As the French philosopher Michel Foucault propounds, Power in any system is developed on the foundation stone of Knowledge. Power makes use of knowledge in penetrating deep down in a system; and consequently reproduces knowledge by shaping it in accordance with its anonymous intentions.
Power (re-) creates its own fields of exercise through knowledge. Any eagle-eyed observer can easily notice this Knowledge/Power relationship maintained firmly in the status quo of Jammu & Kashmir. The current regime has succeeded in measuring the depths of its subjects and has gained a lot of knowledge about them to an extent that it can foresee that there shall be negligible consequences no matter the eccentric move it makes and the ludicrous step it takes. The abrogation of article 370 and 35A of the constitution of India, besides whatsoever political or legal vocabulary you may use to denounce that, was a well thought out experiment done in the domain of J&K. The experiment, as they had expected, gave a positive and favourable result for them. They not only successfully dissolved the political status of the state, but also ‘enlightened’ themselves by the knowledge that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are tired of protesting. Since then, the knowledge, they gained, is being used in carrying every sort of exploitation in J&K; its various institutions, its demography, everything is being manipulated while taking its people for granted and doing away with legitimacy.
The recent order of quashing the JK Bank recruitment of Probationary Officers and Banking Associates is hence one in many such adventures. They wanted it cancelled, so it stands. Just like that. No big deal. No fear of possible repercussions, no discussion, no justification, nothing! This is contemporary India. The regime has always been careless in its decisions, for fools rush where angels fear to tread.
Giving lame excuses for this wanton act will not do. Casting doubt on the recruitment process paves way for trying in court the then Governor Satyapal Malik, in whose tenure the recruitment process took place, and of course is a hard slap on a credible national institution called IBPS which had conducted the examination and prepared the merit lists in a fair and transparent manner. The people at the helm of affairs are fooled by the chutzpah they have, the kind of attitude which makes them turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to what a hundred thousand aspirants are going through. The sheer injustice done with the youth of J&K is condemnable. This betrayal is but not novel as people have seen worse than this. What this government and its apologists perhaps do not fear of is a potential dissent it may trigger. Somebody recently pointed out that the aspirants are ready for re-examination, only if the current government gets ready for a re-election. That may sound funny and a childish statement but so is the scrapping of the recruitment itself.
The examination, as you know, is of competitive nature wherein you are supposed to solve 100 questions (analytical, logical and general) in 60 minutes. It takes not less than five months for an average student to prepare for such an exam. It is inconvenient for all and impossible for many aspirants to prepare again with no guarantee of success. A certain section of politically manipulated people have welcomed the step for God knows what reasons. These are the people who have themselves never been to college (not to talk about writing any competitive examination) and are hell bent on dividing societies on communal and regional basis. All they know is to babble endlessly and without thinking of the consequences. The concerned officials have been turned into dumb-driven cattle that carry out the orders, following some ‘voice without a face’. Through overt and covert means, the J&K Bank is being ripped off its autonomy. One day the chairman promises results ‘very soon’ and other day he veils himself so to escape any explanation. How long will this cat and mouse game go on? How do we compensate the loss? Gold help us.
It is not too late. The leading financial institution of the valley should wake up and ask the government to roll back the order and restore the trust of people. Playing politics at the cost of aspirants is derogatory and mean. Such a drastic step cannot be taken in haste without taking the severe consequences into consideration.
Junaid Shah
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