly about the magazine which would
take a wholesome look at one issue. Two years down
estate. the line the idea is a successful venture. I have been
The Marketing issue: We all know that marketing and a contributing to Epilogue and also, being a regular
market place for local produce and handicrafts is a big reader. It is a comprehensive, incisive and has varied
problem for all Ladakhis, especially farmers. The perspectives on a newsy, strategically important topic.
administration of the Hill Council never took it It is informative and at the same time educative. I wish
seriously nor did we get any encouragement from them Epilogue all the best in the years ahead and hope it will
as we requested the concerned executive councilor continue to contribute towards meaningful writing.
time and again to help in pulping of apricots.

Very regretfully I want to highlight an example of how PAWAN BALI

Senior special correspondent
the Hill Council discouraged local entrepreneurs and
CNN IBN
produces during the Ladakh Festival 2008. The
Festival was particularly to showcase Ladakh's
identity, its tradition, Agricultural and Horticultural
potential of the land but at Pologround, the main
venue of the festival, a Big Fancy shop and a shop of
SAMOSA and PURI and playing of trains and doll show
for kids for entertainment were permitted. And on the
The Magazine, sensitive to change
other hand stalls for the Ladakhi products, foods such
as PABA, THUKPA, MOKMOK, fine wood curving, local
juices etc were permitted in the NAC forest behind the
E pilogue is one of the best magazines, I have come
across, that covers the news in its truest colors and
the analysis of the news is equally balanced. The issue
Bazaar which is not easily accessible to the public and
the tourists. After the festival was over the on Forest (December, 2008), their plight and the
organizers, in an edition of Rangyul, had appreciated condition of forest officers was covered by the
themselves by terming the festival a successful one. magazine in a very emphatic way. We need more such
work in near future. It is a magazine that is sensitive to
Earlier I was a bit hesitant to share my narrative story
the change be it environment, politics, history or the
but I am now sick and tired of the uncountable
happening next door. I congratulate the magazine and
requests I made to the concerned authorities,
the team behind it for completing two fruitful years.
especially to the Hill Council. Thus I chose the last
option to expose such irregularities so that concerned
authorities might think twice before victimizing and SURESH CHUGH
torturing another beneficiary in the bureaucratic Conservator of Forest, Research, J&K
machinery.

SKARMA TOKDAN
stardhomkhar@rediffmail.com

Epilogue Ø
8×
February 2009
 N O T E B O O K
10 Essential Stories

HEALTH

SKIMS says brought down net death rate to 3.2%

S tate's prestigious medical institution,

the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of
Medical Sciences, at Srinagar, has
recuperation", he adds.

The institute has also recorded a

claimed that it brought down the net
death rate of patients to 3.2 per cent
during the preceding year. These
mortality figures are at par with other
tertiary centres in the country, says
noted endocrinologist and Director, Sher-
e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences,
Dr. Hamid Zargar. "Out of the 47,660 in-
patient admissions last year, as many as
44,541 have been discharged after
marked decrease in average length of
the stay of patients. The OPD
attendance in the institute has also
increased by 11 per cent with nearly
5.72 lakh patients availing OPD
facilities in various departments, adds
Dr. Zargar.
The institute has also carried 16,348
surgeries, including 9,867 major
operations pertaining to neurosurgery,
paediatric, plastic, urology, et al. "In
accident emergency, we have treated
68,000 people in 2008, in comparison to
a mere 10,000 in mid-Eighties and
20,000-25,000 in mid-Nineties", says Dr.
Zargar. The Department of CVTS
performed more than 100 open heart
surgeries, which is a record in 26 years
of SKIMS' existence. Mortality in these
patients was 5 per cent, which is at par
with other centres of national repute,
he adds with pride.

RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS

SASB gets luminaries on board

S etting at rest a major

controversy which rocked
Jammu and Kashmir in 2008, the
Sunita Narain, a Padma Shri
awardee, is currently Director,
Centre for Science and
Governor NN Vohra, on January Environment, and the Society
7, reconstituted the Shri for Environmental Communi-
Amarnath Shrine Board by taking cation. She also edits the
luminaries of their own fields on fortnightly newsmagazine
board. The newly appointed Down to Earth. Associated
Members as the persons of with leading international
eminence, who have distingu- environmental organisations,
ished themselves in the service of she is a Member of Prime
the religion and culture, social Minister's Council on Climate
work, administration, legal Change and Commission on
SRI SRI : The Champion of values SUNITA : The environmentalist
affairs, financial matters and Climate Change and
environmental management. Development, Sweden.

The new members are: Founder of the world-wide 'Art of
Living Movement', Sri Sri Ravi Shankra is an eminent scholar
who has been tirelessly striving for fostering, on a global scale,
a deeper understanding of the values that unite the people of
different faiths as a human community. His 'Art of Living'
organisation has a special consultative status with the
Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
Dr Kapila Vatsyayan, Member Parliament (Rajya Sabha), has
served as Secretary to Government of India in the Department
of Arts and Culture for over a decade. She is the founder
Director of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, a former
President of the India International Centre and presently the
Chairman of the IIC-Asia Project.
Justice (Retd) G D Sharma has been a distinguished member of
the judiciary and is presently working as President, State
Consumers Forum in Jammu and Kashmir . He has held key
assignments in the Judiciary.
Santoor maestro, Pandit Bhajan Sopori, is a music director
of repute, having produced several musical productions and
composed music for songs in various Indian languages. He
has also composed music for operas, tele-films, serials and
documentaries.
Dr Ved Kumari Ghai, is a renowned Sanaskrit scholar and
former Head of the Sanaskrit Department in the University of
Jammu.

Epilogue Ø
9×
February 2009
 N O T E B O O K
10 Essential Stories

POLITICS

PDP-Congress honeymoon ends

U pon Congress alliance with the

National Conference to form
Government in Jammu and Kashmir, the
Peoples Democratic Party pulled out of
the United Progressive Alliance on
January 4 –a day ahead of the Omar
Abdullah Government was sworn in. PDP
Mufti. PDP pulled out after writing a
letter to the UPA Chairperson and
Congress president Sonia Gandhi which
had only member in the UPA –Mehbooba is reproduced here:

Dear Sonia Ji,

Six years back we had started a journey together against the backdrop of blood, mayhem, repression and
despondency in Jammu & Kashmir. Today there is enough indication on ground to feel satisfied that the alliance
turned out to be an enterprise of hope for the people of Jammu & Kashmir that you and Mufti Saheb had intended it
to be.
Your statesmanship contributed in a substantial measure to the turnaround in the situation. And for the first time in
the State's history, the PDP-Congress Coalition worked as a remarkable facilitator of reconciliation between
political aspirations of the State, its developmental needs and the national interest. In fact the measures of
significance initiated by the PDP-Congress Coalition Government led to an entirely new realization of peace as the
only way forward in South Asia.
During the stewardship of Mufti Saheb at the State level, an unprecedented national consensus was attained on
Kashmir and the need for opening up to Pakistan and reaching out to the people of Jammu & Kashmir for its final
settlement was vehemently articulated by the then Prime Minister Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee and his successor Dr
Manmohan Singh. The peace and reconciliation process made the mainstream of Kashmir politics to gain a new
status and prestige as a factor for resolution and the ground situation in the State started transforming positively.
My father and my party feel we have done a duty towards our State, which could not have been achieved without the
support of your party and the UPA Government.
I have from time to time been briefing you on the goings on in our coalition arrangement, which unfortunately could
not run its full course. But, even after the fall of the PDP-Congress Coalition Government in the State, we continued
to be with the UPA and extended our full support to your government at the Center in whatever circumstances.
We had gone into the recent elections with our agenda for dialogue, Self-Rule, reduction of troops and scrapping of
special powers in view of the vastly improved ground situation in the State. The emphatic rejection of violence by
the people of the State as a means of solving problems and reiteration of their faith in democratic means became
very clear during the just concluded elections. We have been raising the vital issues concerning the State and its
people for quite some time in the interest of peace and stability. We as a responsible opposition will continue to flag
the issues that we feel people have mandated us for.
As you have exercised your unquestionable right to choose a partner for government formation in J&K, we wish the
new government well. I sincerely hope the new Government in the State is able to respond to the highly complex
situation with success.
In view of your new arrangement with the National Conference, both in the State and in the UPA, you would
appreciate our difficulty in continuing to be a part of the UPA. My party has decided to stay away from the
arrangement as it has become now untenable for PDP to continue in this alliance.
While conveying the party decision, I may express my gratitude for the personal affection that you always showered
on me, the consideration that you and your Government showed to our point of view and the historic contribution
you made to Kashmir's fortunes in 2002.
With warm wishes and best regards,

Mehbooba Mufti,
Srinagar,
January 4, 2009

Epilogue Ø
10 ×
February 2009
 N O T E B O O K
10 Essential Stories

SOCIETY WILDLIFE & ENVIRONMENT

Kashmiri women victim of sexual abuse 8 lakh migratory birds
T he Kashmiri woman is increasingly falling victim to sexual abuse –both at
home and at work, say the experts. The study “Domestic violence
against women” reveals that the varied practices related to molestation of
flock Valley wetlands
Women are in vogue in Kashmiri society as well.
This sociological study, by noted sociologist Dr B.A Dabla, while confirming
M igratory birds flocking the picturesque
wetlands of Kashmir have created a
record this year with nearly eight lakh of
these propositions states that over the past few decades there is significant
them visiting the Valley Coming from
degree of increase in the practice related to molestation of Kashmiri women
Siberia, China, Central Asia and North
within the in-laws and parental home. However, the study adds that this
Europe, apart from the Indian sub-continent,
crime against women is also rampant outside the domestic framework.
the migratory birds have added more colour
According to the research study, of the sixty-six percent cases of molestation
to Kashmir's wetlands and fresh water lakes.
that have come to fore within the period of one year, 30 such cases were
This year, the arrival of the winged visitors
reported in the domestic framework. Overall, Within the domestic framework,
touched the highest ever number of nearly
9% victims revealed that there close relatives especially first cousins were
involved in this bestial acts.7% reported the involvement of distant relatives
and in 14% cases this shameful act was carried out by neighbours. The arrival of 8 lakh
While probing the reasons responsible for the acts of molestation of Women,
the study emphasizes that in a tight knit community like Kashmir women do winged guests this year is is
not break the silence by exposing the horrendous crimes of sexual abuse.
However, Some of the 'apparent' reasons the study has mentioned within
in contrast to 25,000 birds
and outside the domestic framework include , overcrowd in public in 1992.
buses(11%), raids by armed forces 16%; jealousy of working women(6%),
sexual lust(7%),indecent dress of women (4%), impact of films (6%); juvenile
delinquency(6%) eight lakh at three famous waterfowl
habitats of Haigam, Hokersar and Shalibugh
While speaking on long-term implications of molestation, the study
in the valley. This is in contrast to 25,000
maintains that the victims develop severe psychological problems and
tendency for suicide. Expressing concern over the growing insecurity for birds in 1992. Though the danger of bird-flu
women within the home, the social activist, Sumeera Rashid said, had temporarily made them suspect in the
eyes of authorities, who issued instructions
“Due to conservative structure of the society most of these incidences go
to the state animal husbandry department
un- reported. The fact, is molestation within domestic framework, is still
underground. Being at the lowest rung of the ladder in society, women suffer for collecting samples of the birds, no case
the most in this patriarchal society,'' Adding further she states that for fear of of bird flu was found.
retaliation and losing face, women keep away from registering complaints. Wildlife warden, wetlands, Kashmir
Against this backdrop, only few such cases have been registered so far by the division, Mohammad Abdullah Baba
police. It is time, she says, to put aside what some people believe is cultural attributed the increased arrivals to the steps
sensitivity and start seeing molestation as the crimes that they are taken by his department, including improved
water level at the wetlands, strengthening
KNOWLEDGE infrastructure besides intensified patrolling
and making available artificial feed for the
Libraries to go online birds.

A s many as 140 public libraries in Jammu and Kashmir will soon go online.
This was decided at a meeting chaired by the Tourism and Culture Minister
Nawang Rigzin Jora. Expressing concern over dwindling visitors to the libraries,
The highest number of over four lakh
migratory birds visited Haigam in Sopore this
year. This was in contrast to last year when
the Minister said that all 140 libraries in the State would be made online and
only nearly two lakh such birds were seen in
books from national-reputed organizations sourced to enrich the libraries so
the wetland, Baba said.
that better content and research-based references were available to the
readers. The construction of S.P.S. Library, at Srinagar with a total project cost Revolutionary measures taken to improve
of Rs.17.34 crore was under construction, the Minister informed. education set up in JK

Epilogue Ø
11 ×
February 2009

GOVERNANCE
Govt mulls tech-savvy measures
T o make the system of governance
and administration smart and work
efficient, the state government has set
up an exclusive e-Governance Agency
(JaKeGA) with an empowered Board of
Governors, headed by the State Chief
Secretary. Modelled on similar agencies
working in many progressive states like
Karnataka or Punjab , the JaKeGA has
been registered as a Society under the
Societies Registration Act on January 14,
2009. This is supposed to provide the
Agency with the much-needed flexibility
to implement IT-related projects
throughout the State and to receive
grants directly from the Government of
SECURITY & MILITANCY
Police declare 2008 most peaceful year of militancy decades
W ith a sharp decrease in terror
incidents last year, which also
saw huge turnout during the almost
incident-free legislative elections,
2008 remained the most peaceful time
in the troubled Jammu and Kashmir
since 1990.
According to official figures, the
number of militancy related incidents
came down to three digits - 708 - for the
first time in the nearly two decades of
separatist insurgency during which
42,876 people have been killed.
The dead include 16,832 civilians, 5,204
security personnel and 20,840
militants. The figures indicate that from
1990 to 2008, a total of 67,430 militancy
related incidents have been registered
in Jammu and Kashmir.
The highest number of 5,946 incidents
were reported in 1995 when violence
was at its peak. Since then, it has seen a
gradual fall every year but in 2001
violence again peaked with 4,536
incidents.
According to the figures, 147 civilians
India and other donor agencies. Free of
time-consuming procedures, JaKeGA
shall also take the single point
responsibility for procuring all types
of IT resources and services like
hardware, software, power, printing
and networking peripherals for
Government agencies. This will help
streamline the IT-related activities
of all the departments and help them
save time and money by providing
them with a single point mechanism
for design, development,
procurement and training. JaKeGA
shall also have the mandate to create
permanent, temporary or project-
were killed last year as compared to 399
in 2007. The highest number of civilian
killings in terror related incidents was
1,424 in 1996, the year when the first
state assembly elections were held
after more than six years of president's
rule.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS
Ø
42876 killed in 67,430
incidents in 20 years
Ø
Dead include -16832 civilians,
5204 security personnel, 20840
militants
Ø
Highest 5946 people were
killed in 1995; 4536 were killed
in 2001
Among 1,000 civilians killed in 4,211
incidents in 1990, 539 were killed in
firing between militants and security
forces. At least 339 militants were killed
in 2008 while 460 were killed in 2007.
Highest number of 2,020 militants was
killed in 2001.
Epilogue Ø
12 ×
February 2009
N O T E B O O K
10 Essential Stories
based positions that shall help boost
the employment prospects of the
thousands of IT professionals in the
State.
JaKeGA shall also take up on priority the
encadrement of all IT professionals
already working in various Government
departments into a "J&K Informatics
Service" so that their promotional and
other HR-related issues are duly taken
care of. The day-to-day operations of
the JaKeGA shall be overseen by an
Executive Committee, headed by the
Principal Secretary, Information
Technology.
According to the figures, 85 security
personnel, including 20 policemen and
the rest from the Indian Army and
paramilitary forces, were killed last
year. The highest number of security
personnel deaths - 613 - was reported in
2001.
Only 21 militancy related incidents, in
which a civilian and a security man were
killed, occurred during the 2008
assembly elections. As during the 2002
election, 140 militant attacks were
registered which left 63 civilians and 29
security personnel dead. "The figures
are self-explanatory and undoubtedly
point that the situation is fast becoming
normal (in Jammu and Kashmir)," an
official said. According to official
estimates, about 800 militants are still
active in the state.
These figures are, however, disputed by
the separatists and independent
activists who say that more than one
lakh civilians have been killed. There
has never been any independent probe
and official figures are the only source
of information.
 N O T E B O O K
10 Essential Stories

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

HCC bags Rs 2726.49 cr Kishanganga Hydel project

H industan Construction Company

Ltd (HCC), India's leading
construction and Infrastructure
Company in joint venture with
Halcrow Group Ltd. U.K. (Halcrow) has
been awarded the prestigious and
challenging 330 MW Kishanganga
hydro-electric project by the National
Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd.
(NHPC). The contract is on turnkey
basis and valued at approximately Rs
2726.49 crore. The project involves
the construction of a 37m high
concrete faced rockfill dam, 23.5 km
of head race tunnel and an
underground powerhouse. A maximum
gross head of 665 m is proposed to be
utilised to generate 1350 Million Units
of energy, in a 90% dependable year
with an installed capacity of 3x110
MW.
This is an EPC contract where HCC
will be responsible for Engineering,
Procurement and Construction of all
items including civil and associated
infrastructure works; supply,
installation, testing and commissioning
of all electromechanical plant &
machinery and hydro-mechanical
components including generating
units. The project will be completed &
commissioned in an estimated 84
months.
The Kishanganga Hydroelectric
Project, awarded to NHPC, is
located on river Kishanganga, a
tributary of river Jhelum, in
Baramulla district of Kashmir.
The HCC-Halcrow Consortium
will have a share in the ratio of
98:2 respectively.
Sharing details of the contract,
Vinayak Deshpande, President & Chief
Operating Officer, HCC said, "This is a
prestigious contract win for us. HCC
has successfully constructed over 23
per cent of India's hydel power
generation capacity including several
challenging hydel power projects in
the Himalayan regions.
With this prestigious EPC project for
HCC, we have further strengthened
our robust order book with a
significant portion coming from the
Power segment".
HCC has contributed significantly in
the infrastructure development of
Jammu & Kashmir. It has built the
state's largest hydro-electric power
project - the Salal Dam and is
currently also developing five other
infrastructure projects.
This includes three hydel power
projects viz. Chutak HEPP (in Kargil),
Nimoo Bazgo HEPP (in Leh) and URI
HEPP in addition to the historic 84 km
Mughal Road and the Pirpanjal Tunnels
of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla
rail link. HCC has also constructed
Bhutan's largest hydroelectric power
project at Tala.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

ESSAR proposes BPOs in J&K

P rashant Ruia, Director, ESSAR Group, has announced to set
up of two BPO centres–one each in Jammu and Srinagar,
which would create 2,000 jobs in each city. This
announcement was made in Mumbai on January 17 when Chief
Minister Omar Abdullah addressed the 1200 Captains of Indian
Industry during an award ceremony.
Abdullah told his audience from Indian Industry that that in
2009 good news will start coming out of Jammu & Kashmir and
urged the industry to see for itself what J&K has to offer.
"Business is about profitability and I know that for the past 20
years, no good news has come out of J&K. But I assure you that
2009 will be the year that the good news will start emerging. I
know that right now even if I have an economic summit and
invite participation from industry, I will not offer you a level
playing field vis-à-vis other states. But I want to make an
appeal that you visit and see for yourselves what we have to
offer",
The Chief Minister said that he would like to see the youth of
J&K, who too aspire to be a part of corporate India's dream
run, to be equipped with skill sets to meet industry's needs. He
said he wanted to create the conditions that Corporate India
would earn profits in J&K. "Help me build skill sets for my
people that will make you want to employ them in your
organisations across the country and in new facilities that I
hope you will soon set up in J&K", he said and added "I will then
ensure that while peace returns, the youth are trained and
employable, ready for you when you decide to come and set
base."
Abdullah assured the India Inc. represented at the event by
CEOs, corporate stalwarts and captains of industry, that every
support required to make their entry into J&K, would be made
easy and as comfortable as possible and said that he was just a
phone call, fax and e-mail away.

Epilogue Ø
13 ×
February 2009
 N O T E B O O K
8 Essential Entries

{ {
DIED: Veteran politician G M SHAH, who had become Chief Minister of
Jammu and Kashmir by toppling the government of his brother-in-law
Farooq Abdullah, died at the age of 88, on January 6, in Srinagar. Shah,
uncle of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, had been ailing for quite sometimes
and was admitted to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences. His
party Awami National Conference contested recent assembly elections but
could not win any seat.

APPOINTED: Former top ACCIDENT: A major fire

bureaucrat JALIL AHMED
KHAN is appointed as
Economic Advisor to J&K
Government. Khan was
Financial Commissioner,
Finance till 2002 when Abdul
Rahim Rather (the present
Finance Minister) was the
Finance Minister. Khan
replaces ace economist
Haseeb Drabu.
{
DIED: TIRATH RAM AMLA,
95, a leading businessman,
philanthropist and a former
member of Rajya Sabha
who represented Jammu
and Kashmir for 21 years.
He was also a close
confidant of former Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi. End
came in Delhi on January 23. Amla has been
described as a quintessential part of the Kashmir
mystique.
broke out in the building of
LEGISLATURE COMPLEX in
the Civil Secretariat
premises. The fire broke out
in a store adjoining the hall
of Legislative Assembly and
within minutes the entire
room got engulfed due to
presence of combustible
substances and entire
Assembly hall chocked with
dense smoke. All the

employees of the Assembly

APPOINTED: J&K Vigilance
Commissioner RADHA VINOD
RAJU is appointed as
Director General of the
newly established National
Investigation Agency. A
1975-batch IPS officer, 59-
year-old Raju will be the
head of the NIA till January
21, 2010. He was selected
for the coveted post
considering his wide
knowledge and experiences
in investigating high-profile
cases, including
assassination of former
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
{
Secretariat immediately
moved out of the complex
APPOINTED:
Justice BARIN GHOSH of on witnessing smoke
Patna High Court was, on emanating from the
January sworn-in as the Assembly hall.
Chief Justice of Jammu and
APPOINTED: Leading
Kashmir High Court. The J
businessman and media
and K Governor N N Vohra
baron, also a close friend of
administered the oath of
Omar Abdullah, DEVINDER
office to Justice . Born on
SINGH RANA is appointed as
June 5, 1952, Justice Ghosh,
Political Advisor to the Chief
earlier a Judge in the Patna
Minister on January 9. He
High Court was enrolled as
has been decorated with
an advocate on December
rank and status of a Minister
19, 1978, and practiced at
of State and given a room to
Calcutta mainly in civil, company and constitutional
work in the Chief Minister's
matters. He was appointed as a permanent judge of
Secretariat.

the Calcutta High Court on July 14, 1995.

BAD MONEY:
Owner of J&K's only shopping mall, the CITY SQUARE MALL, Jammu surrendered Rs 7.50 crore unaccounted income following
raids by the Income Tax Department; his two business partners too surrendered Rs 2.30 crore before the I.T Department. With
the coughing up of Rs 2.30 crore by the business partners of Subash Gupta, the total amount surrendered by trio following IT raids
has touched nearly Rs 10 crore so far.

Epilogue Ø
14 ×
February 2009
 D I P L O M A C Y
Kashmir after Obama

Obama’s Kashmir Conundrum

Kashmir, said Barack Obama just a few days before his presidential election victory, is
"obviously a potential tar pit diplomatically".

F
ew could
argue with
that. Those
outsiders who
have sought to
broker a deal in Kashmir,
one of the world's
longest running
conflicts, have got
themselves into a fix.
They have not solved
the dispute; they have
managed to embroil
themselves in some very
sour diplomatic rows.
For six decades, the
Kashmir dispute
between India and
Pakistan has defied
attempts at resolution.
One of the United
Nations' oldest military
contingents is stationed
there - it has also been
one of the most
ineffective.
Just suggesting outside
mediation is usually
ANDREW WHITEHEAD enough to provoke an
is a former angry response from the
BBC correspondent Indian government.

Epilogue Ø
15 ×
February 2009

Bill Clinton role?
Y
et in that same interview with
Time magazine, Mr Obama held
open the prospect that his
administration would get involved in
sorting out Kashmir and might even
send a high profile envoy.
One of the "critical tasks" for his
administration, Barack Obama told
Ti m e ' s e x p e r i e n c e d p o l i t i c a l
commentator Joe Klein, was working
with Pakistan and India "in a serious
way" to try to resolve the Kashmir crisis.
He spoke of the need "to devote serious
diplomatic resources to get a special
envoy in there, to figure out a plausible
approach, and essentially make the
argument to the Indians: you guys are
on the brink of being an economic
superpower, why do you want to keep
messing with this?
"To make the argument to the
Pakistanis: look at India and what they
are doing, why do you want to keep on
being bogged down with this
particularly at a time where the biggest
threat now is coming from the Afghan
border?
"I think there is a moment where
potentially we could get their
attention. It won't be easy but it's
important."
Joe Klein then put it to Barack Obama
that it sounded like a job for former
President Bill Clinton.
"Might not be bad," responded Senator
Obama. "I actually talked to Bill...
about this when we had lunch in
Harlem."
It was hardly a roadmap for Kashmir, but
nor was it just a stray remark. Amid the
clamour of the closing days of the
presidential election campaign, the
remarks did not get a lot of attention in
the US media.
But they were noticed and analysed
across South Asia.
Kashmiri separatists were pleased, the
Pakistan establishment did not seem to
know what to make of it and the Indian
authorities were distinctly annoyed.
India controls the Kashmir Valley and
believes it has largely vanquished the
armed separatist groups, many of which
have had links to Pakistan. A US special
envoy could be seen as throwing into
question the Indian claim to Kashmir,
and encouraging Kashmiris to campaign
against Indian rule.
Ever since a peace accord with Pakistan
back in 1972, India has insisted that the
future of Kashmir is a bilateral matter.
Its message to the rest of the world's
diplomats could be summarised as:
"Keep away from Kashmir, it's none of
your business."
Straws in the wind
The received wisdom in India was that
either Barack Obama was naive in his
remarks on Kashmir or he would be
pulled back by the seasoned South Asia
experts in Washington.
The Mumbai attacks in late November
and then the broadly successful
completion of state elections in Indian-
administered Kashmir, were seen as
strengthening India's stand.
Indeed the veteran American journalist
and foreign affairs expert Selig Harrison
declared this month that President-
elect Obama had "made his first big
foreign-policy mistake" even before
Epilogue Ø
16 ×
February 2009
D I P L O M A C Y
Kashmir after Obama
“I think there is a moment where
potentially we could get [Indian
and Pakistani] attention. It
won't be easy but it's important”
- Barack Obama
taking office. The supposed mistake:
pledging US intervention in the Kashmir
dispute.
"By questioning Indian control of the
Kashmir Valley," wrote Harrison in the
Washington Times, "the United States
would strengthen jihadi forces in both
Islamabad and Srinagar, the capital of
the state of Jammu and Kashmir. More
importantly, it would undermine
improving US-India relations."
But there have been some straws in the
wind to suggest that the new
administration will be more active over
Kashmir.
Susan Rice, one of Mr Obama's closest
foreign policy advisers, made reference
to Kashmir last week during
Congressional hearings for her
nomination as the new US ambassador
to the United Nations.
She commended the role of the UN in
responding to threats to international
peace and security - "from the Balkans
to East Timor, from Liberia to Kashmir,
from Cyprus to the Golan Heights". That
sent another shudder through the Indian
external affairs ministry.
Also last week, an article by Britain's
Foreign Secretary David Miliband -
“There is no linkage between
Kashmir and the terror India
has been facing emanating from
Pakistan”
- Congress Party spokesman

published in the Guardian newspaper
while he was on a visit to India - again
turned the focus on the Kashmir
conflict.
"Resolution of the dispute over
Kashmir would help deny extremists
in the region one of their main calls
to arms and allow Pakistani
authorities to focus more effectively
on tackling the threat on their
western borders," Mr Miliband wrote.
He did not suggest an international
envoy. Nevertheless, the Indian
establishment fired a sustained
volley of criticism at their ministerial
visitor.
"There is no linkage between Kashmir
and the terror India has been facing
emanating from Pakistan," said a
spokesman for India's governing
Congress party.
"The bureaucracy in the British
foreign office should have educated
him a little bit on the facts."
A leading figure in the main
opposition BJP was even more
forthright. "In recent years, there
has been no bigger disaster than the
visit of David Miliband," declared
Arun Jaitley.
A British minister, of course, can
hardly be said to reflect the views of
the Obama administration. But the
remarks will be seen as indicating a
new line of thinking in Western
capitals.
As the world seeks to get the
measure of the new man in the White
House, South Asia's politicians and
diplomats are wondering whether
there may now be a determined
attempt by outside powers to
promote a settlement of the Kashmir
crisis.
D I P L O M A C Y
Kashmir after Obama
...Kashmir focus a colossal blunder
S
trategic affairs specialist Dr Ashley Tellis believes the November 26 terror attacks
on Mumbai has given birth to the "misguided notion" that a resolution of the
Kashmir dispute is imperative to rein in terrorism in South Asia, and that this
should be the priority of the proposed special envoy to the region. Such an agenda,
warns Dr Tellis, currently a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International
Peace, would be "a colossal blunder."
"It's an example of facile solutions that people are reaching for because they have
either not done the analysis or they have not thought through the solution carefully,"
the Mumbai-born Dr Tellis said. "Everyone is gravitating towards what appears to be
the sexy solution. The difficulty is that it will only make things worse."
The single biggest problem, he felt, is that such a solution is
based on the assumption that a genuine grievance about
Kashmir is the trigger for terrorism in the region. "The fact
of the matter is that genuine grievances about Kashmir are
being addressed by the two countries through their
bilateral process, and the groups that are conducting this
murder and mayhem could care a damn about Kashmir
anymore than they would care about some other subject."
He argued that Lashkar-e-Tayiba and similar groups are
"are driven by an ideology that is very, very different, and
that can be demonstrated from the fact that these groups
are fundamentally non-Kashmiri to begin with. The
Lashkar is manned by Pakistani Punjabis. The only genuine
Kashmiri resistance group, which is Hizbul Mujaheddin,
has never operated outside of Kashmir. I don't understand
how making the argument that solving Kashmir is going to
end these tragedies makes any sense at all."
Dr Tellis says Barack Obama's thinking, expressed often during his election campaign,
that solving Kashmir was key to ending terrorism, is analogous to the argument after
9/11 that the Palestinian crisis had to be resolved to avoid such tragedies. "I don't think
any of the protagonists of these solutions either understands the region, knows the
region, or has given deep thought to it. This is one of these facile things that comes to
mind, and it sounds very cute and very reasonable and plausible, and so people are
floating this."
The real problem, Dr Tellis said, is that the war in Afghanistan has entered a difficult
phase thanks largely to Pakistan's non-cooperation, and it is this issue that should be
the focus for urgent resolution. If the US went the Kashmir route, the analyst warned,
"it would end up being embarrassed and destroying the credibility of American
diplomacy. There is a reason why we haven't done this for 30 years. To try and come up
with these ideas now is just shallow thinking.”
AZIZ HANIFFA in Washington, DC
Epilogue Ø
17 ×
February 2009
 D I P L O M A C Y
Miliband’s blunder

Miliband's
South Asia
Blunder

B
ritish Foreign
Secretary David
Miliband's first visit
to India in the middle of
January has been
described by the foreign
policy experts as
diplomatic blunder. India
reacted bitterly and also
reportedly wrote to the
British Prime Minister David Miliband
Gordon Brown on
Miliband's remarks on ‘War on Terror’ was Wrong
Kashmir. Though in
Kashmir, Miliband's
remarks were seen as a The phrase gives a false idea of a unified global enemy, and
welcome intervention, but encourages a primarily military reply
New Delhi took strong
offence to his comments

seeking to link the
Kashmir dispute to
Lashkar-e-Toiba and
terrorism in the region
even as he expressed faith
in Pakistan's judicial
system to try the
perpetrators of 26/11 and
referred to the poor status
of Muslims in India. While
during his visit Miliband
used measured words but
what caused flutter was
his article appearing in
UK's Guardian newspaper.
The full article is
reproduced along side.
T
he terrorist attacks in Mumbai seven weeks ago sent shock waves around the world.
Now all eyes are fixed on the Middle East, where Israel's response to Hamas's
rockets, a ferocious military campaign, has already left a thousand Gazans dead.
Seven years on from 9/11 it is clear that we need to take a fundamental look at our efforts to
prevent extremism and its terrible offspring, terrorist violence. Since 9/11, the notion of a
"war on terror" has defined the terrain. The phrase had some merit: it captured the gravity of
the threats, the need for solidarity, and the need to respond urgently - where necessary, with
force. But ultimately, the notion is misleading and mistaken. The issue is not whether we need
to attack the use of terror at its roots, with all the tools available. We must. The question is
how. The idea of a "war on terror" gave the impression of a unified, transnational enemy,
embodied in the figure of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida. The reality is that the motivations
and identities of terrorist groups are disparate. Lashkar-e-Taiba has roots in Pakistan and says
its cause is Kashmir. Hezbollah says it stands for resistance to occupation of the Golan Heights.
The Shia and Sunni insurgent groups in Iraq have myriad demands.
They are as diverse as the 1970s European movements of the IRA, Baader-Meinhof, and Eta.
All used terrorism and sometimes they supported each other, but their causes were not
unified and their cooperation was opportunistic. So it is today.

Epilogue Ø
18 ×
February 2009

“
The more we lump terrorist groups together and draw
the battle lines as a simple binary struggle between
moderates and extremists, or good and evil, the more we
“Lashkar-e-Taiba has
play into the hands of those seeking to unify groups with
little in common. Terrorist groups need to be tackled at
roots in Pakistan and says
root, interdicting flows of weapons and finance,
its cause is Kashmir.
Hezbollah says it stands
exposing the shallowness of their claims, channelling
for resistance to
their followers into democratic politics.
occupation of the Golan
Heights. The Shia and
The "war on terror" also implied that the correct Sunni insurgent groups in
response was primarily military. But as General Petraeus Iraq have myriad
said to me and others in Iraq, the coalition there could demands. They are as
not kill its way out of the problems of insurgency and civil diverse as the 1970s
strife. European movements of
the IRA, Baader-Meinhof,
This is what divides supporters and opponents of the and Eta. All used
military action in Gaza. Similar issues are raised by the terrorism and sometimes
debate about the response to the Mumbai attacks. Those they supported each
who were responsible must be brought to justice and the other, but their causes
government of Pakistan must take urgent and effective were not unified and their
action to break up terror networks on its soil. But on my cooperation was
visit to south Asia this week, I am arguing that the best opportunistic. So it is
.”
antidote to the terrorist threat in the long term is today”
cooperation. Although I understand the current
“
difficulties, resolution of the dispute over Kashmir would
help deny extremists in the region one of their main calls
to arms, and allow Pakistani authorities to focus more
effectively on tackling the threat on their western “But on my visit to south
Asia this week, I am
borders.
arguing that the best
antidote to the terrorist
We must respond to terrorism by championing the rule of threat in the long term is
law, not subordinating it, for it is the cornerstone of the cooperation. Although I
democratic society. We must uphold our commitments to understand the current
human rights and civil liberties at home and abroad. That difficulties, resolution of
is surely the lesson of Guantánamo and it is why we the dispute over Kashmir
welcome President-elect Obama's commitment to close would help deny
it. extremists in the region
one of their main calls to
The call for a "war on terror" was a call to arms, an arms, and allow Pakistani
attempt to build solidarity for a fight against a single authorities to focus more
shared enemy. But the foundation for solidarity between effectively on tackling the
peoples and nations should be based not on who we are threat on their western
against, but on the idea of who we are and the values we borders. We must respond
share. Terrorists succeed when they render countries to terrorism by
fearful and vindictive; when they sow division and championing the rule of
animosity; when they force countries to respond with law, not subordinating it,
violence and repression. The best response is to refuse to for it is the cornerstone of
be cowed. the democratic society”
.”
The Guardian, Thursday 15 January 2009
Epilogue Ø
19 ×
February 2009
D I P L O M A C Y
Kashmir after Obama
Omar's
emphasis
W
hile Miliband met top
Indian leaders in New
Delhi, the Jammu and
Kashmir Chief Minister Omar
Abdullah spoke to him via
teleconferencing on January
14. The conversion followed a
bit of controversy as Chief
Minister sought UK cooperation
in easing tension in the region.
The opposition BJP reminded
Chief Minister of Kashmir being
the “internal matter” of India
and advised him on not getting
into “foreign matters”.
Chief Minister's spokesman said
that Abdullah and Miliband
discussed Indo-Pak relations in
the light of the Mumbai attacks.
Abdullah emphasized that Indo-
Pak relations have a great
bearing on Jammu and Kashmir
and its people as they get
positively or negatively
impacted by the nature of the
relations between the two
neighbouring countries.
The Chief Minister urged upon
the British Foreign Secretary to
use his influence to make the
international community play
its role to ease the tension
between the two countries. He
said that the two countries
have already initiated various
confidence building measures
including cross-LOC trade and
people-to-people contact,
which have generated
tremendous goodwill and the
same are required to be carried
forward, in the interest of both
the countries.
 S P E C I A L R E P O R T
Sixth Pay Panel Dillema

Lost in Pay Din,

Officers of All India Services

Over four lakh employees of the state government are abandoning

their desks and hitting streets every now and then pressing for
revision of their pay scales in accordance with the Sixth Central Pay
Commission recommendations. State needs some Rs 3800 Crores to
meet this demand and this amount is not immediately available.
Another major demand of the state employees is increase in their
retirement age from existing 58 years to 60 years, to get at par with
the central government employees. The Omar Abdullah
government, it is learnt, is not in favour of hiking the retirement age.
Interestingly, sitting at the top policy desks, manning over four lakh
state government employees, are some 350 officers of All India
Services –both locals and non-locals –who are seeing the pay
controversy from the fence with no one speaking for them and
almost no one listening to them

T
he Sixth Central Pay
Commission continues to be
an issue of importance in
different corners of the
bureaucracy but for
different reasons. It has been a moment
of reward for few, resentment because
of relative deprivation for some, and a
demand for more chunks for still others.
After the central government
implemented the pay commission
report from September 1, 2008, many
states of followed the suit. Like centre a
score of states like Utter Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh, have adopted the new
Zafar Choudhary slabs with effect from January 1, 2006,
the date central pay commission was set
up and recommendations took effect
from. Many states have yet to adopt the
Sixth Pay Commission report or are
working on their own models owing to a
host of specific factors. That had been a
response to the implementation of the
pay commission and the events in its
aftermath that the impulse of which
pervaded the entire country, with
armed forces even fetching a
commitment from the Government a
separate pay commission for them from
next time. But Jammu and Kashmir
state created a different controversy on
implementation of the pay commission

Epilogue Ø
20 ×
February 2009

leading to strong resentment among the
All India Services officers posted here
and even the controversy went ahead to
create deeper rift within the services
and a controversy which doesn't seem to
die down with more than two dozen All
India Service officers up in arms against
the government claiming violation of
basic rights and forced deprivation
owing to lack of understanding between
those at the helm of affairs. The issue
did not catch the eye of media busy in
the Post-Land row scenario and the run
upto the state elections but certainly it
has left a deep impact at many places
within the bureaucratic hierarchy and
would need an immediate grievance
redressal by the state government lest
the things reach a moment uncalled for.
The issue that rocked bureaucratic
circles was that of implementation of
the Sixth Central Pay Commission in
case of All India Service officers of the
Jammu and Kashmir cadre with
Officers, Civil Secretariat and
Accountant General's office taking
tough positions and none ready to
bargain an inch therein. The officers of
the three AIS viz Indian Administrative
Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS)
and Indian Forest Service (IFS), as per
the Sixth Central Pay Commission were
to be given the benefits of new pay
scales with effect from that being
adopted for the central government
employees, that is September 1, 2008
but things took a different path in
Jammu and Kashmir with state
disallowing these officers from drawing
salary as per the revised scales, which
officers said is contrary to the All India
Service Rules and IAS/IPS/IFS Pay rules.
The issue began with two IFS officers in
Srinagar venturing ahead to get the
salary as per the revised scales which
they termed as in accordance with their
S P E C I A L R E P O R T
Sixth Pay Panel Dillema
service rules and pay rules. A history of The officers of the three AIS
sorts was created thereafter and the
issue refuses to die down. Upon
viz Indian Administrative
receiving the monthly accounts in Service (IAS), Indian Police
respect of these officers an accountant
Service (IPS) and Indian
from Accountant General's office wrote
to the government seeking instructions Forest Service (IFS), as per
and instead of the letter getting a reply the Sixth Central Pay
it went from the administrative
department to the territorial forest
Commission were to be given
department “warning” the officers of the benefits of new pay scales
dire consequences for this “financial
with effect from that being
irregularity” and directing them to
draw their salary as per pre-revised adopted for the central
scales. This was done on the pretext government employees, that is
that state government has issued no
orders for implementation of the Sixth
September 1, 2008 but things
Central Pay Commission in respect of took a different path in
the AIS officers. Interestingly this Jammu and Kashmir with
happened more than four months after
the central government gave its nod for state disallowing these officers
implementation of new pay scales in from drawing salary as per the
respect of the central government
employees, central services and all
revised scales, which officers
India services. And thereafter a salary said is contrary to the All
movement began across the services India Service Rules and
with more and more officers opting the
new pay scales contrary to the IAS/IPS/IFS Pay rules
government diktat, but there were
many who either stopped drawing their
salary commenting that drawl of salary
Figures show that 13 IFS
as per pre-revised scales would be a officers, 7 IAS and 2 from IPS
financial irregularity as they were non-
went ahead to draw the
existent scales in their case now, and
interestingly many others chose to revised scale salaries refusing
revert back to the pre-revised scales to bend before the illegal
showing a great deal of loyalty to the
government's instructions. Thereafter a
instructions issued by the
couple of IAS officers and few IPS government in this regard.
officers also went ahead to draw the
Four of them even drew their
salary as per revised scales, though
three months later than the commission arrears saying that they ought
recommendations came into effect. to have been paid by the
But what exactly was the legal position
December last as the Sixth
on this, many were unclear. Epilogue Central Pay Commission.
took the task of cracking this nut by
Epilogue Ø
21 ×
February 2009

taking views from those taking contrary
positions and also going through the a
complex web of service rules, pay rules
and financial codes to reach the crux of
issue and bring to its readers the real
position of the issue. The AIS officers
are governed under Article 312 of the
constitution of India and the service
rules drawn thereupon. As per the All
India Services manual, the bible of rules
governing the three services, these
officers have to draw their salary and
allowances as per the central
government rules but heir functioning
and administration is governed by the
state governments across the country,
that is their respective cadre states,
that too subject to a host of safeguards.
Regarding pay and allowances they are
governed by the IAS/IPS/IFS Pay rules as
amended from time to time the latest
being Indian Administrative/Police/
Forest Service Pay rules 2007 and the
Indian Administrative/Police/Forest
Service (Pay) Second Amendment Rules
2008 to give effect to the
implementation of the Sixth Central Pay
Commission respect of the AIS officers.
The Department of Personnel, Ministry
of Personnel, Pensions and Grievance
Redressal, Government of India, vide its
number F.No 14021/5/2008-AIS-II wrote
to all the chief secretaries regarding the
AIS officers to opt for the new pay scales
with effect from September 1, 2008 but
the state government was entrusted to
chalk out the modalities of the arrears,
to be paid in two installments, due as
per the new pay commission. The
officers were given a new form, to be
filled in triplicate, to opt for the revised
scales and send a copy of it to the
accounting office as well. That's what
was simply done by the officers in
question and the accounts men sought
clarification from the government and
the latter putting a break to the
S P E C I A L
application of the pay rules. Further, it
is interesting to note that Government
of India wrote to all the chief
secretaries vide its letter number
.D.O14021/1/2008-AIS-II dated
September 2, 2008 impressing upon
them to give effect to the
implementation of revised pay scales in
case of AIS officers and also creation of
one scale of fixed Rs 80,000/- basic pay
in case of IPS and IFS respectively for
the DGP and PCCF bringing them at par
with the Chief Secretary grade. The
concluding paragraph calls upon the
chief secretaries to furnish the
comments of the state governments in
this regard latest by September 9, 2008
failing which it will be presumed that
the state government concurs with the
said proposals relating to the revision of
the pay scales of AIS officers. It is
worthwhile to note that the state
government did not give any contrary
remark or comment of this and
accepted the implementation of
Central Pay Commission for AIS officers
thereupon. Then it is astonishing as to
how on a letter of one AG Office
accountant the salary of senior AIS
officers is stopped and warning is issued
for disciplinary action for this “financial
irregularity”!!
Epilogue reached out to the officers
across the three All India Services on
this issue and few dared to vent their
anger on this blind move of “some
offices” unaware of the pay rules. We
also came across some dare devil
bureaucrats not relenting to the
pressure and writing back to the
government about the legal position. Its
irony that for salary, which is the basic
right of any official, they have to fight a
bitter contest with some lackluster
cabins not aware of the service rules
even. Interestingly we found some
Epilogue Ø
22 ×
February 2009
R E P O R T
Sixth Pay Panel Dillema
It is interesting to note that
Government of India wrote to all
the chief secretaries vide its letter
No. D.O14021/1/2008-AIS-II
dated September 2, 2008
impressing upon them to give
effect to the implementation of
revised pay scales in case of AIS
officers and also creation of one
scale of fixed Rs 80,000/- basic
pay in case of IPS and IFS
respectively for the DGP and
PCCF bringing them at par
with the Chief Secretary grade.
The concluding paragraph calls
upon the chief secretaries to
furnish the comments of the state
governments in this regard latest
by September 9, 2008 failing
which it will be presumed that
the state government concurs
with the said proposals relating
to the revision of the pay scales of
AIS officers. It is worthwhile to
note that the state government
did not give any contrary remark
or comment of this and accepted
the implementation of Central
Pay Commission for AIS officers
thereupon. Then it is astonishing
as to how on a letter of one AG
Office accountant the salary of
senior AIS officers is stopped and
warning is issued for disciplinary
action for this “financial
irregularity”

officers ready to do the unlawful, which
is drawing salary as per the pre-revised
scales which are not existent now in just
an attempt to be loyal to the letter
issued from the secretariat, aware of
the fact that doing so itself will be a
financial irregularity. Some others
called them an example of “more loyal
than the king”. Whatsoever be the
individual response the bottom-line
remains that it is an irony of affairs that
for ignorance of one official regarding
the pay rules more than three hundred
AIS officers are being made to suffer
unnecessarily. Commenting on this issue
a senior IAS officer said, “there is no
denying the fact that salary for the AIS
officers has to be drawn as per the
latest revised scales and no separate
orders from the state government are
required in this regard as per the pay
rules but for arrears the state
government was asked by the centre to
decide the modalities of payment in two
installments beginning this financial
year, which was to be done by or before
December 2008 but till date there is no
sign as yet”. But his is not merely delay
in payment of arrears but also financial
losses and soaring income tax on this
amount. Firstly, many officers have to
be paid worth several lakhs of rupees
and even after lapse of five months
arrears have not been paid and it
obviously leads to financial losses in
terms of loss of interest of this money if
deposited in the bank or GPF accounts,
which also runs roughly from Rs 30,000
to Rs 1.5lakhs lakh loss. Secondly, if
both installments are paid in after
March 2009, the income tax burden
could be anybody's guess owing to the
government apathy. So the senior
bureaucrats in the state are being given
a financial punishment which obviously
has a bearing on their working and
performance as well. The new
S P E C I A L R E P O R T
Sixth Pay Panel Dillema
government has to take care of such From Accountant General's
basic issues to ensure atleast a smooth
functioning of the administration.
office to General
Administration Department
And as the fight went on, double as well as Administrative
standards of those at the helm affairs
came to the forefront which attracted
Departments of Forest and
severe criticism from across the Police in the civil secretariat
services. On January 16, 2009 the the lack of clarity about the
General Administration Department
issued an “advise” addressed to two
basic service rule stands badly
financial commissioners “requesting” exposed and shows how the
them to draw their salaries as per the basic rights of about 350 AIS
revised scales in accordance with Sixth
officers were held hostage
Central Pay Commission! The GAD letter
spread across the state among AIS because of lack of clarity and
officers as a wild fire and resulted a war lackluster approach adopted
of words verbally as well as on papers,
by the concerned offices
between about half a dozen offices.
Samuel Verghese and S L Bhat, senior IAS
officers upon repatriation from Samuel Verghese and S L
deputation to government of India Bhat, senior IAS officers
joined as financial commissioners here
but ironically started drawing salary as
upon repatriation from
per the pre-revised non-existent scale deputation to government of
of Rs 26,000/- (fixed) from December India joined as financial
2008, even when being in Delhi they
commissioners here but
were drawing salary in the revised apex
scale of Rs 80,000/-. Hence General ironically started drawing
Administration Department came to salary as per the pre-revised
recue ensuring these officers draw new
non-existent scale of Rs
salaries. Many officers have termed it as
a mere power play. From the direction 26,000/- (fixed) from
asking IFS officers not to draw revised December 2008, even when
salaries to the government letter
being in Delhi they were
requesting two senior IAS officers draw
salaries as per revised scales the “pay drawing salary in the revised
controversy” has completed a full circle apex scale of Rs 80,000/-.
traversing many ups and downs and Hence General
showing that many senior officers either
are not even aware of the pay rules or
Administration Department
are ready to sacrifice the basic rights for came to recue ensuring these
showing an undue loyalty which is officers draw new salaries.
undesirable and has been termed by the
young officers as highly unbecoming of
Many officers have termed it
leaders of the services. From as a mere power play
Epilogue Ø
23 ×
February 2009
 S P E C I A L R E P O R T
Sixth Pay Panel Dillema

Accountant General's office to General Administration

Department as well as Administrative Departments of Forest KNOWLEDGE
and Police in the civil secretariat the lack of clarity about the Ø
The J&K State is the northern most state of India situated
basic service rule stands badly exposed and shows how the between 32.15 degree and 37.05 degree north latitude and
basic rights of about 350 AIS officers were held hostage 72.35 degree and 83.20 degree east longitude.
because of lack of clarity and lackluster approach adopted by ØThe J&K is the 11th largest state of India having a geographical
the concerned offices. It is astonishing as to the Accountant spread of 101387 SqKms accounting for 3.20% of the total
Generals office, which is the nodal office to ensure the area of the country.
government of India's rules is upheld in respect of AIS officers,
ØJ&K ranks 19th most populous state of India having a
itself created the controversy. Many officers wrote to the AG population of 101.44 lac souls (census 2001). The projected
but to no avail as the highest accounting office itself was population of the J&K state in the year 2007 was 118.72 lacs.
ironically unclear about the issue. This will always remain a
ØThe literacy rate of J&K is 55.52% with male literacy of 67%
black spot in the history of All India Services in the state.
and female literacy of 43% (census 2001) and as per BPL
survey 2008 the literacy rate of J&K is 64.18 with male literacy
But the picture, of course, is not that grim in this case as there of 72.32% and female literacy of 55.35%
were many dare-devils who wrote back to the Government
ØJ&K has a forest area of 20230 SqKms which account of
impressing their helplessness to follow the unlawful diktat of
19.95% of the total geographical area of the state, leaving
drawing salaries in the pre-revised scales. This shows that
aside Ladakh which has little vegetation.
hope is still not lost as far as upright and no-nonsense officers
are concerned. Figures show that 13 IFS officers, 7 IAS and 2 ØThe State of J&K has 22 districts, 82 tehsils, 142 CD blocks,
2690 Panchayats, 6652 villaes.
from IPS went ahead to draw the revised scale salaries refusing
to bend before the illegal instructions issued by the
government in this regard. Four of them even drew their
arrears saying that they ought to have been paid by the
December last as the Sixth Central Pay Commission.
Digging the pay story Epilogue found a sad tale of
MOTLEY CONSULTANCY SERVICES
administration as regard the promotion avenues and forced
disparities between the ranks and services. The pay scales due
Charted Engineers, Govt. Auctioneers, Arbitrators,
to be released on completion of thirteenth year service in IFS
Risk Inspectors, Industrial Designers,
have not been released even after completion of 22 years and
Capacity Assessments, ISO 900/1400/1800 Consultants,
for the scale to be released on completion of 17 years are yet Preparations, Certification, Bank Valuers/Agency
to released after putting in 27 years or so, for unknown (SURFAESI Act 2002)
reasons.

Comparatively the scales in case of IAS are moving faster than

the due dates even. The 1994 batch officers of IAS were
promoted to super time scale which other counterparts are
not drawing even after putting 25 years of service. The step-
motherly treatment between services at one place and
between insider and outsiders at the other presents a grim
picture of the things happening in the state. But the officers
themselves also are to be blamed. It remains unthinkable as to
how an officer would not contest for release of due scale which
has to be released about a decade and half before, may be
after putting about three decades here they have completely
surrendered to the will of “sarkar”.
Email : mkgmotley@gmail.com, mkgmotley@rediffmail.com
Contact for :
Details Project Report For Industrial & Other Ventures,
ISO-9001:2008/ISO:14001/ISO:18001/22000
Consultations, Audits, Certification,
Environment & Safety Standards & Training.
Project, Management Consultancy Jobs and
Certification as Charted Engineers, Bank Valuation &
Auctioning of Property/Assets. Industrial Designers.
Opp. Gen Bus Stand (Out Gate), B.C. Road, Jammu - 180001
Tele fax : 01912542157 Mob. : 94191-26230, 94191-13902
Website : www.onindiamart.com,

Epilogue Ø
24 ×
February 2009
 P O L I T I C S
National Conference

The Return of Farooq

Hamaad Salif
With National Conference coming to power after six years, the Abdullah family has wasted no time in
consolidation of power. When father was Chief Minister, the son was party president. Now son has got
the opportunity to run the government and father has taken over reigns of the party. Though a typical
family affair, the change of guard in National Conference had always been biggest political festival in
Kashmir but when Dr Farooq Abdullah reclaimed the party crown from son Omar on January 13, it was a
completely lackluster closed-doors affair at the Nawa-e-Subh complex –the NC headquarters in
Srinagar. No convention, no delegate session, no meeting, no voting and no celebrations –it was
announced that Farooq is the NC president.

C
ontemporaries, who saw
crowning of Farooq in 1981
(during lifetime of his father
Sheikh Mohammad
Abdullah) and then transfer
of crown from Farooq to Omar in 2002,
were not quite impressed with the
latest change of leadership in National
Conference.
When in 1981 Dr Farooq Abdullah was
installed as President of the National
Conference the entire Srinagar city had
come out of its slumber to greet the
young Abdullah. Men, women and
children had come out on the roads right
from Mujahid Manzil, the party
headquarters upto the Iqbal Park to
cheer Dr Abdullah. Several thousand
party supporters had been seen walking
right from Mujahid Manzil to the Iqbal
Park, a distance of over five Kilometers
shouting pro-Sheikh Abdullah, pro-
Farooq Abdullah and pro-National
Conference slogans. That time National
Conference was considered a movement
and not a mere political party.
Some of the members of the Sheikh
family had seated themselves in the
balcony of Budshah hotel to greet Young
Abdullah. As the coronation procession
reached the Lal Chowk members of the
Sheikh family dropped flower petals on
Farooq. There were loud cheers from
the crowd. In fact late G.M.Shah, son in
law of Sheikh Abdullah, had expected
the mantle of party Presidentship to fall
on his shoulders. He had expected that
Sheikh Abdullah, who loved his daughter
Khalida more than any of his children,
would install Shah, husband of Khalida,
as the party Chief. It was this coronation
of Farooq that widened the chasm
between Sheikh Abdullah and Shah. This
chasm further widened when Farooq
Abdullah was sworn in as Chief Minister
soon after the demise of Sheikh
Abdullah. G.M.Shah, an able
administrator and party leader,
avenged his insult and defeat when he,
with the help of the Congress
engineered defection of 12 National
Conference MLAs that led to the fall of
the duly elected Government headed by
Dr Farooq in 1984.
There was a much bigger celebration in
2002 when Farooq had handed over the
party reigns to Omar Abdullah. Party
leaders and activists from across the
state thronged Srinagar to catch a
glimpse of young Omar as many then
saw him as another Sheikh Abdullah in
making.
And when Farooq Abdullah again took
over as President of the National
Coference in Srinagar on January 13, it
was a mere party function. The interim
"coronation" of Farooq as head of the
National Conference was a lackluster
affair. It was during the meeting of the
party's working committee that Sharif
Din Shariq proposed the name of Farooq
Abdullah for the post of the party
President which was second by Dr
Mehboob Beg. The irony of the event
was that the name of Dr Farooq for the
post of party President was proposed
and second by two party leader who had
lost the recent election. While Sharif
Din Shariq had lost the Langate seat,
Mehboob Beg had been defeat by Mufti
Mohammad Sayeed in the Anantnag
constituency.
When a couple of NC leaders were asked
about the reason for coronation of
Farooq as party President in a very
simple way they said that it was a
temporary arrangement till May. They
said that party planned to make
Farooq's coronation as party chief as a
great event in May. Even if the party
leaders plan to celebrate Farooq's
coronation as party president it can
never be a repeat of 1981. Why? In 1981
the National Conference was a political
force to reckon with and now it is party
struggling to reclaim its place in
political landscape of Kashmir.

Epilogue Ø
25 ×
February 2009
 P O L I T I C S
National Conference

The Party, that was

1931, June 21
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, along
with Mir Waiz Yousuf Shah, Chowdhury
Ghulam Abbas and others, forms the
Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference.

1939, June 10
Muslim Conference is renamed as
Jammu and Kashmir National
Conference with a secular, democratic Three Generations :
and socialist programme. Sheikh Sheikh, Farooq (above)
and Omar
Mohammad Abdullah is the president.

1945, Aug 3
The National Conference adopts 'Naya
Kashmir' programme in its annual
session at Sopore, Baramulla for the
all round economic development of
Jammu and Kashmir.

1946, May 9
'Quit Kashmir' movement is launched
by the NC against the rule of Maharaja
and for establishing a popular
Government in Jammu and Kashmir.
1947, Oct 30
Maharaja Hari Singh appoints Sheikh
Abdullah as the Emergency
Administrator for the State.
1948, March 5
The Maharaja issues a proclamation
replacing the Emergency
Administration by a popular interim
Government headed by Sheikh
Abdullah.
1950, Oct 27
National Conference passes a
resolution for convening a Constituent
Assembly based on adult suffrage for
the purpose, inter alia, of determining
the future shape and & affiliation of
the state of J&K including the issue of
accession to India and & to frame a
Constitution for the State.
1952, July 24
NC leaders discuss Centre-State
relations with the Central Government
and arrive at an arrangement known
as the 'Delhi Agreement'.
1952, Nov (sic.)
Election for the Constituent Assembly
held for framing the Constitution of
J&K. All 75 seats won by the NC. The
Praja Parishad, a Jammu based
political party demands complete
accession to India boycotted the
election.
1953, Aug 8
Sheikh Abdullah, the Prime
Minister of J&K is dismissed by
the Sadr-e-Riyasat and Bakshi
Ghulam Mohammad appointed in
his place. Sheikh is arrested and
jailed under the Public Safety Act
the next day.
1955,
Aug 9
Representing Sheikh Mohammad
Abdullah (who is in jail), his deputy
and close friend Mirza Mohammad
Afzal Baig floats the Plebiscite Front,
taking direct affront with India.
1957, March 5-7
First general election to the Jammu
and Kashmir Legislative Assembly held;
NC bagged 68 out of 75 seats.
1962, Feb 17-18
Second general elections in Jammu
and Kashmir held; NC gets 70 seats.
65% voters cast their ballot.
1964, April (sic.)
The "Kashmir Conspiracy Case" against
Sheikh Abdullah and others withdrawn
by the Sadiq government
unconditionally. Sheikh Abdullah

Epilogue Ø
26 ×
February 2009

released.
1965, May 8
Sheikh Abdullah externed from the
State.
1965, June 6
In absence of Abdullah, the National
Conference hijacked by Bakshi, Sadiq
and others since early 1950s formally
merges in the Congress.
1967, March 5-6
Third Assembly elections held.
Congress secures 61 seats followed by
the NC (Bakshi) with 8 seats. 59%
voters cast their ballot.
1972, Feb 5
Landmark statement of Mirza Afzal
Beg, President of Plebiscite Front
calling for the solution of Kashmir
problem within the framework of the
Indian constitution.
1972, Feb 8
Fourth Legislative Assembly elections
held. Congress secures 58 seats. J&K
Jamaat-e-Islami, contesting elections
for the first time, won 5 seats. 62%
voters cast their ballot.
1974, Nov 13
Kashmir accord signed between Sheikh
Abdullah and Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi (Beg-Parthasarthy Accord).
1975, Feb 25
Sheikh Abdullah took over as the Chief
Minister with the support of Congress.
1977, March 16
Congress withdraws support from the
Sheikh Abdullah government.
1977, July 3
Fifth Assembly elections held. National
Conference secures 44 seats, followed
by the Janta Party with 13 seats and
Congress with 11 seats. 67% voters
cast their ballot. Sheikh Abdullah
sworn as the Chief Minister on July 9.
1981, Sept 2
Farooq Abdullah takes over as
president of National Conference at a
history making convention in Srinagar
1982, Sept 8
Sheikh Abdullah dies and Dr. Farooq
Abdullah sworn in as the new CM.
1983, June 6
Sixth J&K Assembly elections held. NC
secured 46 seats followed by the
Congress with 26 seats. 73.4% voters
cast their ballots. Farooq Abdullah
forms the new government on July 12.
1984, July 2
Defection in National Conference.
Farooq's brother-in-law GM Shah
topples his government with support
of Congress MLAs. Named after
Farooq's sister, National Conference
(Khalida) formed.
1986, Nov 6
After dismissal of Shah Government, a
National Conference-Congress
coalition government is formed
following Rajiv Gandhi-Farooq
Abdullah accord.
1987, March 23
Seventh State Assembly elections held.
NC secures 40 seats followed by
Congress with 26 seats. Muslim United
Front secured 4 seats. 75% voters cast
their ballots. NC-Congress coalition
government is formed on March 25.
1990, Jan 19
Jagmohan takes over as the Governor
of Jammu and Kashmir; the Farooq
Abdullah government resigns.
Governor's rule is imposed on Jan 20.
1996, Sept 7-30
Eighth Assembly elections held. The
National Conference wins 59 seats
followed by BJP-8, Congress)-7, JD-5,
BSP-4, Congress(Tiwari)-1, Awami
Epilogue Ø
27 ×
February 2009
P O L I T I C S
National Conference
League-1, CPM-1 and Panthers Party-1.
Farooq Abdullah government formed
on October 9.
1996, Nov 13
Regional and Sub-regional Committee
on autonomy within the state with
Balraj Puri as the working Chairman
constituted. The Chief Minister
chaired the Committee.
1996, Nov 26
An 8-member Committee with Dr. Karan
Singh as Chairman constituted to
recommend measures for the
restoration of internal autonomy to the
State.
1997, Aug 6
Dr. Karan Singh resigns as the Chairman
of the committee on Autonomy stating
personal grounds.
2002, June 23
Omar Abdullah is anointed as president
of the National Conference. He takes
over party reigns from father Farooq.
2002, Oct 8
Results of assembly elections are
announced. National Conference is
routed as its tally drops from 58 to 28
seats. Party's Chief Ministerial
candidates Omar Abdullah looses
elections at constituency held by his
father and grandfather since 1977. PDP
bags 16 seats from Valley and later
forms government with Congress.
2008, Dec 28
Results of assembly elections are
announced. NC repeats its performance
of 2002 by maintaining 28 seats tally.
2009, Jan 6
NC returns to power in alliance with
Congress and third generation Abdullah
–Omar –takes over as Chief Minister at
age of 38.
2009, Jan 13
 C O V E R S T O R Y
Agenda for Omar Abdullah Government

Agenda for Omar

2
009 seems to be the year of young Os – Omar and Obama
at regional and international levels. There are striking
similarities. Both are young. Both are seen as sincere.
Both assume office for the first time in their political
career. Both are riding a popular wave, with huge
expectations from the people.

Responsibilities for both are also similar. The entire American nation
is looking towards Obama, as if he is a miracle man, who would
deliver. So are the expectations in Jammu and Kashmir on Omar.
Economic situation has never been this bad, since the days of great
economic depression of the 20th century. Expectations in J&K on
Omar to improve the economic situation in this State are no less
than the American expectation on Obama to improve the economic
situation there. The Americans want the US to end its engagement in
Iraq and perhaps even in Afghanistan. Obama has to do a high
balancing act in terms of keeping the international prestige of the
US and at the same time have to take actions to take the War on
Terrorism to its logical conclusion in terms of decimating al Qaeda
and the Taliban. Omar also has to do a balancing act of engaging
New Delhi and at the same time addressing those concerns both in
Jammu region and Kashmir Valley.

There are numerous dissimilarities as well. The list will be unending,

but the focus here is how two leaders have an opportunity to make
Zafar Choudhary an impact, for they are young, energetic and sincere. What are
D. Suba Chandran Omar's challenges in J&K? What are his strengths? What are his
Raghav Sharma limitations? And what is expected from him?

Epilogue Ø
28 ×
February 2009

AGENDA 1:
Provide better Governance
U n d o u b t e d l y, t h e m o s t
important agenda should be
to improve governance within
the state and ensure that the
institutions deliver. Of the many
reasons for the Congress's better
performance in Doda-Kishtwar-
Bhaderwah belt clearly is the
developmental activities that
Ghulam Nabi Azad undertook
when he was the Chief Minister.
LT GEN VK PATANKAR
The same could be one of the
many reasons, why the PDP
performed well in South Kashmir.
Performance does
à Balraj Puri, a leading columnist
matter
Reduce Corruption
à robust electoral turnout which
Ensure the Institutions
à proved most Kashmir experts
deliver
Devolve Power
à
“Omar should talk less about militancy
and more about development as it
would unnecessarily put the issue
under limelight, particularly so at a
time when the levels militancy have
declined considerably”
– LT GEN VK PATANKAR
“If personal integrity is brought into
the governance of the Abdullah
government, it will truly set an
example for the rest of India. Both
state and society need some ideals to
spur them and our youngest CM
should ponder over this” –
C. UDAY BHASKAR,
Security Analyst, New Delhi
“Omar might discover after 100 days
plan he has set if not earlier that it
would be physically impossible for him
to attend to grievances of every body
even if he suspends all other functions
of the government. Why not consider
setting up grievance redressal
machinery?” –
BALRAJ PURI, Leading Columnist
Epilogue Ø
29 ×
C O V E R
Agenda for Omar Abdullah Government
Clearly, performance does
matter. If one has any doubt, ask
those non-performance former
ministers, who lost in the 2008
and those MLAs who won. Omar
should understand this basic
expectation from the people.
Dynastic politics, separatist
support, regional divide, New
Delhi's influence – there may be
numerous other factors that are
important in the political
calculations, but at the end, the
rule is simple: Performance gets
votes.
As C. Uday Bhaskar says, “the
wrong is an unambiguous
indication of what the 'aam
aadmi' wants. Good and
empathetic governance that is
equitable and harmonious across
all cross-sections of a society
that has been weighed down by
decades of violence and
bloodshed.”
How to improve the governance
process in J&K? Udhay Bhaskar
also would like to remind Omar a
the apocryphal story of
Chanakya and the oil-lamp.
Legend has it that a Chinese
visitor who came to meet the
Minister to the Mauryan Emperor
was kept waiting, and when he
was finally ushered in – he
witnessed the odd sight of
Chanakya blowing out one lamp –
and lighting another. When he
asked as to why the Minister was
doing this elaborate lamp ritual,
the reply astounded him.
Chanakya replied that whereas
earlier he was working on
February 2009
S T O R Y
matters of state – and hence
using the oil provided by the
state exchequer –now that he
was attending to a personal
engagement, he was lighting the
lamp that used his personal oil.
Needless to add, the visitor was
in awe of the personal rectitude
and integrity with which the
Minister could keep the official
and the personal apart and the
manner in which Chanakya
husbanded the resources of the
exchequer.
says, “Omar Abdullah's ambitions
and popular expectations are
very high. His surprise checks
over hospitals and police
stations, taking action against
erring officers on the spot and
being receptive to grievances of
the people not only in person but
also on email, have raised
popular expectations further.”
Rekha Choudhary, Professor of
Political Science at University of
Jammu, says, “in the context of
democratization, the early signs
coming from Omar Abdullah are
very encouraging. He has already
identified the need for
institutionalizing accountability
by strengthening the
Accountability Commission as
well as the Vigilance
department. Most significantly
he has promised to bring the
Right to Information Act at par
with the RTI in the rest of the
country. However in the same
direction there are three more
important things that need his
attention.”

AGENDA 2:
Improve the Economy
I mproving the economic
situation of J&K will be a
huge challenge for Omar.
This will not be an easy task.
As Prof Dipankar Gupta of
the Jammu University says,
there are not many options
for Omar on this issue.
Attracting external
investment will be
extremely difficult for
Omar, given the political,
security and infrastructure
situation in Jammu and
Kashmir.
Most of the State's revenue
PROF DIPANKAR SENGUPTA
goes in paying salary.
With Sixth pay
commission, there will
à
Improve the
infrastructure
Address Red
Tapism
à Extra
emphasis on
tourism
à
Better connectivity
à
Better energy situation
“Addressing the budget deficit
will be the single most
challenge for Omar. Besides
external investment, he should
also look for internal
investment”
– PROF DIPANKAR SENGUPTA
“Improving the energy
situation must be the top
agenda for Omar. Abysmal
power supply in J&K should be
addressed and corrective
management steps have
already been taken” -
ASHOK JAITLY,
Former Chief Secretary (J&K)
be even more pressure on
Omar. He may have to
prioritize on how to go
about revamping the
economic situation. For
e x a m p l e , s a y s Pr o f
Sengupta, “he may have to
emphasise more on tourism
and horticulture.
Roads and energy are two
important obstacles in
improving the economic
situation, for the lack of
both hinders investment.
Says Ashok Jaitly, former
Chief Secretary of J&K,
“improving the energy
situation must be the top
agenda for Omar. Abysmal
power supply in J&K should
be addressed and corrective
management steps have
already been taken”.
Salman Haider: It is
important though to
remember that elections
have dealt with issues of
governance and not the
political future of Kashmir
per se. Thus while the
success of Omar is not the
final solution to the Kashmir
problem, however at the
same time the need for good
governance in important
and Omar has said so. He has
already begun approaching
industrialists, he is trying to
get investment, to create
jobs for the educated-
unemployed. This must be
done rapidly and effectively
else his party's credibility
will be dented.
Epilogue Ø
30 ×
February 2009
C O V E R S T O R Y
Agenda for Omar Abdullah Government
AGENDA 3:
Generate adequate
energy supply
E nergy is the most important commodity
if Omar wants to improve the economic
situation in J&K. Consider the following: To
develop industrial sector and sustain it, a
minimum guarantee in electricity supply is
essential. Without any improvement in the
energy scenario, it will be extremely
difficult for Omar to attract investment in
J&K. For the tourism sector, the state's most
important revenue earner, electricity is
equally important. How can one expect the
tourists will come back, if there is
inadequate supply of electricity and
continuous power cuts? With industrial and
tourism sector suffering because of lack of
adequate supply of electricity, Omar will not
be able to generate employment outside the
government. As a result, there will be even
more pressure on government jobs.
Says Ashok Jaitly, former Chief Secretary of
J&K and now a Distinguished Fellow &
Director Water Resources Division at the
Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), “very
soon the focus will undoubtedly shift to
longer term solutions for the overall energy
problem and how best to utilize the
substantial hydro-electric potential to the
state's advantage – a persistent conundrum.
Mufti Mohammed Sayeed has already
signaled that his party will exploit this issue
notwithstanding that they did nothing to
seriously address its complexities other than
use the gimmick of rhetoric to score dubious
political brownie points. Not a single new
project was taken up in the last six years. Be
that as it may. Surely, his much vaunted
administration will have much more to
account for in the days to come.”
How to improve the power situation?
According to Ashok Jaitly, even while the
new government negotiates strongly with
New Delhi to expedite and protect its fair

share out of Kishenganga,
Sawalakot and Pakhar Dul (as it
must), no time should be lost in
launching a major programme
for decentralized generation
following the renewable energy
pathway. Photovoltaic, aero and
micro-hydel are technologies
eminently suitable for meeting
the needs of people living in the
remotest parts of the state who
have absolutely no hope of
benefiting from grid power in
the foreseeable future.
Vikram Gaur, an Engineer and an
expert on electrical energy lists
the following towards
revamping the PDD: Ensure that
the PDD is made to work on
strictly on commercial lines
without any interferences for
which a top level consultancy
firm should requested to advise;
Improve and modrnize its
existing T&D system which is in
shamble, especially the HT/LT
network and distribution
transformer stations; Make the
engineers and officials
accountable for every failure to
improve the system; segment
the entire PDD into Planning and
design, Purchase and
Improve hydro-electric potential
à directly. The reconciliation of the
Invest on Micro-hydel projects
à pundits is important and it will send
Integrate technology, investment
à out a strong message to the
and management
Revamp the PDD
à browbeat the government and
“Ensure that the PDD is made to work
on strictly on commercial lines without
any interferences”
– VIKRAM GAUR
“Invest on micro-hydel energy which
has scope for widespread
development. Let it not be a cosmetic
one”
ASHOK JAITLY
Epilogue Ø
C O V E R
Agenda for Omar Abdullah Government
Procurement, Generation,
System Operation, Maintenance
and sale of power etc; and
finally create an independent
Public Relation to listen to
public complaints and redressal
to lighten the job of the
technical staff.
Omar should look beyond the
traditional areas. According to
Jaitly, the desirability of
harnessing the vast solar
potential of the Ladakh region is
only too obvious. Locations like
the Baramulla and Banihal
gorges offer possibilities for
wind turbines. These options
must be pursued vigorously. He
says, “I am pleading for a major
initiative on micro-hydel energy
which has scope for widespread
development. Let it not be the
cosmetic kind highlighted by
the army and the former
Governor.”
To achieve this, Jaitly says, a
well designed Micro Hydel
Mission under the aegis of
J A K E D A a n d t h e Po w e r
Development Corporation
would need to integrate
t e c h n o l o g y, i n v e s t m e n t ,
management, livelihoods and
community participation within
clear timelines. The private
sector would be only too willing
to come in provided it is given a
positive signal and a supportive
ambience as the response in
s t a t e s l i k e Utt a r a k h a n d ,
Himachal and Arunachal shows.
The facilitation of the central
Ministry of Renewable Energy,
w h i c h i s a l r e a d y
institutionalized, can be drawn
upon. It is for the state
government to stir the waters.
31 ×
February 2009
S T O R Y
AGENDA 4:
Provide Humane
Conditions
P eace is not absence of militant
attacks. Peace cannot and
should be measured in terms of
decline in casualty figures or in
terms of number of militants killed
or surrendered. Peace is a positive
concept. It should prevail more in
the minds of people than in the
streets in terms of reduction of
movement of troops or militants.
There is a need for reconciliation.
For Rita Manchanda, the leading
human rights activist,
“reconciliation is a crucial issue.
Although we cannot have a political
process without reconciliation, but
we must also remember that
reconciliation alone, without a
political process will not lead us
anywhere. The two therefore must
go hand in hand.”
How to go about on this issue of
reconciliation? Lt. Gen. Patankar,
former GOC, 15 Corps says, “formal
commission for reconciliation won't
work as people have no faith in
these mechanisms. Instead Omar
should talk to constituencies
separatists that they cannot
there are other serious issues that
need to be addressed. Omar should
ask the Pundit leaders for measures
on rehabilitation of the community,
thus the approach to be followed
should be bottom up one.”
Finally, issues relating to human
rights need to be addressed by
 C O V E R S T O R Y
Agenda for Omar Abdullah Government

Omar. Murtaza Shibli says that to create a “real momentum AGENDA 5:

towards a positive and decisive change, Omar should arrest Bring the regions and
of endless human rights violations, especially the daily
humiliations and torture killings of the Kashmiri youth at the
communities together
hands of various security agencies often for very flimsy and
insubstantial reasons.” Provide them, says Shibli, basic
dignity, which the successive state governments have failed
I n the post Amaranath Shrine board
crisis and after the election results –
what is clear is the divide between the
to restore. regions within J&K and also between the
communities. Omar has to handle this
As Rita Manchanda says, “the issue of Human rights needs to situation carefully, for this has the
be addressed across the board, especially with regard to the potential to destabilize the situation
Pundit community. However while dealing with the issue of within the State.
RITA MANCHANDA Pundits, many of whom languish in camps and are made
political capital off, there is a need to engage with voices As Rita Manchanda says, the Amaranth
other than just Panun Kashmir, for there are vested agitation has in fact produced a severe
interests in these fault line, which will not go away easily.
à Initiate a process of groupings. Thus Omar “There has been a steady
reconciliation should engage with the communalization on both sides, which
à Ensure dignity of community and seek has been reinforced by the Amaranth
individuals out alternative agitation. Moreover, the impact of the
à Activate the SHRC leadership.” economic siege has created a trust deficit
on both sides. Omar must display greater
Profesor Rekha responsiveness to other regions of the
“Reconciliation is a crucial issue.
Choudhary, at the state. He must respond politically to
Although we cannot have a political
Department of Political Jammu's grievances but without
process without reconciliation, but
we must also remember that Science at University of compromising on some of the legitimate
reconciliation alone, without a Jammu says, there grievances of the valley. He should also
political process will not lead us should emphasis seek to encourage those forces and actors
anywhere” improving the who stand for a more integrated state of
– RITA MANCHANDA conditions of women. Jammu and Kashmir.”
Omar should work
“Make the State Human Rights towards their This is undoubtedly the most important
Commission a more effective a body emancipation and she challenge that Omar has. As Balraj Puri
and give it appropriate powers” expects that the new says “If Omar can make a contribution to
– RITA MANCHANDA government will revive restore harmony between regions and
and strengthen the various ethnic and religious communities
“Formal commission for
State Commission of
reconciliation won't work as people of the state that in itself would be a
Women and give it
have no faith in these mechanisms. monumental achievement.”
enough teeth to
Instead Omar should talk to
constituencies directly” intervene in the
How can Omar bring this reconciliation
– LT GEN VK PATANKAR interest of women of
within the region? Balraj Puri feels, a
the state in a more
federal and decentralized set up within
“Create a real momentum towards a effective manner. She
J&K will help Omar to achieve this
positive and decisive change, Omar also says, “make the
objective. should be his first priority.
should arrest of endless human State Human Rights
Rekha Choudhary, goes further and says
rights violations, especially the daily Commission a more
Omar should properly institutionalize the
humiliations and torture killings of effective a body and
Panchayati Raj in this state. Omar should
the Kashmiri youth” give it appropriate
- MURTAZA SHIBLI hold the Panchayat elections after
powers.”

Epilogue Ø
32 ×
February 2009

O
mar Abdullah has made a
beginning with a campact
team. Four Ministers are
from National Conference
and five from the coalition
partner Congress, including the Deputy
Chief Minister Tara Chand. An expansion in
cabinet is pending and some new faces will
make their way. All four Ministers from
National Conference camp are quite
experienced hands; they were also part of
Farooq Abdullah Ministry between 1996 and
2002.
TARA CHAND has emerged as congress'
new and perhaps sustainable power symbol
in Jammu region. His becoming deputy chief
minister is an honour well deserved after his
third successive victory in the face of saffron
onslaught. a grassroots worker of congress,
he won first in 1996 and became leader of
opposition. In tenth assembly, he was
speaker. His departments are Housing and
Urban Development.
Agenda for Omar Abdullah Government
ABDUL RAHIM RATHER is a politician
cut out for the Finance Department. This 52
years old humble politicians first made his
entry in the assembly in 1977 and has since
been maintaining his Charar-e-Sharief seat
in Badgam district in central Kashmir. A law
graduate who practiced at Bar for many
years, Rather has to his credit presentation of
state's annual budget nine times. Now he
holds the departments of Finance, Law and
Parliamentary Affairs.
ALI MOHAMMAD SAGAR is a
disciplinarian and strictly means business.
When bureacuracy called all shots during
Farooq regime, Sagar stood up to make
white collars understand that political
establishment is supreme. As a Minister of
State for Home he once made the Director
General of Police to wait for 30 minutes
–that is called Sagar. Now he is Minister for
Rural Development and Panchayats.
NAWANG RIGZIN JORA is not a
Epilogue Ø
33 ×
February 2009
C O V E R S T O R Y
The Team
conventional politician for being completely
straightforward, upright and workaholic. He
had a promising performance as Minister of
key departments like Power in the previous
government and this time he has got
departments of his taste and temperament
–Tourism and Culture.
TAJ MOHIUDDIN is a maverick politician
coming from a class of his own. A native of
Kathua –southern most part of state, he
contests elections from Uri –the northern
most part. He is a Gujjar but does not like
being called so. Was Minister with prevision
coalition also and this time he is incharge of
Public Health Engineering and Irrigation
departments.
PEERZADA MOHAMMAD SAYEED
was written off by Congress when Ghulam
Nabi Azad sacked him as Minister after an
MLA accused his office of corruption. He
won election to prove his strength and is
now Minister for School Education –the
 C O V E R S T O R Y
Agenda for Omar Abdullah Government

So Far
OATH CEREMONY :

I t will go down in history that first ever

JAMMU, JANS, 2009
(L-R) Sham Lal Sharma, Surjeet Singh Slathia,
Nawang Rigzin Jora, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed,
Tara Chand (Dy. CM), Omar Abdullah (CM),
Abdul Rahim Rather, Ali Mohammad Sagar,
Mian Altaf Ahmed and Taj Mohiuddin.
decision of Omar Abdullah, on his first day
in office was the appointment of Devinder
Singh Rana as his Political Advisor. The
protocol department had already been
sounded and a room in CM's secretariat had
been decked up for Devinder when Omar
stepped in the power complex first day. CM
escorted Rana to his room, made him to sit in
his chair and got himself photographed for
the records. All this underlines Omar's trust
in Devinder Rana, a friend who became party
colleague. State's leading business tycoon,
Rana is now key man in the government, he
hold the status and protocol of a Minister of
State and a Government circular has advised
all administrative secretaries and heads of
the departments to respond to him promptly.

same department where controversy had erupted.

MIAN ALTAF AHMED comes from a family which has I n first bureaucratic
appointment, Omar has
been careful in avoiding
a unique history of being in Legislative Assembly since
1952. Altaf's grandfather was a Member of J&K mistakes which father
Constituent Assembly, his father was legislator several Farooq did during his
times and Minister with Sheikh Abdullah. He has won tenure as Chief Minister.
election fourth time and is Minister for Forests and Farooq had around him a
Environment. coterie of non local
bureaucrats who took him
SURJEET SINGH SLATHIA is a lone consolation for as far from public as they
National Conference in Hindu belt of Jammu where BJP themselves were. J&K CM's
is holding forte. Slathia was a Minister with Farooq office needs to be
Abdullah and in Omar's Cabinet he has been given sensitive and receptive to
charge of Industries and Commerce. the peoples. Mufti brought
about change in CM's
SHAM LAL SHARMA is a first timer in Ministry and Office by bringing local
relatively new to politics. The Health Minister in Omar officers of high credibility
government was a government employee till 1998 when and strong connections
he joined his brother Madan Lal Sharma in active with grounds. Omar has
politics. He won a bypoll in 2004 on the seat vacated by picked up Khursheed
Madan on election to Lok Sabha. But Sham's victory in Ahmed Ganai as his Principal Secretary. No words are too high to
2008 elections was spectacular. describe Ganai among the best officers LBSNA ever produced

Epilogue Ø
34 ×
February 2009
 C O V E R S T O R Y
Agenda for Omar Abdullah Government

bringing the local Panchayat Act at par with the 73rd and 74th AGENDA 6:
Amendments of Indian Constitution and implement the three-tier Work and Bargain
system in its totality. Not only at the village level but even at the
block and district level the Panchayat should be constituted on the with New Delhi
basis of the principle of elections.

According to Daya Sagar, the socio communal disintegration in J&K

C entre-State relations
have always been crucial
as far as J&K is concerned.
could be checked with reins of National Conference in the hands of
Farooq Abdullah and both BJP & NC going cordially. Congress can not This has always been a
go with BJP in J&K in view of coalition needs in other Indian states but delicate issue, needs to be
National Conference has no such political compulsions and hence can handled with care. For Omar,
give more weight to interests of J&K people in particular. Need is to the biggest advantage is, his
work for social reconstruction at ground level .National Conference
coalition partner in J&K is
in the past has worked for keeping Hindu and Muslim of J&K
ruling at New Delhi. However,
monolithic and will still have to stand against divisive forces
carrying on with old policies. there is another section,
which consider this as a
à
Address the growing regional divide Says Verinder Gupta, President l i a b i l i t y. E s p e c i a l l y i n
à
Bring the communities together Jammu State Morcha, “Omar Kashmir, he will be seen as
à
Decentaralize power should work as per the secular New Delhi's agent.
à
Empower the panchayats ethos providing justice and fair
treatment to all the
“If Omar can make a contribution to U n d o u b t e d l y, a s R i t a
communities, regions and sub-
restore harmony between regions and regions. Jammu region and Manchanda comments,
various ethnic and religious communities Kashmir Valley should have “there has been a history of
of the state that in itself would be a Regional Councils as these exist interference by the centre,
monumental achievement.” for Ladakh and Kargil and each particularly so in the case of
– BALRAJ PURI district should have District Kashmir.” She considers, that
Council so that democracy is
“Omar should work as per the secular there certain structural issues
enjoyed at the grass root level
ethos providing justice and fair treatment and participation of the people in
that need to be addressed by
to all the communities, regions and sub- the development activities is Omar, such the Armed Forces
regions. Jammu region and Kashmir ensured.” For him the most Special powers Act that
Valley should have Regional Councils as important issue is the removal of severely curtails the
these exist for Ladakh and Kargil and each glaring disparities prevailing in governments authority.
district should have District Council so the different regions and Jammu
that democracy is enjoyed at the grass region must get its due.
For New Delhi, how Omar
root level and participation of the people
deals will with the
in the development activities is ensured.” According to him, “Jammu
- VERINDER GUPTA, should get its due as per the separatists, separatism and
President Jammu State Morcha criteria laid down in the azadi will be equally
Representation of the People Act; important. Daya Sagar,
“There has been a steady its representation in the civil leading social activist
communalization on both sides, which has secretariat and in other Govt. consider that Omar Abdullah
been reinforced by the Amaranth Services including corporations
can make different from his
agitation. Moreover, the impact of the and State Banks. It should be
economic siege has created a trust deficit made at par with the Valley; predecessors by working at
on both sides” allocation of development funds issues that have national
– RITA MANCHANDA and development of Tourism” significance as well as socio

Epilogue Ø
35 ×
February 2009

political requirements of
people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He says, “Omar needs to act at
both levels –the government
and the party. National
Conference has first and prime
task of isolating separatist
elements and pro separatist so
called mainstream political
leaders. NC will have to fight
alone since Congress has many
other political interests. NC
should retain its old policy and
not kneel before separatist
ideology.”
Besides how Omar deals with
PR CHARI separatism and separatists,
what is more important is
à
Bullets for Agenda
à
Rework the
autonomy proposals
à
Bargain, but work
with New Delhi
à
Don't give into
separatists
“Omar needs to act at both levels
–the government and the party.
National Conference has first and
prime task of isolating separatist
elements and pro separatist so called
mainstream political leaders”
– PR CHARI
“There has been a history of
interference by the centre,
particularly so in the case of
Kashmir.”
- RITA MANCHANDA
“Now with the NC in power again
both sides should both New Delhi
and Srinagar should use the
autonomy proposal as a negotiating
point between them”
– PR CHARI
Epilogue Ø
C O V E R
Agenda for Omar Abdullah Government
how he and his party sees the
federation. PR Chari, leading
a u t h o r i t y o n I n d o - Pa k
relations consider that “J&K
cannot negotiate by holding a
pistol to New Delhi's head.
They are a part of India and
independence of Kashmir is
not an option that is either in
favor of New Delhi or Pakistan
as the latter too has problems
like India, of other states
demanding greater autonomy
or independence.”
New Delhi also needs to make
amendments in its relations
with J&K. As PR Chari
comments, “basically the
problem reverts to what can
be done to assuage Srinagar's
animosity against New Delhi.
At present taking into account
the political change in
Srinagar that is the return of
the National Conference to
power, which has had a
relatively more cozy relation
with the Congress (problems
not withstanding) which too
has been more comfortable
dealing with the NC than the
PDP. Thus politically the
atmosphere is conducive for
New Delhi to engage with
Srinagar.”
Whatever may be the
perceptions in Kashmir Valley
and Jammu region and in New
Delhi, Omar has to deal with
New Delhi. How can Omar
work with New Delhi? And how
36 ×
February 2009
S T O R Y
can New Delhi work with J&K?
PR Chari concludes that when
Farooq Abdullah had been in
power he had sent a proposal
on autonomy, which also had
the seal of the Jammu and
Kashmir state legislature, to
New Delhi. However this
report was treated with utter
contempt by then Deputy
Prime Minister and Home
Minister L.K Advani who filed
the report and disposed it off
at a bureaucratic level and
didn't care to place it either
before the Union cabinet or
parliament. This was a
politically disastrous step as
autonomy had been a poll
plank of the NC and it thus lost
face in the next elections in
2002.
He says, “now with the NC in
power again both sides should
both New Delhi and Srinagar
should use the autonomy
proposal as a negotiating point
between them. With five years
having passed the NC too may
want to rework some aspects
of the autonomy report. We
need to engage Srinagar
particularly at a time when
Pakistan is looking to divert
attention from terrorism by
linking it up with Kashmir,
which Obama seems to
approve off and this is also a
proposal that Obama's special
envoy Afghanistan-Pakistan,
Richard Holbrooke would like
to put on the table.”

AGENDA 7:
Continue T he single most important
achievement of the previous
government led by the PDP and
Cross-LoC Congress have been the amazing
opening and movement on cross-
Interactions LoC relations. Obviously, much
SALMAN HAIDER needs to be done. However, steps
have been taken on the right
directions. Roads have been
à
Continue the
movement of people
across LoC
à Go beyond the divided
families
à Open new routes
à Make trade real and
not cosmetic
“We should work on opening other
routes between Jammu and Kashmir
and POK, such as linking Jammu to
PoK via Akhnoor. These measures are
more than CBM's as they create joint
interests by creating wealth. Pakistan
on the other hand is not keen on links
between Ladakh and Baltistan as it
wants to keep the Northern Areas out
of the picture”
– SALMAN HAIDER
“Omar “needs to delicately balance its
position on Pakistan, as it seems that
under the growing pressure from
Hindu extremists the Congress
government is willing to destroy all the
trust and goodwill that was built
during the last five or six years
between India and Pakistan. Omar
should reach out to its partner in the
AJK to forge a mutual position of
rejecting terrorism as well as war as
any solution to the Kashmir issue”
- MURTAZA SHIBLI
““Omar should work towards
strengthening civil society linkages
through greater interaction between
groups like students, lawyers and
journalists on both sides and setting
up a joint university with a campus
each in Srinagar and Muzaffrabad”
– PR CHARI
Epilogue Ø
C O V E R
Agenda for Omar Abdullah Government
opened for the movement of
divided families and trade.
However, the expectations are
high and there should be a positive
movement on these issues.
Movement of people should go
beyond the divided families. And
on the movement of goods, it
should be real than symbolic.
What can Omar do on this? He
cant do much on his own, without
support from New Delhi. This is
where New Delhi should look
beyond and go faster. The Union
government should not allow
cross-LoC relations becoming
hostile to Indo-Pak relations.
As Salman Haider says, “We
should work on opening other
routes between Jammu and
Kashmir and POK, such as linking
Jammu to PoK via Akhnoor. These
measures are more than CBM's as
they create joint interests by
creating wealth. Pakistan on the
other hand is not keen on links
between Ladakh and Baltistan as
it wants to keep the Northern
Areas out of the picture. Also,
facilities for trade should be
improved, especially so on POK
side. Provisions should also be
made to extend financial and
credit facilities to traders and
the existing trade lists should be
liberalized in consultation with
the traders.”
PR Chari, who has authored a
seminal report along with Prof
Rizvi, a scholar from Pakistan on
making borders irrelevant in
Kashmir, consider the following as
important: There should be more
cross LoC interactions by opening
up more roads and bus services
with POK and work towards
liberalizing the visa regime. Seven
roads could be opened up: Kargil-
Skardu, Jammu-Sialkot, Turtuk-
Khapulu, Chamb-Jurian-Mirpur,
37 ×
February 2009
S T O R Y
Gurez-Astore-Gilgit, Tithwal-
Chilhan and Jhangar (Nowshera)-
Mirpur-Kotli. Link Ladakh with
Northern Areas to counter feelings
of separatism in this sub-region.
Also consider establishment of rail
links between Srinagar and
Muzaffrabad and Jammu and
Sialkot. He says, “Omar should
work towards strengthening civil
society linkages through greater
interaction between groups like
students, lawyers and journalists
on both sides and setting up a
joint university with a campus
each in Srinagar and
Muzaffrabad. There is need to
restore telephonic links across
the LOC that were cut off in 1965
and also expand mobile
telephonic coverage and Internet
service on both sides. The
possibilities for riverine
transport through the Jehlum
River that flows into Pakistan
should be looked into afresh.”
According to Murtaza Shibli,
Omar “needs to delicately
balance its position on Pakistan,
as it seems that under the
growing pressure from Hindu
extremists the Congress
government is willing to destroy
all the trust and goodwill that
was built during the last five or
six years between India and
Pakistan. Omar should reach out
to its partner in the AJK to forge a
mutual position of rejecting
terrorism as well as war as any
solution to the Kashmir issue”
Cross-LoC trade should be made
real than just being cosmetic.
For that, PR Chari says “the
traders associations should be on
board while developing the lists
of items to be trades, credit and
telecom rules should be relaxed
and banks should be allowed to
open branches on both sides so
that credit lines can be opened.”

Follow the Obama Example
MADHU KISHWAR
Editor, Manushi
C
hief minister Omar Abdullah has
made a welcome announcement
that he will extend the central
legislation on the Right to Information
to J&K. However, the central legislation
has thrown up many new problems
springing out of the fact that the law
was enacted without equipping the
system to deliver diverse range of
information required by citizens to hold
their rulers to account. One has
witnessed how harassed officers feel in
providing information, which is not
easily available even to them. In such a
situation the flood of RTI applications
that inevitably follow the enactment of
RTI makes the officialdom feel very
resentful and forces them to find
excuses for not providing what is
requested, and inventing new ways of
providing evasive replies.
J & K could lead the way by building
stronger provisions for forcing the
government to become transparent of
its own volition. It would be worthwhile
to consider naming the Kashmir
legislation as the "Duty to Provide
Accurate Information Act." This will
emphasize the intention of ensuring
that citizens do not have to beg for little
bits of information but instead the
bureaucracy has to equip itself for
providing to the public in an easily
accessible format all relevant
information on a routine basis within a
reasonable time frame. But if officers
are expected to put all needed relevant
information on their website in a
Letters to Omar Abdullah
routine fashion by way of monthly
reports, it forestalls the possibility that
citizens end up being perpetually
locked in adversarial relationships with
the government.
The enactment of RTI should be
integrally linked to institutionalizing
transparency and a high measure of
accountability of the government
machinery. The former Deputy
Commissioner of Nawanshahar District,
Mr Krishan Kumar (who is now Director
of Education in Punjab), showed
through concrete example how swiftly
India can move towards providing
world-class administration and delivery
systems to citizens if our administrators
have the political will and imagination
to do so. If the Chief Minister were to
bring someone like him on deputation
and give him the requisite authority, he
can deliver a real miracle for the State.
J& K would then be decades ahead of
the rest of India in one stroke.
I state the obvious when I reiterate that
the Kashmir issue can only be resolved
by first building a consensus among all
major regions and diverse ethnic
communities in the State. Once that is
achieved, a solution can more easily be
negotiated out with the Centre by a
united front of all political shades of
opinion with a firm resolve to hold fast,
whatever the temporary political
fallouts that might result from such an
agreement. This requires that NC does
not waste its time in putting down
Epilogue Ø
38 ×
February 2009
C O V E R S T O R Y
politicians from rival parties but follow
the Obama example by synergizing all
shades of political opinion to work out a
consensus on basic issues and key
challenges confronting the State.
The J& K police needs to be given
greater responsibility in curbing
terrorism and the visibility of the Army
needs to be drastically reduced,
especially from urban centres. It would
be helpful to train the J& K police to
become more efficient in handling the
threat of terrorism, while at the same
time giving more teeth to the judiciary
and the Human Rights Commission to
deliver speedy justice and curb abuse of
power by the police. It is important to
use technology and better intelligence
to curb terrorists rather than crude
search operations and body frisking.
The increasing estrangement between
Hindus and Muslims in the State needs to
be addressed on an emergency footing--
not through token gestures but through
concrete measures. The last few
decades have witnessed a very severe
erosion of the composite Kashmiri
culture, which acted as the glue
between Hindus and Muslims. One key
symptom of this erosion is the fate of
the Kashmiri language. While most
Kashmiris can speak the language,
knowledgeable people tell me that no
more than half a dozen persons in the
State can read and write in the original
Sharda script. Kashmiri Pandits have
adopted Hindi and Kashmiri Muslims
 C O V E R S T O R Y
Letters to Omar Abdullah

identify more with Urdu – thus both
communities end up disowning their
mother tongue. J&K needs to invest
more in promoting its languages and
culture because no community or
society can retain a healthy sense of self
without being deeply rooted in its
cultural, literary and civilizational
heritage. Bollywood or Hollywood
culture cannot combat the gun culture.
It is very distressing that the educated
elite of J&K have been fed with the
most partisan and intellectually
suffocating version of its own history.
Just as Pakistan's history books do not
dare acknowledge its own civilizational
heritage, so also history of Kashmir for
most Kashmiri Muslims begins with Yusuf
Shah Chak and ends with the a sense of
being permanently aggrieved and
wronged. Kashmiri Pandits have
likewise developed their own partisan
narrative. This simplistic and
unidimensional political narrative and
unrealistic sense of total persecution
prevents healthy engagement with not
just the past but also the present and
future of Kashmir.
Young people in J&K have very few
cultural outlets and spaces. Jammu,
Srinagar, Kargil and Leh need cultural
hubs—a regular place for gup shup, for
discussions, seminars, cultural events,
film festivals, for celebrating in public
spaces festivals that strengthen cultural
bonds. In summers, there should be
open-air street festivals and bazaars so
that the city remains active till late in
the evening. No cities in India get
deserted so early in the evening as does
Srinagar.
Kashmiri TV needs to be livened up and
its outreach and appeal need to be
enhanced. Let Srinagar Doordarshan be
run without any fear of partisan
political control, censorship or the need
to be sycophantic towards the ruling
party. Let there be genuinely free
political debates and lively cultural
programmes. Free media is a vital tonic
for a healthy democracy.
Kashmir deserves a larger dose of
democracy than the rest of India
because its democratic institutions
were stifled for long. Apart from
initiating reconciliation measures, J& K
needs genuine far reaching devolution
of appropriate powers to all regions to
the maximum viable extent, and a
serious endeavour to institutionalize a
more radical version of panchayati raj
in the State than is being practiced in
the rest of India. Kashmir should
provide more substantial powers to
panchayats and zilla parishads,
including setting of empowered nyaya
panchayats, than have been made
available in the rest of India. It would
help calm tempers in those regions of
the State that feel neglected and
marginalized by Srinagar.

Keep the official and personal apart

C UDAY BHASKAR

Independent security analyst is, former director of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis

T
he Omar Abdullah led government has a very rare
opportunity and challenge before it. The robust
electoral turnout which proved most Kashmir experts
wrong is an unambiguous indication of what the 'aam aadmi'
wants. Good and empathetic governance that is equitable and
harmonious across all cross-sections of a society that has been
weighed down by decades of violence and bloodshed.
I was very gratified when I heard Mr. Abdullah saying , soon
after his nomination as CM was announced, that he sees
himself as a 'servant' of the people. This humility and integrity
of office is a far cry from what most CM's have become in their
respective states. I would like to remind the new CM of the
apocryphal story of Chanakya and the oil-lamp. Legend has it
that a Chinese visitor who came to meet the Minister to the
Mauryan Emperor was kept waiting, and when he was finally
ushered in – he witnessed the odd sight of Chanakya blowing
out one lamp – and lighting another. When he asked as to why
the Minister was doing this elaborate lamp ritual, the reply
astounded him. Chanakya replied that whereas earlier he was
working on matters of state – and hence using the oil provided
by the state exchequer –now that he was attending to a
personal engagement, he was lighting the lamp that used his
personal oil. Needless to add, the visitor was in awe of the
personal rectitude and integrity with which the Minister could
keep the official and the personal apart and the manner in
which Chanakya husbanded the resources of the exchequer.
If such personal integrity is brought into the governance of the
Abdullah government, it will truly set an example for the rest
of India. Is this idealistic against the backdrop of the Satyam
scam that is the most recent example of corruption and misuse
of high office in India ? Yes– it is. But both state and society
need some ideals to spur them and this is one suggestion for
our youngest CM to ponder over.

Epilogue Ø
39 ×
February 2009

Beyond 100 day
Honeymoon
BALRAJ PURI
Celebrated author and columnist
O B
mar Abdullah's ambitions and popular expectations
are very high. He received good wishes from
separatist leaders Ali Shah Geelani and Umar
Farooq and has been hailed by the national media.
His surprise checks over hospitals and police stations,
taking action against erring officers on the spot and being
receptive to grievances of the people not only in person
but also on email, have raised popular expectations
further.
He might discover after 100 days plan he has set if not
earlier that it would be physically impossible for him to
attend to grievances of every body even if he suspends all
other functions of the government. Why not consider
setting up a grievance redressal machinery.
Similar institutions need to be set up like Planning
Commission, revive like Women Commission defunct at
present, tone up like State Human Rights Commission and
headless Accountancy Commission.
The tasks that Omar has set before him include Indo-Pak
reconciliation for which he offered to use his contacts in
Pakistan which be established in his two visits there,
proper response to offer of militants to give a chance to
non-violent means for solution of Kashmir problem, talks
with separatists leaders, not to speak of National
Conference's own objective of restoration of full
autonomy of the state.
Can he achieve any of these objectives, some of which may
be beyond his power without adequate intellectual
expertise and with a week and unwilling coalition partner?
Shouldn't he scale down his ambitions and popular
expectations to more realistic and manageable level to
avoid massive disillusionment later and spare some time to
think over policy matters and interact with knowledgeable
persons. If he is content with making a contribution to
restore harmony between regions and various ethnic and
religious communities of the state that in itself would be a
monumental achievement. For that a federal and
decentralized set up should be his first priority.
Epilogue Ø
40 ×
February 2009
C O V E R S T O R Y
Letters to Omar Abdullah
End the Chain of HR
Violations
MURTAZA SHIBLI
Editor, Kashmir Affairs, London
eing the youngest Chief Minister might afford a record
book entry, but it is also indicative of lack of experience in
a milieu that is fraught with umpteen dangerous
challenges. However, on a positive note, Omar Abdullah's ascent
to the office has generated goodwill across the divides which
puts him in a unique position to act not only as a politician to
honour his election promises but also as a diplomat to
reinvigorate the now stalled 'peace process' between India and
Pakistan. To create a real momentum towards a positive and
decisive change, the most important thing that needs to be
addressed is the arrest of endless human rights violations – daily
humiliations and torture killings of the Kashmiri youth at the
hands of various security agencies often for very flimsy and
insubstantial reasons. Successive state governments have failed
in restoring the basic dignity of the Kashmiri population and this
has stalled any reconciliation at the ground level despite media
engineered goodwill or cross border cultural exchanges.
The government also needs to delicately balance its position on
Pakistan, as it seems that under the growing pressure from Hindu
extremists the Congress government is willing to destroy all the
trust and goodwill that was built during the last five or six years
between India and Pakistan. Omar Abdullah government, being a
coalition in partnership with the Congress would perhaps be
forced to take a tough line that the people of Jammu and
Kashmir cannot afford. I believe that Omar Abdullah government
should reach out to its partner in the AJK to forge a mutual
position of rejecting terrorism as well as war as any solution to
the Kashmir issue. During my previous interactions with the
politicians from the AJK, including the former Prime Minister,
Sardar Attique Khan and the President Raja Zulqarnain Khan,
they have all talked impressively about 'young Abdullah'. The
new government should make judicious use of this goodwill to
further the relationship between the two regions and not allow
the current India-Pakistan tension to stifle the process of
reaching out to each other.
Another massive challenge facing Omar Abdullah would be well
entrenched corruption. He seems to have already succumbed to
the political pressure from his coalition partner, Congress, by
inducting some tainted politicians into his ministry. However,
managing corruption rather than eradicating it might be the
practical route to follow as the first step.
 C O V E R S T O R Y
Letters to Omar Abdullah

A Non-Conventional Agenda

ASHOK JAITLY

Distinguished Fellow & Director Water Resources Division,

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
Former Chief Secretary (J&K)

C
learly, Omar Abdullah's new decentralized generation
government has a full following the renewable energy
agenda on its hands and pathway. Photovoltaic, aero and
there will be many opinions about micro-hydel are technologies
priorities. I will not venture into eminently suitable for meeting
that general debate. But there can the needs of people living in the
be no two opinions that energy remotest parts of the state who
must be on top of any agenda. In have absolutely no hope of
fact, the abysmal power supply in benefiting from grid power in
the Valley was amongst the first the foreseeable future.
problems to engage the Chief
Minister and corrective The desirability of harnessing
management steps have already the vast solar potential of the
been taken. By all accounts, the Ladakh region is only too
situation in Jammu is not much obvious. Locations like the
better except for the fact that the Baramulla and Banihal gorges
government's presence in winter offer possibilities for wind
provides a deterrent to turbines. These options must be
bureaucratic somnambulance. pursued vigorously.
However, here I am pleading for
However, very soon the focus will a major initiative on micro-hydel
undoubtedly shift to longer term energy which has scope for
solutions for the overall energy widespread development. (But
problem and how best to utilize the not the cosmetic kind tom-
substantial hydro-electric tomed by the army and the
potential to the state's advantage – former Governor Sinha which
a persistent conundrum. Mufti actually turned out to be a huge
Mohammed Sayeed has already signaled that his party will scam and has yet to be fully investigated.) A well designed
exploit this issue notwithstanding that they did nothing to Micro Hydel Mission under the aegis of JAKEDA and the Power
seriously address its complexities other than use the gimmick Development Corporation (the latter's involvement is
of rhetoric to score dubious political brownie points. Not a important) would need to integrate technology, investment,
single new project was taken up in the last six years. Be that as management, livelihoods and community participation within
it may. Surely, his much vaunted administration will have clear timelines. The private sector would be only too willing to
much more to account for in the days to come. come in provided it is given a positive signal and a supportive
ambience as the response in states like Uttarakhand,
Even while the new government negotiates strongly with the Himachal and Arunachal shows. The facilitation of the central
centre to expedite and protect its fair share out of Ministry of Renewable Energy, which is already
Kishenganga, Sawalakot and Pakhar Dul (as it must), no time institutionalized, can be drawn upon. It is for the state
should be lost in launching a major programme for government to stir the waters.

Epilogue Ø
41 ×
February 2009

Revive Panchayats, Empower SWC, SHRC
REKHA CHOUDHARY
Professor of Political Science at University of Jammu
I
n the context of democratization, the
early signs coming from Omar
Abdullah are very encouraging. He has
already identified the need for
institutionalizing accountability by
strengthening the Accountability
Commission as well as the Vigilance
department. Most significantly he has
promised to bring the Right to
Information Act at par with the RTI in the
rest of the country. However in the same
direction there are three more important
things that need his attention. Firstly, it is
required to properly institutionalize the
Initiate from Top to End Corruption
M ASHRAF
Political commentator, travel writer, Former DG Tourism, J&K
E
very revolution throws up a new
leadership. The recent ones in
Kashmir have thrown up Omar
Abdullah. However, he endeared
himself more to the common people by
his fearless speech delivered in the
Indian Parliament which was telecast
live. The speech had many
repercussions, some negative, and
some positive. Kashmir's greatest
misfortune has been its vacillating
leadership. They all start with a promise
to the common masses for achieving a
place of “Dignity and Honour” for them
but ultimately end in the illusion of
having achieved it only for their own
person. People have voted for
development but at the same time have
declared their long cherished desire for
Panchayati Raj in this state. It is expected
that the new government will hold the
Panchayat elections after bringing the
local Panchayat Act at par with the 73rd
and 74th Amendments of Indian
Constitution and implement the three-
tier system in its totality. Not only at the
village level but even at the block and
district level the Panchayat should be
constituted on the basis of the principle
of elections. It is also expected that the
reservation principle for all the
categories including women will be
implemented and soon we will be able to
“Azadi”. Omar has to balance both. A
difficult job indeed but not
unachievable. On the development
side, corruption has eaten away the
vitals of our society. Nothing can really
succeed unless this disease is treated
first. It needs political will and decisive
action. Honesty and water flow from
top downwards. If the top is honest, the
lower rungs will have to abide or leave!
If one has sincere intentions and the
honesty of purpose, success comes
automatically. No doubt it is impossible
to cure a diseased society overnight but
an honest beginning has to be made.
The other pressing problem with explosive
potential is the unemployment. This has to
be dealt with on priority but in a
creative and constructive way. There is
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C O V E R S T O R Y
Letters to Omar Abdullah
see thousands of women holding the
position of Panches and Sarpanches.
Secondly, it is expected that the new
government will revive and strengthen
the State Commission of Women and give
it enough teeth to intervene in the
interest of women of the state in a more
effective manner. The minimum that is
required is the appointment of
Chairperson of the Commission. Thirdly,
it is expected that the new government
will make the State Human Rights
Commission a more effective a body and
give it appropriate powers..
no use creating armies of paid slaves in
uniform or without uniform. There are
many more areas needing some
revolutionary measures. These include
our living environment, the crumbling
infrastructure, messed up civic
services, healthcare, education, and
above all else the basic human rights
which have been and are still being
violated with total impunity. It may seem
a tall order but given the will and the
good intentions, the same can be
achieved. Some things may be difficult
and some even impossible. There is a
road sign put up by the Border Roads
Organisation on the Srinagar-Leh road.
It reads, “Difficult can be done
immediately, Impossible may take a till
time!”

Make difference at Govt, Party Level
DAYA SAGAR
Social Activist, Columnist
O
mar Abdullah can make
different from his predecessors
by working at issues that have
national significance as well as socio
political requirements of people of
Jammu and Kashmir. He needs to act at
both levels –the government and the
party.
National Conference has first and prime
task of isolating separatist elements
and pro separatist so called mainstream
political leaders. NC will have to fight
alone since Congress has many other
political interests. NC should retain its
old policy and not kneel before
separatist ideology.
Over 50% of the complaints received by
the State Vigilance Organisation are
related to Revenue, Education, Police,
PHE, Rural Development and Health.
The poor and backwardly placed people
are totally dependent on government
for their survival through these
services. The quality of education to the
poor through government schools can
be improved worth the expenditure
being made only if the commissioner
education and the director education
are asked to taste the education being
extended by Government Schools. .
Political reputations have gone so filthy
that people at their inner hearts did not
take Omar claiming his self as 'Mr. Clean'
that seriously. But Omar is young; he
could dare and afford take unpleasant
actions and even risk his government.
Socio communal disintegration in J&K
could be checked with reins of National
Conference in the hands of Farooq
Abdullah and both BJP & NC going
cordially. Congress can not go with BJP
in J&K in view of coalition needs in
other Indian states but National
Conference has no such political
compulsions and hence can give more
weight to interests of J&K people in
particular.
Need is to work for social
reconstruction at ground level .National
Conference in the past has worked for
keeping Hindu and Muslim of J&K
monolithic and will still have to stand
against divisive forces carrying on with
old policies.
Ideas seeing solution to miseries of J&K
in using contacts to get investments are
not going to pay in peace, rather
separatists have used growing
corruption on funds in government
machinery to cultivate hatred and
disbelief about the goodness of India. .
NC had raised the level of District
Development Boards with a Minister as a
Chairman after 1996 election. Now the
posts of District Development
Commissioner and District Collector be
separated. An officer of Secretary level
should be additionally posted as Distt
Development Commissioner.
De-freezing the 29th Constitutional
amendment for ordering fresh
delimitation of Assembly segments
would be another task. A fair
delimitation would benefit the far-flung
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C O V E R S T O R Y
Letters to Omar Abdullah
areas of Doda, Rajouri, Kathua,
Udhampur and hence would raise
goodwill for NC.
The legacies of surrender and
compromise for a guarantee to power
should not tempt Omar Abdullah.
Sheikh Abdullah had immediately taken
care of displaced persons of Pakistan
administered Kashmir in 1950 and Omar
will have to take care of local people
displaced from interiors of Doda,
Rajouri and Reasi in Jammu Region
.Omar Government should immediately
take up the job for registration
properties left behind by all the POK DPs
in 1947 ( unfortunately so far only
registration done is of some families
who came with in the ambit of
conditional ex gratia relief proposed in
1960s ).
In Jammu region the infrastructure
development to promote commercial
tourism be taken at triple the normal
pace. This will surely help Omar to even
rebuild his party.
State Public Service Commission and
SSSB should be reconstituted ( if needed
) with the condition that any
recruitment process should be
completed with in 6 months .This would
build the faith of youth in NC
government.
No Public Sector Enterprise or
Corporation should be carried in
dismantled position. Companies that
can not run must be closed.

Give Jammu its due Share
VERINDER GUPTA
President Jammu State Morcha
I
t should work as per the secular
ethos providing justice and fair
treatment to all the communities,
regions and sub-regions. Jammu region
and Kashmir Valley should have Regional
Councils as these exist for Ladakh and
Kargil and each district should have
District Council so that democracy is
enjoyed at the grass root level and
participation of the people in the
development activities is ensured.
It should remove the glaring disparities
prevailing in the different regions and
Jammu region must get its due in the
matter of: its representation in the
state assembly as such Delimitation of
Bring Reforms to Power Sector
VIKRAM GAUR
Engineer, expert on electrical energy
O
ur new CM recently talked of
ensuring adequate and regular
power supply to the consumers
all over the state especially to the
people of valley in this cold climate. For
that he advised the PDD to have
sufficient stock of transformers to
replace the damaged transformers in
the shortest possible time. This
however is not the solution. The biggest
challenge for the CM is to overhaul the
entire PDD I have the following
suggestions:-
Ensure that the PDD is made to work on
strictly on commercial lines without any
interference for which a top level
the Assembly Constituency be conduced
and Jammu region should get its due as
per the criteria laid down in the
Representation of the People Act; its
representation in the civil secretariat
and in other Govt. Services including
corporations and State Banks. It should
be made at par with the Valley;
allocation of development funds and
development of Tourism; selection to
the Professional Institutions. Single
Committee report be implemented. The
Medical College of be upgraded to the
level of Autonomous P.G.Institute and
Govt. Jammu Engineering College be
made equivalent to NITs or IITs; Special
emphasis is made to remove the
consultancy firm should requested to
advise. PDD should first improve and
modrnize its existing T&D system which
is in sambles especially the HT/LT
network and distribution transformer
stations. Engineers and officials should
be made accountable for every failure
to improve the system.
The entire PDD should be caderised into
Planning and design, Purchase and
Procurement, Generation, System
Operation, Maintenance and sale of
power etc. An independent HR wing
should look after the placement of more
than 25,000 PDD staff available with the
PDD without any political interference
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February 2009
C O V E R S T O R Y
Letters to Omar Abdullah
unemployment; Special incentives for
opening of new industries and re-
functioning of sick units.
To make the Government more
responsive to the people the secretariat
needs to remain opened throughout the
year, both at Jammu and Srinagar as
such there is need to bifurcate the
secretariat, other government offices
including directorates and corporations.
The secessionist forces and elements
indulging in terrorism should be isolated
and dealt firmly. Responsive, clean and
corruption free administration is being
expected from the young Chief Minister
of the State.
to get the optimum efficiency. An
independent Public Relation should also
be created to listen to public
complaints and redressal to lighten the
job of the technical staff. PR wing
should also help in creating public
awareness about conservation of energy
by holding meetings, seminars and
through print and electronic media.
I am sure if the CM takes these steps and
takes help from Centre to exploit the
available power potential he will able to
take the state to absolutely new heights
because the power today is basis for all-
round development of any state.
Nothing, literally nothing works without
power.

Debate Wisdom on J&K’s Accession
KN PANDITA
Political analyst, former Director Central Asian Studies, Kashmir University
T
he coalition government led by
Omar Abdullah would do well to
govern the strife-torn state with a
new thinking and approach. It should
engage the people of the state,
particularly of the valley, in a serious
and meaningful debate on the wisdom
of state's accession to the Indian Union
in 1947. The government, in
collaboration with willing political
parties, should institutionalise this
effort by engaging the masses of people
in sustained free intellectual
interaction at numerous study centres
spread all over the state. The
government may need to create a new
Discrimination against Jammu is well known, end it by delimitation
LEELA KARAN SHARMA
Convener, Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti
W
ith change of some faces,
again it is a Kashmir centric
government and I don't have
much hope for justice to Jammu.
Instead of harping on bringing the
separatists on dialogue table the Omar
Abdullah government should clearly
underline that the main problem is
about reclaiming the part of our state
under illegal occupation of Pakistan. We
do have reserve seats for that part and
even the resolution passed by the
parliament of India clearly demands the
same. Talking and having Cross-Loc
trade is surrendering your claim on PoK.
The domain of the government is to
focus on the developmental issues and
not to facilitate the dialogue process of
India and Pakistan or with the
Department of Public Awareness.
Economy being the mainstay of good
governance, Omar Abdullah's should
make a departure from the policy of
previous regimes of tenaciously holding
on to an exclusivist policy under the far-
fetched assumption that non-state
investments would adversely affect
s t a t e ' s i d e n t i t y. In view of
globalisation, Omar Abdullah's
government should open doors for
multinationals and investors to
propose, plan and invest in big
developmental projects in the state
that brings it on industrial map of the
Separatists. It is the prerogative of the
union government to look into the
matters related to the foreign affairs of
the country. If the newly elected
government is truly honest to act upon
the aspirations of all the regions of the
state then instead of setting up of any
commission for discrimination, they
should go for delimitation of assembly
seats. There had been many Commissions
in the past to fix the issue of
discrimination and there is no need of
going for another one when problem is
already well known. Contrary to its
rhetoric, the present government is
continuing with blatant discrimination
against Jammu region. They released 15
Kashmiri separatists from different jails
but are not talking about PSA against
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February 2009
C O V E R S T O R Y
Letters to Omar Abdullah
country. Besides providing employment
to large number of people, the quality
of life has to be raised.
Lastly, keeping in mind that unity in
diversity is fundamental to nation's
social-political structure emphasis has
to be not only on unity but also on
diversity. Recognizing diversity as a
positive element in the construct of
identity, the idea of three regional
councils with adequate constitutional,
administrative and financial space
would immensely strengthen the fabric
of the heterogeneous society of Jammu
and Kashmir.
Swami Dinesh Bharti despite a clear
promise of withdrawal. He is not a
terrorist but a saint and no explosive or
other material have been recovered
from him. It is to fool people on the
name of Autonomy, because it cannot
solve the problem of the illiteracy,
health, unemployment and other basic
amenities of life. The separatism in the
Kashmir is the borne of because of article
370, and it needs to be abrogated. The
central government should allocate
funds accordingly, region wise and make
it sure that they are not being diverted by
the state. Personally speaking I feel
Farooq would have been more mature
politically and otherwise if he had taken
over as Chief Minister.
(As told to RAMAN SHARMA)

Address the Displacement of the Kps
MAHESH KAUL
Research Scholar, displaced Kashmiri Pandit
T
he participation of displaced
Kashmiri Pandits in recently
concluded assembly elections
should lead the political class into some
introspection. While only less than 10%
of KPs voted, not even single candidate
from community could make it to
assembly. Kashmiri Pandits have started
realising the fact that electorally their
community has no significance as they
do not constitute a vote bank that can
make or break the politically equations
in the state. Another reality that has
affected the psyche of this displaced
community is that the constituency in
exile is a figment of imagination as the
exiled candidate has to contest against
the local candidate in the valley having
the larger voter share at his disposal.
The present leadership of the state has
to walk on a sharp edge as far its own
agenda in the state is concerned .During
the election campaign NC leadership
proclaimed that this election is for the
administrative and infrastructural
development .And not for the
resolution of the Kashmir issue.It wants
to be a catalyst or the facilitator for
bringing the separatists on the
negotiation table. Here lies the
responsibility of the Omar Abdullah
government to accommodate the
political aspirations of the internally
displaced Kashmiri Pandits .The present
government needs to highlight as to
where the Kashmiri Pandits figure in its
scheme of things as one of the main
stakeholders in the resolution of the
Kashmir issue?
K a s h m i r i Pa n d i t s h a v e s e r i o u s
reservations on combining their return
and rehabilitation with the
employment package as demographic
change has taken place in Kashmir due
to their ethnic cleansing. A whole new
generation of the Kashmiri Pandits born
during the 20 years of exile and also
those who were in their teens at the
time of the displacement strongly feel
about their right to survival as they
were the first hand victims of the ethnic
cleansing.The pain and torture of exile
has shaped their mindset as far as the
violation of the human rights is
concerned.There is a dormant desire in
the youth to regain their lost
constitutional rights.The trend in the
displaced community is that the
reversal of their displacement is
possible only with the establishment
of a homeland with the union territory
status in the North East of the Kashmir
valley.
Omar Abdullah government should focus
on the following areas as far as the issue
of the Kashmiri Pandits is concerned
while devising the agenda for the next
six years.
? To look into the demand of the
Homeland for the reversal of the
displacement of the Kashmiri
Pandits.
? To set up an enquiry commission to
find out what factors led to the en
mass exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits
from Kashmir in 1990.
? To find out why successive elected
state governments failed to reverse
the displacement of the Kashmiri
Pandits.
? To incorporate the political
viewpoint of the Kashmiri Pandits
for the resolution of the Kashmir
issue.
If the above mentioned points are
analyzed and incorporated into the
agenda by the Chief Minister then it will
provide a level ground for resolution the
Kashmir issue and the displacement of
the Kashmiri Pandits.
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C O V E R S T O R Y
Letters to Omar Abdullah
Governance is
Important but
don’t Abandon
Politics
TAHIR MOHIUDDIN
Editor Chattan, Srinagar
T
here are very high hopes and
expectations and Omar
Abdullah should take this
opportunity to prove his
commitments. While good
governance is a key issue in Jammu
and Kashmir but his government
should not completely abandon the
political issues. The new Chief
Minister should think of working out a
fine balance between governance
and the political process to make best
use of the opportunity peoples have
bestowed upon him. Therefore, on
governance, Omar's main priorities
should involve three key issues
–eradicating corruption, providing
employment and creating an
atmosphere where there are no
violations of human rights. On all
these three issues there has always
been a lot of rhetoric but no major
initiatives to make the different
palpable. Chief Minister should move
fast to make people feel the
difference of a process.
On politics, Omar Abdullah should not
only make his mind clear on Autonomy
but should also define a roadmap.
Autonomy was at the sole of the
identity of National Conference but
this issue has been phenomenally
abandoned for reasons which need to
be explained. Omar must understand
that National Conference once was a
strong movement of the peoples and
suffered losses only for drifting away
from its key political programmes
including the Autonomy.
 C O V E R S T O R Y
NC-Congress : Common & Uncommon

NC-CONGRESS

Will they ever have

a common agenda?
It has been almost a month that the newly elected National
Conference-Congress ruling coalition is in the office but the
government is yet to show its political outlook. Before formation
of the coalition government Jammu and Kashmir was under
Governor's rule for six months since July 10, 2008. That the Chief
Minister has chaired a dozen odd meetings of the officers and his
Ministers raided unsuspecting offices to check the work culture
but the government machinery is working, more or less, in the
same manner as it was under the Governor's apolitical
administration till January 5.

N
ational Conference and
Congress are a post poll
alliance and they
contested elections on
their own planks. Long
before the elections it was almost
certain for peoples and as well as the
parties that no single party is expected
to get full mandate to form the
government at its own. It was an
interesting triangle suggesting two of
the three parties –National Conference,
Peoples Democratic Party and the
Congress –will have to join hands to
form the government. Since the
National Conference and the Peoples
Democratic Party are the bitter regional
IRM AMIN BAIG rivals and an alliance between them
Associate Editor would have been nothing less than
George Bush and Osama bin Laden
launching a joint war against terrorism,
the Congress obviously held the key to
the government. Till the last phase of
seven phased polling on December 24,
there was not even an iota of idea as
which way the Congress would like to go.
The Congress decided on December 30
to join hands with National Conference
and a sleek and compact Omar Abdullah
government was sworn in on January 5
in a star studded glittering oath
ceremony. The swearing in of the Chief
Minister and the nine Ministers –five
from Congress and four from National
Conference –was indeed a ceremonial
beginning giving representation to all
regions and communities till full

Epilogue Ø
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February 2009

formation of ministry took place. It was
only four days later that the Chief
Minister and his ministerial colleagues
moved in their Civil Secretariat offices.
The Chief Minister had indicated in first
week of January that his ministry will
soon be expanded. Not only that
expansion of ministry has been delayed
but also there is no meeting between
leadership of Congress and National
Conference yet to ink a fine print of
their partnership.
The beauty of the coalition is that it
took them just 48 hours after results
were declared to decide on joining
hands with each other. No conditions
were put from any side, not even
rotation of the Chief Minister's chair
between partners. The potential
drawback, however, is that the
government does not have any declared
political program while the individual
parties have their own. Chief Minister
Omar Abdullah has been trying to
project the image of his government as
a regime which is sensitive to the
peoples' problems and is committed to
resolving them. Yes, people need such a
dispensation but Jammu and Kashmir is
not a state which can afford a
government for long which is apolitical
in nature. There has to be a well
declared political program to take the
peoples along. Besides issues of
governance, which are common to all
societies, Jammu and Kashmir has a
major political issue which needs
constant attention and engagement for
making a forward movement as every
day counts.
The ruling coalition is yet to arrive at a
Common Minimum Program outlining
the mutually shared priorities of the
National Conference and the Congress
on a wide array of issues including
political process and governance. There
has not been any meeting between
NC-Congress : Common & Uncommon
OMAR ABDULLAH :
To hold chair for six years
The beauty of the coalition is
that it took them just 48 hours
after results were declared to
decide on joining hands with
each other. No conditions were
put from any side, not even
rotation of the Chief Minister's
chair between partners. The
potential drawback, however,
is that the government does not
have any declared political
program while the individual
parties have their own
leaders of the coalition partners on the
issue. “The only thing decided between
Congress and the National Conference is
that there will be a government of
National Conference and the Congress
in Jammu and Kashmir headed by
me…there is nothing more than that and
nothing less than that”, said Omar
Abdullah after meeting Congress
President Sonia Gandhi. The second
formal meeting is yet to take place.
Why Congress and National Conference
have not been able to come out with a
Common Minimum Program is bit
understandable given the present
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February 2009
C O V E R S T O R Y
political atmosphere. It appears
primarily due to compulsions of the
Congress which preferred NC over PDP
(erstwhile partner) in view of the
upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the
country. When India goes to polls in next
few months terrorism, and separatist
movement in Kashmir will be the two
major issues where Congress will have
to balance out an aggressive campaign
of its ace rival at national level –the
Bhartiya Janta Party and its ragtag
allies. Facing elections in India with PDP
as partner in Kashmir could have been
disastrous for the Congress, particularly
in aftermath of Amarnath land row and
after the unveiling of the self-rule
proposal. National Conference too has a
well declared political agenda for
Kashmir but its compromising nature
gives Congress enough room for its own
sweet talk on Kashmir.
Common Minimum Programmes of the
partners in the ruling coalitions are
inked well before the governments are
sworn in but in this case, observers
believe, it may take far longer than
expected. Congress and the National
Conference have their own manifestos
and programmes for Jammu and
Kashmir. A look at both documents
shows many points of agreement but
there are still many points of
disagreement. When a Common
Minimum Programme is shaped up both
partners will have to give in some points
to each other's political constituency.
For example, Greater Autonomy is the
soul of National Conference and the
party would press for its inclusion in the
CMP. Autonomy being part of CMP means
nationwide disaster for the Congress
and its exclusion means end of the
journey of National Conference as a
representative political party in Jammu
and Kashmir. While this issue has far
reaching repercussions but immediate

effects can be seen in the upcoming Lok
Sabha elections, at least on six seats of
Jammu and Kashmir.
POINTS OF DISAGREEMENT
The manifestos of both National
Conference and the Congress are
mainly dedicated to the issues of
governance and on political front
there are two issues: peace process
and regional empowerment. While on
governance there is enough scope for
the both parties to achieve a common
ground but on the two main political
issues Congress and National
Conference have an entirely different
approach.
Peace Process
Restoration of Greater Autonomy makes
the essence of NC's approach to peace
process. Though Congress too agrees to
devolution of more powers to Jammu
and Kashmir but naming such a process
as Autonomy is not a part of its
approach. Interestingly, it is for first
time that the Congress made devolution
of powers as main part of its elections
manifesto and to some extent it suits
the National Conference policy.
However, no discussion on the issue is
likely till the Lok Sabha elections are
over.
In its manifesto, the Congress says:
“The Congress remains fully committed
to the comprehensive devolution of
powers to Jammu and Kashmir so that
the people of the State would be free to
realize their full potential. To this end,
the Congress will strive hard to work
with all democratic forces…the party
has an abiding faith that all issues and
disputes can be resolved through
discussions and dialogue. There is no
NC-Congress : Common & Uncommon
other way to achieve reconciliation
except through dialogue”. This is a
vague statement on peace process in
comparison to a well defined approach
of the National Conference.
The National Conference wants the
Central Government to consider the
Autonomy resolution duly passed by the
state legislature during NC's last stint in
power as it argues that Autonomy
remains the only viable solution to
Kashmir issue. The NC manifesto says:
Greater Autonomy becoming
part of the coalition CMP
means nationwide disaster for
the Congress and its exclusion
means end of the journey of
National Conference as a
representative political party in
Jammu and Kashmir
“The National Conference government
will strive to make people understand
that restoration of Autonomy in its
pristine form is the only viable solution.
This realization alone shall bring peace
back…this proposal is gaining more and
more acceptability in the country and
other parts of world notwithstanding
the fact that certain quarters inimical
to the National Conference have been
harping on the fact that NDA Government
had rejected the resolution passed by the
State Assembly”.
To make it explicit that Autonomy will
be a password to its political survival,
the National Conference manifesto
further says: the Government shall
pursue with the Central Government
the matter of providing urgent
consideration to the Resolution of
Autonomy passed by the State
Assembly”.
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C O V E R S T O R Y
Regional Balance
Regional balance or imbalance is an
issue that has remained alive in Jammu
and Kashmir for 60 years and the voices
of dissent in Jammu and Ladakh against
Kashmir have only got shriller year after
year. The Congress constituency is
mainly confined to Jammu region and
therefore it has always played the
regional empowerment card to its best.
The main grievance in Jammu is that its
strength in the Legislative Assembly is
not proportionate to its area and
population and therefore Kashmir with
more nine members always enjoys an
upper hand in all decision making
processes. The formula to end this
alleged discrimination is suggested as
delimitation of assembly constituencies
–something National Conference is
strictly opposed to. In 2007, the Ghulam
Nabi Azad government has tried to push
the delimitation bill in assembly but
National Conference and the Peoples
Democratic Party –despite being bitter
rivals –thwarted such even at discussion
stage. While National Conference is
strictly opposed to the delimitation, for
Congress it is the only issue which keeps
it alive in Jammu region and gives
strength to stand up against parties like
BJP and Panthers Party.
On its approach to regional
empowerment, the Congress is very
explicit. The party says in its manifesto:
“Congress will introduce a Bill in the
Legislative Assembly to constitute
Delimitation Commission…when
elected to power, the party will
restructure the Constitution of the
state into a federal set up by setting up
separate regional councils for Jammu
and Kashmir and further
decentralization and devolution of
powers to district and block level
councils to ensure effective
participation of people in the

democratic system. This constitutional
mechanism will guarantee the unity and
integrity of the regions and the state”.
While Congress, in its own way,
'champions' the cause of political
empowerment of Jammu region, the
National Conference bears all allegations
of skewing political strengths in favour of
Kashmir. To ward these allegations off,
NC's stand on regional balance is too
well known but it was never favourable
to the Congress. NC seeks to divide the
state into six units drawn exactly on
religious lines. Its proposal on Regional
Autonomy has always remained at the
center of criticism.
?
Panchayati Raj
Grassroots level democracy has never
been allowed to thrive in Jammu and
Kashmir by any party and that
constitute a major source of
discontentment. In late 1970s the
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah
Government had dissolved the
Panchayats to reconstitute them in sync
with the central law but that never
happened till 2001 when Farooq
Abdullah government conducted the
Panchayat elections after a staggering
gap of more than 20 years. It was a
bitter humiliation of the elected
Panchayat members ever after.
Panchayats were neither constituted
nor were powers devolved to them by
Farooq Abdullah or his successors Mufti
Mohammad Sayeed and Ghulam Nabi
Azad.
The partners in the present coalition, in
their respective manifestos, agree to
empower Panchayats but their
approaches are different and little
confrontationist to each others. While
National Conference promises to go for
Panchayat elections 'immediately', the
Congress want first amendment to the
Panchayati Raj Act in accordance with
NC-Congress : Common & Uncommon
SAIFUDDIN SOZ above and GHULAM NABI
AZAD: Congress is yet to make clear who is
headmaster in its J&ik class
Of its 17 seats, Congress has
14 from Jammu. Therefore
issues like delimitation
assume importance.
Abandoning this issue may
further damage its base and
pushing for it will be like
direct confrontation with NC
Of its 28 seats, the NC has 21
from Kashmir, 5 from Jammu
& 2 from Ladakh. Protecting
its Kashmir constituency is
important for NC as it is there
where it faces stiff competition
with the PDP
the 73rd amendment to the Constitution
of India before going to elections. On
Panchayati Raj, the Congress manifesto
says: “Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati
Raj Act will be amended in conformity
with provisions as contained in 73rd
amendment to the Constitution of
India”. The National Conference says:
Immediately after coming to power, the
government shall hold elections to the
all Panchayats and fully support them to
discharge their functions as envisaged
in the Panchayati Raj Act.
POINTS OF AGREEMENT
Keep the political issues apart, the
Epilogue Ø
50 ×
February 2009
C O V E R S T O R Y
ruling coalition partners Congress
and the National Conference have
almost similar approach to the issues
of governance and other important
issues including employment,
measures against human rights
violations and rehabilitation of the
victims and even the contentious
issue of the release of detenues. The
points of full or near consensus are:
Dialogue
?
Dialogue with different sections of
society including separatists. Both
parties agree that there should be a
broad dialogue and the government
shall act as a facilitator.
Release Of Prisoners
?
To review the cases of all detenues
lodged in various jails different charges
and set free those who don't have grave
criminal charges pending against them.
Pay Hike Of Employees
?
Implementation of the recommendations
of Sixth Pay Commission. This promise is a
part of the Congress manifesto. Though
there is no written mention of it in the
National Conference manifesto, which
is a politically loaded document, the
party leaders promised pay hike almost
every day during election campaign.
Employment
?
On unemployment, both parties agree
to launch a comprehensive plan but
approaches are different. The Congress
wants thousands of jobs created in the
government and those who fail to get a
job are paid stipend. National
Conference says that the Government
jobs for all is not a right approach.
Therefore, NC wants to create jobs in
the private sector.

The Change we Need
T
he Assembly elections in Jammu and
Kashmir were no less than historic
especially given the high voting turnout
amidst the deceitful boycott call by the
separatists. Out of the 87 members in the
state Assembly, Ladakh region has got a share of only
four seats. Given this meagre number, Ladakh does
not matter too much in electoral/coalition
calculations. However, from the point of view of
democratic testimonial, election process and the
verdict in Leh this time needs to be rewarded special
attention for numerous hale and hearty reasons. Very
recently, in one of the most keenly awaited and
keenly contested elections of America's presidency,
the Democrat candidate Mr. Obama made use of a
very attractive catchphrase, “Change We Need.” His
supporters liked his idea of change so much that they
gave him a landslide victory. In the recent Assembly
elections, the voters of Leh seemed to have
supported a similar idea of change personified by Mr.
Nawang Rigzin Jora of Indian National Congress (INC).
In parallel to the voting pattern in the USA, a huge
chunk of supporters of change in Leh was the young
voters. For this reason, INC leadres of Leh attributed
Mr. Jora's victory to the younger generation of
Ladakh.
In a way the verdict for “change” by the people of Leh
was no less than historic for more than one reason.
Firstly and most importantly, the victory of Mr. Jora is
at complete variance from the past electoral trends
in Ladakh. Until this election, the leadership from
royal and spiritual background used to have the upper
hand in every major election in Ladakh. Hence to
challenge the traditional royal-spiritual bunch of
leaders needed guts, vision and sincere effort. It is
also to be remembered that Mr. Jora was elected MLA
T. Norfail Leh in the 2002 election too. But then he was elected
Epilogue Ø
51 ×
February 2009
S P E C I A L R E P O R T
The Leh Verdict
uncontested under the banner of Ladakh Union
Territory Front (LUTF).
Secondly, what makes this victory very attention-
grabbing for Mr. Jora is that he had broken away from
LUTF (with some other leaders) soon after his
election in 2002 to revive INC. It is pertinent to
mention here that LUTF was then being considered a
very important political podium to keep the UT
movement alive. Hence, it had the support of almost
every section of Leh. But LUTF soon proved to be a
hoax as it failed to live up to the people's
expectation. The INC leaders broke away from LUTF
with the allegation that there was no room for
performers in the LUTF because of the domination of
the leaders from royal and spiritual background. But
the INC revivalists were then called opportunist and
selfish for they had broken the voters' confidence by
breaking away from the single and unanimous
political conglomerate (LUTF) which was formed
after disbanding all political parties in Ladakh.
Consequently, INC leaders had to bear the brunt in
the 2005 Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development
Council elections as it could win only two seats out of
the total 26 elected councillors. However, to
everybody's surprise, Mr. Jora has been able to win
peoples' confidence back with his performance as a
minister in the earlier coalition regime and was able
to curve an electoral space in Leh within no time.
The third important raison d'être that makes this
victory out-of- the-ordinary is the fact that Mr. Jora's
main opponent in this election was Mr. Thupstan
Chhewang (MP Ladakh), who used to be considered
the Godfather/kingmaker of Ladakh politics. Five
years back nobody could have thought of making an
MLA election a close contest with Mr. Thupstan
Chhewang as the opponent— not to speak of winning

it dramatically. But now, the above
proposition is put upside down. More
importantly, this victory did not come in
support of poignant and bare slogans
but for some substantial performances
of the past few years, and also for some
far-sighted promises of the future.
Fourthly, the voters of Leh have shown a
lot of political maturity by giving their
mandate to a candidate who had
performed earlier. In other words, the
voters have rejected those leaders who
believe in emotionally blackmailing the
electorates by raising emotional issues
than the ones directly linked to the well
being of the masses. By voting a
candidate who raised developmental
and progressive issues, and also one
who had performed earlier, the voters
of Leh have indeed shown a lot of
political maturity. In other words, the
voters of Leh have put faith in deeds of
the leaders than in their words/slogans.
It is very relevant to mention here that
Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA),
Ladakh Gompa [monastery] Association
and Ladakh Muslim Association had
decided not to intervene in the
electoral/political affairs of the region
during the recent MLA elections. Given
the earlier record of these organisations
in mixing-up religion and politics (or in
politicising religion) in Ladakh, this
move proved to be very decisive in the
final outcomes of the elections.
Fifthly, the voters have articulated that
the old formula of “Union-Territory-for-
Ladakh” is no longer going to work— at
least when it is used in lieu of the issues
directly connected to the basic
necessities of the public. Ever since the
inception of the UT movement in
Ladakh, every leader and political party
has used it as a political trump-card for
purchasing votes. It's however an
entirely different thing that apart from
unfilled and emotional slogans on
S P E C I A L R E P O R T
The Leh Verdict
election eves, the Ladakhi leaders has
done nothing in deed. In fact, they have
still not done the fundamental home
work necessary for UT-Ladakh: uniting
Now
the Buddhists and the Muslims of Ladakh
to bring them on a common political
platform. Consequently, the UT
Telling
euphoria often used very vociferously
by the LUTF did not work this time. This
too augurs well in terms of the maturity The J&K
of the Ladakhi voters because they are
now able to differentiate between
political rhetoric and reality. In other
words, the voters now know that their
Stories
immediate developmental needs are
more important than a sophisticated
and idealistic future-political-
Epilogue
aspiration (UT-Ladakh). because there is more to know
Given the above scenario, it would not
be inappropriate to believe in what Mr.
Contact
Rigzin Palbar (RP), President, District
Congress Committee, Leh had to say (in
a thanksgiving speech to the voters at
Polo Ground, Leh): “…this verdict can
ABDULLAH NEWS AGENCY
change the nature and character of
Ladakh's politics positively for ever…”.
Lal Chowk, Srinagar
Terming the verdict of Leh voters as 9419074859
historic, Mr. RP also cautioned the INC
members that rather than getting
carried away with the election results, RAINA NEWS AGENCY
they should concentrate more seriously Residency Road, Jammu
on the ways and means to fulfil the
voters' aspirations in all circumstances.
This point is very important and,
therefore, is required to be pondered
ABC STATIONERS AND
over by all the leaders because, DISTRIBUTORS
generally, after their respective Leh
election victories, the leaders very
quickly forget the promises they made
during the election campaigns and CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY
thereby relegate the popular mandate New Delhi
to a mere election victory for occupying
a political chair/post. Therefore, it's
very important to owe the popular
mandate as a public trust to be repaid OXFORD BOOK STORE
with performances to bring to the fore New Delhi, Mumbai,
their basic requirements and to adopt a Calcutta, Bangalore,
holistic and farsighted approach of Chennai & Goa
development and prosperity.
Epilogue Ø
52 ×
February 2009
 I N T E R V I E W
Nawang Rigzin Jora, on the Leh Verdict

Interview

UT demand was prompt

reaction to Greater
Autonomy resolution

N awang Rigzin Jora, Minister for

Tourism, was one of the founder
members of the Ladakh Union
Territory Front. He was elected unopposed
in 2002 elections as LUTF candidate in
2002 and won the 2008 elections as
Congress nominee. In an exclusive
interview to EPILOGUE, Rigzin says, the
LUTF has gone redundant for its short
vision and people in Ladakh have adopted
Congress overwhelmingly. Here are
excerpts:

People of Leh have again reposed their faith

in your leadership, where do you place the
Ladakh politics today. In 2002, the Leh
district had disbanded all political parties
and you were returned to assembly
unopposed. In 2008, you have defeated the
sitting Member of Parliament who claims to
be the unchallenged champion of Ladakh
politics.

Epilogue Ø
53 ×
February 2009

After years of confusion, politics in
Ladakh have now crystallized with a
definite roadmap. It is true that in 2002,
local units of all political parties were
disbanded to give shape to the Ladakh
Union Territory Front (LUTF) and when I
revived Congress few years later it was
seen with some suspicion. Actually in
the hindsight people have realized that
Congress is the party best suited to their
interests and by that way they have
overwhelmingly endorsed my decision
by re-electing me to the assembly. The
unprecedented development of Ladakh
was possible only because I was
associated with the Congress and the
party had honoured me with a berth in
Cabinet giving me enough space to do
best for my region. There is a
realization that LUTF is a small district
level formation and therefore can't go
long in shaping up destiny of Ladakh
which has unique problems and unique
aspirations. Congress is a national
political party which can go extra mile
in addressing the local problems.
But BJP is also a
national political party
like Congress. Then
why do you say that
Congress alone can
respect sentiments
and address issues of
Ladakh.
As a representative of the people of
Ladakh, I can say with authority that our
people can never think of going along
BJP. Congress is a party with secular
outlook which is synonymous with the
Ladakhi thinking. Budhists can never
trust BJP as the party and its allied
organizations have always hurt our
sentiments. There are many examples
where BJP and its frontal bodies forced
religious conversion of Budhists.
Nawang Rigzin Jora, on the Leh Verdict
You say that Ladakh
has completely
accepted Congress but
out two constituencies
in district you have
won only one (yours)
and lost Nubra to an
independent.
There is an across the board acceptance
of Congress in Leh district which can not
be undermined by losing Nubra seat.
Nubra was a vast constituency
(geographically) with a small voter
chunk (little over 10,000). In such cases
money and other factors also play a
part. Our candidate (Tsewang Rigzin) is
an upcoming young politician with quite
meager resources (he is primarily a
journalist) while the independent
candidate who has won has remained a
Minister earlier.
So where does LUTF
stand and what is the
status of Union
Territory demand for
which Leh was once
completely
unanimous.
First thing first. LUTF has been
completely declared redundant by the
people. Perhaps it has outlived its utility
in Leh politics. When people refused to
pose their confidence in the leader of
LUTF –Thupstan Chhewang, who is also
the Member of Parliament –you can well
understand that the organization is now
over.
As far as the question of Union Territory
is concerned, we must understand the
origin of its demand in historical
context. Ladakh is a part of Jammu and
Kashmir which is engaged in a political
conflict for six decades now. There is
problem which is yet to be addressed
and that is the reason that there are
Epilogue Ø
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February 2009
I N T E R V I E W
always concerns and discussions at the
highest level in the country. From time
to time there have come many creative
proposals for resolution of Kashmir issue
and Greater Autonomy, as demanded by
National Conference is one of them. We
must understand that you can't decide
future of Jammu and Kashmir by
keeping Ladakh off the table. When
National Conference passed Autonomy
Resolution in the State Assembly,
Ladakh felt not only offended but also
threatened about its future. There was
a prompt reaction. People refused to
imagine themselves as a part of a
political system which does not include
their aspirations. And thus the demand
of Union Territory was an immediate
reaction. We rallied around the point
strongly and that was the only way of
telling the political leadership in state
and the country that our identity and
aspirations are unique and we do not
want to be taken for granted and
condemned unheard.
You talked about
genesis. It the
demand of Union
Territory still alive
As I explained the genesis, there were
two important factors in the following
years. After my election to assembly in
2002, besides my development
programmes I took care of the Ladakhi
aspirations and ensured that there was
no compromise with our unique
identity. Once people got doubly sure
that in presence of a responsible and
responsive leadership it was no more
possible for anyone in Srinagar or New
Delhi to decide their future, they
started concentrating on strengthening
the local governance. Union Territory is
a definite demand in Ladakh but there is
also a realization that such
restructuring is directly linked with the

resolution of Kashmir issue. I am happy
that people of Ladakh are courageous
enough to reject rhetoric and live on
reality.
Please name one
major task you would
like to accomplish in
next six years for
Ladakh
I have a commitment with myself. You
come and interview me six years later
and I will show you the performance.
Besides other issues, I have a deep
desire and commitment to ensure 100%
literacy in Ladakh. That is the only way
my people can progress and prosper. On
education I have an inspiration from
Parsis and Kashmiri Pandits. Like them, I
want to put Ladakh community at the
top of literacy map.
As a Minister in the
Cabinet, you have
taken charge of two
important
departments –Tourism
and Culture. What are
your priorities?
Tourist is the backbone of our economy
and I want to make this sector a main
engine of economic growth in Jammu
and Kashmir. I want to adopt a four-
pronged strategy for tourism promotion
–to promote Jammu and Kashmir as a
tourism destination across the country
and other parts of world and pursue a
region-special agenda for Kashmir,
Jammu and Ladakh.
In Kashmir, we have three or four
popular destinations which tourists
know. I want to take tourists to smaller
and unexplored areas. This will make
entire Valley a tourist destination.
I N T E R V I E W
Nawang Rigzin Jora, on the Leh Verdict
Shop in the heritage
ambience of a lavishly
resorted, 65 year old building
on Canal Road
FOR THE FINEST IN
Elegant and Designer Home
Dec or, Tableware,
Accessories, Linen, Cushion
Tourists will prolong their stay and its Covers, Table Mats and
spinoffs will also go to the smaller Runners Trays, Classical
places. Indo-Western Jewellery,
Decorative Candles, Lamps a
In Jammu, we have a large number of
cluster of Frames depicting
pilgrim tourists (nearly 80 lakh) coming
every year to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.
art, gold leaf and glazed clay
Our strategy will involve taking the products are a riot of
maximum number of them to other colours ; a reflection of the
places in the region thus making entire happy go lucky, never say die
Jammu a tourist destination.
attitude.... brought a from all
over India and around the
In Ladakh, we have a large number of
foreign tourists coming in every year.
world.
Our effort will be enlarging the number Also exotic flowers and
of foreigners and simultaneously foliage at the Flower Shop.
attracting more domestic tourists.
Ladakh is a very vast area and we will
see that the urban concentration is
scattered to far off areas also.
And on Culture
Ministry of Culture is new in Jammu and
Kashmir. It is only one year old. Besides
engaging in cultural exchanges, my
priority also involves reviving and
Adjoining Indira Theatre,
strengthening cultural linkages
between Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh. I Canal Road,
have vision to achieve the regional Now awaits you.
harmony through cultural exchange.
Epilogue Ø
55 ×
February 2009

Oral Traditions and History of
Jammu Hill States
I
t is customary among the common
people to narrate historical events and
keep alive the collective memory in the
form of folktales and folk songs. In the
different parts of the Indian
subcontinent, the wandering singers present
folktales and folk songs in the form of public
performances in the rural areas. These singers
are known by such names as mirasis, jogis and
faqirs. They entertain the people with
songs/stories describing the heroic deeds of
past heroes or narrate the resistance against
foreign invaders. Moreover, these singers also
sing songs in the memory of local deities,
rituals, customs and other cultural
developments. It is important to mention that
these singers' songs did not restrict themselves
to the events of a particular chronological
span. Instead, they incorporated the events of
different periods in their stock of themes.
Similarly, it is a common practice for the
people in India to quote legends, myths and
superstitions in support of their actions,
thoughts and beliefs. Besides, a large number
of jokes and satires have been manufactured
at the popular level against the deeds of
people belonging to the diverse (other/alien)
social groups. However, the oral traditions in
various forms tends to remove, to a large
extent, the difficulties and hindrances caused
by the non-availability of written records,
hitherto considered essential for
reconstructing the history of a region, race,
Prof. Jigar Mohammed people and period. It has already been pointed
Epilogue Ø
56 ×
February 2009
C O L U M N
History
out that many societies or communities or
social groups (and regions) of India do not
possess adequate and suitable historical
records, either in the form of archaeological
remains or written documents. In such a
scenario, the availability of oral evidence
inspires the people to trace their own
history.
The modern Jammu region is quite poor in
terms of the availability of written records.
It is quite well known that the region was
divided into twenty two Rajput principalities
during medieval period, particularly from
the fifteenth century onwards. These
principalities were ruled by lineages that
were both Hindu and Muslim. For example,
the rulers of Jammu, Jasrota, Bilawar,
Bhadrawah and Mankot belonged to the
Hindu Rajput dynasties,, whereas the rulers
of Rajouri and Punch belonged to the Muslim
Rajput dynasties. Though some Mughal
chronicles provide scattered information
regarding the socio-political and economic
life of these principalities, there are hardly
any indigenous source in local or non-local
languages, providing information regarding
the past. J. Hutchison and J. Ph. Vogel, the
authors of the History of the Punjab Hill
States, the pioneer work on the history of
Jammu hill states, depend mainly on the
traditional genealogical tables
(Vanshawalis) for tracing the dynastic history
of these petty chiefdoms. But as far as the

oral traditions are concerned, they
yield rich data regarding the historical
development in the region. Highlighting
the importance of the oral traditions in
historical perspective, Hutchison and
Vogel write, “…common tradition is
often useful in throwing light on the
events of past, and much information of
a fairly reliable character has come
down to us through this channel. In the
hills social conditions have been
prevalent from remote times, which
give to traditionary lore an importance
and credibility which it would not
elsewhere possess. Till comparatively
recent years the hills were almost
entirely isolated from the plains. The
rugged character of the country made
invasion difficult and conquest
practically impossible. This is the chief
reason why we read of so few dynastic
changes…Nor is this claim to ancient
lineage confined to the families of the
ruling chiefs.
Many Brahmans also can prove, by the
title deeds to their possession, that
their ancestors have held their lands in
unbroken tenure for many centuries,
and in some cases of nearly thousand
years. Even the common farmers, in
numerous instances, reside in same
villages and till the same lands as their
ancestors have done from time
immemorial. And families older than
even these are to be found in the hills -
the descendents of petty chiefs called
Ranas and Thakurs, who according to
common tradition, held independent
rule in the dim and misty past, long
before the Rajas appeared on the
scene. If to all this be added the
glamour and romance of the hills: the
conservative character of the people
and their devoted attachment to their
hereditary chiefs, and their native land
in all its interests: we have those
conditions, in full measure, which tend
foster a love of traditionary lore, and to
create an atmosphere most favourable
for its transmission, with remarkable
accuracy of detail, to posterity.” The
statement of Hutchison and Vogel
seems to be correct in the light of the
specific socio-political conditions of the
Jammu hill states. It may be mentioned
that almost all castes and tribes,
inhabiting the hills, practiced
agriculture and animal rearing as basis
of their livelihood. All the social groups
maintained their indigenous traditions.
Instead of depending on the imperial
records, the people of Jammu hills
generally quoted the oral traditions
while tracing their past.
The oral traditions of Jammu hills are
available in form of heroic ballads, folk
stories, (lokgatha) folk songs etc. These
traditions contain a great variety of
historical themes. Moreover, the oral
traditions are available in different
languages and dialects of the region.
Though the Dogri is the major language
in terms of the making of oral
traditions, some other dialects such as
Bhadrawahi and Kishtwari have also
been employed for making stories,
songs and proverbs. The oral traditions
are preserved by the people in
accordance with the themes. For
instance, the ballads known as karaks
are sung to narrate the life and works of
a saint of the area concerned. These are
sung by hereditary and professional
singers known as garadi. Similarly, the
ballads sung to describe the valorous
deeds of the warriors are called bars.
However, all types of oral traditions
contain some basic ingredient that can
be used for reconstructing at least some
aspect of an otherwise hazy past.
Generally, the origin of all the states of
Jammu region is traced on the basis of
oral traditions. For instance, one of
such traditions shows that Jammu was
Epilogue Ø
57 ×
February 2009
C O L U M N
History
an ancient state. Its firs king was
Angibaran, who was a brother or
kinsman of the ruler of Ayodhya.
Another oral tradition shows that the
state of Jammu was founded by a king
called Jammu-Lochan. According to this
tradition, “Jammu-Lochan on becoming
Raja wished to found another town as
his capital and name it after himself.
With this in view he went out hunting
one day accompanied by his officials,
and crossing the Tawi (river) he saw in
the jungle a deer and tiger drinking at
the same tank.
Being surprised at the sight he
returned to his tent, and calling his
ministers enquired the meaning of
such strange occurance. They replied
that the explanation lay in the fact
that the soil of the place excelled in
virtue, and for that reason no living
creature bore enmity against another.
The Raja, therefore, came to the
conclusion that this was just the kind of
site he was in search of, and founded a
new town calling Jambupura.” Similar
types of oral evidences are available
pertaining to the political
developments from ancient to
medieval times. Another oral tradition
of Bhadrawah state (situated in the
modern Doda district of the Jammu
region) mentions that Nagpal, a king of
the sixteenth century, accepted the
Mughal sovereignty. Another oral
tradition shows that a poet of the
eighteenth century Bhadrawah
composed a poem to please the reigning
king. The following Dogri couplet
substantiates the point:
Kad chhutta munh jalda karne
gilra Sumpat Pale ki kian rijhana
This couplet may be translated as
“Being dumb and dwarf with a goitre on
neck, I do not know how to please the Raja
Sampat Pal.

In the Jammu hills the local heroes, struggling for the
protection of the interests of the common people, have always
been treated as the local deities from the early medieval
period onwards. The main reason behind the their immense
popularity was their selfless struggle that inspired the local
people to fight for their their socio-economic rights. The local
heroes inspired the common people to raise their voice against
an oppressive state and the tax-collectors' exploitative
methods. These struggle of the local heroes is preserved in the
oral traditions. Some local heroes such as Baba Jitto and Mian
Dido have acquired an iconic status in the oral traditions of the
Jammu region. These oral traditions are available in form of
Karak and sung by the singers till date. Professor Ram Nath
Shastri has collected a large number of such oral traditions
pertaining to the lives of Baba Jitto and Mian Dido and other
local heroes and has utilised them in highlighting their
contribution to the socio-economic developments in the Jammu
region. His book entitled Duggar de Lok Nayak, written in the
Dogri language, is largely based on the oral traditions of the
region. These oral traditions narrate both the life and works of
these local heroes. For instance the following oral tradition
describes the birth of Baba Jittoo:
Ghar Rupa de thaugar truthe Aund narain lai
Bhale nashtar janam Babe da Naren mangal gai
The above couplet may be translated as : “God was pleased
with Rupa and brought all hope to fruition. The Baba was born
under an auspicious constellation and the women folk sang
their blessings.” The above karak is not only source of the birth
of the Baba. But it does indicate the name of his mother i.e.
Rupa. In the Indian society, generally the father's name was
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP AND OTHER PARTICULARS OF EPILOGUE, JAMMU AS
REQUIRED UNDER RULE 8 OF THE REGISTRATION OF NEWSPAPERS (CENTRAL) RULES, 1956
FORM – IV (See Rule 8)
1. Place of Publication
2. Periodicity of its publication
3. Printer’s Name
Whether Citizen of India
Address
4. Publisher’s Name
Whether Citizen of India
Address
5. a) Editor’s Name
Whether Citizen of India
Address
6. Name and Addresses of individual who own the
Newspapers
I, Zafar Iqbal Choudhary, hereby declare that the particulars given above are true to the best of my knowledge and
belief.
Date : February, 2009
C O L U M N
History
recorded during medieval and early modern times. In this
case, however, it was the name of the mother that has been
recorded. It appears that among the peasant families of the
Jammu hills, the women acted as the prime movers of their
respective families. The following karak focuses on the
marriage of Baba Jitto:
Magh mahine naveen the lagen
Ditta baya rachai
Sheel vanti nek kule di
Lale Babe bayai
Magh mahine naveen the lagen
Ditta baya rachai
Sheel vanti nek kule di
Lale Babe bayai
The above couplet may be translated as: “Marriage
preparations were set afoot on the ninth of the month of Magh.
Baba was wedded to a gentle and well born girl.”
Oral traditions of Jammu hills cover multiple cultural
developments which took place during the medieval and
modern periods. Besides the local heroes, the historical events
pertaining to the ruling classes, caste system, local festivals
and customs are narrated by the the oral traditions of the
Jammu hills. The collection, compilation and translation of
these oral traditions may be very helpful in the construction of
the history of the Jammu hills. Though there is a need of the
authentication of these oral traditions for these uses in
historical terms, one may contribute to the making of history
of Jammu hills through the establishment of the historiocity as
reflected in these oral traditions.
Madrasa Lane, Bathindi Top, Jammu
Monthly
Zafar Iqbal Choudhary
Yes
Madrasa Lane, Bathindi Top, Jammu
Zafar Iqbal Choudhary
Yes
Madrasa Lane, Bathindi Top, Jammu
Zafar Iqbal Choudhary
Yes
Madrasa Lane, Bathindi Top, Jammu
Zafar Iqbal Choudhary
Madrasa Lane, Bathindi Top, Jammu
Sd/-
Zafar Iqbal Choudhary
Publisher

On Defining Freedom
T
his write-up was prompted by an
article that had appeared in a
Srinagar based news paper in which
the author spoke of what freedom
means? But in the whole discourse
the author had exhibited an attitude that is
antithetical to the very notion of freedom.
Freedom stands for plurality of views, respect
for difference of opinion, plausibility of
another person's views being correct even while
differing with those. Instead the author in a
way had tried to demonize every one with
whose notion of freedom or preference he
would not agree. Variation of views is the
essence of an intellectual discourse. It allows
wisdom to prosper and gives benefit of various
perspectives on issues. It is necessary because
no one person can claim complete and
comprehensive grasp of issues that concern
human societies in their existence and
evolution. That is why allowing disagreement
is essence of freedom and necessary for the
overall development of human society. But the
author, instead of discussing issues on their
merit at the intellectual plane, whimsically and
impulsively referred to opinions of other
people, condemning them by either
categorizing them as so-called intelligentsia or
pseudo-scholars. In this self-posturing he
ostensibly seemed to assume for himself the
status of a true intellectual and scholar little
realizing that it is substance and not
pretensions that characterizes one as an
intellectual or a scholar.
Prof. Noor Ahmed Baba The write-up in my opinion was characterized
Epilogue Ø
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February 2009
C O L U M N
Politics
by naiveté of style and understanding both
politics and language. First of all intellectual
modesty requires to write more in objective
neutral language rather than in subjective
terms of I and others (this and that person).
Coming to the content, one was further
disappointed to see his approach in illustrating
the meaning of concepts. He had referred to a
dictionary to authenticate his understanding of
the word freedom as “the condition or right of
being able or allowed to do, say, think, etc.
whatever you want to, without being controlled
or limited”. Or as he would further illustrate
freedom means “a condition where one is
allowed to act freely without any limitations
and without any control from outside.” In other
words the freedom to him meant right to think,
express and act without any limitation and
control. Logically it followed that he would
allow freedom in similar terms to those having
different views on issues. But the irony is that
the author while propounding this view did not
allow freedom to others. First of all our quest
and concern for freedom should enable us to
respect the similar quest for freedom from
other people. Exercise of freedom requires a
culture of tolerance for plurality of views and
differences in perspectives.
One should also have realized that operational
meaning of most concepts, especially when
used in a technical connotation, change in
relation to the context. For enriching
understanding instead of looking at dictionary
one should consult a good text on the subject of
freedom. In my opinion J S Mill's essay On

liberty is a very good reading for people
interested in the subject. It would
make us realize that assuming oneself
uncritically to be correct is the greatest
self deception that one can be in. Mill
quotes a number of examples in history
where even whole society had joined to
condemn some one as propounding
falsehood. But subsequently the ones
who were condemned were vindicated
in their assertions and beliefs. Be it
Socrates from philosophy, Galileo in
science, Christ (or for that matter most
of the prophets) who were accused of
'falsehood' by the fanatics of the times.
But today we know that history
vindicated the ones who were accused
of falsehood and condemns those as
fantastic who had assumed to be
infallible and sole upholders of the
truth. Therefore, understanding comes
with humility. Knowledge is to gain
consciousness of what one doesn't
know? There is nothing wrong in
disagreeing. But dubbing and
condemning some one because he or she
looks things differently is reflective of
an authoritarian, intolerant and self
righteous attitude stemming out of
blissful ignorance of which there are
numerous examples around us and in
history.
Essence of freedom is one's willingness
to concede same to others while seeking
it to oneself. However, we need to
realize that in the actual usage and
practice dictionary's meanings may be
misleading. For example he has
discovered that freedom means “the
condition or right of being able or
allowed to do, say, think, etc. whatever
you want to, without being controlled
or limited”. A little common sense
should sufficiently illustrate that in real
life there is nothing like unrestricted
freedom either in social or political
sense. There is no dimension of freedom
whether social, political, or even
conscience that at some level is not
regulated by societal and legal-political
imperatives even within liberal
framework. At no level is it so. No
“free” individual, community and
nation enjoy unfettered freedom. In
real life there is nothing like unlimited
and uncontrolled freedom. It is not
possible, nor desirable and never
practical. There are sufficiently strong
grounds for propounding complete
freedom of thought and expression. But
beyond this, propounding unrestricted
freedom of action has very dangerous
implications and no civilized society can
ever allow it in the interest of larger
good of humanity in general. Even
freedom of expression requires
reasonable limitation for ensuring that
freedom of one does not undermine
similar freedom of another in the
society. Communication or expressions
are not restricted to the formal
language only. One should appreciate
that the explicitly expressed words
alone do not communicate. Some times
gestures, metaphors and symbols make
a better sense and express deeper
emotions and heartfelt commitments
that language of express/explicit words
fail to do. Our commitment to freedom
must give us capacity to allow free
expression to all forms of
communication whether it comes in the
form of speech, writing or art and
action.
The whole notion of modern liberal
theory of state is based on the premise
that man surrendered himself and his
freedom, at least part there of, to
society and state for his own greater
good and self security. Without this,
man would have lived in a situation of
anarchy and chaos and would have at
least not been able to pursue his
happiness and realize the sense of
peace and security. Even states, after
pursuing their sovereign nationhood
Epilogue Ø
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February 2009
C O L U M N
Politics
realize the need to graduate to a new
paradigm of relationship of a
cooperative order. From nationalism
Europeans are transcending into a new
experiment with collective living as
they realize that perusing individual
national goals by asserting sovereign
independence has only brought misery
and destruction to their continent.
(Refer first and second world wars).
Therefore, for a good life both as an
individual, society and state striking a
proper balance between limited and
absolute freedom is what is desirable.
We need to gain the grasp in terms of
objective realities on ground rather
than thinking and addressing problems
only at the level of abstraction. We also
need to keep our eyes open to the
changing realities around us both locally
and globally. Freedom in abstraction
has no meaning. Its value is in relation
to society of people and nations.
Civilized living requires adjustment in
relationships that might narrow
freedom for making life peaceful and
happier. Freedom in the contemporary
context should mean to live in peace
and cooperation within human society
with a place of security, honour and
expanded choices. Freedom in abstract
terms means nothing especially when
defined as unfettered freedom because
that is possible only in isolation suited,
as Aristotle would say, to the Almighty or
beasts in the wild. It is because God has
no parallel and would require no one;
beasts lack ability for social living. Man
is a social animal. In the contemporary
context whole globe has become his
society. Good living requires expanding
choices, opening options and not closing
them. Let us in the name of freedom
introspect within and allow freer
discourse of ideas and issues that
confront us as a people. Scuttling
freedom in the name of freedom is the
greatest disservice we can do to our
society and to its quest for freedom.

New Challenges and
Unending Puzzles
Udayon Misra
FRONTIER IN FLAMES,
NORTH EAST INDIA IN TURMOIL
Edited by Jaideep Saikia
Penguin-Viking, New Delhi, 2007
pp. xxxiv+205, Rs. 450.00
ETHNIC LIFE-WORLD'S IN
NORTH-EAST INDIA : AN ANALYSIS
By Presenjit Biswas and
Chandan Suklabaidya
Sage Publications, New Delhi, 2007,
pp. 312, Rs. 595.00
THE BOOKS EMERGENCE AND
ASSERTION OF AN ETHNIC MINORITY
By Sujit Chaudhary
Indian Institute of Advances Study,
Shimla, 2007 pp. vi+166, Rs. 300.00
T
hese three books deal with
diverse aspects of the ethnic
life-worlds, insurgency and
autonomy movements in
India's North East. While the
volume edited by Jaideep Saikia
primarily focuses on the security aspect
vis-à-vis the different militant struggles
in the region, Biswas and Suklabaidya
try to analyse how cultural politics
becomes a key determinant of the
ethnic struggles for identity and
autonomy. Sujit Chaudhury's work deals
with the different phases in the history
of the Bodos, their assertion as a major
ethnic group and the innder dynamics
and contradictions within the
movement for the Bodo autonomy.
Frontier in Flames is a collection of
eleven articles dealing with the
militant movements in six of the seven
(eight with Sikkim) states which make
up the construct, 'Northeast'. In his
introductory remarks, Saikia rightly
refers to New Delhi's tactlessness and
insensitivity in dealing with a region
that is central to the nation's security.
He accuses New Delhi of not having any
policy regarding the region and refers
to New Delhi's 'lack of trust' as the
principal explanation for the region's
non-integration with the rest of India.
Surely, apart from a continuing colonial
mindset operating in North Block, there
are also other potent historical and
economic reasons that have added to
the growing hiatus between the North
East and New Delhi. The volume opens
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February 2009
B O O K S
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with an essay by Patricia Mukhim which
deals with the rise of militancy in the
once peaceful Meghalaya. Mukhim, in
her usual engaging style, traces the
roots of militant politics to the feeling
of separateness from the rest of India,
although it is difficult to accept her
argument that it was only after 1947
that 'what is called the North East
today became a part of “India” only
about sixty years ago'. If one were to
accept this argument, then the
centuries-old socio-cultural,
relationship of Assam with the rest of
the Indian sub-continent would have to
be forgotten as also its active
participation in the freedom struggle.
Mukhim discusses the changes that have
taken place in Khasi-Jaintia society and
the failure of the political leadership to
fulfill the people's expectations. She
sees a way out of the present crisis
through the strengthening of traditional
institutions and says that these must be
helped to become 'more inclusive
instruments of governance' as they are
'the only link between the people in
villages and the formal structures of
governance and power'. She maintains
that 'at present the constitutionally
mandated institutions of governance
are being seen as exploitative and anti-
poor'. This is a rather thought-provoking
argument and one wishes that Mukhim
would have enlarged her argument
when she calls for these institutions to
be made more inclusive, especially in
the light of growing criticism in certain
quarters that such institutions could

very well run counter to the basic
ideas of modern representative
democracy and the rights of the
citizens.
E.V. Rammohan deals at length with
the issue of illegal influx from East
Bengal/East Pakistan and now
Bangladesh. He accuses New Delhi of
'openly encouraging illegal migration
of Bengali Muslims into Assam by
engineering straightforward
legislation' and which that the Indira-
Mujib agreement of 1971 which
granted Indian citizen ship to several
lakhs of illegal migrants from East
Pakistan 1971 was a clear violation of
the Citizenship Act of India which
places the cut-off year for
determining of citizenship as 1951. He
relates the present situation in Assam
to the ;Government's desire to keep
the Bengali Muslim vote bank' and says
that evidence of 'New Delhi's
patronage to illegal migrants can be
gleaned from the fact that the
legislation to protect them was
enacted in a parliament that did not
have legitimate representation from
Assam'. Rammohan is referring to the
controversial 1983 elections which he
sees as 'a fraud perpetrated on the
Indian Constitution and its people'.
Strong words indeed, coming as they
do from a senior police official who
was also the Director-General of the
Border Security Force, Rammohan's
essay reveals at length how short-term
electoral gains have led certain
political parties commanding strength
at the centre to compromise the
security interests of the entire nation
and to jeopardize the very existence
of a small community. Binalakshmi
Nepram-Mentschel's article, 'Red
Chebons and Crimson War's is easily
one of the more striking ones in the
collection. Binalakshim traces the
origins of the Manipur insurgency to
the controversial' Merger Agreement'
of October 1949 and the subsequent
beginnings of a militant peasant
movement led by the legendary
communist leader Irabot Singh.
According to the author although
Manipur became a full-fledged state of
the Indian Union in 1972 after a
sustained people's agitation, the
Centre's inept handling of the situation
paved the way for the second phase of
militancy which to continues till today.
Thus the 'unfinished task' of Iraboot
Singh was subsequent taken up almost
two decades after his death (1951) by
different underground groups like the
People's Revolutionary Party of
Kangleipak (PREPAK), the Kangelipak
Communist Party (KCP) and the United
National Liberation Front (UNLF). The
twenty-seven armed groups that man
the Manipuri insurrection today seem
quite far removed from the ideology
of Irabot Singh and are engaged in
internecine conflicts which
Binalakshimi calls 'war within war'.
Mamang Dai, in her piece on
Arunachal, deals with the NSCN (I-M)'s
growing presence in the Tirap and
Changlang districts of her state and
how a powerless civil administration
has been totally unable to check the
trend of events which could pose a
serious security threat to the entire
province. Mamang Dia expresses the
fear that these two districts of
Arunachal Pradesh could as well be
bargained away in order to work out a
peace agreement with the Muivah
faction of the NSCN. Subir Bhowmick's
article is a perceptive attempt to
trace the ethnic conflict and militancy
in Tripura. Bhowmick discusses the
major waves of influx into Tripura and
traces the roots of insurgency to the
alienation of tribal land, particularly
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February 2009
B O O K S
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after the Bangladesh liberation war of
1971 when there was a massive influx
of Bengali migrants into that state.
Instead of simply talking about the
ethnic divide between the tribals and
the immigrant population, Bhowmick
cuts new ground placing primary
emphasis on land alienation and says
that at least part of the problem could
be resolved by returning their land to
the tribals. He even suggests that the
government seriously consider the
decommissioning the Gumti hydel
project that could free some 50,000
hectares of land for settlement. He
maintains that only the revival of a
self-sustaining triabla peasantry could
bring an end to the guerilla nights in
Tripura. The other essays in the
volume are by Dilip Gogoi, Namrata
Goswami, Moloy Krishan a Dhar,
Harendra Nath Das ands Jabin Thomas
Jacob. Gogoi discusses ULFA and the
role of the state, Namrata deals with
the Naga peace process, Das discusses
the economics of North East militancy
while Jacob focuses on infrastructure
development. Although such edited
works containing essays covering a
diverse and complex canvas
encompassing so many states of the
North East could often leave an
impression of incompleteness, yet the
editor must be congratulated for
trying to give a focus to the volume.
The book is certainly an important
addition to the growing literature of
ethnic politics of the North Eastern
region.
Biswas and Suklabaidya in their book
Ethnic Life Worlds in North East India,
discuss the struggles of the different
ethnic nationalities of the North East
aimed at carving out a cultural and
political space that quite often runs
counter to the territorial and
constitutional authority of the Indian

state. They try to show how there
have been attempts to be dominate
and hegemonize ethnic life norms by
the Indian state leading to the
consequent growth of counter
discourses which question both the
colonial and postcolonial discourses of
domination. This is quite a refreshing
approach and is a departure from the
common run of books on ethnic
movements of the North Eastern
region. The authors themselves
succinctly sum up the aim of their
volume thus: 'The book, in its seven
chapters attempts to knot together
this kaleidoscopic land, the culture
and human scapes of North East India'
while keeping in view the 'importance
of imagining an inside of thinking and
imagination, as against an outside of
struggle against the state and
hegemony'. That this is no easy task is
borne out by the contents of the
volume which are more often than not
outweighed by the subtle and
complicated nuances of the 'outside'
struggles.
Some of the chapters of the book
stand out because of their originality
of approach, although many may
disagree with their conclusions. In the
chapter entitled 'The Native and the
Nation' the authors try to show how
the Nehruvian vision of the tribal
world got enmeshed with the statist
model of development which tended
to destroy the traditional power
structures of tribal society. Discussing
this, the authors say: '… the Nehruvian
policy of protection of tribal cultural
ethos could not ensure what it
intended, as greater investment of
power through the state machinery
had upset Nehru's ideas. The tribal
life-world suffered heavily owing to
the state sponsored agencies to govern
development. The authors insist that
'an alternative to this could have been
a different federal re-constitution of
the North East which could have
ensured maximum autonomy to tribes
of the region'. This is much easier said
than done, give the inherent
complexities in the ethnic fabric of
the region. Moreover, the opposition
taken by the authors regarding the
role of customary institutions as a
democratic reflection of the tribal
mode of life is also open to debate.
The authors maintain that the granting
of constitutional and legal protection
was part of the strategy of the
Nehruvian state to gain control over
the customary institutions and thee by
subvert the tribal way of life. In this
context, though the authors quite
often bring in the analogy of the fate
of the first nations in America who
were virtually wipes out by the white
occupiers, yet it must be said that the
experiment carried out by the Indian
state in ensuring a large degree of
autonomous space to the tribal
nationalities is quite a unique one and
has met with considerable success in
protecting tribal identity in North East
India. It also needs to be kept in mind
that customary or traditional
institutions suffer from several
drawbacks and quite often their
principles and manner of functioning
could democracy. There is a growing
demand these days from among the
enlightened section of the tribal
communities that these institutions
and, for instance, the gender bias be
done dichotomy between Nehru's
vision and that the state is attempted
to be resolved by Verrier Elwin who
'develops a discourse of the ethno-
centric nation-from-below that
emanates through the mores of tribal
life' and who believes in the role of
the tribal 'democratic' institutions in
furthering the democratic process.
One world, however, have liked the
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February 2009
B O O K S
Reviews
debate to be further extended to
cover questions relating to the role of
such institutions in relation to
representative democratic institutions
and whether a real concordance
between the two could really be
achieved. One would have also liked
to know from the authors as to why
the Nehruvian vision was neutralized
despite the fact that Jawaharlal Nehru
was one of the those very Indian
leaders who had a distinct vision of
the tribal life worlds. It is indeed an
irony of history that this man who
empathized so much with the tribal
worldview was finally responsible for
some of the severe repression let
loose in the then Naga Hills in the
early fifties. Biswas and Suklabaidya
refer to Elwin's 're-interpretation' of
Nehru and says” 'Nehru's un negotiated
different between the nationalist-
statist discourses as well as the
situation of such discourses in the life-
world of the tribal communities.'
There is a certainly much room for
thought in this. My problem with the
otherwise satisfying book is the
absence of any sustained argument. At
times one is burdened by the
impression that the authors are trying
to say too many things at the same
time, with the connecting thread
getting lost. Moreover, the numerous
subheadings in the different chapters
trend to impede the overall flow of
the book. The book however tries to
open up a new perspective in North
East studies and raised certain
fundamental questions about the
nature and course of the identity
movements in that region.
Sujit Chaudhary's work, The Bodos, as
the sub-title suggests, deals with the
emergence and assertion of identity of
the Bodo community. Chaudhury
discusses the different stages in the
emergence of a distinct Bodo identity

separate from that of the broader
Assamese identity and how since the
formation of the Plains Tribal Council
of Assam (PTCA) in 1967 the Bodos
started resisting the twin processes of
Hinduization and Assamization. The
author tries to go into the possible
reasons as to why the Bodos, who have
been living side by side with the
mainstream Assamese for centuries,
did not or could not get assimilated
with the latter, something which
happened almost naturally in the case
of several other communities.
Discussing the process of 'de-
tribalisation', Chaudhaury says that
the tribes were by and large
segregated from the caste-based
Hindu society and were excluded from
plough-based agriculture both during
pre-Ahom and Ahom periods. This is,
however, a debatable point,
Chaudhury refers to the complex
process of Assameses nationality vis-à-
vis the Bodo community and other
tribes: his arguments would have been
strengthened had he discussed the
disruption of the process caused by
colonial intervention. However, the
origin and growth of the Brahman
movement among the Bodos, the
revival of their own indigenous forms
of worship and the syncretization of
tribal and Hindu beliefs, are all dealt
with in detail.
Discussing the struggle for identity of
the Bodos, the authors refers to the
hegemonic role of the Assamese
middle class and its indifference
towards the alienation of the Bodo
leadership by the Congress in the
years immediately following
independence, the merger of the
Tribal League in the Congress, the
official language issue of 1960 and the
emerging rift between mainstream
Assamese society and the Bodos, the
birth of the Plains Tribal Council of
Assam-all figures prominently in the
book. That the centre was a major
player in the break-up of undivided
Assam becomes clear when Sujit
Chaudhury refers to the role of Indira
Gandhi whose statement on the
federal restructuring of Assam gave an
added fillip to the Bodo demand for
autonomy. He refers to the role of
Indira Gandhi whose statement on the
federal restructuring of Assam gave an
added fillip to the Bodo demand for
autonomy. He refers to the fact that
immediately after Mrs Gandhi's
statement of 13 January 1967, there
was 'a political renaissance among the
Bodos' and the Plains Tribal Council as
well as the Al Bodo Students' Union
was formed. The author then moves
on to trace the growth of militant
policies among the Bodos, the gradual
marginalization of the Plains Tribal
Council of Assam and the emergence
of the Al Bodo Students Union as a
major force.
Unfortunately, the book ends in the
1980s when the Bodo movement for
identity was yet to take new shape
with the entry into the field of
different armed organizations like the
BLT and the NDFB. As a result, a very
important phase in the history of Bodo
Politics remains untouched in the
book. Chaudhury being a serious
scholar of ethnic politics, the reader
would certainly have gained much if
the book had been updated to include
the course of events which ultimately
led to the formation of the Bodoland
Autonomous Council as well as the
present participation in the
democratic process of a section of the
former rebels even as the fratricidal
clashes seem to take a new turn
Udayon Misra is in the Deptt. of Political
Science, Dibrugarh University, Assam
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February 2009
B O O K S
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Theatres of
India
Ananda Lal
Oxford
University
Press
Theatres of
India is an
accessible
and
authoritative guide to Indian
theatre across its history of over
2000 years. Bringing together the
work of distinguished theatre
professionals and scholars, this
volume taps into various sources
of documentation and knowledge
to shed light on both urban and
rural modes of performance
across India, historically and
geographically.
Divided into two parts, this book
discusses theatres of India's
linguistic and cultural regions on
the one hand, and deals with
specific forms, genres, and
traditions as varied as street
theatre, Chhau, Nautanki,
women's theatre, Kathakali, and
Tagore's dramatic oeuvre, on the
other.
Edited by Ananda Lal, one of
India's leading theatre scholars, as
a spin-off of the much acclaimed
The Oxford Companion to Indian
Theatre, this volume includes
more than 80 photographs and
line drawings that effectively
showcase the 'visual-ness' of
India's theatrical forms. Essential
reading for theatre professionals
and students, and researchers and
teachers of performance studies,
Theatres of India will also interest
general readers who enjoy
theatre.
 B O O K S
New Arrivals

Working Women Between Democracy and Nation

Stories of Strife, Struggle and Survival

Gender and Militarisation
KOGI NAIDOO
FAY PATEL
in Kashmir
Sage Publication Seema Kazi
Women Unlimited, New Delhi
Working
Women This book focuses on
highlights the militarisation of
the a secessionist
challenges movement involving
and barriers Kashmiri militants
and Indian military
that women
forces in Jammu
face across
and Kashmir. In
cultures and
contrast to
brings a
conventional
message of
approaches that
hope to those
distinguish between
who continue
inter-and intra-state
their struggle
military conflict,
in the silent
this analysis of
spaces at
India's external and
work—both domestic crises of
inside and militarisation is
outside their homes. The editors share accounts located within a
of women's struggles—disability, divorce, abuse, single analytic
family dysfunction and violence, racism, frame: it argues
religious commitments, barriers of caste and that both
class to name a few. How women overcome dimensions have
these barriers are experiences and stories only common political origins.
women (and a few men) know, appreciate and Highlighting the intersection between the two the author
understand. The editors raise issues of defining maintains that the heaviest and most grievous price of using the
women's work, work spaces and of the need to military for domestic repression and for the defence of Kashmir
balance work with other roles as mothers, is paid by Kashmir's citizens and society. Drawing on women's
daughters and wives. The hope and positive subjective experience of militarisation, she examines the
energy derived from these stories brings to relationship between state military processes at the 'national'
bear on our own realities—that there are many level and social transformations at the local/societal level.
women less fortunate than we are. The book By way of conclusion, she maintains that Kashmir's humanitarian
concludes by pulling together the threads that tragedy-exemplified by its gender dimensions-underlines why
spin webs around the freedom of women militarisation has failed either to ensure 'security' for the state,
around the globe and keeps them entwined in or security and justice for Kashmiris. A decentralised, democratic
endless knots, only because the richness and state with a plural concept of nation and identity, she believes,
the significance of their cultural knowledge, is the best safeguard against using the military for domestic
identities and perspectives remain repression within, and extraordinary military and nuclear
unrecognized at the workplace. consolidation of the Indian state, without.

Epilogue Ø
65 ×
February 2009
 M O V I E S
Reviews

Khan Vs. Khan and

Formula Vs. Non-Formula

December 2008 saw

the release of two
eagerly anticipated
films, with two mega
stars, one the King and
other the Master, and
the results are not
quite what we
expected. After
Mohabattein in 2000,
the Aditya Chopra –
ShahRukh Khan “jodi”
was returning to the
silver screen after
eight long years with
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
(RNBDJ) and the fans
had huge expectations,
and rightfully so. On
the other hand Aamir
Khan, who is the turtle
of the bollywood rat
race, slow and steady,
with one mega
blockbuster a year,
was ready with his
Ghajini. Where one
was a sure shot
formula film the other
was an experiment
with a unique mix of
Deep Contractor various genres.

Epilogue Ø
66 ×
February 2009

Adi Ne Kyun Banayi Jodi?
That is precisely what you want to ask
Aditya Chopra. What exactly was the
point of making Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi?
The first time Adi – SRK came together
they arrived with a bang with DDLJ
(for the uninitiated Dilwale Dulhaniya
Le Jayenge) and to know what a
success that has been, a visit to the
Maratha Mandir in Mumbai will suffice,
where the movie has been running for
thirteen years without a break. DDLJ
came as a breath of fresh air and put
the lover back into the hero and gave
birth to a formula which became
trademark Yash Raj Films.
One might argue that RNBDJ is very
different from its predecessors in Yash
Raj ventures. For starters the cast is
limited to three - King Khan, debutant
Anushka Sharma and the versatile and
hugely talented Vinay Pathak, instead
of the whole 'baraat'. Second, the film
has been shot in very middle class
settings – average middle class home
instead of a Swiss chalet, the hero and
heroine clad in simple (and sometimes
ill fitting) non glamorous clothes
instead of designer suits and pastel
chiffons. But Aditya Chopra's attempt
at 'hatke' ends right here. The story
follows the same old trick in the book
where dying father asks hero to look
after his daughter who is invariably
the heroine. The plot is totally
predictable. From the moment we see
the dour faced Taani and the ever
willing to please Suri enter their home
in Amritsar, which is right in the
beginning of the film, we can more
than anticipate how their romance will
unfold.
The simplicity of the story could have
become its saving grace but instead it
M O V I E S
Reviews
went a leap too far in taking the of the few highlights of the film with
audience for granted expecting them the five lovely ladies namely Kajol,
to believe that Taani is unable to Bipasha Basu, Preity Zinta, Lara Dutta
recognize Surinder in his made over and Rani Mukherjee setting the screen
form as Raj. Moreover, people may on fire. Tujhme Rab Dikhta Hai has a
have expected a story involving double Veer Zara type appeal but fails to lift.
roles and dance competitions from the And the dance melody at the end is
promos of the film which it absolutely forgettable.
is not (and may not necessarily be a
bad thing!). The movie has a few saving moments,
mostly in the first half. The signature
Shahrukh Khan shines as Surinder and yellow Tiffin box, the separate
irritates as Raj and is flawless with his bedrooms, the pani puri contest,
Punjabi 'leheja' and his muted Taani's Dhoom – 3 sequence and
bashfulness. But, his monologues and Bobby's 'macho' advice to Suri are all
self referral overshadow the effort he lifters which are well penned and even
has put in simultaneously performing better executed. However, the
two strikingly different characters. monologues, the sumo wrestling
Debutant Anushka Sharma is a delight. fights, the mediocre choreography and
For her first film, she has done well on an overall loose storyline going down
most fronts especially dialogue the same beaten track are the major
delivery and graceful dancing. And it spoilers and will keep RNBDJ from
was refreshing to see a tall curvy ever becoming a blockbuster the
female lead instead of the usual size audience expected it to be.
zero stick figures we are used to
seeing. Vinay Pathak is most Ghajini – We can remember:
entertaining as Bobby the best
friend and make over artist. As
always, he executes the role of
a small time hair dresser with
his usual panache.
The music of the movie is
nothing to die for. Picturisation
carries most of the songs
across. Haule Haule with SRK
dancing in his average Joe
clothes is warm at the most.
Dance pe Chance has a very
clichéd melody which will be
heard in dance clubs for a
while and fade away. Phir
Milenge Chalte Chalte is a
artistically difficult song
performed well by Sonu nigam
and sounds every bit as the
tribute to the yesteryears as it
is meant to be. The
picturisation of the song is one
Epilogue Ø
67 ×
February 2009

What do you get when u make a remake
of a remake? What happens when you
flood every mall with life size plastic
models of Aamir Khan with the tattoos
and the buzz cut? What happens when
you club action, romance, thriller and
other conceivable genre into a single
film? You get Ghajini -the remake of the
2005 Tamil film with the same title
featuring Suryakanth and Asin and
which turned out to be a monster hit
and shot the hit lead pair to stardom.
The Tamil Ghajini was 'inspired' from
Christopher Nolan's Memento, the same
Mr. Nolan who gave us the unforgettable
The Dark Knight.
Ghajini (2008) was remade with the
same story as the Tamil 2005 version
and most of the original crew
including the female lead Asin, the
director A.R.Ramadoss and music
director A.R.Rehman.
In the film, Aamir Khan plays Sanjay
Singhania, a super wealthy and
successful business tycoon who, after
suffering a head injury (while
witnessing the murder of his beloved
Kalpana (Asin)) becomes a patient of
anterograde amnesia, commonly
known as short term memory loss.
With all odds against him he decides
to avenge his beloved's death and to
overcome his handicap he takes
Polaroid pictures of important people
and places and tattoos information on
his body. He is first hindered and then
helped by a med student, Dr. Chitra
(Jiah Khan) who takes interest in him
as patient from the beginning of the
film, while he is trying to hunt down
Mr. Ghajni who killed Kalpana.
The story travels back and forth
between the past and the present but
does not lose the audience's attention.
The makers of the film have tried not
to overstate Sanjay's psychological
illness which often happens when films
with a theme of medical abnormalities
are attempted. Ghajini was released
along with SRK starrer Rab Ne.. of
Yash Raj Films and Jumbo featuring
Akshay Kumar. Despite the
competition, Ghajini has succeeded in
becoming the top grosser of 2008 with
over 200 crore made in a span of two
weeks of its release.
Talking about the performances, Aamir
Khan is a very believable business
tycoon pretending to be a struggling
model to win Asin's heart who is a
model herself. But his transformation
to a violent, revenge seeking maniac is
not strongly convincing. Hats off to Mr.
Khan for his 'eight' pack body which he
has flaunted throughout the film and
once more pulling off a never-before-
seen look and making it a rage among
young and old alike. But, it looks like
the audience has become acquainted
to the cerebral side of Aamir Khan and
does not seem to warm up to action-
hero Aamir preferring brawn over
brain.
Critics jest that Aamir should not have
done Rang De Basanti or Taare Zameen
Par if he expected us to accept him
fighting the bad guys Sarfarosh style.
Asin's debut into mainstream Hindi
cinema seems to be successful. She is
refreshingly loud and vivacious, just
what the character demands. The
villain (Pradeep Rawat) is a
monotonous disappointment which
makes one wonder “Yehi Mila Tha?”
A.R.Rehman seldom disappoints.
Ghajini's music, like other Rehman
features, takes time to grow on you.
Guzarish is extremely melodious with
heart warming lyrics by Prasoon Joshi,
Kaise Mujhe is artistically done, Aye
Bacchu and Lattoo have all the zest
and energy required of a dance
number. The former was done justice
Epilogue Ø
68 ×
February 2009
M O V I E S
Reviews
with a lot of energy and right attitude
by Suzanne and the latter came as a
pleasant surprise from Shreya Ghosal.
Beheka sounds a bit too much like
Main Aisa Kyun Hun from Lakshya, but
Mr. Rehman is allowed his flaws for not
disappointing us in more than a
decade. Overall, don't go expecting a
Memento which received critical
acclaim and won accolades from noir
fans. Expect a nice break from the
brain dead comedies and the
saccharine romances and a dose of
some good old racy action and thrills
with bits of smiles and romantic
moments strewn to make it a right
cocktail for an entertainer.
The Final Verdict
RNBDJ may appeal to the hopeless
romantics but they too will not be
able to sit through the 2 hour 40
minutes running time. Ghajini may
seem like an old school masala with a
mix of action and romance but it is
still a non – formula experiment
because of its unique plot (even if
inspired) and a captivating
presentation of the film. Both Khans
cashed in on endorsrments through the
films. While Aamir flaunted his buzz
cut with the scar for satellite TV and
cell phones for promoting the film,
Shah Rukh Khan promoted soft drinks
and cars through the film. RNBDJ
opened well but after the loyal fans
and curious viewers had been
disappointed, the following weeks
showed lukewarm responses. Ghajini
has made it big on the box office and
with the audiences but it is uncertain
if the audience will easily digest Aamir
Khan in a violent avatar again. RNDBJ
is a one time watch for Sharukh Khan
fans, rest can avoid it. Ghajini is a
treat for all audiences alike. Looks like
the slow and steady won the
race…again!
OUR SPECIAL ISSUE ON ELECTIONS IS ON STANDS
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Celebrating six decades

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J&K
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ON ITS

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Let us together write a new story
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