Over one lakh join the historic Lalkar Rally in Jammu
Khajuria S Kant in Jammu
Accusing successive rulers of Jammu & Kashmir of making it a destitute state, BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Shri Narendra Modi asserted that instead of raising demand of separate state, the focus should be on making J&K a Super State.
He favoured former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s doctrine on Kashmir saying every solution was based on three ‘mantras’ of ‘Insaniyat (humanity), Zamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat’ (composite with secular Kashmiri culture) and declared that instead of separate (independent) State as being asked by the separatists and ‘beggar State’, made by the State Government, the BJP would make Jammu & Kashmir a Super State and better State.
Addressing the historic Lalkar Rally at Jammu on December 1, attended by nearly one lakh people at MA Stadium, which was the biggest ever rally in both pre and post Independence eras, according to observers, Shri Modi in his 45 minutes speech challenged the proponents of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, giving special status to the State, for a debate on whether the Article has benefited or harmed the State.
Referring to drawbacks the Article 370 had, the BJP leader said it was due to this Article that the State Government was refusing to implement 73rd and 74th amendment of the Constitution of India and added that only 50 odd families in Jammu and Kashmir have benefited due to Article 370 and demand for separation while rest of the people of the State have been plunged into darkness.
“The Acts that Congress is taking credit for, are they being implemented in J&K? Rights that Dalits, Tribals get, should not the people of J&K get. Why is it not happening? Country is angry over corruption. Is there not rampant corruption in J&K? Should corruption prevention law be there for J&K or not. “For 60 years they talked about separate State (autonomy) but what did people get? Nothing and there is no accountability also…. In the name of separate state, they encouraged separatism.”
Shri Modi took on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, without naming him, saying the State was rooted knee deep in corruption and made virtually a ‘beggar State’, which had to depend on the Centre for every problem. “Whether its winter or summer, the rulers of the State are busy in foreign jaunts. Tourism of Jammu & Kashmir has diverted to Himachal Pradesh. Even J&K hasn’t been able to open a single IIT or IIM, which small States like Himachal and Assam have been able to get,’’ he said amidst huge applause from the crowd chanting ‘Modi-Modi’.
Modi also hit out at what he called the “politics of discrimination” is being done in all the three regions of the State. “Why has there been discrimination with Kargil when there is development in Srinagar and Jammu. There is discrimination with women, there is a discrimination with backwards, there is a discrimination with scheduled tribes regions. The politics of discrimination in Jammu & Kashmir has to end. “It is time to unite and once you (people) are united, then no power can stop you from changing your destiny,” he added
Charging the State with encouraging gender bias, Modi said the rights Omar enjoyed in the State, were lost by his sister Sara the day she was married outside the State. “This is sorry state of affairs,’’ he lamented.
“This politics of discrimination must end. Either some region or some community is treated with injustice. Speak in one voice and you will see neither the State nor the Centre can suppress your voice.’’
“Is there any government, which can continue in slumber despite the killings of its jawans at the border, he questioned.
He also appreciated the efforts of Maharaja Hari Singh, Dr Syama Parsad Mookerjee, Pandit Prem Nath Dogra, Brigadiar Rajinder Singh, Maqbool Sherwani and the people of entire Jammu & Kashmir.
Responding to the response Modi got in the rally, he said: “I have worked here extensively. No leader has had the honour to witness such a sight like today. The scene I’m witnessing has never been seen in Jammu & Kashmir by any leader’’.
Launching a veiled attack on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for questioning accession, BJP president Rajnath Singh claimed that such people were far from truth and their words are only strengthening Pakistan, which is helping terrorists.
Such was the massive enthusiasm among the people for Modi that the people braved all obstructions put in on roads by the administration “at the behest of Government” to reach to the rally venue. Even the roads, which were not connected to MA Stadium, the venue of rally, had been barricaded intentionally to stop huge flow of people for the rally.
Though the authorities had made tight security arrangements for the rally venue blocking traffic movement on Tawi bridge and Fly Over as announced earlier, they had blocked even far off roads by putting up concertina wire to stop vehicular movement and prevent the people from reaching the rally venue to sabotage it.
Despite this, the people were seen walking several kilometers to see and listen to Modi. By the time, Modi reached the rally venue at 1 pm along with party president Rajnath Singh, the crowd had swelled to nearly one lakh and still thousands of people were left outside unable to gain entry inside as the Stadium was packed to capacity.
There was massive voluntarily participation of the people in the rally. Though a large number of BJP workers drawn from entire State including Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions were present in the rally, there was huge spontaneous participation of the citizens, who had come on their own to see and listen to the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate.
The elderly people were of the view that they have never seen such a jam packed stadium and the people waiting outside in any political rally. It was only in 1980 or 1981 that the stadium witnessed huge rush during Dara Singh’s wrestling, which was a sporting and not political event.
The observers were of the view that the rally would have surpassed two to three lakh had the administration not put hurdles in smooth movement of traffic.
Where have all the secularists and Congress yuvaraj gone now when the separatists did not allow hoisting of national flag tri-colour in Kashmir University during the shooting of Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider movie? During his recent visit to J&K Rahul had emphatically tired to prove his leanings to the J&K state and also termed state Chief Minister Omer Abdullah as his brother, but now neither Omar Abdullah nor Rahul uttered even a single word to condemn the anti-Indian act of the students of Kashmir University.
It is to be noted that during the shooting of Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘Haider’ movie, the students living in the on-campus hostels in Kashmir University at Hazratbal objected to hoisting the flag atop a make shift bunker on November 25. The film crew, which has been shooting the movie in Kashmir since November 8 had to pack up.
The police briefly detained two youth but they were released later following intervention by the university authorities. Kashmir University Students’ Union, which has been banned by the varsity authorities, in a statement condemned the use of force against the students for protesting against the film crew. According to reports the students also raised anti-India slogans in the campus. After the situation got out of control, proctor Naseer Iqbal managed the release of both the arrested students and promised a prompt action against the police personnel who arrested them raising anti-India slogans.
Vishal Bhardwaj was shooting for ‘Haider’ since November 8. The movie is an adaption of Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet and is set in Kashmir valley.
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