Radical Kashmir Doctrines Trap will prove suicidal for BJP

PDP to retain “wicked leverage” over Centre

Northlines Correspondent

Jammu Tawi, July 01: The last moment theatrics played by the Bhartiya Janata Party and PDP to get the controversial Amendment Bill on Transfer of Property Act and Land Alienation Act referred to the select committee cannot salvage the damage caused by the BJP on the floor of the House and before the eyes of people of Jammu who have been feeling betrayed by their representatives they elected giving massive mandate in the name of Modi, Modi, Modi…..

Jammuites' imagination that Modi would sit in Jammu Kashmir Assembly instead of New Delhi got back fired as his ‘…… Sena' would hardly prove more than dimwits, who lacked the basics of safeguarding regional interests and aspirations. They should cheer now by thumping their desks as their “intellect” got recorded in the proceedings of the Assembly with the statement of Omar Abdullah in the House.

After a snub from the central leadership and in panic reaction they further went wrong by moving ‘an amendment' to the Bill for referring to select committee' instead of withdrawing it.

The accusation of Omar Abdullah for PDP-BJP stage managing a drama to scuttle the Bill is not without substance. Highly placed sources confided that under pressure from the centre a strategy was finalized in an emergent meeting between the coalition partners according to which BJP MLAs, Mr. RS Pathania and Dr. D K Manyal were to move an amendment urging the government to refer the Bill to Select Committee by the Speaker. Political Observers hold the strategy faulty as referring Bill to Select Committee will not consign the Bill to ‘graveyard'.

Had the Independent MLA Pawan Gupta and BJP MLA R. S. Jasrotia, who were opposing the Bill, given time to speak fully, a ruckus could have dawned ending into adjournment on the last day of the session; and the Bill would have met its own death once and for all.

Credit goes to Mr. Pawan Gupta, who first smelt the rat in the amendment draft of bill, raised the alarm and sent SOS calls to media, members of civil society and even briefed the BJP MLAs over the dangerous ramifications of the bill. The last moment beating of drums by Pawan Gupta made the BJP central leaders wake up from the deep slumber. They too forgot that they have left their kids playing in the company of wolves.

The civil society of Jammu province has already boarded the Online FB-Twitter-Whatsapp bandwagon with seething anger going viral against BJP in full swing.

For the argument sake they may have got a breather, however created an impending danger as the Select Committee route may not save their skin with devils' sword hanging over them. The Select Committee that the Speaker will constitute is likely to have nine members representing all the parties maintaining equity in its composition and the balance will remain against BJP which will hardly have two-three members. The Select Committee has to give its recommendations within six months meaning the Bill will cast its shadow again in next session of legislature, if the government survives.

The PDP will now have an easy handle for arm twisting of the Centre to make them fall in line on many controversial issues in days to come as key to escape the seized crumbling fort will be in their hands which, like all Kashmir centric parties, would strengthen their Radical Kashmir Doctrines in whole Jammu Kashmir.

This newspaper was first to expose the story on June 30, when Mr. Pawan Gupta, MLA, Udhampur was desperately contacting the media persons and members of civil society of Jammu late evening. Northlines further carried the comments from the legal experts and political entities the next day.

Speaking to The Northlines, BJP General Secretary (Organization), Mr. Ashok Koul said “The bill is going to be discussed at the Select Committee's level and the committee will take a decision on it.”
On being asked if it was a lapse on BJP's end in the cabinet meeting and its subsequent handling, he responded, “Let the bygones be bygones and we will see to it that the bill is not passed.”

He indirectly admitted that the fault lied at their end and at the same time they would get this mess sorted out without divulging the details as to how the bill would be stalled.

However, the Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Nirmal Singh, BJP State President Sat Sharma and BJP MLA Jasrotia from Kathua avoided the phone calls despite many attempts from 6 pm to 11 pm.

Moral of the story lies in school time text book proverbs remembered by rote: ‘Wise makes mistakes only fools repeat them.'