Jammu Cries for Equal Voting Rights

In the 19th century, Maharaja Gulab Singh, a valiant Dogra soldier and statesman par excellence, had succeeded in building his kingdom from the debris of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s empire after the latter’s demise. He falls in the line of great historical kings like Samrats Vikramaditya, Ashoka, and Napoleon to some extent, who had extended the boundaries of their kingdoms across the sub-continent. He organised Dogras of Jammu region belonging to all castes, creeds, and thus energised the inherent fighting spirit amongst them. His newly created kingdom was/is not only a landmass but it is territory inhabited by people professing different faiths, speaking different languages and dialects. He brought the heterogeneous population of three regions – Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh inclusive of frontier “Illaquas of Skardu, Kargil (known as Baltistan) and Gilgit (Agency, consisting of some smaller principalities annexed-therein subsequently under his rule). In this manner, he carved out the biggest State in Indian History which existed till the time of Partition in 1947. This state was bigger in area than the areas of 111 free countries individually of the world. The State had/has unique strategic position of exceptional importance as its boundaries touch the boundaries of erstwhile British province of Punjab and Afghanistan, Russia, Tibet and China. During the rule of his great grandson Maharaja Hari Singh, the area of the State was 222236 sq.kms. Freedom of the country was a boon for the Indian Nation but proved a bane for Dogras inhabitants of J&K State.

On the basis of 1941 census held during Maharaja Hari Singh’s time vide report dated 15-10-1940 and 16-10-1940, the population of the State, along with censuses held during 1941, 1981 and 2011 are tabulated here (see tables).