It may be said that those who question the intentions of GOI viz a viz J&K fairly or who cultivate separatist ideologies or those who work for dividing the people of J&K on the basis of religion or region need not to put in much effort since the mainstream local leadership as well as some in the union government are often are found indirectly working for the separatists.
The legal and constitutional provisions have been successfully used by even separatists to cultivate anti India opinions as well as myths about the constitutional relationships of this State with the Union since apathy of senior Indian leadership has been providing fertile fields to them.
The controversies have been allowed to stay for months even where these could be settled just in a day like the one about AIIMS. One junior Union Minister had made a statement that Finance Minister had included the AIIMS in Union Budget for locating the same in Jammu Region where as the Dy Chief Minister was quoted as having said that nobody is going to snatch future AIIMS from Kashmir region and give it to Jammu.
The controversy is still live where as the Union Health Minister could atleast settle the controversy as regards the sanctioned location. The question that what region has a genuine right to have AIIMS is the second question. Why could not Central Government atleast issue a brief note as regards sanctioned location instead of pushing two regions into clash. But it was not done and Jammu province is going to face public agitations including bunds in the state.
Similar has been the case of Sayeed Ali Shah Geelani travelling to meet his ailing daughter on Indian passport.
Before Sayeed Ali Shah Geelani had made it public that he needs an Indian passport to visit his ailing daughter abroad, the discussions started in the media Khalid Jehangir, BJP spokesman for Kashmir Valley came out on 18thMay saying that if Geelani needs a passport, he should give an affidavit to acknowledge that he is an Indian and he should apologize for indulging in anti India activities. Question here is in what capacity the BJP man made such authoritative statement and that too without Geelani having made any such disclosure. It was on 21 May that Minister of State for Home KirenRijiju was quoted as having said that the Home Ministry has not yet received anything regarding his (Geelani) application for passport. When we receive it, we will take adecision taking into account various issue like national security. And before this a news item had also appeared in media referring the Passport Officer saying that no application has been received from Mr. Geelani. It was on 21st May itself that PDP President Mehbooba Mufti said that Geelani was issued passport in 2007, 2008 & 2011 and they will tell (Union) Home Ministry that Geelani must be given passport along with his wife and son so that he could visit his ailing daughter in Saudi Arabia.
How funny VikasSwarup Spokesperson MEA said on 22th May We have seen media reports of Syed Ali Geelani’s passport application. An incomplete passport application was received from him. Fees were not paid and the biometric details and photographs not submitted,” said VikasSwarup. Not only this even Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that Geelani will have to write ‘Indian’ in the nationality column to apply for the passport, and question here is that who does not know that. And it was also on 22nd May that Geelani made a statement that he did apply online but could not visit passport office due to house arrest.
So Geelanis passport story too is an example of handling J&K affairs without any wisdom thereby making a separatist leader to send his message to the outside world for J&K being a dispute and to make local J&K people to think that Geelani is a leader they can look at.
Even the Home Minister has made a statement in this regard. In case we go by the official quotes Geelani is not a mass leader, Geelani has at occasions said that he does not consider himself a citizen of India. But the question here is that will the Home Minister come forward to make a statement for any other subject of J&K who applies for passport without the applicant having even approached the MHA ? Surely not.
Daya Sagar
Jammu
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