With the departure of Professor Chaman Lal Gupta, Jammu region has lost not only its voice in political discourse but also a good human being.
Words fall short to depict the bold, assertive personality of Professor Chaman Lal Gupta. He was a grass-root leader who carried his journey from Swayam Sevak to Pracharak to Teacher – finally to a real leader who faced the wrath of Emergency and many political onslaughts. Gupta was a mass leader in the real sense and he was respected not only by his own party workers and leaders alike but also leaders of other parties in Jammu, at Delhi and across the tunnel.
He was the first non-Congress leader from Jammu to represent in Union Council of Minister and held portfolios of Defence, Civil Aviation and Food Processing during Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. His passing away is the end of the assertive voice for pro-Jammu politics.
In the demise of Professor Chaman Lal Gupta, the entire state comprising Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh has lost a towering leader, distinguished public figure, committed sympathiser, orator and a visionary. Endowed with the qualities of head and heart, he was a true nationalist who gave prime of his life to a long struggle for keeping Jammu and Kashmir State intact as one unit by resisting the separatists and semi-separatist forces since his youth time.
It goes to Professor Gupta’s credit to secure to some extent Jammu’s share in development and representation after the Administrative and political trend tilted towards Kashmir after 1975 by Indira-Sheikh Accord. His contribution cannot be denied in saving the Peer Panchal region going the restive Kashmir way during peak militancy. His assertive role was significant in many political and strategic decisions pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir that were taken during the Vajpayee era. Many of these were not even reported or brought to public knowledge but had far-reaching consequences for Jammu region – the soil he belonged to.
His strong political perception, assertive political approach and pro-people outlook were off-late were misunderstood and taken otherwise much to the annoyance of the then RSS leaders in J&K in the last two decades. In his later part of political life, he became the victim of intrigues by those very people whom he groomed in politics but who carried a sinister campaign against him to mislead party leadership. His uncompromising stances on political principles weaned him away from what his party stalwarts later practised.
It is observed that obituaries and condolences being paid always say good things about a person after he or she is gone. Let us try to convey our love and respect when a person is still alive. There is no use of such hollow formality — to be soon forgotten — after one passes away. Go say what you want to right now to the person concerned, lest it be too late.
The doyen has left a lasting legacy. He will be remembered for his foresight and dynamic leadership. Indeed, it is the end of an era for the politics of Jammu Kashmir.
