A meeting of the heads of all prominent, social, religious bodies and Political parties of Jammu was jointly convened under the aegis of Dogra Sadar Sabha (DSS) and the All Jammu Civil Society Forum (AJCSF) on 10th February, 2017 (evening) at the DSS hall, Dogra Bhawan, Jammu.
The meeting was largely attended and various important issues related to problems, development, progress, dignity and the glory of the Jammu region and the ‘Dograiat’ ethos of mutual love and co-existance were discussed.
The meeting was convened and addressed by the President of DSS cum Convener of the AJCSF Th. Gulchain Singh Charak. After detailed deliberations and exchange of views by various prominent citizens and heads of organizations a joint resolution was adopted.
The same is reproduced hereunder:-
The Joint Resolution
A bugle call to unite
A time has come when the amicable, polite, shy and introvert population of Jammu region called Dogras have to come out of their slumber , peep out of the comfort zones of their shells to ascertain, demand and seek their basic rights as citizens of the largest democracy of the world.
Dogras who were the rulers of the entire J&K state for nearly a century have succumbed to 2nd citizenship; post Independence and gradually, their domination, influence and even indulgence in matters of the state were reduced. The Chief Minister Mehbooba was not very wrong when she while speaking in a Government function at Jammu pointed out a leadership deficit in Jammu region.
Be it allocation of funds, Job opportunities, development projects, employments, appointments or share of centrally provided opportunities, projects, welfare schemes, education and job vacancies, the Jammu region has been discriminated against every time.
Maharaja Hari Singh was a reverenced monarch and a symbol of fairness, justice and progress, across the state. The adoption of a resolution by J&K Legislative Council declaring the Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary on September 23 a state holiday, though cherished by most in Dogra region, found mixed reactions and even opposition from National Conference and even the national Congress party.
Speaking on behalf of the government, PDP member and education Minister Naeem Akhtar credited Hari Singh with maintaining the state’s identity and secular character, but urged to withdraw the resolution, assuring him that the proposal could be considered later. While the National Conference staged a walkout from the legislative council, demanding a withdrawal of the resolution, the issue has rocked the assembly. Their supporters from Congress, even from Jammu, were conspicuous by their silence.
It is only sad, that some Jammu based thinkers have also tilted away. Although, admiring, the forward looking policies, progressive views and liberal and secular ethos of Maharaja Hari Singh, they have commented against giving him the honour as passed in the resolution to declare 23rd Sept as a holiday. It was resolved that nothing derogatory against the Maharaja or the Dogra heritage will be tolerated and those working against the Jammu regional interests will be identified, earmarked, isolated and dealt with.
Jammu must not and will not tolerate such suppression anymore and cannot take kindly to the opportunists voicing against regional interests. No anti–national elements will be allowed to make a foot hold or operate from Jammu region.
In yet another great injustice to Jammu, the State’s minority community is being denied all the considerations and privileges designed for ‘minorities’ by the country. The Supreme Court had issued a notice to the Centre, the State government and the National Commission for Minorities on the plea filed by Jammu-based advocate Ankur Sharma, alleging that benefits accruing to minorities, as granted by the Central Government, are not reaching the minorities in the state.
In an affidavit filed in SC the J&K Government opposed the petition filed by Ankur Sharma in 2016 seeking a direction to the state to set up a minority commission in the state to safeguard the interests of religious and linguistic minorities. Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP government of J&K opposed creation of a minority commission in the state, saying it was not the only state where country’s minorities (declared under the National Commission for Minorities Act) were in majority and required to manage such body.
As a dangerous development, thousands of foreign nationals from Bangladesh and (Rohngiyas) from Myanmar are being settled in and around Jammu with the connivance of the State Government; while objections are raised to issue mere domicile certificates to Indian nationals who migrated from West Pakistan.
The prestigious and historical Mubarak Mandi complex is being shattered to eliminate the last dignified symbol Dogra heritage. In spite of efforts and release of central fund, the powers that be in the State Government have subjected it to apathy and gradual ruin.
All our assured projects are pending with the city facing acute shortage of power, water, road space due to absence of parking slots and incomplete fly overs. Tourism has suffered heavily in absence of non-development of identified tourist related projects of Gandola, Jammu lake, maintenance and modernization of existing Suruinsar and Mansar lakes and other places of pilgrimage tourism.
Even our small request to remove the traffic barrier in front of winter secretariat has not been heeded, even after submitting memorandums and meeting various senior government functionaries including the Dy CM and the Speaker.
Enough has been enough for the Jammu region to take. A time has come for us to unite across all considerations of community, political parties, regional/linguistic barriers and stand together for the betterment and honourable survival of our posterity, before the radical powers engulf Jammu and repeat the 1999 history of Kashmir.
To achieve the above aims it was decided to form a Coordination committee representing all the organisations for time bound promotion of the above resolved issues.
THE RESOLUTION WAS MOVED BY COL V.K SAHI VR-CHAKRA AND WAS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED BY THE PARTICIPANTS RAISING THEIR HANDS IN SUPPORT OF THE SAME.
Prominent among others who spoke on the occasion are as under:- MK Ajatshatru Singh Ji, Maj Gen G.S Jamwal, Judge Pavitter Singh, Sh. Abdul Majid, Prof. Lalit Mangotra, Sh. Rakesh Sharma, Sh. BS Slathia, Sh. Gambhir Dev Singh Charak, Prof. Zahur Ahmed, Sh. Surinder Singh- (Gilli), Sh. I.D Khajuria, Sh. Yash Pal Gupta, Sr. JS Mangal, Sh. Sohail Kazmi, Sh. G.A Khawaja, Sh. Zorawar Singh, Sh. Neeraj Anand, Sh. Annil Suri, Sh. PS Gupta, Sh. S Peter & Sh. Amanat Ali Shah.,
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