epilogue magazine, june 2009

Epilogueb e c a u s e t h e r e i s m o r e t o k n o w

Jammu and Kashmir’s Monthly Magazine

NowTellingThe J&K Stories

RNI : JKENG/2007/26070 ISSN 0974-5653

Jammu, June 1, 2009 / Vol 3 / Issue 6 || Price Rs. 30 || Postal Registration No. JK-350/2009-11 || www.epilogue.in

TRACING

REVOLUTIONA special feature on

Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University

Meet J&K’s Men In New Delhi

ELECTIONS - 2009

Reports and Analysis

Political Scientist

Rekha Chowdharycomments on

Regional perception of pollsIssues that shapes campaign

Rise of NC-Congress, decline of PDP & BJPThe difference Sajjad Lne made

UPA and prospects of peace process

FINANCEMINISTER

ABDULRAHIMRATHER

EXPLAINSJAMMU &KASHMIR’SSTATE OF

ECONOMY

Economic Reconstruction Agency under the financial assistance of Asian Development Bank has launched several schemes to augment the water supply in Srinagar city. The various schemes with a cumulative storage capacity of 39 MGD include Rangil water supply scheme, Nishat-Doodhganga water supply scheme and Nishat-Dalbund water supply scheme which will cater to the drinking water needs of the population of about 10,93,995 souls of Srinagar city.

Rangil water supply Scheme 10MGD 294000

Areas to be benefitted

Khulmulla, Zakura, Owantabavan, Bakshipora,Tengpora, Muj-Gund, Parimpora, Lawayopora, Shalteng, Colonies on Right and Left side. National Highway, Left side of National highway Bypass (Bemina, Muminabad, Firdousabad, Tengpora(left), Right side of National highway Bypass(Hamdania colony, Khumani colony (partly), Nundreshi Colony, JVC)

Nishat Doodhganga water supply Scheme 21.5 MGD 614132


Jawahar Nagar, Kralpora, Natipora, Rambagh, Nowgam, Rajbagh, Gulshan Nagar, Gogji Bagh, Solina, Chanapora Colony, Budshah Nagar, Allochi Bagh Part, Bagh-e-Mehtab, Tulsi Bagh, Wazir Bagh, Lal Mandi, Hazuri Bagh, Amira Kadal, Shivpora, Rajbagh and Magarmal Bagh, Lal Chowk, Maisuma, Abiguzar, Kral Sangri, Karapora, Brein, Patnta Chowk, Sonwar, Buchwara, Gupkar Road, Ram Munshi Bagh, Athwajan, Mahraja Bazar, Sari Payeen, Lal Mandi, Jawaharnagar (partly), Basant Bagh, Bar Bar Shah.

Nishat Dalbund water supply Scheme 7.5MGD 185863


Saida Kadal Bridge, Zinsha Masjid, Rainawari Chowk, Soorateng Chowk, Shiraz Chowk, Nowhatta, Naidyaar, Hasibhat, Chowdary Bagh.

Scope of Works Total Storage Capacity Population to be benefitted (souls)

Epilogue Ø 1 × June 2009

B R I D G I N G T H E I N F O R M A T I O N D I V I D E

F O R T H E M O N T H O F J U N E 2 0 0 9

Taking J&K Closer to WorldBringing World Closer to J&K


30Volume : 3, Number : 6

ISSN : 0974-5653

RNI : JKENG/2007/26070

www.epilogue.in

Every election in Jammu and Kashmir is

linked by establishment with resolution of

Kashmir issue, such attempt is resisted by

separatists; Lok Sabha elections offer an

interesting study as local issues are not

involved here. Present issue offers an

insight into the exercise that concluded in

middle of May

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Dec. 2008

HUNG ASSEMBLY n the middle of elections our small team of staffers along with some 30 volunteers Itraveled across the length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir to gauge the public

mood. The conclusion was that there will be a hung assembly with NC as largest party, PDP second and Congress third. Looking at the pages of our December issue one can see all parties have come up with same number of seats as we had predicted except the BJP.

Jan. 2009

Feb. 2009

Mar. 2009

Apr. 2009

May 2009

MANDATE : collectors issue, the special number on our second anniversary came as fastest Apossible, yet professionally correct work, on J&K elections. Result were declare

on December 28 and our issue carrying complete elections analysis and elections trends at constituency level was out before the government was sworn I.

AGENDA FOR OMAR GOVERNMENT :he coalition government of National Conference and the Congress headed by TOmar Abdullah Omar Abdullah took over on January 5 but it did not declare a

shared agenda. Epilogue's February issue put together opinions of well meaning people from across the country setting out an agenda for Omar Abdullah government

CONNECTING J&K

onnectivity is a major issue in J&K and people in many areas taunt the Cgovernment saying that roads were laid in remote areas only because they close to borders. Our March issue looked at the connectivity via roads, rail and air to bring to the fore the missing links.

TREADING FAILURE

s world watches keenly the new unfolding developments in Pakistan, our AConsulting Editor D Suba Chandran travelled to the troubled country to bring fresh perspectives for our readers in April Issue.

J&K MOVING FORWARD

ay issue was one of the rare collections of ideas where 12 natives from Mboth sides of Jammu and Kashmir poured their ideas out of the heart on how boundaries can be blurred and relations can be strengthened.


www.epilogue.in

Editor Zafar Iqbal Choudhary

Consulting EditorD. Suba Chandran

Associate EditorsIrm Amin BaigTsewang Rigzin

Art EditorKeshav Sharma

Research OfficerRaman Sharma

Mailing AddressPO Box 50, HO Gandhi Nagar, Jammu

Phones & emailOffice : +91 191 2493136Editorial: +91 94191 80762Administration: +91 94190 [email protected]@[email protected]

Edited, Printed, Published and Owned by Zafar Iqbal Choudhary. Published from : Ibadat House, Madrasa Lane, Near Graveyard, Bathindi Top, Jammu, J&K - 180012 and Printed at : DEE DEE Reprographix, 3 Aikta Ashram, New Rehari Jammu (J&K)

Disputes, if any, subject to jurisdiction of courts and competitive tribunals in Jammu only.

RNI : JKENJ/2007/26070ISN : 00974-5653Price : Rs 30

CONTENTS

Prologue 5Letters 6

Note Book11 Essential Entries 7

InterviewJ&K Finance Minister 13Zafar Choudhary & Dipanker Sengupta

ReviewBeyond Elections in 40India’s DemocracyBidyut Chakrabarty

Column5000 years of Kashmir 43Balraj Puri

Under the stars and 46searchlights of Doda...Manisha Sobhrajani

Gulabname : A Persian 48Window to J&K HistoryProf. Jigar Mohammad

Build a Bigger, Rainy Day Fund 54Balraj Puri

Ladakh SpecialWildlife in Ladakh 50Trans-HimalayasTahir Shawl

ReportJ&K Registers Strong Presence 52at UPSCEpilogue Desk

StudyBoosting hill economy 56Kalari can show the waySreya Sarkar

IN FOCUSLok Sabha Elections

NC-Congress gain grounds,20PDP, BJP pushed to marginsAhmed Ali Fayyaz

Answers to Essential Questions24Prof. Rekha Chowdhary comments on

significant aspects of Lok Sabha

Elections 2009

Why Congress Won and30Why BJP Lost?M Shamsur Rabb Khan

Prominent Faces33


Meet J&K’s Men In New Delhi

ELECTIONS - 2009

Reports and Analysis

Political Scientist

Rekha Chowdharycomments on

Regional perception of pollsIssues that shapes campaign

Rise of NC-Congress, decline of PDP & BJPThe difference Sajjad Lne made

UPA and prospects of peace process

FINANCEMINISTER

ABDULRAHIMRATHER

EXPLAINSJAMMU &KASHMIR’SSTATE OF

ECONOMY

SPECIAL FEATURE BGSB UNIVERSITY

Ruminations59Tracing a Revolution D Suba Chandran63The War Against Illiteracy68Knowing is not the same as understanding him MY Taing28Empowering Women in Neighbourhood Dr. Ashfaq Zarri73What they said to us82

303030ISSUES OFC H A N G E

L

From the EditorRP O O G U E

fter a protracted yet voters, discarded the mighty Chief Minister and his cabinet

exciting campaign trail politicians and voted for those in colleagues were enjoying a grace

spanning over nearly whom they had faith. Voters thought period –the government had to take

t h r e e m o n t h s , a that those should be voted who are some time for settling down, then Agovernment with new capable of doing something for the there elections to the Rajya Sabha and

mandate is in place in New Delhi. Now people. Hence neither Omar Abdullah State Legislative Council and then the

is the time for Jammu and Kashmir nor those belonging to the Congress General Elections. Nothing is now left

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to can show complacency. Public interest which should offer the government

withdraw himself from the politics of issues have to be tackled on a war an excuse for non-performance. It is

maneuvering for party and coalition footing. So far the NC-Congress to the advantage of Omar that the

and get back to work on his mandate. Government has been able to take only Congress led UPA government has

The Chief Minister must sit down with two major steps. One relates to the returned to power in New Delhi. The

his cabinet colleagues to evolve a amendment to the Jail manual for the C o n g r e s s a n d t h e N a t i o n a l

comprehensive strategy for delivering purpose of providing better treatment Conference are partners in the

on the promises his party National to women prisoners and their kids. ruling alliance both at State and the

Conference and the alliance partner Second important decision pertains to Center. This has come as huge

Congress made with the people of curbs imposed on officers earning good advantage for the Chief Minister

Jammu and Kashmir during Assembly amount of money by inflating the TA who can use this power axis on two

elections. Taking over as youngest and DA bills. Beyond these two fronts –ensuring smooth funds of flow

Chief Minister in January this year, decisions there is nothing visible on from Center to State and facilitating

Omar had said that the single biggest the ground. While the Chief Minister's dialogue between Kashmiri separatists

challenge before him meeting public development and work culture and New Delhi. Omar's government is

expectations which are too high. promises are yet to show any results, about to complete six months and

Leave aside the high expectations, the incidents of the violations of therefore by June 30, the Chief

even the modest one have not been human rights in the Kashmir Valley are Minister must come up with a

met as Omar completes five months in on unusual rise. These issues need comprehensive and time-bound

office. People want results and not immediate attention. Unfortunately programme to address the issue he

mere promises. Omar and the Congress the hands of the Government have promised to in poll campaign.

leadership in the state need to remained tethered because of election Feedback :examine the implications of the recent model code of conduct but now is the [email protected]

LoK Sabha election. People, rather time to deliver. Past five months, the

Time for Omar to Deliver

Zafar Choudhary


T

Readers WriteL E T E R S

Cabinet Expansion Attacks on Indians in Australia

Cabinet expansion is on the cards. The vacancy in the

council of ministers is 15 after 10-member cabinet was The kind of recent attacks on Indian students studying

sworn in January last. More important than filling the in Australia has left many in state of shock, where vacant seats is who is going to get berth in the ministry visual shows how mercilessly they are beaten up in which is going to have a two-tier formation..Reports public, left some battling their lives in hospital, indicate that Omar Abdullah plans to add five more outraged everybody both at home and abroad.faces in the cabinet and the remaining ten may be This is not new, it happens earlier many times in other sworn in as ministers of state Since the constitutional parts of the globe where people from this community amendment of 2005 provides for restrictions on the are living for years, studying or earning their live size of the ministry Omar's hands are tight as he cannot hoods. Only the difference is this time almost all afford to take more than 25 members in the council of leading journalists both from electronic and print ministers. Under the constitutional provision the size

media has joined hands to address the issue at the of ministry should be 20 per cent of the strength of the

highest level in diplomatic and political corridors of the state legislature. The constitutional amendment

country.received the Governor's assent in January 2006.As such

Because of its size and ill political will the Indian the NC-Congress leadership may not be able to please

life does not carry much value to worth engage majority of legislators. When Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

other mighty nation where the governments as was the Chief Minister between 2002 and 2005 he had

well as the locals don't treat their guests at par, no restrictions in inducting ministers in the cabinet. At reasons only well known to them. Recently an the time Mufti hung the boots the council of ministers Indian student was killed in a racial attack in St. headed by him had 39 members. It was he who could Petersburg in Russia. Earlier during my stay in that accommodate more faces from the PDP and the country I came to know about such incidents quite Congress besides those from the Peoples' Democratic often, where on some occasion there were loss of Front and the Panthers Party. If one takes into account lives too. The matter reported to police but the numerical strength of the PDP-Congress alliance results are the same even Embassy staff didn't pay the two had 44 MLAs and this time the Congress-NC has

the same number of MLAs. In case the NC bagged the much attention to that treated it as routine job.

Hazratbal seat, for which the election will be held on Our voice was either suppressed or went June 3,the strength may go up to 45.During the time of unnoticed. the Mufti's chief Ministership not more than eight MLAs, Now thanks to the media who at least keep an eye on belonging to the Congress and the PDP, could not be these sensitive issues of great public concern. Force accommodated in the council of ministers.If Omar our diplomats accountable to do their job more Abdullah decides to fill all the 15 vacant seats he may effectively rather enjoying cocktails parties there.have to keep more than 19 MLA's, belonging to the This is a very grave situation and the govt. of India as Congress and the National Conference, out of the well as concerned ministries must go tough to produce cabinet. He may try to keep more legislators happy by some landmark results which make us proud as an appointing them heads of Boards and corporations. Well, Indian. Doesn't matter our nation is a nuclear power or Omar has six years tenure. He can have the council of

one of the largest and fastest growing economy in the ministers on a rotational basis. In all he may have 25

world. faces in the council of ministers. Let him retain these

Sorry to say being an Indian is not a matter of faces for three years and after that bring in another set of

proud………until and unless we don't care for an Indian legislators for another three years. He may retain about a

pride and help restore dignity and safeguard the dozen senior legislators in the cabinet for full six years.

interests of our countrymen who represent us in This can give a chance to others also to enjoy power. If it

millions at every corner of this mother earth. is done it may leave no scope for dissensions and heart

burns. Let Omar test this experiment.DR. VIKAS JAMWAL, ASCOMS & Hospital, Jammu.SUBASH MALIK, via email


N O T E B O O K

11 Essential Stories


to wage a war with India and conquer Kashmir.” Ajmal later he capture of Kashmir, touted as one of the motives T retracted his statement in court. Dr. Shailesh Mohite, who behind the November 26 Mumbai terror attacks, finds no performed the post-mortem examination on the deceased mention in the final charges framed in the case. A copy of accused, Abu Ismail, was grilled for nearly two hours by the charges, framed on May 6, was made available to the defence lawyer Shahid Azmi. When he asked whether media.external injuries could have led to profuse bleeding, the The charges proposed by the prosecution against Mohammad doctor replied in the negative. Mr. Azmi, who represents Ajmal Amir 'Kasab' and the other accused had listed the accused Fahim Ansari, tried to probe whether there were motive of capturing Kashmir by attacking major cities in bloodstains on the trousers. India.

In his opening address when the trial began, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam contended that the capture of Kashmir was a definite object of the criminal conspiracy.

While the final charges include motives such as destabilising the government of India, an attempt to create instability, terrorising people and weakening India's economic might, there is no reference to Kashmir.

Indian Penal Code sections 121A (conspiracy to wage war, abet in or attempt to wage war against the government of India) and 122 (collecting arms with the intention of waging war) are part of the charges framed.

Kashmir figures prominently in Ajmal's confessional statement. He said the Mujahideen were told to fight to free Kashmir. In the statement, Lashkar leader Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi is reported to have said: “Now we have

lobal recession has failed to affect Kashmir's tourism industry as more and Gmore tourists continue to throng the valley.

According to the players in the tourism industry, many domestic tourists have already cancelled their tours to European countries and are coming to Kashmir valley. This has helped to increase the number of footfalls in Kashmir.

Even Farooq Shah, director of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir agrees that recession has failed to affect tourism industry in the valley.

"Till now, we have received good response and recession doesn't have a major impact on tourism. Recession has an affect throughout the world and high spending people naturally, they don't move out. But, we are receiving a good response. This good response will continue in future too with no affect of recession on our state," said Farooq Shah.

In a situation when global recession has forced many tourists to cancel their trips, affordable hotels and transportation in Kashmir compared to other destination have increased the number of tourists visiting the valley.

"There is a lot of global recession which is going in other countries. But Jammu and Kashmir as such is very economical. We have been able to find out good economical hotels with good service in Jammu and Kashmir," said Shashank Kumar, a tourist.

Kashmir tourism had received a severe blow last year with the Amarnath land agitation bringing down the number of tourists.

TERRORISM

Kashmir not in 26/11 final charges

TOURISM

Blessing in disguise : Recessionredirecting tourists to Kashmir


Enterprising women in Jammu and Kashmir have ventured to open a women's only bank to provide basic banking facilities and timely loans. After witnessing various cases where major banks turned down needy women's loan applications, the founding members of Kashmir Women's Cooperative Bank were motivated to open their own venture.

The opening of Kashmir Women's Cooperative Bank is expected to supplement the empowerment of womenfolk in the valley.

"Firstly it's an exclusive bank for women. Secondly, we have opened this bank to help women belonging to weaker sections and who are working or want to start their own business. Since their requirement is less, we have started providing loans starting from rupees 20,000," said Ashiya Saleem, Manager of Kashmir Women's Cooperative Bank.

Apart from enabling several women to become self-reliant, the bank also counsels the account holders in managing their earnings and other assets.

The hassle free format to open a savings account is attracting many Kashmiri women. "I save all my savings in my account here. And whenever there is requirement of loan we can easily consult the bank and easily get loan from there," said Parveena Akhtar, a customer of Kashmir Women's Cooperative Bank.

This bank offers loans to the needy among the 'have-nots'. So far the Kashmir Women's Cooperative Bank has provided loans to nearly 30 women.

ven after more than six decades of independence and constituency Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi says. Eintroduction of central-sponsored Rural Electrification, He said during electioneering in recent Lok Sahba polls, he people of dozens of villages of this border town are still living entered a house in a village late in the evening where the in stone age as they are using 'Mashal' (flame) for lighting up inmates were sitting under mashal (flame) light. ''Though I feel their houses in the evening. very bad, but there was no alternative I could suggest to ''Yes, it is true that people living in dozens of villages, them,'' he said. When asked why he could not get electricity to particularly on upper reaches, still use mashal (flame) to light every village of his constituency, represented by him for the up their homes in the evening,'' the ruling National Conference second consecutive time in 2009, Mr Gurezi said it needed (NC) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Gurez huge funds.

he Kashmir dispute has been registered in the TGuinness Book of World Records as the largest

militarized territorial dispute in the world.

The Guinness Book of World Records used the

Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) world fact book

to name the Kashmir issue, the longest dispute

between two countries.

In the latest edition of the Guinness Book of World

Records, page no. 137 of the 'wars' section reads

states : "According to the CIA fact book, the

dispute between China, India and Pakistan for

Kashmir region is the largest and most militarised

dispute."

India and Pakistan have fought three wars over

Kashmir: in 1947, 1965, and 1999. India and China

have clashed once, in 1962 over Aksai Chin

Since the 1990s, the Indian administered Jammu

and Kashmir has been hit by confrontation

between Kashmiri separatists, including militants

who India alleges are supported by Pakistan and

the Pakistan Armed Forces, and Indian Armed

Forces which has resulted in thousands of deaths

in the Valley.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

This bank for women only CONFLICT - PERCEPTION

Guinness Book of World Records names Kashmir as the largest dispute in the world

DEVELOPMENT

Gurez villagers yet to see electricity

N O T E B O O K11 Essential Stories


The proper Gurez town said, the members from far-flung and remote areas, witnessed about 15 feet of irrespective of their party affiliation, should be given proper snowfall during this winter time in the House to highlight the problems of their areas.while in the villages on upper Mr Gurezi said, ''There are about 100 villages in the reaches it was more than 20 constituency. Majority of them are on upper reaches, which feet, he said. are deep in the forest.'' Local residents say that people in Promising to take up the issue several villages use mashal (flames) and Kerosene oil lumps for with the government in and light in the evening. These villages have not been connected outside the state assembly, he by electric wire so far even after 62 years of independence.

he Barack Obama administration Flournoy said, is that the Twould love to see India and country still is too focused on a Pakistan re-engage in confidence- perceived threat from India. building measures and talk about The Pakistani military is a Kashmir and other areas of difference, conventional force trained for according to a top defence conventional warfare. "It's now department official. being used to conduct "There is a lot they can do to lower counterinsurgency operations," tensions, and they had done a lot Flournoy said. "To their credit, before the Mumbai attacks," Michele they have asked for help." Flournoy, undersecretary of defence The Pakistani military has for policy said in an interview with the asked for help in Defence Writers' Group posted on the counterinsurgency training and department website. different equipment, but it is Part of the problem in Pakistan, going to take time to reorient

assistance in Pakistan is on the non-Flournoy said, is that the country still the military, she said. military side. "What we're trying to do is too focused on a perceived threat The Pakistanis also realise the fight is assist them where we are able to from India. India and Pakistan have they are in against the Taliban in the because the stakes are so great for fought three wars since the Pakistan northwestern provinces and the us," Flournoy said. was born in the 1947 partition of federally administered tribal areas The new US strategy in Afghanistan India, and the two countries still doesn't have a "military only" solution. and Pakistan treats the area as an maintain forces facing each other in "The real issue is allowing the integrated theatre of operations, Kashmir. The Pakistani military is a Pakistani government to be able to Flournoy said. "We have to regard conventional force trained for provide for the needs of the Pakistan and Afghanistan together, conventional warfare. “It's now being population in this area," the official because each affects the other so used to conduct counterinsurgency said. profoundly." operations,” Flournoy said. “To their The people too understand the threat.

credit, they have asked for help.” "When I say an integrated strategy, I The attacks against cricketers and mean the enemy doesn't respect the "We would like to see that process others in Lahore "brought home the border between the two nations," she restarted. That could go a long way to danger to the Pakistani people and said. The Taliban and their allies travel allowing the Pakistani military and the Pakistani government like nothing back and forth across the border Pakistani government to focus on the before," she said. "There is greater constantly, she noted, and problems most urgent existential threat they willingness to deal with this than ever on one side of the border affect the face, and that's from within," she said. before." other side.Part of the problem in Pakistan, The biggest growth in American

CONFLICT RESOLUTION 'US wants India, Pakistan talk about Kashmir'



SEPARATIST POLITICS

Mirwaiz vows to carry on struggle till Kashmir’s ‘freedom’th wounded. Mirwaiz followers were heard shouting that the n occasion of 19 anniversary of Mirwaiz Maulvi

same men had been “planted” in the rally and, according to Mohammad Farooq's assassination on May 21, Mirwaiz O them, they were the people striking on Police in downtown Umar Farooq-led faction of the separatist Hurriyat Srinagar with continual stone pelting since the beginning of Conference organized a mass congregation and called it this year. Authorities are understood to have received a list of “Election Rejection Rally”. Mirwaiz was keen to tell the world 50 of such 'urchins' and raids were being planned to detain that majority of the people in Jammu & Kashmir, according to them all. him, had observed boycott to the lately concluded process of Immediately after Lok Sabha elections. Even as all parts of Jammu, Ladakh and per forming h i s Kashmir valley had witnessed moderate turnout of 25% to 65%, afternoon prayers Srinagar, Baramulla and Sopore towns in the Valley had largely in assembly at rejected the Indian democratic exercise with few people J a m i a M a s j i d , exercising their right of franchise. Mirwaiz led a rally In a significant development, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of more than 5,000 had directed the authorities to allow the separatist rally with of his followers to whatever the speeches and slogans. Sources, however, Iddgah. It took him insisted that the Government permitted the rally only after over two hours to men of consequence in the Mirwaiz Hurriyat had conveyed to reach the venue. the authorities that there would be no law and order problem There was thin and the separatists would not clash with Police or paramilitary

forces. Thus, it was for the first time since August 22 last year presence of Police and CRPF had been directed by the highest that the government allowed such kind of a mass authorities to remain invisible inside their bunkers. Mirwaiz demonstration in the Valley. offered Fatiha at the tombs of his slain father, Mirwaiz Maulvi

While Police maintained that it was a 15,000-strong rally, Mohammad Farooq, late Abdul Gani Lone and scores of

independent estimates put the number of participants militants and civilians killed by government forces and

between 16,000 and 20,000. Since yesterday itself, Mirwaiz suspected anti-terrorism cadres in Kashmir valley in the last 19

followers had begun patrolling of streets from downtown to years of armed insurgency.

uptown, while carrying green colour Islamic flags on motorcycles In his key address to the gathering, Mirwaiz asserted that the and vehicles and shouting pro-freedom slogans. There was a people of Jammu & Kashmir had “rejected” the Indian pandemonium at Iddgah when a group of over 50 youth shouted democratic exercise. He claimed that very few people had slogans in favour of Mirwaiz Umar's arch rival in the separatist participated in the elections and, as such, members of J&K camp, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and yelled that nobody but the Legislative Assembly and those of the Indian Parliament had no Hurriyat (G) chief would represent the Kashmiris at any forum to right to call themselves as representatives of the people. “I settle the Kashmir dispute. challenge them to hold a rally at Iddgah and thereafter call

The Awami Action Committee supporters shot back with pro- themselves as the peoples' representatives”, 38-year-old

Mirwaiz slogans and thrashed over a dozen of the Geelani cleric-politician said.

followers. Police reports and independent sources said that at Mirwaiz vowed to carry on the struggle until the day of the least eight persons were beaten up mercilessly and left Kashmiris winning “freedom” from India. He asserted that the

Senior separatist leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has threatened to revive “2008-type mass movement” in case New Delhi failed to take substantive measures in the direction of resolving the six-decade-long Kashmir dispute in the next two months. Buoyed with Omar Abdullah government's permission to Hurriyat's Iddgah rally on May 21, Mirwaiz issued a call for

th“Lalchowk Chalo” on July 13 and his followers enjoyed a field day in the capital city while shouting pro-Azadi slogans, patrolling with green flags on motorcycles and, in the evening, burning gunny bags in front of CRPF pillboxes in the downtown.



blood of “thousands of our martyrs” would not go waste. He

stressed on reunification of all factions of the separatist amalgam

and declared that he would work hard to recreate “1994-type

unity” among the separatist outfits in Kashmir. He said it was high

time for the Government of India to take necessary steps in the

direction of resolving the Kashmir dispute by way of holding

“meaningful negotiations” with the state's separatist leadership

and Islamabad.

Mirwaiz asserted that assuming power or become members of

Assembly or Parliament was not Hurriyat's agenda. He sought to

make it clear that Hurriyat's goal was “complete freedom” from

India and the elections for legislative bodies could be contested

only after settlement of the Kashmir dispute. “Should India fail to

take substantive measures in the next two months, we would be

left with no option but to create a “2008-type mass movement”.

Buoyed with the controlled success of today's rally, Mirwaiz issued a

call of mass march to Lalchowk on the Martyrs Day of July 13 next.

Proponent of boycott to elections, Mirwaiz said that Hurriyat

would not allow anybody to make a bargaining of “our martyrs'

blood” with New Delhi. He wished the upcoming UPA Government

to restore the process of dialogue with the Kashmiris and also take

Islamabad on board as a primary party to the dispute.

Even as the rally continued to be peaceful till late in the

afternoon, flocks of Mirwaiz Umar's spiritual and political

followers amplified their anti-India and pro-Azadi slogans while

passing through the CRPF bunkers on Nallah Maar Road on their

return to home. Eyewitnesses and official sources said that groups

of the participants set on fire empty gunny bags at CRPF pillboxes

at Kawdara. Thereafter, there were intermittent clashes between

the Mirwaiz supporters and Police.

It was after months that groups of youth were seen yelling “Ragda

Ragda NC to Ragda, PDP Ko Ragda”. They were also heard shouting

anti-India and pro-Azadi slogans. Some of their slogans were

explicitly directed on senior NC leader and Minister in Omar

Abdullah's government, Ali Mohammad Sagar, who is now

representing people of Khanyar constituency for the 5th

consecutive term in the Assembly.

While the Hurriyat supporters were beating the retreat with anti-

NC, anti-PDP and anti-Government slogans in downtown Srinagar

in the evening, groups of NC supporters took to the streets at

district headquarters of Budgam. Led by NC's Budgam MLA, Aga

Syed Ruhullah, they shouted anti-PDP slogans and yelled that they

would not allow the PDP leaders to enter Budgam township on

Friday. Reports said that senior PDP leaders, including Shia cleric-

politicians, Malvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari and Aga Syed Mehmood,

were scheduled to hold a public meeting at Budgam tomorrow.

Sources said that the NC supporters burnt rubber-tyres and

conveyed to the authorities that they would strike on the PDP

leaders should they enter the township on Friday.

enior Separatist leader and president of SDemocratic Freedom Party (DFP) Shabir Ahmad

Shah was on May 23 released after being detained

for nine months in connection with the mass

agitation for the Amarnath land row. Shah,

executive member of Moderate faction of Hurriyat

Conference headed by Mirwaiz Moulvi Umer Farooq,

was released from Srinagar Central Jail. Shah was

arrested under the Public Safety Act (PSA) on August

22 last year during mass agitation triggered by the

Amarnath land row.

Soon after his release Mr. Shah was received by

dozens of party activists who straightway drove to

Martyrs' graveyard at Eidgah to pay homage to those

who lost their lives since the eruption of militancy

in the state over two decades back.

"I will not be cowed down by the detention. I will

continue to work for the unity of the separatist

camp and freedom of Kashmir," Mr. Shah told his

supporters. Among various charges, Mr. Shah was

slapped with PSA.

"Martyrdom and detention are part of the ongoing

freedom struggle. Till the achievement of our goal,

we will continue the struggle," he said.

He appealed to Chairman of the hardline faction of

the Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani and

Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF)

chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik to support his

efforts.

SEPARATIST POLITICS Shah out of jail after nine months



three-year old girl was killed and her 10 year old brother were critically injured in a powerful explosion in Kashmir on AMay 22. A top police official said that sister-brother duo were playing in a field at Hamla Pati, Rajwar in North Kashmir.. "During playing they found an abandoned explosive shell and started fiddling with it. During this process, the explosive device went off, critically injuring the two," he said.

The police officer said that the duo were taken to the hospital, where the 3-year old girl identified as Rashida Bano expired while her brother Mohammad Saleem is stated to be in critical condition. Police have launched investigations. Scores of such incidents have taken place in Kashmir after the eruption of militancy in 1989.

COST OF CONFLICT Three-year-old girl killed while fiddling with bomb

GOVERNMENT

Power Center shifts to Srinagar

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Experts: Dig J&K fields for oil, hydrocarbons

he civil secretariat, seat of TJammu and Kashmir Government, reopened in Srinagar on May 4 amid tight security arrangements today as part of the bi-annual "Durbar move", under which Government functions for six months each in two capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar. All offices, including that of the Chief Minister and his ministerial colleagues, were closed in winter capital Jammu on April 24. Around 7,000 employees and truckloads of office records were shifted as part of the more than a century old bi-annual exercise.

The practice of shifting state secretariat from one city to another has been going on since 1872, the era of Maharaja Gulab Singh and devours crores of rupees from state exchequer.

Elaborate security arrangements were made for reopening of the offices as police deployed quick reaction teams, increased number of flying squads and covered high-rise buildings in the vicinity of the vital installations, including the secretariat.

xperts have strongly advocated undertaking petroleum exploration in Jammu Eand Kashmir, and asked the Oil And Natural Gas Corporation to resume its operations in the state which it had suspended twenty two years ago due to insurgency.

The state is considered to have potentially rich rocks of two petroleum systems and geo-thermal energy which needed to be tapped, but were subject to focused research, they said. Dr. Bindra Thusu, professor, Maghreb Petroleum Group at the University College London, and Professor G. M. Bhat, Geology Department, University of Jammu, conceded security concerns in the state, but pointed out that exploration activities and drilling were on in other violence-hit areas like Assam and other regions of the north-east.

Delivering a presentation on “Hydrocarbon Exploration Activity in Jammu and Kashmir State: Current Status” at a three-day international workshop on "Energy Challenges in Jammu and Kashmir State: A case study for the Energy Research Institute" being organized jointly by University of Kashmir, University of Jammu and Maghreb Petroleum Research Group, University College London at University of Kashmir, the two geo-scientists said that it was also a high time to formulate an oil exploration policy for the J&K state.

Strongly recommending the ONGC to resume its activity in J&K, Prof Thusu and Prof Bhat backed by the other geoscientists attending the conference suggested that the Directorate of Geology and Mining be re-organized as the Directorate of Energy, Geo-science and Mining and the proposed Directorate should initiate research for hydrocarbons on the model of Gujarat Sate Oil Corporation and ONGC should provide the data on the exploration activity done by them.

Regarding hydrocarbon prospectivity in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the geo-scientists said that to prove an area to be potentially prospective a period of 3-5 years of research was required. J&K, they said, was already on the hydrocarbon prospective map of India, and to find leads and prospects would take another 5-8 years of research.

Given these time constrains, they said, it was high time to formulate an oil exploration policy for the J&K state. In this regard a modest beginning has been made in the Geology Department of Jammu University in collaboration with University College London and University of Lille, they said.


I N T E R V I EW

J&K Finance Minister


In the political discourse Jammu and flow of funds?

Kashmir is always described as a poor

state. But if we look at the overall

profile, our state is one of the richest

in resources. How to you explain the

economic strengths and weaknesses

of the state.

Between 1996 and 2002 your party

leader and then Chief Minister Dr

Farooq Abdullah would often say that

any government in Jammu and Kashmir

always needs to have cordial relations

with the Central government for free

flow of funds. Even NC's brief alliance

with the NDA was also justified on this

pretext. How much the Jammu and

Kashmir state has actually to depend

on the Center for timely and proper

The financial relations of the Centre

and the States are defined in the Indian

Constitution. The share of the States in

the income of the Centre is determined

by the successive Finance Commissions

appointed by the President of India at

Our State may not be one of the. richest intervals of five years. Their Award

in natural resources. Yet it is endowed determines how much share would be

with rich forests, good deposits of received by each state during the next

minerals and some unique agricultural, five years period. The successive

horticulture and forest products. Finance Commissions have been guided

Commercial exploitation of these by the considerations to provide the

resources is hampered by our State's bare minimum to the States for

long distance from the main markets maintenance, larger chunks should be

and absence of railway link with the rest kept at the disposal of the Centre.

of the country. The biggest economic From out of this chunk, the Centre

weakness of our State is its near total meets its own requirements and also

dependence, for most of its consumer allocates sums to the individual states

goods/capital goods requirements, on for meeting their development needs

markets from outside. Thus a very large through the mechanism of Planning

chunk of our States GSDP annually flows Commiss ion. Though the plan

o u t s i d e f o r m e e t i n g t h e s e assistance flows to the States from the

requirements. Planning Commission on the basis of

pre-determined formulae, some

political discretion is occasionally

exercised by the Centre while

supplementing these allocations

outside the prescribed formulae. For

smaller States like that of ours,

tapping of such discretionary

assistance from the Centre assumes lot

of importance and some times

becomes crucial. Hence the need of

good working relations with the Centre

cannot be under estimated.

Enhancing own resources, controlling

non-productive expenditure are our

top priorities : Rather

J&K’s annual budget

for financial year 2009-

10 was deferred earlier

this year for July for a

range of reasons - the

new government had

taken over in January

and there was hardly

anytime available for

exercise and most

importantly there was

no idea of the plan

size. In this exclusive

interview to ZAFAR

CHOUDHARY and

DIPANKAR

SENGUPTA, the

Finance Minister

Abdul Rahim Rather

offers an insight into

the prevailing state of

the state’s economy.


Please compare and contrast the area (electricity generation and

backgrounds faced by you today and distribution) which is responsible for

Mr Muzaffar Hussian Beig in 2002 putting state's finances in complete

when he assumed the finance ministry disarray. Does the government the

after the PDP-Congress Coalition

assumed office. What is the state of

the government finances today as

compared to 2002 when NC left

office? What was the state of J&K's

economy in 2002 as compared to

today?

government have any well drawn out

policy on harnessing the hydro-

electric potential? What does your

government intend to do on using the J&K is naturally bestowed with rich hydro-electric potential to push the hydel resources. But this is one such economic growth of the state.

Exploitation of the available hydel

r e s o u r c e s i n v o l v e s m a s s i v e

investments. For tapping the identified

hydel potential we require about

1,50,000 to 2,00,000 crores of

investment at current costs. We have to

also keep in view that due to the

restrictions imposed on construction of

dams on our rivers imposed under the

Indus Waters Treaty (1960) signed by

the Government of India with the

Government o f Pak i s tan, our

hydelpower generation goes down as It may not be of any use to dig out the low as 25% of the installed capacity. This past. It may suffice to say that the not only causes massive loss of energy financial position inherited by us is

but also increases per unit cost of precarious. The last year's (2008-09) generation. We have to grapple plan was largely funded out of the

with this ground reality. We discretionary support from the Centre have planned for tapping the and the adverse impact of the hydel potential in the financial policies followed earlier following manner:cannot be braked all of a sudden.

All the currently available

resources, including the Central Keeping a chunk of our

devolutions-both plan and non p l a n m o n e y f o r

plan- are fully committed to installation of hydel

meet only the maintenance stations by our own

expenditure. Practically nil Power Development

resources are available for plan Corporation.

efforts. In other words, we

have become fully dependant Going in partnership on the out of way discretionary with the NHPC as also support from the Centre for with private players for funding our Plan. Obviously, we taking up identified cannot continue like this. The h y d r o e l e c t r i c a l non productive expenditure project under Private which has been allowed to grow Public Participation uncontrolled during the last few (PPP) mode.years will have to be controlled,

our own resources will have to be Allowing the private enhanced and the Thirteenth p l a ye r s t o t a k e u p Finance Commission will have to execution of some of the be impressed by us to take stock of identified projects under IPP these realities and give a special (Independent Power Producer) mode.deal to our state for their Award

period. . Impressing upon the NHPC and

Government of India to expedite

execution of the projects already

transferred to them by the State.

I N T E R V I EWJ&K Finance Minister


Is there any way in which the Kashmir is one of the highest in the

government can raise resources country but still from political class

(other than the current manner put in t o t h e c o m m o n m a n t h e

place by the previous government)? unemployment is being described by

all as 'alarming'. Do you have any

plans to tackle this problem of over-The Central Government has several

staffing and creating a public flagship schemes like NREGA to tackle

awareness that the government rural unemployment? Is there any

should not be seen as a sole employer need in J & K to have similar schemes?

in the state? If so elaborateIf so do you have any plans for such

schemes?

Do you think it is possible to turn

around the massive losses suffered by

the power sector in this State? If so,

How?

The concessions given to industry in

J&K have not brought in significant Where are the areas in the budget investment. Is it because these where expenditures (non-plan concessions are insufficient or expenditure) can be reduced?because they are unnecessary? Does

the actual solution lie elsewhere?

O n e o f t h e b i g g e s t p u b l i c

expectations from your government

is job creation. But the situation

prevailing in the state is unique. The

proportion of government employees

to total population in Jammu and

take correcting and balancing

measures. This is also necessary to

create a more disciplined financial

order in governance.

The government generally does not

intend to burden the people with taxes.

However, I feel that the rates should be

rationalized periodically to take care of

the inflation. New taxes may be added

in the areas where a common man is not

hit. None the less, we would like to We are conscious of the expectations of

educate the people to put the right our youth, particularly the educated NREGA is a. central scheme which can value on the services which they avail of unemployed seeking opportunities be utilized to generate employment from various government departments within the government as a career. amongst the rural poor in a much better as efficient maintenance of these Additionally, we have initiated manner. I intend to initiate immediate services is dependant upon the revenue measures for opening job opportunities corrective measures to take full realized by way of fee or service in the private sector. We are going to advantage of this scheme. A parallel charges. create r ight environment and State scheme may not be~ necessary.

infrastructure and take other

The state expenditure can be classified facilitating measures to expand

broadly into the following six industrial base of the state at a faster

categories: rate. We also intend to give thrust to the

areas in which unexploited potential for

self employment exists. Hoping that the Repayment of loans and internal

global recessionary trends shall subside borrowings/debts It is possible to make a turn around in soon, we are also initiating measures to Payment of interest on such borrowings. the revenue administration of the facilitate the movement of our youth Expenditure incurred on salaries of the power sector. Some technical into the national and global economic establishment. improvements in T&D sector are scenario.Expenditure on pensions necessary and we have already initiated

Cost of electricity purchased action in this direction. This includes

installation of some major receiving

stations. Energy accounting is being

introduced right from the point of

generation/receiving station to the

distributors and the points of

consumption. Theft of electrical energy Other over heads of the Governmentwill have to be curbed. These measures, each of the aforementioned items have

Apart from the concessions which we combined with a user friendly to be continuously kept under watch. may extend, the industry also takes into mechanism of revenue collection, I am Unfortunately, in the last few years account the relative advantages of a sure, will make vast improvements.borrowings have been resorted to for part icular location for taking funding the non plan expenditure. investment decisions. In a globally Expenditure on purchase of electricity competitive environment, the location has been over stretched. Swelling of of any industry is guided by availability establishment in the non productivity of raw materials and cheap skilled man-sectors has also added to the wasteful power as also distance from the main expenditure. I see my roll in all these markets. Another important relevant areas as a perpetual regulator ready to


CleanerGreenerCleanerGreener Future

SFRI

Toward

Nodal Agency forclean Development Mechanism in J&K

Putting Jammu & Kashmir on National carbon map for tapping CDM potential

t

t

t

t

Carbon Cell being established at Janipur Campus in Jammu.

Two brainstorming sessions held on CDM, carbon mapping.

Two state level workshops held under

National Bamboo Mission.

MOU with SMVD University and BGSB University for Joint

Collaboration in Research

J&K State Forest Research InstituteJanipura, Jammu (J&K) - 180007

Epiloguebecause there is more to know

Classified MartREACH OUT TO DECISION MAKERS


f a c to r i s s u f f i c i ency o f t he impediment has come in the way of they can own and utilize for

i n f r a s t r u c t u r e s u c h a s setting up of any industrial venture community welfare.

telecommunication net work, air and within Jammu and Kashmir.

railway connections and also to some

extent health and educational

facilities. Therefore, apart from the

concessions which we may decide to

give in future, our strategy shall be

based on the available raw materials Agriculture is going to be our prime and skills and improvement of Plan spending is a function of timely focus for-the economic development of infrastructure. sanctions, communication of out lays, Jammu and Kashmir. The pressure on

preparing the departments in advance our agriculture land is already very

for execution of schemes, timely heavy. In fact the agricultural area has preparation of estimates and their been shrinking faster than it should technical, administrative and financial have. We intend to put a curb on such approval; and top of all, regular tendency. The irrigated area shall have monitoring of expenditure for removing to be increased by taking recourse to bottlenecks, if any. All these activities construction of new canals and tube have to go on continuously in a cycle. wells and remodeling and renovating of The movement this cycle is broken; it the old canals. Multiple cropping shall creates a serious un-settling effect in be encouraged and increase in the the entire process. We intend to restore productivity measured in terms of yield this cycle and accelerate its speed. All per hectare of land shall be the ultimate the concerned officers shall be made The Rangarajan Committee made a focus of our agriculture policy.accountable towards their assigned reference to Article 370 in the context responsibilities for this purpose.of the non permanent residents not

being in a position to purchase land and

immoveable properties within the

state. The impediment referred to by

you flows not from article 370, as you

know, but from the special provisions in

the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir

based on the old orders from the rulers The local bodies are very important in Each type of industry or business of Jammu and Kashmir State meant for the scheme of local self governance. requires a proper environment. Many of protecting the rights and interests of They may not frame laws but have the modern, vibrant business do not the Permanent Residents of the state. equal rights to participate in the seek budgetary concessions from the Such protection is available to many development, and to some extent local governments. As such, our other states in the country including the regulatory measures within their emphasis shall be mainly on providing states in the north east region. Our territories. Our government is fully r ight environment and proper government, during the time of the c o m m i t t e d t o e m p o w e r t h e infrastructural support to them.great visionary Late Jenab Sheikh panchayati raj institutions and the

Mohammed Abdullah had already urban local bodies. We are seriously removed such impediment in a major examining the ways to devolve way, by amending the relevant laws to financial support to these bodies provide for long term lease of land to under a formal mechanism and allow non permanent residents of the state them to take their own decisions in the for setting of the industry. I do not think Cross LOC trade is in its infancy. It is manner of spending their provisions as that ever since then any such difficult to draw any conclusions at such also to generate local resources which

The previous government was often

Are there concrete plans raise unable to spend large amounts of

profitability in agriculture in the allocated funds in time (which led to

the lapsing of grants). How do you State?

plan to tackle this problem?

Prime Minister's Task Force on

Economic Recovery of Jammu and

Kashmir headed by former Reserve

Bank of India Governor C Rangarajan

had said in its report that Article 370

is one of the several impediments in

attracting investments from other

parts of country in Jammu and

Kashmir. How do you look at this

scenario?

It is reported that Democratic

Decentralization is on the cards (vide rd Do you have any plans to attract the 73 Amendment). How do you plan

service economy firms like tourism, to devolve finances to these grass BPO firms to this state with root bodies given the precarious budgetary concessions? Are such financial condition of the state?concessions required?

Does cross-LOC trade have any

potential to beneficially impact the

economy of the state?



an early stage. However, we shall committed to do everything possible

continue to make all possible efforts for to remove regional and sub regional

development of cross LOC trade as it is imbalances as early as possible. While

also very important from psychological a lot of action is dependant on the

and emotional considerations. The repor t o f the S ta te F inance

parties to the trade are operating from Commission which is being awaited by

the two sides of an artificial line which our government, we intend to initiate

has been now dismantled, at least for corrective measures through the

purpose of cross LOC trade. budgetary mechan i sm i n t he

meanwhi le . The exerc i se for Without naming any regions or sub identifying such measures and the regions of the state at this stage, manner in which they should be concern ing the i r comparat ive introduced into the budget is backwardness, I would like to clarify presently on.that the present government is fully

always complained of lopsided

funding of the region as compared to

Kashmir. As Finance Minister what

would you like to do to end the

disparities, if any, and put the finding

patterns in a transparent manner so

t h a t n o b o d y s h o o t s t h e

discrimination arrows in the dark?

Questions are often raised on

regional disparities. Besides

'political participation' and 'decision

making', some people in Jammu have


JAMMU & KASHMIR

POLITICSBUSINESSVIEWS & NEWS

CULTURESTRATEGIC AFFAIRS

www.epilogue.inMAKE YOUR CONNECTION TODAY

Epilogue Ø 20× June 2009

an intensely contested election. The n total decimation of Mufti defeat of BJP candidate Leela Karan Mohammad Sayeed's Peoples I Sharma –who spearheaded the two-Democratic Party (PDP) and Sajjad month long Amarnath land agitation –by Gani Lone's Peoples Conference (PC) in a margin over 1.2 lakh votes was a Kashmir and the BJP in Jammu, the significant aspect of results in the ruling National Conference (NC) made a region. clean sweep on all the three Lok Sabha

seats in Kashmir valley and the Congress

won two seats in Jammu region. While SRINAGAR-BADGAM

NC's Dr Farooq Abdullah, Dr Mehboob In the Central Kashmir Lok Sabha

Beg and Sharief-ud-din Shariq turned constituency of Srinagar-Budgam, NC's

Dr Farooq Abdullah defeated PDP's out to be the winners in Valley, NC's Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari with a clandestinely supported independent substantial margin of 30,242 votes. Of candidate, Ghulam Hassan Khan, the 2,82,761 votes polled in 15 Assembly registered his victory over the senior

Congress leader and the ruling

coalition's official candidate, P

Namgyal, in Ladakh. Losers in Valley

include PDP's Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain

Ansari, same party's former Ministers Pir

Mohammad Hussain and Mohammad

Dilawar Mir, PC Chairman Sajjad Lone as

also the Awami National Conference

(ANC) chief and Dr Abdullah's sister,

Khalida Shah. In Jammu, the sitting

Members of Parliament of the Congress

–Madan Lal Sharma and Choudhary Lal

Singh –defeated the BJP candidates in

NC-Congress gain grounds, PDP, BJP pushed to margins

AHMED ALI FAYYAZ Author is a senior journalist. He works with Jammu based English Daily, Early Times.

Though Kashmir's grand old party, the National Conference, returned to power earlier this year after a gap of six years, but the parties which made real gains in the assembly elections of November-December 2008 were the Peoples Democratic Party in Kashmir and Bhartiya Janta Party in Jammu region. Five months after their resounding performance, the PDP and BJP now stand marginalized after their humiliating defeat in the recent Lok Sabha elections. The bonhomie between National Conference and the Congress –the two ruling coalition partners in the state has paid off. Congress secured two of three seats its contested and the National Conference three all. Sixth seats went to a National Conference rebel in Ladakh who returned to the party a day after results were announced on May 16. Next assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are more than five years away and it clearly appears difficult for the PDP to survive the challenges of keeping their flock together.

I N F O C U S

Lok Sabha Elections


segments of Srinagar, Budgam and Yasin Shah defeated PDP's Mohammad

Ganderbal districts, Dr Abdullah bagged Ashraf Mir with a thin margin of 50

1,47,035 and his nearest rival Mr Ansari votes. While Shah polled 9,306 votes,

secured 1,16,793. An independent, Mir followed him closely with 9,256.

Mohammad Illyas Kumhar, got third ANC's Muzaffar Shah got just 1,115

position with his 4,540 votes and the votes. In fact, the day's most dramatic

ANC President, Khalida Shah, stood 4th result came from Sonwar where the PDP

with just 2,855 votes. candidate maintained minor lead until

the penultimate 10th round. It was in There were 15 candidates in the fray the final round that the NC candidate and 11.06 Lakh citizens were entitled to got decisive 48 out of the migrant votes exercise their franchise in the polling polled which took his final lead to 50.that was conducted in 15 Assembly

segments of Central Kashmir with

modest turnout of 25.5% on May 7th. In the main Assembly elections too, The coalition-sponsored, Dr Abdullah, Sonwar had proved to be a high drama and PDP's high-profile cleric-politician, battleground between the NC and PDP Ansari, were the key contestants in December 2008. NC's Dr Abdullah had

constituency of Baramulla-Kupwara, won this seat with a tiny margin of 94 NC's Sharief-ud-din Shariq defeated his votes. Beneficiary of about a hundred ANANTNAG-PULWAMA nearest rival, PDP's Mohammad Dilawar migrant votes, Dr Abdullah had polled In the South Mir, with a massive margin of 64,814 7,018 against then PDP candidate, K a s h m i r L o k votes. Of the 4,41,234 votes polled in 15 Sheikh Ghulam Qadir Pardesi's 6,924 S a b h a Assembly segments of Baramulla, votes. Given the fact that Pardesi had constituency of Kupwara and Bandipore districts, the thereafter defected to NC and the A n a n t n a g -coalition-sponsored Shariq bagged Congress candidate, Khem Latta Pulwama, NC's 2,03,022. PDP's Dilawar Mir stood Wakhloo, who polled 6,301 votes, was Dr Mehboob Beg second with 1,38,208 votes in his favour. also today on the coalition candidate's defeated PDP's Separatist-turned-mainstream political side, PDP has put up a tough fight in Pir Mohammad leader, Sajjad Lone of PC, had to be Sonwar. PDP's debutante, Ashraf Mir, Hussain with a content with the third position while who has been twice NC's MLA from margin of 5,224 getting 65,403 votes. Hazratbal (1987) and Sonwar (2002) was votes. Of the

pipped at the post, falling just 51 votes 3,18,697 votes polled in 16 Assembly short of the magic figure.There were 13 candidates in the fray in segments of Anantnag, Pulwama,

North Kashmir which recorded turnout Shopian and Kulgam districts, Dr Beg got of 41.9% in the polling conducted on May 1,48,317. He was followed by PDP's Pir LEH-KARGIL 13th in 15 segments of Baramulla, Hussain, who secured 1,43,093 votes. Kupwara and Bandipore districts. Nearly The third position went to an In the Lok Sabha constituency of Leh-10.53 Lakh voters were entitled to independent, Nazir Ahmed Bhat, who Kargil, in Ladakh regions, an exercise their right of franchise. NC's polled 5,981 votes. independent candidate, Ghulam Hassan Shariq, PDP's Dilawar and PC's Sajjad With total electorate of 11.66 Lakh in 16 Khan, defeated the ruling coalition's Lone were the key contestants.Assembly segments of South Kashmir, official candidate and senior Congress

there were 13 candidates in the fray in leader, P Namgyal, with a margin of South Kashmir where polling was held While making a total sweep on all the 3,684 votes. While Khan polled 32,701 on April 30th with modest turnout of three Parliamentary seats in Valley, NC votes and Namgyal stumbled on 29,017 27.3%. The ruling coalition-sponsored, did not spare even the Assembly votes. Both the potential contestants Dr Beg, was in a neck-and-neck fight segment of Sonwar in Srinagar for which were closely followed by former chief of with PDP's Pir Hussain. by-election took place alongside the Hill Development Council, Kargil, Asgar

polling for Lok Sabha seat of Srinagar- Ali Karbalayi and another independent Budgam on May 7th. Election Ms Thinley Angmo. Official said that BARAMULLA-KUPWARA authorities said that NC's Mohammad Karbalayi got 24,498 and Ango 22,717. In the North Kashmir Lok Sabha

I N F O C U SLok Sabha Elections


Another independent, Ghulam Murtaza, THE LADAKH CONSPIRACY Considering Khan as an NC proxy, the

polled just 642 votes. ruling coalition has won all the six Lok After NC failed to get the coalition's Sabha seats in the results declared ticket for the influential Islamia School today.and Khomeni Trust-supported Ghulam With total electorate of 1,52,391, four

Hassan Khan, he jumped into the fray as segments of the Lok Sabha constituency an independent against the Congress of Ladakh---comprising two each In Valley, PDP's Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain leader and the coalition candidate, P segments in Leh and Kargil districts--- Ansari, who is believed to have got a Namgyal. While Khan had joined NC went for the polling with huge turnout major chunk of the Shia vote, had posed after his retirement as DIG in J&K Police of 71.9% on May 13th. There were five a considerable threat to Dr Farooq and successfully contested Lok Sabha candidates in the fray. While Khan and Abdullah in the NC's impregnable election from Leh-Kargil in 1999, Namgyal were considered to be the top bastion of Srinagar-Budgam. However, Namgyal has been a member of candidates, Karbalyi and Angmo had thanks to less impact of the Hurriyat-Parliament, Union Minister of State for jumped into the fray and disturbed all sponsored boycott in the rural districts Tourism as also a member of the J&K calculations of the major political of Budgam and Ganderbal, NC Legislative Council.parties. maintained an impressive lead and

finally won this seat with a margin of

over 30,000 votes. NC's main vote came History has repeated itself in Ladakh. In With result going in Mr Khan's favour, from Kangan, Ganderbal, Chrar-e-1989, during the seat sharing for Lok initially the ruling coalition's safest seat Sharief, Beerwah and few other Sabha elections, NC had got Leh-Kargil of Ladakh has ultimately proved to be a segments.and given its ticket to Hassan paradox for Congress party. In the seat

Commander. However, the power sharing between NC and Congress, the partner, Congress had clandestinely former had claimed Leh-Kargil for it had However, NC's most remarkable fielded and supported Namgyal. won three of the four segments in the achievements came from the PDP Namgyal defeated the NC candidate and Assembly elections of 2008. Even as stronghold of Anantnag-Pulwama in formally joined Congress in a few days. Congress had bagged one-odd segment South Kashmir as also from North In 2009 elections, Khan too deserted his of Leh proper, Congress had forced NC Kashmir where, PC's Sajjad Lone, was party (NC) and contested as an to surrender Ladakh and left all three of believed to be enjoying superiority over independent while reportedly enjoying the Valley's seats---including the PDP's both NC and PDP in Kupwara district. NC's clandestine support. Consequently, stronghold of Anantnag-Pulwama, for Dr The PC chief was in for a shock for he he succeeded in defeating the senior Abdullah's party. With the combination failed to establish lead even in his twin Congress leader. Like, Namgyal's act in of hard work, strategy and luck, NC home segments of Handwara and 1989, Khan too is expected to join back today captured the coalition's weakest Kupwara, where NC maintained margin NC but much would depend on the seat in South Kashmir seat but Congress of two to three thousand votes each. coalition partner's reaction.lost the coalition's safest seat in Ladakh. Again, it was neither PC nor NC but the

incumbent PDP that maintained lead in

Lolab segment. With the support of

independent MLA, Sheikh Abdul Rashid

alias Engineer, NC scored lead of over

4,000 in Kupwara's Langet segment.

Still, Sajjad Lone, who made his debut

in contesting the elections, got 65,000

votes. NC, however, has been

perceptibly disappointed over turnout

as well as its share of the vote polled in

Uri where its candidate, Shafi Uri, and

the winner Congress nominee, Taj

Mohiuddin, had polled over 46,000

votes in the Assembly elections of 2008.

Victory in the South Kashmir

constituency of Anantnag-Pulwama has



indisputably come as NC's biggest seat by beating his close rival by

achievement as the party, now in power, a margin of over 13,000 votes.

had won only Noorabad segment out of Lal Singh and Dr Nirmal Singh of

16 in the Assembly elections. PDP had Bhartiya Jhanta Party, Professor

bagged 12 segments. Besides, NC had Bhim Singh president of

failed to get number two position in as National Panther Party and

many as seven segments. Previously, in Balbir Singh from the People's

Assembly elections of 2002, NC had won Democratic Party were vied

just two seats against PDP's 10. Earlier, against each other. With this

in Lok Sabha elections of 2004, PDP's victory, Choudhary Lal Singh

Mehbooba Mufti had defeated NC's Dr has completed victory for

Mehboob Beg with a good margin, second term as he won in 2004

though in very poor turnout polling. by defeating Professor Chaman

Lal Gupta of BJP. The other

candidates in fray included In Lok Sabha elections of 1999, NC's Ali Adrees Ahmad of CPI, Rakesh Mohammad Naik had defeated PDP's Wazir of BSP, Rajesh Manchanda Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who contested

old stalwart and sitting Member of Rashtriya Krantikari Samajwadi as an Independent but in 1998 Lok Sabha Parliament Madan Lal Sharma. Sharma Party, Master William Gill of All India elections, then Congress party's beat his close rival and Bhartiya Janta Forward Bloc and the remaining Atul candidate, Mufti Sayeed, had defeated Party's Leela Karan Sharma, former Sharma, Dr Bodh Raj, Kanchan Sharma, NC's Mohammad Yousuf Taing in South convener of the Amarnath Sangharsh Dev Raj, Mohammad Yousuf and Naresh Kashmir. Thus, it is after seven years Samiti that spearheaded the land row in Dogra were contesting as independents.that NC has managed to uproot PDP on summer last year, by a huge margin of

its home turf in Valley, though with the nearly 120,000 votes. Congress won it in

advantage of support from Congress and In 1967 e lect ions , Udhampur 1967, 1971, 1984, 1989, 1996 and 2004

CPI (M) coupled with largely successful constituency was represented by while BJP, candidate Vaid Visho Dutt

Hurriyat-sponsored boycott. Congress candidate Brg. Ghansara Singh won the seat in 1998, and 1999.

while as in 1971 midterm polls, the Congress leader Inderjeet Malhotra had

constituency was represented by Dr. UDHAMPUR-DODA won the election for two successive Karan Singh again on a Congress ticket, In Udhampur-Doda constituency, four terms in 1967 and 1971 while Janata In 1977 Lok Sabha elections, the seat Singhs were in a close contest among Party leader Thakur Baldev Singh was was again won by Dr. Karan Singh as INC the 14 candidates for the but it was elected from the seat in 1977 as an candidate. In the midterm 1980 Choudhary Lal Singh who retained the Independent candidate. In 1980, Parliamentary elections, the seat was

Congress again wrested the seat with yet again won by Dr. Karan Singh,

Girdhari Lal Dogra getting elected. In however, this time on INC (U) ticket. In

1984 and 1989, Congress candidate 1984, the seat was won by G. L. Dogra as

Janak Raj Gupta represented the seat INC candidate while as in 1989 General

while Lok Sabha election was not held in Election, Udhampur seat was won by

the State in 1990 due to security Dharam Chand of INC, in 1996 the seat

reasons. In 1996, Congress leader was won by Janak Raj Gupta on a BJP

Mangat Ram Sharma was elected from ticket. In 1998 and 1999 elections,

the Jammu-Poonch segment. In 2002 Professor Chaman Lal Gupta of BJP

by-election held after the death of BJP's represented the constituency.

Dutt, National Conference had won the

seat for the first time with Choudhary JAMMU-POONCH Talib Hussain emerging victorious. Even though there were 21 candidates During the last elections in 2004, Madan in fray for the Jammu-Poonch Lal Sharma wrested the seat against parliamentary segment, the contest defeating 25 candidates including his was eventually won by ruling congress's nearest rival Dr. Nirmal Singh of BJP.



REGIONAL PERCEPTIONS

Elections come with a different

ground perception in three regions of

Jammu and Kashmir. P lease

comment, separately, on regional

response to Lok Sabha elections in

Jammu, Kashmir Valley and Ladakh.

lections, like any other political

activity in Jammu and Kashmir Ereflects the internal divergence

in the state. This is how the divergence

was reflected during the time of Lok

Sabha elections:

In Jammu, the Lok Sabha elections were

seen almost in the similar manner as

anywhere else in India. The stakes here

were between the BJP and the

Congress, although the National

Conference was also an important

BJP expected that it could translate the Poonch constituency had made people player. Since these elections followed

mobilization of the Hindu/Jammu rethink both about the role of the the J&K Assembly elections in which BJP

sentiments raised during the agitation Sangharsh Samiti as well as the of BJP had been able to win as many as 11

in terms of its victory in both the seats during the agitation. seat s , i t s expectat ions were

of Jammu-Poonch and Doda-Udhampur heightened. The Congress had taken lot

constituencies. However, there were of beating during the Assembly Mood in Kashmir was altogether other factors which were operating at elections, but having formed the d i f fe rent . A f te r the mass i ve the same time. Firstly, people in government in alliance with the participation of people during the Jammu were making their own National Conference, it wanted to Assembly elections, the separatists had assessment about the agitation and retrieve the ground that it had lost to started mobilizing people for the the communal and divisive direction the BJP during the State elections. boycott politics. Boycott politics had a that it had taken at certain points. better chance this time since people in They were also making assessment Kashmir were not similarly positioned In Jammu region, the question which about their personal material gains towards the Parliamentary elections as provided the major context of the Lok and losses, The decision of the BJP to they were towards the Assembly Sabha elections was related to the nominate Leela Karan for the Jammu- elections. The stake of the separatists impact of the Amarnath agitation. The

ANSWERS TO ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Prof. Rekha Chowdhary comments on significant aspects of Lok Sabha Elections 2009

Lok Sabha ElectionsI N F O C U S


in the boycott politics had increased of reasons can be attributed for this. to voters a lot as to who is going to be

after Sajad Gani Lone, a prominent Firstly, people had a sense of proximity elected from his/her constituency and

separatist, decided to contest the with Assembly elections as these were also who is going to form the

elections. There was therefore greater seen to be closely related to their day- government. However, there is no

intensity of the boycott politics as well to-day lives. This sense of proximity was similar response of voters during the

as greater response. missing during the Lok Sabha elections. Pa r l i amenta ry e lec t i ons . The

constituencies are large and the MP may

not be accessible to the voter, the way Ladakh was more located in its local The votes cast during the Assembly the MLA can be. Moreover, there is not issues. Generally, the Parliamentary elections are directly related to the that much stake for the voters in the elections in Ladakh bring to the focus formation of government and the voters formation of national government. the Leh-Kargil divide on the one hand have a direct stake in the government

and the Buddhist-Muslim divide on the that is formed after the elections – more

other. However, the inner difference so since 2002 Assembly elections. The Secondly, the Assembly election took

within the Muslim politics of Ladakh is 2002 Assembly elections not only ended place immediately after the Amarnath

also assuming importance. The the era of one party dominance and agitation which had mobilized people

competition is therefore between the ushered in coalition politics but also politically within the state. That

Islamia School and Imam Khomeini brought about the factor o f mobilization was reflected to some

Memorial Trust. Knowing its strength in unpredictability of the outcome. There extent during the Assembly elections. In

Ladakh, the NC was keen on contesting are a number of possibilities as to which Jammu specif ical ly there was

this seat while conceding the Anantnag party will form the government, or unprecedented mobilization of men

seat to Congress. But Congress insisted which alliance will be formed after the and women during the agitation. People

on contesting from Ladakh. Though elections. Hence the competition level had been highly politicized and this

officially the NC agreed for P Namgiyal has increased and therefore the seems to have a definite effect in their

as the joint candidate of alliance, intensity of electoral process has also level of electoral participation during

however it did not work for his victory. increased. All the political parties the A s semb ly e lec t i on s . The

Hasan Khan, the candidate of the party mobilize voters to the maximum level Parliamentary election in contrast took

filled in the nomination paper as an and the voters also respond by coming place in a situation when there was a

independent candidate and won the out in large numbers to vote. It matters sense of political withdrawal. With the

election with the implicit support of

NC. The fact that Hasan Khan was

supported by Islamia School made all

the difference.

IN COMPARISON WITH LAST YEAR’S

ASSEMBLY POLLS

Assembly elections in November-

December 2008 saw a huge public

enthusiasm in all parts of state. In Lok

Sabha elections not only was there a

sharp decline in voter percentage but

also an absence of enthusiasm. Why

this change in scenario in a short span

of time.

he enthusiasm that was shown in

the Assembly elections in Jammu Tand Kashmir was missing during

the Parliamentary elections. A number



emotions raised during the agitations Parivar to prove each other's traditional strongholds. Please

getting subsided, there is a general communal character. Was BJP a major comment on rout of these parties.

mood of introspection and rethinking poll agenda in Kashmir?

about the nature and the outcome of irstly, it was the strategy of the the agitation and the gains that people o r e t h a n B J P, i t w a s coalition partners – NC and had and the losses that they had to communalism which seemed to FCongress to contest in alliance suffer. There is also a rethinking about Mbe the major issue of the that benefited them. This helped them the role of political parties during the Parliamentary elections. This is the to gain in the Valley vis-à-vis the PDP agitation. This has led to a sense of logical consequence of the Amarnath and in Jammu region vis-à-vis the BJP. political withdrawal which has been agitation which brought the state to the During the Assembly elections the reflected during the Parliamentary brink of inter-regional and inter- Congress and the NC had contested elections. community tension. Throughout the against each other and hence the vote

period of agitation, there was a was split. The nature of competition

The enthusiasm that the people in c ommuna l b a s i s o f p o l i t i c a l was certainly different in the

Kashmir had during the Assembly mobilization both in Kashmir as well Parliamentary elections. It was almost a

elections was not reflected during the as in Jammu. Interestingly though straight fight of the NC-Congress

Parliamentary. Governance is becoming the leaders of agitation both in combine with PDP in the Valley and with

important to people and therefore their Kashmir as well as Jammu denied BJP in Jammu. During the Assembly

choice as to Which party forms the communal orientation on their part elections, it was a more in the nature of

government and which MLA is elected - and blamed the leadership of the a multi-cornered contest with not only

is important irrespective of the fact other side for being communal. NC, Congress, PDP and BJP fighting

that he/she supports separatists. However, in the end the agitation did against each other but with others also

People therefore showed their leave the bad taste of communalism joining the fray.

determination to come out and vote and generated an anxiety among the

during the Assembly elections, even people about the future inter- However, the way the NC could sweep ignoring the separatists' call for community and inter-reg ional the three seats in the Valley and the boycott. The Parliamentary elections relations. Being a mixed society, Congress could take both the seats in do not matter that much and hence communal response cannot be openly Jammu – reflects a definite change of people are not that enthusiastic to owned by the political actors here and mood since the Assembly elections. The vote. The boycott call of the separatists the politically correct position remains buoyancy of the BJP, which could therefore could become quite in favour of secular politics. It is in this register its victory in 11 Assembly seats, effective. context that one can see the response had raised the hopes of this party for

of the political parties seeking to assert the Parliamentary elections. Though their secular credentials by blaming the Not voting in Parliamentary elections both the seats of Jammu have remained other of having linkages with the was also a message that many Kashmiri the traditional strongholds of the communal parties and politics. voters might have wanted to give to the Congress, the BJP could gain from the

Centre - that their participation in communal polarization during the peak

Assembly elections in huge numbers FALL OF PDP & BJP of militancy and win both the seats

should not be construed as their complete during the 1998 and 1999 Parliamentary Seen in comparison to the 2002

rejection of the separatist politics. elections. However during the 2004 assembly elections, the Peoples

elections it lost both the seats, its Democratic Party (in Kashmir) and the

expectations in the post-Amarnath BJP (in Jammu) emerged as major A CAMPAIGN REVOLVING AROUND BJPagitation were quite high and it gainers of the 2008 assembly Even a cursory scan of the statements assumed its victory this time as well – elections. PDP improved from 16 to 21 and speeches made by the Peoples given the intensified mobilization by assembly seats and BJP from 1 to 11 Democratic Party and the National this party in the Hindu dominated areas seats. Four months later both parties Conference leaders across Kashmir of the region and the consequent have suffered humiliating defeats, in Valley reveals that both parties used polarization between the communities Lok Sabha elections, even in their alleged linkages with BJP and Sangh



that was reflected during the period of entire Jammu region. “His samiti at mobilizing them on religious basis,

agitation. However, the effect of the described that agitation as agitation polarizing them on communal grounds

mobilization by the BJP does not seem of aspirations of the people of and generating tensions within the

to be lasting. Though the it could get a Jammu”. The BJP as a whole and region.

large number of votes from Hindus many leaders in Congress, at that

(exceeding its hold from 11 Assembly moment, behaved as followers of Seeing Jammu agitation a year later, segments to 13), yet it failed to get the Leela Karan, apparently to protect one can make four broad conclusions: advantage of winning the seats like it their electoral constituencies under firstly, there is a standing regional did in 1998 and 1999. It could not get all his patronage. Such results were discontent which not finding a secular the Hindu votes of the region. The evident in the Assembly elections. But basis of political articulation can easily Congress could get a substantial the same man contesting elections on be used by the Rightist parties and number of Hindu votes. (The NC- BJP ticket suffered an embarrassing politics. Though manifested in religious Congress combine also gained in the defeat with a margin of 1.2 lakh votes. terms, the major reason for the mass region – with lead in 21 Assembly How do you look at the Jammu mobilization was regional rather than segments as compared to victory in 19 agitation of 2008 a year later? religious. The communal elements seats during 2008 Assembly elections). which generally remain at

the margins of Jammu's

The PDP faced similar situation in politics, seek to appropriate

Kashmir. Unlike its earlier performance the regional discontent at

during the 2008 Assembly elections, it any time they can and

could not make a mark in the Valley. It change the very direction of

had not only to face defeat in all the p o p u l a r r e s p o n s e s .

three seats of the Valley, but what is Secondly, the natura l

worse – it lost in its stronghold of South direction of politics of

Kashmir. Interestingly, during the 2008 Jammu is quite secular and is

elections the NC could register its manifested in secular

victory only in one Assembly seat in this manner in a variety of ways.

Parliamentary constituency and it was The plurality of Jammu as

not even in second position in many of well as its multi-layered

the Assembly constituencies. social and political dynamics

compels the regional politics ne definite message that is given to take a secular shape. Thirdly, Since the PDP was very sure about its by the voters during the however, in the absence of a secular victory in the Anantnag Parliamentary OParliamentary elections in regional politics that takes into constituency, its defeat on the contrary

Jammu region is that politics here consideration not only the sensitivities has been very embarrassing for the cannot be controlled by the rightist of the Hindu-heartland of Jammu region party. More embarrassing is the fact forces for a long time. People might but also carries within itself the that in the two Assembly segments have been temporarily swayed by the political concerns of the backward sub-represented by Mehbooba Mufti and emotions raised during the Amarnath regions at the periphery, the politics has Mufti Syed, the NC has performed very agitation, but that is not the normal all the possibilities of becoming well. political mood of the region. In communally divisive. Fourthly, the defeating Leela Karan Sharma by such a communally divisive politics is not only WHAT HAPPENED TO AGITATION ICON big margin of votes, the people have dangerous for the Jammu region but for At one point of time, Leela Karan distanced themselves not only from the the whole state. As the agitation Sharma, the convener of Shri politics of Amarnath agitation but from showed, this has implications of shifting Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti the communal politics per se. in very the ethnic and regional identity politics (that spearheaded two-month long certain terms people have shown their to a religion-based politics and aggressive agitation in Jammu in antipathy towards the forces that aim redefining it on the communal basis. summer 2008) claimed to represent



separatist, Sajad Lone, even after being understand the fact that Sajad is

expelled from the Hurriyat Conference leading a political party which has

(after the participation of a few proxy its organizational base, cadre and a

candidates of PC in 2002 assembly support structure. Even when he

elections) continued to be operating has lost the election, the role of the

within the separatist fold and not only PC remains important. With Sajad

presented his own vision of 'Achievable choosing to join the electoral fray,

Nation' for the resolution of Kashmir but the PC has once again undergone a

also had a meeting with PM Manmohan transformation – from a separatist

Singh in 2005 (when he was meeting to a mainstream party which has the

other leading separatists including the major purpose of expanding its base

Mirwaiz led Hurriyat leaders and Yasin and sphere of influence so as to

Malik). So unlike other militants and determine the nature of power

separatists, Lone was a much more high politics. This makes the regional

profile separatist leader in whose p o l i t i c s o f K a s h m i r m o r e

decision to contest election, one can competitive – with PC entering the

see a crack within the separatist politics electoral arena which is already

per se. The crack may be very small – quite competitive between the NC

not seeming to affect the separatists and PDP.

overtly but in reality it has had a great THE DIFFERENCE SAJJAD LONE MADE

psychological effect on them. More so Sajjad Lone is certainly not the first since Lone's decision to contest election separatist to have contested elections came in the wake of the massive in Kashmir. While Imran Rahi was also participation of Kashmiris in the fighting in same constituency and Assembly elections. Engineer Rashid, Bilal Lodhi, Kukka

Parray and Usman Majid etc are some

of the earlier examples. He has not The idea of electoral participation is

p e r f o r m e d s o w e l l i n t h e not new to the PC. During the life time

constituency, hitherto believed as his of A G Lone, the idea was associated

pocket-borough. There is an with A G Lone. Much before the 2002

important question here. In the battle Assembly elections, there was

between separatists and mainstream speculation that he was considering

leaders/parties for appropriation of participation in elections. However, he

role in Kashmir, what is significance of was assassinated before the elections. UPA & PEACE PROCESSSajjad's participation in elections? During the 2002 Assembly elections a What significance does UPA's return to few proxy candidates of the People's here is a significant difference power at Center holds for the peace Conference had contested elections. between those separatists and process in Jammu and Kashmir and Similarly during the 2008 Assembly Tex-militants who participated in dialogue with Islamabad? elections also a few members earlier mainstream politics and Sajjad Lone's

associated with the PC had jumped the participation in the recent elections. fray, even when Sajad Lone had ow that UPA has returned to

power at the Centre, it is disassociated himself from these Lone has been a prominent separatist Nexpected that it will accelerate contestants. Sajad Lone's sister had also whose People's Conference (PC) has the peace process which has been contested the 2008 elections. been one of the constituent of the stalled for past few years. As regards Hurriyat. A G Lone, the father of Sajad the dialogue with Pakistan, the UPA In understanding the impact of Lone and the founder of the People's would be in a position to continue the Sajad Lone's participation in the Lok Conference was one of the key member process without much pressure from Sabha elections, it is important to of the Hurriyat. As a high-profile

Congress 24.67%

JKPDP 20.05%

JKNC 19.11%

BJP 18.61%

BSP 3.10%

JKNPP 2.81%

CPI 0.64%

LJP 0.32%

AIFB 0.27%

SP 0.08%

Other/Ind. 10.34%

Percentage of J&K



The UPA however has to define the this it is expected that the UPA would

direction of its policy vis-à-vis be initiating steps which will not only

internal dialogue. During the last send positive signals to the people of

phase of its governance, it shifted this state but will also take interest in

the direction of dialogue from restoring the internal dialogue.

direct talk with the separatists to

the Round Table Conferences. For the NC to get a positive feed back Though Round Table Conferences from the people, it is important that the succeeded in bringing to the table ground level situation be changed. divergent political groups across the There are two important things where ideological lines, and later in the the State government would be

the opposition. Though the impact of constitution of the Working Groups interested that Centre should pay Mumbai is still felt on the peace most of which have given very attention – firstly engaging the process, yet UPA would be interested valuable suggest ions in their separatists in dialogue ( both CM and in continuing the process. Already Re p o r t s , h o w e v e r s i n c e the Farooq Abdullah have been showing the UPA has shown its inclination to separatists opted out of the Round hope that it would take place now) and deal sternly with Pakistan around the Table Conferences, the process secondly, improving the Human Rights issue of militants responsible for remained ineffective. In order to situation in Kashmir. Mumbai attacks and at the same time address the separat i st appreciate the ground level situation sentiment in Kashmir (which in Pakistan and the internal security d e s p i t e t h e m a s s i v e crisis that it is facing. What it needs participation of people in to do now is to resume the peace Assembly Elections, remain process that was stalled in the wake al ive and kicking) the of Mumbai attack. separatist leadership needs

to be engaged in a dialogue. Internally, the UPA has to build upon the T h e r e a r e e n o u g h success that it had in holding a indications that UPA would participatory and legitimized Assembly be paying attention to election during 2008. The fact that the Kashmir. Congress is sharing power with the NC in

the state makes it all the more The existing relationship

imperative for the Central government to between the Central and the

take some visible measures in re-starting State government also makes

the internal peace process. Already it imperative for the Centre

there is lot of impatience in Kashmir government to pay special

about the stalled peace process. One of attention to Kashmir. Since

the reason as to why there was so much NC has a post-poll alliance

of mass mobilization during the first with the Congress in the

phase of Amarnath agitation in Kashmir State and it is a part of the – was due to the accumulated feeling UPA government – there is a among people that in the context of smooth relationship between heightened electoral activities (much the two governments. Omar before the elections, the political Abdullah has a very cordial parties had started organizing huge relationship with the Central electoral rallies), Kashmir issue is being leadership and now Farooq sidelined and there is no movement Abdullah has taken the forward in the peace process. The feeling charge of Minister with a continues to be manifested in numerous cabinet rank, In the light of ways in the Valley.

Congress 28.52%

BJP 18.83%

BSP 6.18%

CPM 5.34%

NCP 2.04%

CPI 1.43%

RJD 1.27%

Other 36.40%

Percentage of All India


I N F O C U S

Lok Sabha Elections


Fdeal, stand on terrorism and diplomatic irst the winner. The unexpected victory over Pakistan.victory for the Congress party led

UPA in the Lok Sabha elections

As I travelled more than a dozen cities might be a baffling experience for many

and villages across Bihar just after the political analysts and commentators, it

elections and asked people why they has certainly given stability to the

country. But why did the people give preferred Congress led UPA, the

mandate to the Congress party? There is common reply from the villagers was:

no doubt about the policies and National Rural Employment Guarantee

programmes that the UPA followed prior Scheme (NREGS) that benefitted the

to the elections that people endorsed, poor. Well, in Bihar, along with UPA, the

and in spite of all the hard hitting credit also goes to Nitish Kumar. In criticism by the BJP, Manmohan Singh's Manmohan, people saw serious business initiatives have been accepted. Among and development of the country, rather the core issues on which the UPA than hollow shouts and cries that the government was tested and tried were BJP was indulged in all through the focus on development, Indo-US nuclear election campaign. Programmes like

Why Congress Won and Why BJP Lost?

M SHAMSUR RABB KHANAuthor is Editor with the Indian Institute of Dalit Studies


NREGS have really helped the poor. party put up and the speeches the top saddened; surprised at the minds who

Whatever be the expert opinion on Indo- leaders delivered throughout the length p r oduced and d i r e c t ed s u ch

US nuclear deal, people viewed it as no and breadth of constituencies. 'Strong advertisements for the BJP and sad

less than a landmark event. They Leader, Decisive Government' was the because how BJP leaders were to trying

believed Manmohan Singh is very most hyperbolic deception and highly to befool the nation, especially the

genuine a person in making this country uncalled for advertisement: neither citizens of Delhi. Behind the poetic

strong, prosperous and peaceful. Advai has been strong-willed leader rhyme of Goel, there was no content

albeit he has been falsely labelled as except false sense of achievement and

iron man nor the BJP has been a decisive far-fetched imagery that could hardly Mumbai attack could have proved

government ever – at least on issues like impress anyone. As a result, the party is waterloo for the UPA. It did not. Since

Babri Masjid/Ramjanabhoomi dispute, whitewashed 7-0 in Delhi. the way Manmohan Singh acted made it

or prosecution to the culprits of Gujarat possible for the first time that Pakistan

riots. Via this widely publicised had to accede its role, and that was a Next strategy of the election campaign

advertisement, the BJP tried to give a big diplomatic victory. So, without going was the tricks and tactics based on

macho image of 81-yearl Advani, not in for military intervention, Manmohan which countless speeches were fired by

knowing that people have enough proof Singh scored points in India's fight the BJP leaders with a single focus:

of the weaknesses of this veteran BJP against terror. His reticent style, his post-mortem of the UPA (read Congress

Prime Ministerial candidate – from his gentleman image and his scholarship party), personal attacks on its leaders

failure to fulfill the promise of have had the appealing effect on including the Prime Minister and

constructing a grand Ram Temple at voters. Above all, the constructive baseless criticism of developmental

Ayodhya when he was at the helm of politics of Manmohan Singh, rather than works under the UPA regime. Rather

affairs, or his inaction to stop the destructive politics of Advani proved than going positive by counting its own

pogrom of Muslims in Gujarat or his decisive. While UPA kept itself busy in accomplishments, the BJP harped on ad

consent during the Kandhar hijack highlighting its work, BJP had no agenda hominem (attacking the person than the

issue, or his stand on terrorism. If but to find fault in everything the subject) or finding faults on the

Advani's physical health (in comparison Congress did. Rahul and Sonia added opposition from every dais and forum.

to Singh's ailments and operations) what valuable contribution in reaching out to And while along with educated Indians,

the advertisement means, then the BJP the people and conveying the right illiterates like to love positive aspects,

has so many younger and stronger message. the BJP showed the electorates the

leaders. darker picture of the UPA regime in

order to justify their claims that BJP is Now, the loser. A few core issues proved

Another populist promise, in order to good because Congress is bad. That is a disastrous for the BJP: election

woo young voters, the BJP via Advani defeatist strategy. Or raking issues like campaign strategy, one-man brand for

made was to provide loan to student dynasty rule of Nehru family, foreign PM post, double standard on terrorism

community at 4 per cent that seemed as origin of Sonia Gandhi and Muslim and internal dissent. And in spite of

if the strong leader of the BJP was appeasement, the BJP sounded very gargantuan and aggressive media

asking favour in a sophisticated style in lowly while trying to convince the campaigns, BJP's performance in the

lieu of a favour. The desperate sense of people that everything was wrong with election 2009 falls surprisingly short of

urgency mixed with far-fetched the Congress. expectations. The party will, as is the

promises got exposed to the people, as wont, surely evaluate the possible

Advani tried to do impossible possible. reasons, but perhaps not those that are Interestingly, voter studied the

When I saw a few youth at Lajpat Nagar discussed here. contributions of Advani and Singh after

bus stop laughing at the advertisement First, take up election campaign the latter inquired about the former's

with a picture of Vijay Goel 'Soch Hai strategy. Not many people notices when role in national development, in Nai, Kaam Kiye Kai (We have a new idea I pointed out faults in the BJP's election response to the former's accusation that this time, we have done some great campaign before the voting started, the latter was the weakest Prime works), I was surprised as well as especially the advertisements that the Minister, and the rivalry between the



two got momentum when the former No less culprit has been the BJP's stand that only this party, along with its

challenged the latter to have a man-to- on terrorism: not only it exposed its leaders, is true nationalist and saviour

man TV talk. But the aggressive posture of the nation. Even worse has been intention to prosecute Muslims via

of Advani to outwit the reticent Singh linking nationalism with aggressive tougher laws but also it revealed its

proved fatal as the idea boomeranged Hindutva, which leaves no room for other double standard when the party

badly. Silence of Singh prevailed over parties and groups to display such a openly supported Malegaon accused,

loud oratory of Advani. Even some claim. Moreover, this is a strategy to who happened to be Hindus. More

political analysts favoured such a live garner Hindu votes via cornering precisely, the BJP came strongly

talk between the two, as in the US and disgruntled groups like Muslims and against any sort of probe into the Batla elsewhere. Christians. For example, the threatening House encounter, and came down

speech of Modi about teaching a lesson to heavily on the Vice Chancellor of Advani as Prime Ministerial candidate those who killed Swami Luxmanand in Jamia Millia University for announcing was the biggest mistake that the BJP Orissa and keeping mum over those killed legal help for those who were made at the outset since a great in Kandhamal riots showed the arrested, while it asked for CBI enquiry majority of the people in this country exclusive focus of the BJP while into the Malegaon accused case and didn't approve him to assume the PMO. handling conflicts though he never

The verdict is very much in this line. visited the state during the elections

Even in his party open dissent and and apologized to the audience for

disapproval were heard loudly, this. Had Modi been a just person and

sometime from Arun Shour ie, an able administrator, as some claim,

sometimes from others, as Adavni was he would have pointed out both the

pitched against Modi in the midst of issues in the same vein. He did not.

Advani versus Singh campaign. Like the Congress, as the BJP

accuses, the party had been busy in

Like what it did to Sirajudollah in the appeasing Hindus throughout the

battle of Plassey, internal clash and campaign. Meanwhile, Kalyan factor

conspiracy worked as the last nail in the came as an embarrassing setback.

BJP's coffin. And for those Shouries and demanded immediate sacking of

Jaitleys, it is time to learn and think the Work alone, the political must wins Hemant Karkare (even called him

role of Modi as well. He may be hearts that bestow power upon leaders deshdrohi) for a job well done. It

succeeding in Gujarat, and that is to rule. Sheila Dixit, Nitish Kumar, Shiv conveyed to the citizens that it does

because he has to show some good work Raj Singh Chauhan and Y Reddy are the not have a definite stand on a serious

to get rid of the stigma on his person examples for the moment. They have issue like terrorism. Educated voters

that he been carrying since 2002 post- done some good work and the people and concerned citizens watched and

Godhara riots, people on all India level rewarded them to rule. They don't weighed all this and taught the party a

will surely not going accept a diehard indulge in false rhetoric and divisive big lesson that constructive, not

Hindu Modi but a secular Indian Modi. politics, and therefore, people put faith destructive, politics will only work in Like Lalu Yadav used to crack jokes in his on them. In contrast, no one should this country. The BJP's performance unique rustic style and the spectators think that Lalu Yadav will have Muslim might well have been more disastrous burst into bouts of laughter, Modi, with votes forever. Modi will not have Hindu had there been no pre-poll rift a sense of pride for his oratorial skill, votes forever either. People have between the Congress and the RJD and did the same thing while finding faults greater sense to pick parties and the SP. with Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka. And as candidates for voting.

Lalu failed to translate all the laughs And lastly, the very tone and tenacity into votes this time, Modi is also going to Will the BJP leaders talk sense next of the BJP leaders gave the impression witness this the next time. time?

Like what it did to

Sirajudollah in the battle of

Plassey, internal clash and

conspiracy worked as the last

nail in the BJP's coffin. And

for those Shouries and Jaitleys,

it is time to learn and think

the role of Modi as well.



ongress president Sonia Gandhi got elected from Rae Bareli seat defeating

her nearest rival R S Kushwaha of BSP by a margin of 3.72 lakh votes. In 2004, CSonia Gandhi, was third most powerful women in the world and in 2006 she

was sixth, according to respected Forbes magazine. While congress-led UPA

government was ruling, Sonia was named by Time magazine as one among 100 most

influential people in the world in 2007 and 2008. She was first elected as MP from

Gandhi fiefdom Amethi in UP in 1999 which is now seen over by her Rahul Gandhi.

Sonia is also sitting MP from nearby Rae Bareily Constituency.

A widow of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who was assassinated by Tamil

Tigers in 1991, Sonia is Italian born but since her marriage to Rajiv in 1968, she

lived in India and became the fifth person from Gandhi family to be the president

of Congress party in 1999. Under her leadership, the party turned in its worst

performance since independence in the 1999 general elections. Sonia was

reported to have an aversion to politics for long and even opposed Rajiv entering it

by threatening to divorce him. She now holds the record of having served as

Congress chief for 10 straight years!. Sonia's foreign birth has also sparked intense

debate in 2004.Sonia famously turned down the Prime Minister's post in 2004 and

earned a name Saint Sonia.

National Rural Employment Generation scheme, a food-for-work scheme is widely considered as Sonia's idea as also the Right to

Information Act. Sonia and her children Rahul and Priyanka, are also estranged from Maneka Gandhi, the widow of Rajiv's younger

brother Sanjay Gandhi, and her son Varun Gandhi, who are with opposition BJP.

K Advani is the leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and

BJP's prime ministerial candidate for 2009 General LElections. One of the most controversial, yet the most

enduring figures in Indian polity, Advani has been in the

limelight for his public advocacy of Hindutva. Born in Karachi

(before Partition), he joined the RSS in 1942.From a two-MP

party in 1984, Advani, as president, took BJP to power in less

than 15 years! He was the Home Minister in the Vajpayee

government and served as the Deputy Prime Minister of India

from 2002 to 2004

In 1990 he undertook a nation-wide rath yatra which led to the

fall of Babri Majid in 1992 even though rivals still accuse

Advani for dividing the country on communal lines which is

against India's principled stand of a secular nation.

Advani's rath yatra campaign roused a whole new generation

and drew crores of middle class supporters to the BJP.

Controversies aside, Advani is perhaps the only Indian

politician to have leveraged the Obama-style of new media campaigning. He has his website and runs a blog that's

regularly updated.

SONIA GANDHI, Rae Bareli

The lady who lived upto the hype

LK ADVANI, Gandhi Nagar

Last pilgrimage of the yatri

Prominent FacesI N F O C U S

hree time Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi

Party founder president Mulayam Singh Yadav wield the Timage of a `king maker' in Indian politics. Like most

other regional party leaders, Mulayam always chased power, be

it in Centre or his home turf, UP.

Born in 1939, Yadav excel in caste politics and often labeled as a

political opportunist by his friends and foes alike. He became

UP chief minister for the first time in 1989 and continued till

1991 and then founded the Samajwadi Party in 1992. He got a

second chance as UP chief minister from 1993-95 and also held

the post from 2003 to 2007. He won his first Lok Sabha elections

in 1996 and became the Union Defence Minister. He was re-

elected to the Lok Sabha in 1998, 1999 and 2004 but did not

resign as Uttar Pradesh chief minister.

In 1980, he became the president of the Lok Dal. Later the Lok

Dal became a part of the Janata Dal. He then joined Chandra

Shekhar's Janata Dal (Socialist) party. On October 7, 1992, he

founded Samajwadi Party. During the course, he changed his

allies from BJP. Congress and BSP. His stand on movement for

demanding separate statehood for Uttarakhand was as much

controversial as his stand on Ayodhya movement in 1990 was.

A staunch supporter of Hindi, Mulayam is also known for his

anti-English stance. Mulayan is facing CBI inquiry on charges of

amassing wealth disproportionate to his known income. This

includes misuse of government funds for personal use.

rinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee defeated

CPI(M) candidate Robin Deb by a margin of 2,12,362 Tvotes in Kolkata (south) Lok Sabha constituency.

Mamata Banerjee is a firebrand leader from West Bengal.

She is a harsh opponent of the CPM in West Bengal. She

started her political career with Congress(I), and as a young

woman in the 1970s, she quickly rose in the ranks of the local

Congress group. In 1984, she became one of India's youngest

parliamentarians ever, beating veteran Communist

politician Somnath Chatterjee. In the Rao government

formed in 1991, Mamata Banerjee was made the Union

Minister of State for Human Resources Development. In

1997, Mamata parted ways with the Congress, alleging that

Congress was behaving as a stooge of the CPI-M in West

Bengal and established the All India Trinamool Congress. It

quickly became the primary opposition to the long-standing

Communist government in the state. She became the

Railway Minster in the NDA government in 1999. In early

2001, after making allegations against the BJP, she walked

out of the NDA cabinet and allied with the Congress Party for

West Bengal's 2001 elections, amidst speculation that the

move could unseat the Communist government. She

returned to the cabinet in January 2004, holding the Coal

and Mines ministry until the 2004 Elections. In the 2009

elections, she forged an alliance with the Congress to take

on the CPM. MURALI M. JOSHI, Varanasi

Physicist of RSS ilk

M.SINGH YADAV, Manipuri

King of caste politics

MAMATA BANERJEE, Kolkata South

Fiery, firebrand Bengali


urali Manohar Joshi, a hardliner in BJP, is more in

sync with the RSS objectives than most other leaders Min the party. Murli too had prime ministerial

ambitions which the present BJP's official Prime Minsiterial

candidate L.K. Advani effectively negated through shrewd

moves. BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was in two

minds about Murli who was the Human Resources minister in

Vajpayee cabinet as he was seen supporting the RSS agenda

and others found him as an embarrassment.

A PhD holder, Murali, was a Physics teacher in Allahabad

University and while in Delhi came in close contact with RSS.

During Emergency period in 1975-77, Murali was jailed and

took a plunge into politics soon after by joining Janata Party.

In 1980, Janata Party split and BJP was formed and Murali is

a tall leader ever since.

I N F O C U SProminent Faces


anata Dal (S) leader Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda, better known as H D Deve Gowda began his political career as a Congress worker in Karnataka Jin early 50's. With the pro-farmer plank, Deve Gowda was intrumental in

forming the third front alliance in 1996 and served as the country's Prime Minister for barely 10 months.

He is the president of the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD-S) political party in India and currently a member of Parliament (MP) representing his home town Hassan district in Karnataka. The JD-S had formed a coalition with the Congress party government led by Dharam Singh. There are allegations of nepotism owing to his two children H.D. Revanna and H.D. Kumaraswamy being powerful in this government. Revanna had served as a minister in that government. A Civil Engineering Diploma holder, Shri Deve Gowda plunged into active politics at the early age of 20 when, after completing his education, he joined the Congress Party in 1953 and remained a member till 1962. Coming from a middle class agrarian background and exposed to the hardships of farmer's life, young Gowda vowed to become a fighter who would take up the cause of poor farmers, under privileged and oppressed sections of society.

executive. BJP arun Gandhi is the son of late Sanjay Gandhi and decided to field Maneka Gandhi, the son and daughter-in-law of V Varun Gandhi from the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. In the Pilibhit Lok sabha August 1999, at the age of 19, Varun Gandhi was seat for general introduced to the political arena by his mother, election 2009. He Maneka, when she was campaigning in her constituency, hogged limelight Pilibhit. In February 2004, he joined the Bharatiya after Uttar Pradesh Janata Party along with his mother after being Chief Minister convinced to do so by BJP general secretary late Mayawati detained Pramod Mahajan. His joining the BJP was hyped by him under National Mahajan claiming that "With Varun joining BJP, half the Security Act, which Congress will be with us..." Varun was used as a star was later revoked by campaigner by the BJP in the 2004 elections. In the Supreme Court.November 2004, he was inducted into the BJP national

DEVA GOWDA, Hassan

Silicon valley’s rural face

VARUN GANDHI, Pilibhit

Icon of hate politics



he heir apparent of Gandhi family, Rahul is

considered as prime minister in waiting not Tin 2009 but in near future. Since 2007 Rahul is

the general secretary of Congress and looks after

youth wing of the party - the Youth Congress. He is

studiously building up an image and working hard to

come of his famous parents - late Rajiv Gandhi and

present Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He

became an MP for the first time from Gandhi

family's pocket burrow Amethi in 2004, a decision

which surprised many. A shy, Rahul too was

considered as a reluctant entrant to politics who

loves to watch cricket. But the party elders thought

he can win over new and young voters. His sister

Priyanka was touted to enter politics earlier. He is

also known as party's backroom operator. It was

through Rahul's efforts that Congress could forge an

alliance with Jammu and Kashmir's National

Conference and the Abdullahs.

ajnath Singh is a prominent Indian politician and the current

President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is the largest ROpposition party in India. He was initially a Physics lecturer,

but soon used his long-term connections with the Rashtriya

Swayamsevak Sangh to get involved with the Bhartiya Janata Party,

which led him to numerous positions within Uttar Pradesh. Rajnath

Singh has entered the BJP while it was in a crisis of sorts, after Atal

Bihari Vajpayee lost power in the 2004 general elections, forcing the

BJP to sit in the Opposition. On December 24, 2005, following the

resignation of Lal Krishna Advani, the BJP and the RSS made him the

party president. After the resignation of Advani and the murder of

party strategist Pramod Mahajan, he sought to rebuild the party by

focusing on the most basic Hindutva ideologies. He has announced

his position of "no compromise" in relation to the building of a Ram

Temple in Ayodhya.

former IAS officer and a

lecturer in Political Science Aat Patna University,

Yashwant joined Janata Party in

1984. He was the Finance Minister

in Chandra Sekhar cabinet for a

few months and in Vajpayee's

cabinet he also served as Foreign

Minister later. While as IAS officer,

Yashwant served as Sub-Divisional

Magistrate and District

Magistrate; Under Secretary and

Deputy Secretary in the Finance

Department of the Bihar state

government; Deputy Secretary,

Ministry of Commerce in New Delhi and was also First Secretary

(Commercial) in the Indian Embassy in Germany and also was

Consul General in Frankfurt. He held various other important

positions in both Bihar and Union governments before quitting

civil service in 1984. After a brief stint with Janata Dal, he joined

BJP in mid 1990s. Sinha is better known for being the first Finance

Minister to break the 53 year tradition of presenting the national

budget at 5pm.

RAHUL GANDHI, Amethi

Heir apparent emerges hero

RAJNATH SINGH, Ghaziabad

Driver of hindutva ideologies

YASHWANT SINHA, Hazaribagh

The man who presentedbudget at 5 PM



harad Pawar is more than just the head of the Nationalist Congress Party. He is

one of the few politicians to enjoy support from parties across regions and Sideologies. A powerful farm minister in the Manmohan Singh government, he

derives much power from his post as India's cricket chief, and his sugar-exporting

constituency in Maharashtra.

He has held the posts of Defence Minister of India and Chief Minister of Maharashtra

and served as Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and

Public Distribution, Government of India in the Manmohan Singh government. Known

to cherish burning prime ministerial ambitions, Pawar made a serious bid to become

the prime minister after the 1991 polls following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi,

but Narasimha Rao outsmarted Pawar by taking the top post for himself, while

accommodating Pawar as a defence minister. For the past few months, Pawar has

been making deft moves to become a consensus choice for the top post. As political

parties negotiated ahead of the elections, Pawar's supporters floated his name as a

prime ministerial candidate. Pawar also has been hobnobing with the Left to push his

prime ministerial dreams.

orn as Lalita Rani in a middle class family in Rajahmudry in Andra Pradesh, actress Jaya Pradha was initiated into Bpolitics by Telegu Desam Party (TDP) former supremo N T

Rama Rao in 1994.

She later broke away from him and joined the Chandrababu Naidu faction of the party. She was nominated to the Rajya Sabha representing Andhra Pradesh in 1996.

Following differences with party Supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu, she left TDP to join Samajwadi Party and contested from Rampur parliamentary Constituency in UP during the last General election in 2004 and got elected. In 2009 her candidature became a serious point of contention within the Samajwadi Party and brought Amar Singh and Azam Khan out in open conflict.

Jaya Prada was subjected to a vicious public campaign, morphed naked pictures and CDs of her were distributed. She broke down on national television and admitted having contemplated suicide. Followers of Azam Khan had even filed a complaint with the police accusing Amar Sigh for prompting the politician turned actress to commit suicide, incase she loose the election.

SHARAD PAWAR, Madha

Maratha who transcends barriers

JAYA PRADA, Rampur

Star ‘spoiler’ of (Samajwadi) Party



ushma

Swaraj Sis one of

the most

prominent

female

politicians

within the

Bharatiya

Janata Party,

currently the

chairperson

of the party's

19 member

campaign

committee

for the 2009

General

Elections.

Sushma

Swaraj is a

former union

cabinet

minister of

India. She is

also a former

chief

minister of

Delhi. In

1999, she took on a high profile as she contested

against the Congress party's President, Sonia

Gandhi, from the Bellary constituency in

Karnataka, which had returned Congress winners

since India's independence. The fervent, high-

pitched campaign came to an end with the

expected loss of Sushma. Gandhi polled 51.7

percent of the vote, Swaraj coming not too far

behind with 44.7 percent. In a heavily publicized

and emotionally charged episode following the

2004 elections, Sushma Swaraj threatened to shave

her head, don a white saree and eat groundnuts

(symbollically mourning) if Sonia Gandhi, the

Italian-born Congress leader, became Prime

Minister.

aswant Singh is one of the towering leaders of the BJP. Hailig

from Rajasthan, he was an officer in the Indian Army in the J1960s and is an alumnus of Mayo College and the National

Defence Academy (India), Khadakwasla. He served as Finance

minister in the short-lived government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee,

which lasted just from May 16, 1996, to June 1, 1996. After Vajpayee

became Prime Minister again two years later, he became Minister for

External Affairs of India, serving from December 5, 1998 until July 1,

2002. Jaswant was in the centre of a controversy after he

accompanied terrorists released from Indian jail to Khandahar

airport in exchange for the Indian passengers held hostage by

ultras. Responsible for foreign policy, he dealt with high tensions

between India and Pakistan. In July 2002 he became Finance

Minister again, switching posts with Yashwant Sinha. He served as

Finance Minister until the defeat of the Vajpayee government in

May 2004 and was instrumental in defining and pushing through

the market-friendly reforms of the government. He was conferred

the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award for the year 2001.

Currently he is the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

SUSHMA SWARAJ, Vidisha

Hardline strategist

JASWANT SINGH, Darjeeling

The flyer of Kandahar plane



hidambaram's defeat in Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu in the first round of polling shocked

the UPA circles. But the UPA leadership heaved a sigh of relief after he was declared Celected in the recounting. Chidambaram is a senior member of the Manmohan

Cabinet.

A lawyer by profession, P Chidambaram began his political career as a member of the

Congress Party. PC first got elected to Parliament from the Sivaganga constituency in Tamil

Nadu in 1984 and became a Deputy Minister under the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Later, he held the Commerce & Finance portfolios in various governments.

In the elections held in 2004, United Progressive Alliance formed the Government and P

Chidambaram once again became the Finance Minister.

Economists acclaim his "dream-budget" for 1996-97, in which he brought discipline in

government spending and launched an ambitious tax reform programme to tackle an

unwieldy fiscal deficit. His daring scheme to halt tax evasion, or Voluntary Income Disclosure

Scheme, invited accolades.

In the Budget of 2008, his move to waive off farmers' debt has played a role in boosting

aggregate demand in the Indian economy, thereby effectively insulating India from the

impact of recession. In 2008 he moved to the Home portfolio. As the home minister he has

initiated steps to bring various agencies that are responsible for law and order together and work in a cohesive manner.

considered as India's political first family. Against haratiya Janata Party leader and five-time MP Maneka heavy odds, she worked her way launching a Gandhi was declared elected from Aonla B political party named after her husband, constituency in Uttar Pradesh, defeating her Rashtriya Sanjay Manch emphasising on youth nearest rival Dharmenda Kashyap of the Samajwadi but later joined Janata Dal in 1988 and served Party (SP). The gamble to vacate her long-time seat

as the general secretary of Janata Dal and of Pilibhit for son and BJP candidate Varun Gandhi served as Minister of the Environment and shift to Aonla paid off for Maneka Gandhi. from 1989 to 1991 in the V.P. Singh In Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi had created cabinet. Both in 1996 and 1998, Maneka controversy with his purported hate was reelected to the Lok Sabha as an speeches against Muslims for which he independent member from Pilibhit in was put behind bars by UP Chief Uttar Pradesh and served in the BJP led Minister Mayawati under National governments as Minister of State for Security Act which was later revoked Social Justice and Empowerment, and by the Supreme Court. Minister for Culture. While as minister Maneka is higly regarded as animal she created the Department for Animal rights activist and environmentalist. She Welfare and played an important role in is also a former editor of Surya, a widely the pension reforms through Old Age respected magazine, authored several Social and Income Security (OASIS) books one on Indian names and above all, which went on to become the she is the widow of Sanjay Gandhi and now celebrated New Pension System (NPS) .estranged from the Gandhis, who are

P CHIDAMBARAM, Sivaganga

The maker of dream budget

MANEKA GANDHI, Aonla

The environmentalist and separated Gandhi



ndian democracy is perhaps the if not powerful, voice that remained

most-discussed academic theme in neglected in the past for a variety of Icontemporary scholarship. historical reasons. In this sense,

Reasons for this are many. There is democracy is about values that are

undoubtedly the growing 'woven firmly into the warp and woof

consolidation of values in support of of India's political culture' (p. xiii)

socio-political processes endorsing which nobody can afford to ignore.

vox populi or the voice of the This is what makes India's democracy

people. This is also a puzzle, for not only a politically meaningful

democracy to strike roots the society empowering device, but also strong

needs to be fairly homogenized that enough to carry forward the tradition

is simply not possible given India's by creating organically-rooted socio-

well-entrenched multi-ethnic political institutions. In other words,

texture. Although economic democracy in India is no longer mere

democracy is far from realized simply 'political democracy'; it has also

by holding democratic elections at unleashed equally powerful processes

regular intervals, India is perhaps the for 'economic democracy' by

only postcolonial country with a articulating the voice of the

fairly unblemished record of political peripherals against 'the politics of

democracy. While India held regular exclusion'.

general elections other newly-

The primary object of the book is to emerged decolonized countries were

unravel the dynamics of India's busy, metaphorically speaking, in

democracy by focusing on the four electing generals. The process that

interrelated themes of 'politics', was rooted, among others, in the

'state', 'society' and 'economy'. This is long-drawn nationalist struggle,

a political biography of India's seems to have unfolded, quite

democracy underlining both its strongly, in post-independent India

success and failure: while elections presumably due to circumstances in

are regularly held, Indian experiment which democratic values evolve

in democracy shows signs of organically. It is true that Indian

weaknesses especially in regard to democracy is largely a participatory

the socio-economically peripheral device though one cannot deny its

sections that, despite being a importance in articulating a distinct,

Beyond Elections in India’s Democracy

BIDYUT CHAKRABARTYAuthor is Professor of Political Science, University of Delhi, Delhi.

THE STATE OF INDIA'S DEMOCRACYEdited by Sumit Ganguly, Larry Diamond

and Marc F.PlattnerOxford University Press,

New Delhi,2009, .pp. 231, Rs. 675.00

B O O K

Review


majority, have hardly succeeded in structure of political accommodation 'the fragmentation of the party

altering the prevalent socio- without a parallel in history. For system. . . has not undermined the

economic imbalances. The situation instance, the party system basic power-sharing character of the

seems to have been worse following system and has thus helped to

the acceptance, by the consolidate democracy' (p. 21). In

Indian state, of the such circumstances, ideology is

1991 economic reforms seldom a cementing factor and

package that, besides what bring parties together to form

creating stark 'regional a coalition are undoubtedly

imbalances', has considerations other than

contributed and also ideological compatibility. The

consolidated inequalities recognition of political coalition

of various kinds among as the most appropriate

various strata of society. institutional form of politics is

Interstate inequalities also the outcome of the

correspond with urban- fragmentation of social bases of

rural inequalities because political parties. Regional

'the states with most rapidly parties have become critical to

growing economies are the entire processes of

urban and industrialized, coalition-formation at the

while those with sluggish national level. Given the

growth remain primarily rural' growing importance of the

(p.211). Nonetheless, most of regions, the pan-Indian

the protest movements are political parties are more or

articulated in liberal less reconciled to accepting

democratic terms, except the regional and local leaders

perhaps the ultra-left wing as partners while staking

extremism of the Naxalites, claim to form the

suggesting presumably the government. In this changed

extent to which democratic environment, 'the new

norms are well-entrenched in breed of ambitious,

India. As it has been argued, 'those upwardly mobile leaders

on the losing end of India's still- [of the regions] . . . have

unfolding economic reforms seek developed for themselves

not to challenge their country's a new federal space in

democratic institutions, but rather to which the nation and the

obtain redress by means of these region can coexist' (p.

very institutions' (p. 205). Hence 101). By seeking to

elections have not lost their accommodate diverse

significance though there are well- political views and

organized forces preferring 'coercion sentiments, India's democratic that

to democratic processes' (p. 132). experiment has also redefined has emerged in postcolonial

politics as 'not merely an anomie India hardly corresponds with the

India's democracy provides a unique battle for power and short term gain conventional theoretical models. Yet,

India's democracy provides a unique

structure of political

accommodation without a parallel

in history. For instance, the party

system that has emerged in post-

colonial India hardly corresponds

with the conventional theoretical

models.

B O O KReview


but the release of pent-up creativity Constitution in India in 1950. institutions has created circum-

and visions that provide a fertile and stances in which the civil society

India's democratic experiment is cohesive backdrop of the realignment organizations seem to have emerged

therefore unique that cannot be of social forces'. (p. 103). A as the only available platform for

captured within the theoretical complementary process seems to redressal of public grievances.

format of 'received wisdom'. While have begun which is euphemistically Illustrative here is the role of the

political institutions are constantly defined as 'a silent revolution' Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan

redefined to address new issues of whereby the demographically (MKSS) that initiated 'a paradigmatic

relevance similar processes are at preponderant and yet politically grassroots movement' (p. 165) against

work to redraw the contour of peripheral Other Backward Classes corruption. The most significant

politics at the grassroots. The scene have become crucial players in outcome of this movement was the

is cenainly fluid contributing to the politics. 'The democratization of articulation of the 2005 Right to

articulation of 'multiple voices' Indian democracy' may however Information Act in India, which is

testifying the ascendancy of the appear to be insignificant since 'the undoubtedly the most effective step

hitherto peripheral sections of state apparatus is shrinking, whereas towards transparency, and fair play

society. This is how India's democracy the private sector is flourishing-so in public governance. The Act may

fulfils a historical role not only in much so that the lower castes may not be adequate to combat the well-

evolving a democratic structure of well have quota [of representation] entrenched corruption effectively

governance, but also in creating a in bodies which are becoming empty though it has set in motion a process

powerful mechanism of empower-shells' (p. 82). Despite the obvious subjecting those in political authority

ment for those remaining in the consequences of 'privatization', the to constant public scrutiny. That is

margins of society. There are, of rise of 'the subalterns' in politics is a not a mean achievement in socio-

course, aberrations because the remarkable achievement due largely culturally divided India since

constant recurrence of ethnic and to the consolidation of supportive democracy was, as the most profound

communal conflicts severely damage institutions and institutional and also respected theorist of

India's, multicultural social fabric mechanism drawn on the lofty ideals democracy, J.S. Mill warned, 'next to

which are reflective of the failure of of constitutional democracy. Of impossible in a country made of

our democratic processes to mitigate various democratic institutions, different nationalities'.

genuine ethnic and communal judiciary in India seems to have

grievances though India has 'a played a critical role in defending

relatively decent track record of popular democratic aspirations. The

accepting ethnic diversity and growing mass disenchantment with

broadening political participation' (p. executive authority perhaps explains

63) in comparison with her South the ascendancy of the judiciary.

Asian neighbours. Similarly, the role Hence 'from waste management,

of civil society is not without clean air and education policy to

blemish. Despite its critical property rights and religious liberty

significance in strengthening India's as well as many administrative

democracy, civil society organizations matters-it is hard to think of a single

are severely constrained due to issue relevant to politics and doubt

'limiting its ability to secure desired that this is likely to cause an

political outcomes' (p. 158). imbalance in the constitutional

Nonetheless, the widespread structure of power that has emerged

dissatisfaction with political since the promulgation of the

B O O KReview

KNOWLEDGEØDrass sector of Ladakh region of

J&K state is the 2nd coldest place in

the world.

ØAhrabal waterfall in district Kulgam

of J&K state is one of the highest

waterfalls in Asia.

ØRoyal springs Golf course in

Srinagar is the most picturesque

sporting venue of the country. This

gold course has been declared as

the best Gold Course in India and

among the top ten in Asia.


ashmir is a unique civilizationed of Nagarjuna at Nalanda and impressed

experiment which can claim, as by the way he contradicted the Vedic

doctrines, invited him to Kashmir. Kobserved by Sir Aurel Stein, the According to GMD Sufi, on account of his distinction of being the only region of connections with the Nagas, he India (undivided) which possesses an received the name of Nagarjuna. (Some uninterrupted series of written records scholars claim that he was a Kashmiri as of its history. The archaeological Naga in his name suggests ). He was excavations in Bourzahama, 15 elevated to the status of Bodhistava. It kilometers from Sringar, establish its was under his leadership that the fourth antiquity to before 3000 BC ( ie over council of Buddhism was held at Harvan 5000 years). It was contemporaneous to near Srinagar in Kashmir in 100 AD the Mohenjudaro civilization. Moreover, where Mahayana school of Buddhism the excavations further provide was founded. Influenced by Naga-evidence to the fact that some of the Tantric thought of Kashmir, Buddhism practices and rituals prevalent 5000 got transformed into its Kashmiri years are still prevalent in Kashmir version. Buddhism was, in a way, society today. In other words, this is a Kashmirised before it was adopted by unique experiment of continuity of a Kashmiris.tradition for such a long period.

Shivas supremacy over Vedic godsAccording to James Ferguson, the With the decline of Buddhism in India Nagas, the earliest inpatients of and its eventual absorption in the Kashmir, were an aboriginal race of mainstream religious thought, the Turanian stock before the Aryans process started in Kashmir also. But in conquered the North India. Again, Sir Kashmir th is , was done with George Grierson, the pioneering reservation. Kashmir adopted shaivism. authority on Indian languages, Shiva is not a Vedic god but of pre-Aryan maintains that Kashmiri to is not of tribes. Abhinav Gupta, the eminent Saskrit origin but of Dardic origin that Kashmiri philosopher, claims the means Kashmiri does not belong to Indo- primacy of agamas religious texts of Aryan family of languages, spoken from ancient Kashmir dating between first Dhaka (Bangladesh) to Pershawar and fifth century AD over the Vedas both (Pakistan). in point of time and performance of

rituals. The interaction between Vedic The original Naga tribes resisted and Kashmiri traditions did develop in absorption in the Vedic civilization by course of time. But in Kashmirs religious the Aryans. According to legends, some literature the supremacy of Shiva over Nagas attended the religious seminars

5000 Years of Kashmir

BALRAJ PURIAuthor is veteran jouranlist and author. He is recipient of Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian awards in India

C O L U M N

Eye Witness


the Vedic supreme god Indira has often and converted it into a massive away its earlier acquisitions. As Sufi

been asserted. Margendre Tantra, for emotional upsurage. Farooq Nazki calls observes, the cult of Buddha, the

instance, refers to a legend in which him a Muslim Shaivite. According to Dr. teachings of Vedanta, the mysticism of

Shiva is regarded as the supreme deity B.N. Pandit, his poetry is a mixture of Islam have one after another found a

from whom Indira brings the sacred Shaivism and Sufism. congenial home in Kashmir. He adds, it

knowledge of Tantra to the world, has imbibed the best of Buddhism, the

thereby reducing him to a mere best of Hinduism and the best of Islam. Proclaiming himself to be the spiritual communicator of Shivas knowledge. Similarly, on account of its cultural son of Lall Ded, who represented the According to VN Darbu, the pre-Vedic homogeneity and geographical acme of pre-Islamic spiritual heritage of people of Kashmir were admitted to compactness, all admixtures of races Kashmir, Nund Rishi carried it ahead as a Vedic society with distinctive who emigrated to Kashmir from ancient part of its Rishi order (as Sufism in characteristics of their own life at times merged their identities into one Kashmir was called). Islamic beliefs and d i f fe rent per iods . Eventua l l y whole. According to the renowned practices enjoyed as much autonomy indigenous religious beliefs, and Kashmiri scholar and historian within wider Islamic tradition as pre-Buddhism were synthesized by great Mohammed Din Fauq, even the people Islamic Kashmir did during Vedic and Kashmiri philosophers Vasugupta (ninth who came from Arabia, Iran, post-Vedic tradition of India. It neither century AD) and Abinava Gupta (tenth Afghanistan and Turkistan as late as six affected the independence of Kashmir century AD) into Kashmiri version of and seven hundred years ago were so nor, at first, materially change its Shaivism called Trika philosophy. mixed with Kashmiri Muslims in culture, cultural and political conditions. (Sufi). Influence of Buddhism is discernible in civilization and matrimonial relations Many scholars have noted pre-Islamic many rituals and customs of Kashmiri that all non-Kashmiri traces are influences in Kashmiri Islam. Abdullah Hindus even today. completely absent from their life.Yausuf Ali traces practice of relic

worship as in Hazratbal shrine where

Islam as Consolidator of Traditions the Prophets (PBUH) hair is preservedto Monumental Achievements

Buddhist influence. Dr. Arthur Nave According to GMD Sufi, Monastic theism Kashmir was, at one period, the clearing observes, Kashmiri Muslim has of Kashmir Shaivism is very near to house of several civilizations and the transferred reverence from Hindu Islam. He particularly compares it with influences of those are found in this stones to Muslim Relics. Similarly the tenet of celebrated Muslim mystic natural retreat. It had also made Muslim saints are worshipped like Hindu Mansur al Hallaj (858 to 922 AD) who monumental contribution to Indian gods and godlings. Islam in sufi form proclaimed Anl Haq (I am creative culture. Its position within India was thus came to Kashmir not as a destroyer truth). Kashmir thus accepted Islam not similar to that of ancient Creece in of the tradition, as is the case in many as a negation but as a culmination of a European civilization. It has been one of other lands, but as its preserver, proud spiritual heritage. It did not the biggest seats of Indian culture and consolidator and perpetuator. The fact surrender to Islam as a spiritually learning which, in the words of that Islam is rooted in Kashmiri exhausted personality but greeted it in Jawaharlal Nehru, dominated the tradition and the tradition is a friendly embrace. Islam did not come intellectual scene of the country for permeated with the Islamic spirit has to Kashmir as a faith of conquerors and almost 2000 years. There is no branch of enabled Kashmiris to reconcile thereore did not humiliate or hurt its human knowledge to which ancient cosmopotan affiliations with territorial pride. Muslim rule was not an outside Kashmir did not make a pioneering and a nationalism. Kashmiri Muslim has import but followed the conversion of a substantial contribution. remained a Kashmiri as well as a Muslim local ruler. Mass conversion of the and rarely suffers from schizophrenic people of Kashmir to Islam owes to a Among political achievements of pangs which Islamic links and local unique character that emerged from Kashmir, mention may be made of the patriotism often generate among the soil in the person of Alamdar-e- conquest of Lalitaditya- Muktapdia Muslims elsewhere in India.Kashmir, Shaikh Nooruddin Noorani, (725-753 AD), whom the great Kashmiri

popularly called Nund Rishi (14th Kashmir has been a melting-pot of ideas historian Kalhana describes as the Century), who became the patron-saint and races. It received every new creed universal monarch moving round the of Kashmir. He translated Islam into with discrimination and enriched it with Earth like the Sun. According to Sufi, he Kashmirs spiritual and cultural idiom its own contribution, without throwing is the most conspicuous figure in

C O L U M NEye Witness


Kashmir history. He raised this country it has ceased to grow and is stagnating? to Omar Abdullah (with the exception of

to pitch of glory it had never reached What are the lessons of the past and a brief period of GN Azad) have made

before. He, writes Mohibbul Husan, how relevant are they in current absolutely no contribution to get a

defeated the Arab forces led by situation? history of Jammu written. The same is

Mohammed Bin Qasims successor in true about Ladkah.

Sindh Junaid and overran his territory. It is a universal principle that a tradition He collected a galaxy of scholars from survives, if it continues to change. Diversity has in modern times been all over India in his Durbar. Kashmiris Kashmiri traditions have continued to university recognized as a great virtue. similarly hail another golden period of evolve in order to survive. Continuity In isolated and homogeneous society their history during the reign of the and change have a symbiotic relation. becomes stagnant and is likely to decay. Muslim king Zain-ul-Abdin popularly The foremost change that Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir state is endowed called Bud Shah (the great king) from needs today is to provide for dissent with maximum diversities. If the 1420 to 1470. It constituted a climax which has been absent so far. The aspirations and interest of each never atta ined by any other wholesale conversion to Buddhism of diversity is appreciated and reconciled independent king in Kashmir. He invited the Naga tradition was followed by with one another, this state would artisans, craftsmen, scholars and men s imi lar adoption of Shaiv ism. became a model state for the of letters from far-off foreign countries Conversion of Kashmiris to Islam, too, subcontinent. The current drift breeds as a result of which Kashmir flourished was almost universal ie about 95% of the tensions and misunderstanding which materially and culturally. He laid lasting population. Though Kashmiri retained does not do good to any one of them.basis of a truly secular polity. In Rodgers the essence of its tradition, it did words, he was three hundred years modify.ahead of England. According to Jonaraja

beauty dwelt in his person and the Faced with divergent, optionsperhaps goddess of hearing on his lips, fortune for the first timeKashmirs survival rested in his breast, and patience in his depends on allowing respect for mind. Sufi quotes sir Wolsley who says dissent. Otherwise, too, right of dissent Zain-ul-Abdin possessed a stock of is essence of democracy. Freedom is learning and accomplishments from possible only in a democratic system. which Akbar was excluded, his views Freedom of ex-pression and respect for were more enlightened than the opposite view point must be introduced emperors and he practiced a tolerance in Kashmiri society.which Akbar only preached. According

to the greatest Kashmiri poet of modern Another new development is that age, Mehjur, Akbar learnt from him (Bud Kashmir is no longer a homogeneous Shah) the art of running the affairs of society with the same race, language the state. and predominant religion cut off from

geographical barriers from the outside It was emperor Akbar who brought an would. end to indigenous Kashmiri Muslim rule

that had lasted 250 years. The In fact there is colossal ignorance watershed in Kashmir history is not the among leaders and intellectuals of beginning of the Muslim rule as is Kashmir about the heroes of Jammu, regarded in the rest of the subcontinent freedom fighters, movements against but the changeover from Kashmiri rule feudalism and system of tyranny, Sufis to a non-Kashmiri rule. and saints and eminent masters of art

culture and music. The Kashmiri Crisis of Kashmiri Civilization leaders, who ruled the state, after the Kashmirs 5000 years old civilization is end of monarchy, from Sheikh Abdullah facing unprecedented crisis today. Why

C O L U M NEye Witness

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othing unites Hindus and Village Defense Committees (VDCs) in

Muslims as Kishore Kumar does. early 1990s to combat terrorism, NAnd nowhere is this lowest Kulhand also formed its VDCs. But the

common denominator as apparent as in elders of the village (both Hindus and

the Doda district of Jammu & Kashmir. Muslims) decided they trusted each

Buses and taxis, shops, and even some other and didn't really need any defense

humble eating joints in this part of the committees. So they formed Aman

Chenab Valley play Kishore da's (peace) Committees instead. From 1995

unforgettable numbers, and are joined to 2006, there were no VDCs. However,

in by enthusiastic locals. after the massacre, the government has

provided 116 guns to the Hindus in

Kulhand for self-defense. This has Doda, known to the world as the

further upset the Hindu-Muslim “hotbed of militancy in Kashmir”, has

equilibrium in Doda. always boasted of communal harmony,

and rightly so. There are villages in the

district which have a 100 per cent Hindu Most people here are peace-loving, and

population, and these families have share the joys and sorrows of their

been living in Doda since ages. A village neighbours, or, as they call them –

called Arnora has only Rajputs, and they humsaaya. In Ghat village of Doda,

are believed to be descendants of the militants once forcibly took away a

Rajput rulers. Another village, young Hindu boy. The Muslims got

Bhadroon, has a complete Dalit together and brought him back to the

population. Several villages like village, saying they will not allow such a

Kalihand, Bhabnor, Shiva, Dashnan and thing to happen while they are alive.

many more have a mixed population of Also, some militant organizations are

Hindus and Muslims, living together known to arrange weddings for Hindu

amicably. girls. There are numerous such

incidents of camaraderie in Doda.

However, Hindu-Muslim relations in

Doda have become somewhat strained Every year, Doda hosts a Dangal or a

in the wake of the Kulhand massacre in wrestling match. People from all over

which 19 Hindus were brutally killed, Jammu & Kashmir come here to watch

and 10 severely injured by unidentified it. Also, during the Navratras, Ramlilas

gunmen on April 30, 2006. are held in every village and are

watched and enjoyed by people of both

communities. Similarly, during Eid, the When the government advocated

Under the stars and searchlights of Doda…

MANISHA SOBHRAJANI Author is a Delhi-based independent researcher working on the various aspects of the Kashmir conflict. She can be reached at [email protected])

C O L U M N

Kishore da in Chenab Valley


Muslims organise Eid-milan to which all apple orchards and inaccessible forests,

Hindus are invited, and told about the the security forces guard each hill-top,

preachings of Islam. Events like these watching this sleepy town day and

are possible only when there is night.

communal harmony, explained a local.

There have been recent reports, and

“Hindus in Doda have a lot of knowledge quite disturbing ones, of women

about Islam, and Muslims in Doda are militants in Jammu & Kashmir. The

aware of the preachings of Hinduism,” Chief of Army Gen. Deepak Kapoor has

the chief priest of the local mosque in been hinting at it for some time now.

Ghat village said. “And issues like Recently, on April 18, 2009, security

untouchability, which are common personnel gunned down 3 LeT militants,

elsewhere, are not present in Doda. one of them being a woman, named

People here have not received too much Zahida. The encounter between the

exposure, western concepts have yet to militants and security personnel took

reach us, and so life is simple and place in the Dori Bagla village of Doda.

uncomplicated. The problem begins

when people with vested interests and D i l shada , the second woman

political agendas use this simplicity to overground worker for militants, was

their advantage and speak ill about one also killed in the Doda district, again in

community to another. Until now, Doda April 2009. She was killed in an

was far removed from such complex encounter in which a Hizbul militant, a

issues, but one can sense some tension jawan and a policeman were also killed.

in the air after the Kulhand massacre.”

With two women overground workers

One realises after visiting Doda that for militants killed one after the other

only when communities live in isolation in Doda, it is clear that more and more

do relations get strained because of women are getting involved in terrorist

prejudices, lack of communication and activities in Jammu & Kashmir. This is,

misunderstandings. But in Doda, Hindus very clearly, a worrying trend not just

live on rent in Muslim houses, and vice for the security forces, but for the

versa. There are fights between Hindus general ethos of Kashmiriyat!

and Hindus, and Muslims and Muslims,

but rarely between Hindus and Muslims. Sitting on a hillock, one is witness to the

Inter-dependence plays a crucial role night sky in Doda being flooded with

here. In a mountainous region, where millions of stars. And down in the valley

villages are far-flung, communication and on far away mountains, lights from

with the outside world is limited and scattered villages makes one feel like

Hindus and Muslims share a hereditary one is wrapped in a blanket of stars.

relationship of togetherness, there is

perhaps no choice but to live in This heavenly spectacle is punctured harmony. every few minutes with the long,

swaying and blinding army searchlight

But this relative communal harmony as it pries into every nook and corner of

prevails under the constant gaze of the Doda, into the drawing rooms and

gun — both of the militants and the bedrooms of its residents — every few

security forces. While militants lurk in minutes.

C O L U M NKishore da in Chenab Valley


Monthly Magazine

Extensively Researched

Written with Clarity

and Insight

Covers Four Key Issues

Politics

Economy

Culture

Strategic Affairs

EpilogueHas a shelf life That Extends

Far Beyond the

News Period Covered

Unlike the General

run of the

Mill News Magazine

C O L U M N

History


istoriography was one of the flourished very much. Similarly,

most popular and dominant Kashmir also produced some sincere thHacademic exercises of the pre- historians. Sujan Rai Bhandari of 17

democratic India. It brought huge century Punjab and Chandra Bhan thdividends to the intellectuals engaged Brahman of the 17 century Kashmir

in the history writings. It was an integral produced high quality of historical

part of the socio-political life of the works in Persian.

most of the ruling classes of pre-

democratic India to get the history of The modern state of Jammu and their families recorded by the Kashmir was founded by Maharaja Gulab professional historians. Consequently, Singh (1846-57) in 1846. The credit of historians received considerable space uniting three important regions, in the royal court. Though Kashmir was Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh into one the first region of Indian sub-continent political unit goes to Maharaja Gulab. introducing Sanskrit historiography, Before him, all these three regions of Persian historiography surpassed all the the state were divided into several trends of the historical writings of India. principalities. Even the modern Jammu It is well established that the Persian region was divided into twenty two historiography was introduced in India Rajput states during the medieval and

thby the Turks during the 13 century. It is early modern periods. Both Kashmir and true that initially Persian historiography Ladakh were separate political entities. was the single monopoly of the But both the modern Jammu and intellectuals coming from Iran and Kashmir regions were very poor in terms Central India. But with the passage of of the sources of their history upto the

thtime Persian historiography became 12 century. It was Kalhan who first time popular among the Indian intellectuals. produced a master piece of history of Since Indian were very liberal in terms Kashmir, also giving some information of exchange of knowledge from ancient about the history of some of the states period onwards, the arrival of the of Jammu region such as Jammu, Persian historiography was treated as a Kishtwar, Rajouri and Punch etc. It is new form of the expression of the well established fact that Kalhan's knowledge. During the Mughal period Rajtarangini is the first historical work many intellectuals belonging to Indian of the Indian sub-continent. There are families made their career in the consensus among the modern historian Persian historiography. Punjab was one that the seeds of the Indian of the most leading regions of the north historiography were sown in Kashmir by India where Persian historiography Kalhan.

Gulabnama: A Persian Window to J&K History

PROF JIGAR MOHAMMEDAuthor is Professor of History at University of Jammu


Since modern Jammu and Kashmir state of the works of rulers of Jammu of of Ladakh by Raja Gulab Singh's army

was founded by Maharaja Gulab Singh, a ancient and medieval period. For him, commander Zorawar Singh Kahluria.

Jamwal Rajput, in 1846 with the the rulers of ancient Jammu were the Similarly, the decline of the family of 20blessing of the British East India Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Anglo-Sikh descendants of Lord Rama of Ayodhya.

Company, Jammu and Kashmir state wars are penned down in detail by Kirpa However, historically, the description of

was treated as a princely and tributary Ram. the events of the Punjab, Jammu and

state of the British India. But the Kashmir from the period of Maharaja

Kirpa Ram gives details of the treaty of Maharajas of Jammu respected the Gulab Singh onwards are very

Lahore, signed on March 9, 1846, local sentiments and continued Persian interesting and valuable. Since his

between the British and Maharaja Dalip as the state language. The official grand-father and father had worked as

Singh of Lahore. According to him, the patronage to the Persian language led to Diwans under Maharaja Gulab Singh he

treaty of Lahore consisted of 16 t h e f l o u r i s h m e n t o f Pe r s i a n had opportunity to collect the first hand articles. More importantly, the copy of historiography in the state. information from them. More

the treaty of Amritsar, signed on March importantly, he was an eye witness to

Gulabnama is a pioneer historical work 16, 1846, between the British and Raja the functioning of the political

of the Jammu Kashmir state, written in Gulab Singh is given by him. The treaty institutions of Dogra rulers. He dealt th consists of ten articles. According to the the 19 century Jammu. Diwan Kirpa with the birth and early Maharaja Gulab

treaty, Maharaja Gulab Singh received Ram, the author of the belonged to the Singh very meticulously. According to

Kashmir on the payment of seventy-five aristocratic family. His family said to him, the great-grand father Mian Surat

lakhs of rupees to the British and had to have acqu i red soc io -po l i t i ca l Singh, grand-father Mian Zorawar Singh, th act as an ally and tributary of the British prominence in the 16 century. One of and father Raja Kishor Singh possessed

East India Company. He also mentions his ancestors, named Rai Ugra sen of great valour and courage. Gulab Singh,

events of Jammu and Kashmir State Bikaner joined the service of the Mughal Dhian Singh and Suchet Singh were

taking place after 1846 and the emperor Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur mighty, cultured and brave sons of

accession of Maharaja Ranbir Singh, son (1526-30) as secretary (Peshkar) to the Kishor Singh. He gives date of birth of of Maharaja Gulab Singh.emperor. His grand-father Amir Chand Gulab Singh in terms of both Vikrami

worked as Madar-ul-Maham (prime Samvat and Hijri calenders. He

Although Kirpa Ram has acted as a minister) and Diwan under Maharaja mentions that Gulab Singh was born on

panegyrist, his Gulabnama provides Gulab Singh. His father Jwala Sahai the fifth day of month Katak 1849 nd valuable materials to the modern acted as Diwan under both Maharajas Vikrami and 2 Rabi, ul-Awwal of 1207

historians working on the history of Gulab Singh and Ranbir Singh (1857-85). Hijri.Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir during When Jwala Sahai died in 1865, his son

ththe 19 century. It not only mentions the Kirpa Ram was appointed as the Diwan Kirpa Ram mentions that Gulab Singh

exploits of Maharaja Gulab Singh, bul of Jammu and Kashmir state. Being a entered the service of Maharaja Ranjit

also deals with the political events of person of aristocratic and literary Singh because of the prevalence of the

the different states of Jammu hills background, Diwan Kirpa Ram wrote decline of the local ruling dynasty of

during the nineteenth century. The two Persian historical works: 1. Gulzar- Jammu and its conquest by the armies production of Gulabnama also i-Kashmir and 2. Gulabnama. As far as of Punjab. Similarly, Dhian Singh, Kishor

establishes that Maharaja Gulab Singh the Gulabnama is concerned, it has Singh (Gulab Singh's father ) also joined

welcomed the literary persons from translated into English by Sukhdev Singh the services of the Maharaja Ranjit 22 different parts of India and encouraged Charak. Singh. Kirpa Ram presents Gulab Singh

literary activities in Jammu through the instrumental in Maharaja Ranjit Singh

different means. He maintained that The Gulabnama is a detailed account of victories of the different states of

knowledge had no boundary in terms of the life and works of the Maharaja Gulab Jammu hills and Kashmir. He has given

language, religion and ideology.Singh. Kirpa Ram gives a brief account an interesting account of the conquest

C O L U M NHistory

AL D A K H S P E C I A L

Wildlife


adakh the Northern most part of Chiru or Tibetan antelope is known

our country represents the Trans- world over for its famous under wool LHimalayan region of of Jammu used for making shahtoosh shawls. Its

and Kashmir. It encompasses about main distribution is in Tibet. At the

92000 square kilometers of the beginning of the sanctuary its

geographical area of jammu and population was around one million

Kashmir. It is also known as high altitude which has drastically dwindled now to

cold desert and experiences harsh and about 75000 to 10000 due to large scale

inclement climatic conditions which persecution for wool and flesh in China.

include extreme low temperature ,up It is reported that 4 to 5 chiru were

to minus 45degrees centigrade, and killed for getting wool enough for one

very low rain fall. shawl. A small population of chiru

migrates to Ladakh from China in every

summer. Changchenmo valley on indo-Due to harsh climatic conditions the china border in Changthang region of environmental productivity of this Eastern Ladakh and Daulet Beig Oldi, region is very low. This barren, cold DBO, in North-East of ladakh support desert region supports about seven this small population estimated at 350 hundred species mostly herbs and to 400 individuals. However, it is shrubs, thirty three species of mammals presumed that population in DBO is and around 276 species of birds much more as the whole area cannot be including migratory avi-fauna.traversed due to inaccessibility and

harsh climatic conditions. Outside the The eastern Ladakh is the western Tibetan plateau in China chiru is found extension of Tibetan plateau and only at these two sites in Ldakh. exhibits Tibetan plateau influence on its

fauna. Where as the fauna in the central Only a relic population of Tibetan and western parts of Ladakh region has gazelle, known as goa in Ladakh, is affinity with Himalayan and Central battling the war of survival in Kalaktar Asian species respectively. Tar pasture lands in Changthang region

of Ladakh. Only 50 to 100 individuals of Ladakh harbours the most diverse wild this gazelle are estimated to be goat and sheep community in the world surviving in this area. represented by eight species and sub-species.

These include bharal or blue sheep, argali Apart from ungulate species this region or nayan, Ladakh urial, ibex,Tibetan wild is well known for its carnivore fauna at ass, wild yak, Tibetan antelope or chiru, the apex of which is snow leopard and Tibetan gazelle or goa.

Wildlife in Ladakh Trans-Himalayas

TAHIR SHAWL Author is Wildlife Warden of Leh Wildlife Division in Ladakh. He can be reached at [email protected]

locally known as shan. This animal is The avi-fauna of this region is quite rich Ladakh over the last decade from 25 to

globally considered as critically with migratory, resident and vagrant 84 in 2008. The population of black-

endangered with the total global species. The high altitude lakes like necked crane during the summer in

population estimated at 3000 to 6000 Tsomoriri, Pangong, Tsokar and many 2007 was estimated around 60

individuals. other marsh lands including Hanlay, individuals. In the summer 2008 a new

Chushul, Tse-gul-Tso, Fukche and flock of about 24 black-necked cranes

Staklung in Changthang region in was recorded near Tsokar wetland The Trans Himalayan region in Ladakh eastern Ladakh provide excellent increasing the total estimated constitutes the major habitat of snow breeding ground for many of migratory population of this crane to around leopard in India where the population of birds like black-necked crane, bar- 81individuals including 13 chicks in 2008 this animal is estimated around 250 to headed geese, brahminy (ruddy shell) in Leh district.350 individuals. Only 500 to 700 duck and crested grebe. Some other individuals of this species are left in bird species of this area which need India. As per the estimates the The Department of wildlife Protection mention are Tibetan sand grouse, population of snow leopard in Ladakh at Leh in collaboration with the Wildlife Tibetan partridge, Tibetan snow finch, has increased over the last decade. The Institute of India, Dehradun, is placing Tibetan ruby throat, Tibetan snow cock Government of India has recently satellite telemeters on some black-and Tibetan owlet. Ladakh is the only launched project snow leopard for the necked cranes and bar-headed geese in breeding ground of species like black-conservation of this animal and its Changthang wildlife sanctuary in Leh to necked crane and bar-headed geese habitat in the five snow leopard states study their migratory routes and habitat with in Indian limits. The number of in India. Other carnivores found in utilization pattern for making intensive black-necked crane, the only alpine Ladakh include lynx, palla's cat, wild management plans for the conservation crane of the world, has increased in dog, red fox and Tibetan wolf. of these endangered species.

AL D A K H S P E C I A LWildlife

EPILOGUE J&K IS LOOKING FOR A FULL-TIME TECH-SAVVY AND CREATIVE

GRAPHIC/LAYOUT DESIGNER

The responsibilities of the graphic/layout designer will include :

Requirement :

Creatively laying our the design of the magazine each monthProducing compelling artwork and layout for the magazine, including brochures, posters, banners, booklets, and print publications. A fine appreciation for the effective use of space, color, imagery, key messages, and the latest stylistic techniques is expectedWorking closely with the editorial team

Minimum two years hands-on-experience in professional design & layoutAbility to produce highly creative design & layout in a timely mannerStrong knowledge of inDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, CorelDraw, Dreamweaver, etcIn-depth knowledge of current web design trends and techniquesStrong communication and interpersonal skillsMust be able to work well in team and independentlyHardware/software expertise is a plusE

pilo

gue


Epilogue J&KBathindi Top, Jammu (J&K)

This position is based in Jammu, with salary commensurate with experience and energy.How to apply : Send samples of your portfolio along with CV by 1 July, 2009 to [email protected] or mail us .


Coming from a renowned family of achieved this success choosing Medical t the Union Public Service Doctors in Jammu, he rather chose to be Science and Psyhology as optional Commission, this year, Jammu into the administration. Raghav topped subjects for the Civil Services Aand Kashmir state registered a the state Kashmir Administrative Examination. A score of 360 plus / 600 in remarkable success with five of its Service (KAS) examination in 2007-08 Medical Science, 174 / 300 in youth making to the final list of coveted

Personality Test and 126/200 in Essay is Civil Services, the country's top most something exceptional achieved by and elite services. Though 5 selections Raghav to make it to this top rank this out of long list of 791 odd candidates year. He serves as an inspiration for selected from all over the country is not those who stand committed to their much significant going merely by the dreams, after topping the KAS numbers, but viewed from the point of examination in state Raghav never view of past trends from this hilly state looked back and joined the Indian and number of candidates appearing for Revenue Service the very next year and this examination the final result is in Indian Administrative Service now. deed exceptional. Two doctors got the

elite Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Shahid Iqbal, figuring at serial number in open merit, another in a reserved 51 of the IAS merit list, represents the category, one from Kashmir selected for journey of an average rural student to Indian Police Service (IPS) and another the Indian Administrative Service, with

Jammuite cornered a seat in the Indian a strong dedication and iron will.

Revenue Service (IRS). The success story Shahid, a 2005 batch Veterinary

of each one of them is remarkable, and graduate from Sher-e-Kashmir

an inspiration for the youth of state, University of Agricultural Sciences and

they did prove that a strong will power Technology, Jammu, did his basic

and right kind of directed hard work schooling from Government Middle

crosses all hurdles to pay rich dividends. School, Rehan Village, in Budhal Tehsil Epilogue went out to look into the of Rajouri District. And after completing success mantra of these IAS toppers to Higher Secondary from Government share the secrets with readers across Boys' Higher Secondary School, Rajouri, the state. he joined the BVSc & AH degree

programme based on the results of At serial number 21 in the merit list of and later selected for Indian Revenue Combined Entrance Test. Though

thIAS figured the name of Dr Raghav Service (IRS) based on his 227 Rank in belonging to the Gujjar community, Langer, a medico by profession. Having which enjoys the status of Scheduled the Civil Services Examination 2007-08.

thdone his entire schooling from Nagbani Tribe, under the constitution of India, A jump from 227 Rank in the merit list stSchool, Raghav is an alumnus of he got into IAS in the Open Merit list, to 21 this year is something exemplary

Government Medical College Jammu. thus sparing one more seat in IAS for the this Jammu-based doctor did. Raghav

J&K Registers Strong Presence at UPSCFive youth make to top services

EPILOGUE DESK

R E P O R T

Raghav, Shahid, Imtiaz, Sumeet and Vishal are more than being proud service selectees for the state. They are an inspiration for the youth in state to excel not only in civil services examination but any field or career they decide to pursue. Each one of them has scripted an unimaginable and stunning success story, overcoming all odds and making it to the top with confidence and in a planned manner. Five may seem to be a small figure for the Jammu and Kashmir state in this selection list but going by the statistics and facts- it's among the highest success ratios for different states


reserved candidates. His story is an So, the “lone crusader” has given birth Vishal's success story, again, is an

inspiration for the rural youth of this to the reinvented thoughts in minds of inspiring one – having done his schooling

hilly state who face problems in civil services aspirants in the valley. In in the native village in R S Pura, he was

education and training owing to various the current list too he happens to be the selected for MBBS through the state

reasons. A never-say-die spirit and lone Kashmiri to make it to the top. level Common Entrance Test and after

effective decision making, along with completing his Medicine, Vishal finally

committed, sustained hard work finally decided to choose administration as his Dr Sumeet Jarangal, a Medico from pays rich dividends, as his success story career, and finally he did it. Government Medical College Jammu, is

threveals. Shahid clicked this top rank in placed at 214 Rank of the select list. IAS with Veterinary Science and Raghav, Shahid, Imtiaz, Sumeet and Hailing from a remote village in Sociology in optionals. Scoring 210 / 300 Vishal are more than being proud Hiranagar, Dr Jarangal sailed through all in Personality Test and again 126 / 200 service selectees for the state. They are thick and thins with firm dedication. was indeed awesome for this an inspiration for the youth in state to Having done his MBBS in 2003-04, veterinarian turned forester. He has excel not only in civil services Sumeet was selected for the Indian already made to the Indian Forest examination but any field or career they Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) in 2006, Service (IFS) in the very first attempt, decide to pursue. Each one of them has based on the results of Civil Services with Zoology and Veterinary Science as scripted an unimaginable and stunning Examination 2005. Presently posted In optional subjects, in the very first success story, overcoming all odds and West Bengal, Sumeet is likely to get the attempt. Presently posted at Jammu, he making it to the top with confidence and Indian Administrative Service in has served at Poonch, Reasi and Srinagar in in a planned manner. Five may seem to reserved category. the Forest Department. For a Government be a small figure for the Jammu and School student, where the English Kashmir state in this selection list but alphabet used to be taught in Class six, this going by the statistics and facts- it's remarkably exception success reveals: sky among the highest success ratios for is the limit for achievers. different states. About 56 odd

candidates from Jammu and Kashmir

Son of an officer in the state state wrote the Civil Services Mains

Government, at serial number 134 of examination, out of the 12, 500 strong

the Civil Services selection list is Imtiaz aspirants, in Mains Examination, across

Ismail Parray, a resident of a remote the country sifted out of 3.45 lakh

village in Anantnag district in Kashmir. candidates based on the results of

Parray is slated to get into the Indian Preliminary examination held in May

Police Service (IPS) in the Open Merit. 2008. Of this only 9 from Jammu and

An alumnus of National Institute of Kashmir could make it to the final

Technology (NIT) Hazratbal, Srinagar, personality test wherein a total of 2239

his is a story of “Slow and Steady Wins candidates were called to appear before

the Race”. Imtiaz studied at Burn Hall the UPSC interview boards. Nine out of

School in Srinagar and later did his 2239 could well said to be non-existent

engineering degree from NIT in 2004. but final five selections out of nine

Later he was selected for the KAS-allied finalists puts the success ratio for Jammu And it seemed to be a doctor's day when services and allotted to the Social and Kashmir at far more than 50%. Since Dr Vishal Choudhary's name figured at Welfare in the 2007-08 select list. personality test is the deciding factor in

ththe 350 Rank in the merit list. Hailing Presently working as Project Officer, the Civil Services Examination, the from R S Pura in Jammu, Vishal is again Integrated Child Development Scheme, exceptional performance by the an alumnus of Government Medical in Kashmir Imtiaz is an inspiration for aspirants from Jammu and Kashmir at College, Jammu and is likely to get the whole state, especially rural Kashmir – this test reveals that the state has a great Indian Revenue Service (IRS). His he happens to be the first Kashmiri in potential and talent pool, but the only younger brother, a veterinary graduate past 15 years to make it to the IPS, and thing required is a right kind of guidance from SKUAST also stands firm to follow also the lone selectee in the country's and awareness, apart from an his footsteps in the coming years. Civil Services in the said period of time. indispensable self confidence.

Shahid Iqbal, figuring at serial number 51 of the IAS merit list, represents the journey of an average rural student to the Indian Administrative Service, with a strong dedication and iron will. His story is an inspiration for the rural youth of this hilly state who face problems in education and training owing to various reasons

R E P O R T


anaging money is not a big deal. help you to take care of current needs.

But what is required is the So one has to draw a balance between Mdevelopment of habits of saving present and the future needs.

money. There are two things that may

have kept many of us at bay for This is the most opportune time to get developing money saving skills. Either into the “saving more” crowd and build we were never really taught how to a bigger rainy day fund by minimizing manage money, or maybe we simply you luxuries. Setting more aside and avoid thinking about it because the spending less on the non-essentials is situation is so dire. But the dire need is the most crucial base of saving money. to incorporate some simple money- The point of good preparedness is to saving habits and have a greater start doing it before you are forced to.awareness of money that helps to keep

a little more of it in the wallet! Just ask yourself. Are you living beyond

your means? Are you earning well but Simply, if we really want to save money, still don't seem to be saving enough. we have to increase our awareness of Have you ever thought of how to save money. This means knowing each month most of the money you earn? Adopt the how much we have, what we have spent saving habits and you'll be laughing all our money on, what our goals are, and the way to the bank in no time.where we stand in terms of reaching

those goals. To do this, we have to take Live on a budget, avoid expensive habits the time each month to balance our and force yourself to save like helpful accounts. When we don't, we just money saving tips will definitely give continue to spend money, we avoid your finances that much needed boost.thinking about it, and then we feel awful

about ourselves when reality sets in. Just do a simple thing. Record your daily

expenses, add them up and find that the Saving the right amount in the present total exceeds the amount of your times is most crucial. The amount you income, you will realize that it's time to save can be invested in bank's fixed cut down on your spending. Once you deposit schemes, stocks, mutual funds, have come up with a realistic budget, gold etc to create a future income for avoid the temptation to overdo when meeting small and large requirements you are out shopping. Cutting back on such as education and marriage of your your day-to-day expenses and resisting children and your post retirement temptation makes it much easier for needs. Besides, saving right amount can you to save.

Build a Bigger Rainy Day FundLive on a budget, avoid expensive habits and force yourself to save

SAJJAD BAJAJThe views are of the author & not the institution he works for

J&K Bank offers a basket of

products, which contain easy

saving options even for

those having irregular or

lesser means of income.

Smart Saver Scheme,

Childcare Deposit Scheme,

Depositors' Pension Scheme,

Mehendi Deposit Scheme,

Recurring Plus Scheme,

Recurring Scheme, Tax

Saver Term Deposit Scheme

etc. are some of the term

deposit products tailored by

the bank to suit its varied

client base.

C O L U M N

Banking


We have also seen that most of us fall In order to meet your requirements as period. The scheme carries free

prey to the lure of plastic money. The far as saving money is concerned, J&K accidental insurance cover equal to the

convenience of credit cards is hard to Bank offers a basket of products, maturity amount, which the depositor

resist but if you want to save, pay cash which contain easy saving options chooses.

whenever possible. You need to watch even for those having irregular or

out while using your credit cards, lesser means of income. Smart Saver The bank offers Millennium Deposit especially the fees associated with Scheme, Childcare Deposit Scheme, scheme, in which a depositor can invest owning a card. However, if you can't do Depositors' Pension Scheme, Mehendi his money in the units of Rs.500 and without a credit card, find a card that Deposit Scheme, Recurring Plus withdraw a certain portion of his does not charge high annual fees and Scheme, Recurring Scheme, Tax Saver deposited amount in the units of Rs.500 comes with cash saving benefits. Term Deposit Scheme etc. are some at the time of need without any penalty.

of the term deposit products tailored Yet another product, JK Bank Daily by the bank to suit its varied client We know monthly fuel expense; mobile Deposit Scheme has been tailored as a base.bills and other such expenses burn a doorstep banking facility. The Scheme is

hole in our pocket? When we talk of catering to the requirements of those

curtailing the expenses, these items For example, Recurring Plus Scheme small businessmen/professionals who

need careful handling. You should of the bank suits persons with have the potential to save some

always look for fuel saving options and fluctuating income, as the scheme amount of their sale proceeds at the

always check your phone tariffs to facilitates a depositor to deposit end of the day/week. The bank official

ensure that your plan suits your makes collection by personally

n e e d s . C l i p y o u r b i l l s g o i n g t o t h e b u s i n e s s

accordingly. premises/household units etc.

of the depositor during the

working hours from 2 p.m. to Last but not the least. A message 4.45 p.m. The collections made for the young birds. When it from the account holders are comes to savings, the early birds deposited on the same day in have an advantage. They manage the branch, where the account to save a decent pile for all their

variable amounts of installments at of the depositor will be maintained. requirements with much lesser fuss.

his free will without any binding on They can make their money grow so well

depositing the fixed installment. A that they secure their future without A customer can open account under the

depositor can choose a minimum core depriving themselves today. And scheme by Rs.100, which he has to

monthly installment of Rs.100 and is remember, the saving rates are higher deposit daily or weekly. However,

free to deposit a selected core for people who start saving later in life higher amount in the multiples of Rs

amount or in excess of core amount in because the early risers get the benefit 50/-(e.g., Rs.150, Rs.200, Rs.250) can

multiples of Rs.100. There is no of compounding. also be deposited under the scheme.

binding on maximum amount of The customer would be provided with a

deposit during a month or the number Passbook and counter foil of the receipt Here is a note of caution. You may have

of installments paid during the duly signed by the designated bank saved a lot and yet be forced to be

month.employee at his doorstep.miserly when you need money. This slip

between cup and the lip can happen if Then there is a special savings scheme

you haven't invested your savings in an In succinct, this is the time to force for the girl child. Known as JK Bank

appropriate manner. So you should save yourself to save and sign up for a Mehendi deposit scheme, a depositor

in such a way and invest your savings in systematic investment plan in such a has to invest one time amount in the

instruments, which not only ensure way that gives you hassle free access to scheme to choose Rs.25,000, Rs.50,000

appropriate growth of your money but your saving during the time of need and or Rs.1,00,000 maturity amount for

also makes your money available at the same time help you not to fritter his/her girl child at the end of a certain

anytime and anywhere. it away on something frivolous.

C O L U M N

Banking


reation of organized markets for that affect the production process. The

traditional dairy products in the hilly author applies the 'evidence-based' policy Cterrains of India is the key to the making framework to understand the

economic upliftment of the small dairy special significance of Kalari in turning

farmers involved in the production of certain regional limitations into a business

traditional dairy products, who have been opportunity. He identifies lack of

stuck in the stubborn cycle of poverty for innovative public policies, with very little

decades. But that would require innovative interaction and coordination with the local

public policies, which would support government bodies, local producers,

i n s t i t u t i o n a l c h a n g e s , s p e c i a l sellers and consumers of Kalari, as a major

infrastructural arrangements and the barrier to the development of a formal and

development of markets, suitable for the organized market for Kalari.

hilly terrains and—not a mere replication of

the mainstream development model Handoo is optimistic about the future of appropriate mostly for the plains. Kalari cheese value chain, its positive

impact on J&K's small dairy farm producer's

Jatinder Handoo's recently published income and its integration into the

paper, “Sustainable Livelihood for mainstream organized market but—has

Hills—policy and institutional arrangements come to the conclusion that this demands

for Kalari cheese in the hills of Jammu and an innovative and interactive public policy

Kashmir”, funded by the Centre for Civil framework that would take into

Society, explores the role of public policy in consideration local problems and

facilitating the development of a value requirements. He discusses how the

chain and the market for one such present policy initiatives do not address the

traditional dairy product—Kalari cheese, a specific needs of this region. He

local delicacy in the hills of Jammu and recommends that the state government

Kashmir (J&K). It successfully covers a should facilitate formation of coalitions of

major gap in the literature on value chain relevant stakeholders like women self-help

development of Kalari at the level of small groups and producers, private milk parlour

farm unit in the hills. Kalari cheese is a high owners, Village Development Committees

value dairy product that has the potential (VDC) of the Panchayats, and other

to raise per capita income of small dairy concerned government departments. This

farm holders in the Udhampur district of will help interactive and participatory policy

J&K. This paper maps and analyses the making and would be the first step towards

Kalari cheese value chain and its various converting Kalari cheese into a successful

components including production, business model enhancing the lives of the

processing, marketing, and public policies small dairy farmers in the hills of J&K.

Boosting hill economy Kalari can show the way

SREYA SARKAR Sreya Sarkar is a Research Guide associated with Centre for Civil Society

S T U D Y

Traditional Dairy

TRACING

REVOLUTIONA special feature on

Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University

Baba Ghulam Shah BadshahUniversity, Rajouri (J&K)

SEEKS FACULTY

SCHOOLS OF STUDIES

1. SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES

2. SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICAL SC. & ENGG.

3. SCHOOL OF BIOSCIENCES & BIOTECH.

4. SCHOOL OF SLAMIC STUDIES

i. Department of Management Studiesii. Department of Financial Management

i. Department of Computer Applicationsii. Department of Information Technologyiii. Department of Applied Mathematics

i. Centre for Biodiversity Studies

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECH.

1. Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering

2. Department of Computer Sciences & Engineering

3. Department of Information Technology Engineering

4. Department of Civil Engineering

5. Department of Electrical & Instrumentation Engineering

Take the leap and be part of an educational legacy that spans four years. BGSB University that

has come into existence by Act No. XVI - 2002 of J&K Legislative Assembly and is one of the

forward looking university of the country invites academicians charges with passion and

dedication to enrich its faculty in following disciplines and for deliveing guest lectures.

POSTS:

PROFESSORS, ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS &ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Qualification: AS PER UGC NORMS

SALARY:

Not a constraint for applicants with impressive curriculum - vitae

MANAGEMENT COMPUTERS ENGINEERING

i. Department of Arabic

LAST DATE: June 15, 2009

ADDRESS:

Assistant Registrar(Establishment), BGSB University,Rajouri (J&K), Pin 185131, Fax/Tel. 01962 262616

Email: [email protected], FOR DETAILS PLEASEVISIT US AT : www.bgsbuniversity.org

APPLIED MATHEMATICS ARABIC

BGSB UNIVERSITYBIODIVERSITY

Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister

BGSBU will play a legitimate role in development of State, Country

The establishment of the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University of

Science & Technology is a landmark in the evolution of science education

in the State of Jammu & Kashmir. As India marches ahead to address the

challenges of a knowledge society, the role and 'relevance of Universities

such as the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University assumes significance.

The inauguration of this apex educational body dedicated to science and

technology is a heartening development in context of our efforts to

encourage the younger generation to pursue science education in their

higher studies. Historically, India has had a flourishing tradition of

science and technology. The decline of that tradition led to the decline

of India. During the postindependence period our scientists and

technologists have made us proud by applying their talents in nation

building and taking India to front rank of nations. We have to build on

these achievements to occupy our rightful place in a world, which is

increasingly driven by science and technology. Science combined with

humanism and our ancient wisdom will provide sanity and strength to

our progress. Harnessing the talents of the State of Jammu & Kashmir

and pooling in resources from the rest of the country, the Baba Ghulam

Shah Badshah University of Science & Technology will playa legitimate

role in the development of the State and the country.On the occasion, I have great pleasure in extending my greetings and

good wishes to all those associated with the University for its success.


Ghulam Nabi Azad

A rare

sense of

devotion,

dedication

The most distinct

trait of this

university, as I

have seen for

myself and as I have heard others acclaim, is

that behind every big and small programme of

development and expansion there has been a

rare sense of devotion and dedication. This has

not only made things happen with great gusto

and speed but has also kept on adding new

dimensions to the whole process of campus

development and expansion.

Dr. Farooq Abdullah

This would have made Sheikh Abdullah feel proudIt was wonderful for me to visit this young university. I am

confident that it is imparting quality education. Sheri-Kashmir

would have been proud of what I have seen here.God bless you all. Keep it up.

"Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University is a silent revolution in the hills leading to huge emancipation”

Economic and Political Weekly; Mumbai

SGBR EUTAEFLAICEPS B U N I V E R S I T Y

Ruminations


Kapil Sibal, Union Minister

Harbinger of an era ofawakening in J&K

As a nation we have to be in step with the

latest developments in science and technology

upon which hinges our collective prosperity,

progress and development. As a nation of one

billion people our problems range from stark

poverty to the all acute deprivation and

backwardness. The only ray of hope that we

have is our youth who are required to be

provided with the necessary backup and

support by way of strengthening our

educational infrastructure and redefining our

national goals in terms of what our youth are capable of contributing to pool of

knowledge and upward economic mobility. The youth shall have to occupy the

central stage of this national endeavour and that will be the time when we will see

our nation emerging as an empowered and developed nation.The setting up of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in a very short passage of

time at Rajouri town of Jammu and Kashmir is the harbinger of an era of awakening

and awareness in the entire state of Jammu & Kashmir which has suffered a

considerable back push in terms of its development and progress over the last more

than a decade and a half. Whereas it affords an endless array of possibilities and

opportunities for the progressive youth of the state it will hopefully emerge as the

centre for stimulation of economic development and material prosperity which have

now become the yardsticks by which the well being and sustainability of a society is

measured. Besides, generating employment avenues for the deserving and the

needy, this university I believe, shall also become the podium for laying down a solid

foundation for industrial development, and a centre for research and development.I congratulate everybody associated with this noble venture for raising a monument

for prosperity.

Saiyid Hamid, Former Vice Chancellor Aligarh Muslim University, Chancellor, Jamia Hamdard

Let campus acquire extra-mural dimension

Let me first felicitate you for the seminal role played by you in bringing Baba Ghulam Shah Sadshah

University into existence. All of us here wish the institution a great success.May I suggest for your consideration that the institution that is privileged with your stewardship

should acquire an extra-mural dimension and spearhead the educational movement in Jammu

Region.I am indebted to you for the invitation but would crave your indulgence for the inability to avail of

your generous offer. I am in my twilight years with the result that my participation will perforce

assume the form of prayers, from a distance, for your success.

“The groves of academe – situated

in the lofty hills, Baba Ghulam Shah

Badshah University has made a

place of its own in the world of

academia”

Rising Kashmir, Srinagar

"The establishment of the Baba

Ghulam Shah Badshah University

(BGSBU) in Rajouri adds to the

optimism in the air. Hidden in the

hills of Rajouri, the University was

established under the Jammu and

Kashmir Legislative Assembly Act,

2002 and is nurtured by the Jammu

and Kashmir Wakf Council. Could

this University situated on the

border district of the state become

a means to exchange social and

cultural ideas and experiences in

the state? Is it a catalyst for

sustainable interaction between

students of J&K and PoK?"

Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi

SGBR EUTAEFLAICEPS B U N I V E R S I T YRuminations


Dr. Ghulam Nabi Qazi, Director, IIIM(CSIR),

Jammu

Enthusiasm of VC seems to be key driving force

I am

amazed to

see this

upcoming

university

named after

a\revered

soul-Baba

Ghulam

Shah

Badshah. I

express my

great

pleasure to

see the

developmen

ts that

seem to

have taken place here within a short span of three

years. The enthusiasm of the very leader (Hon'ble

VC) and his staff seems to be the driving force for

such a fast development at such a remote place. The

way the institute and the Biodiversity Centre are

coming up leaves no doubt in my mind that the days

are not far when the institute will be noticed all

over the country and indeed globally. I wish the VC

and the staff very best for all their endeavors for a

great success in nearfuture.

Dr. M. Sanjappa Director, Botanical Survey of India, Central National

Herbarium, Kolkotta

Rare spectacle anywhere in country, may be anywhere else

“….Perhaps we would

all be taking giant leaps if only we knew the exact

dimensions and boundaries of our avowed goals and then the

support base needed for going forward to the signposts that

we set unto ourselves for chasing. I am delighted to see that

newly established BGSB University is sufficiently well

prepared and suitably prepared, on both these fronts. This

gives me enough reason to congratulate the Vice Chancellor

of the university, Shri Masud A. Choudhary and the wh01e

team of the professionals who have come up with the idea

of establishing the Centre for Biodiversity Studies (CBS) with

the same gusto and momentum with which this university

came up in a matter of months- a spectacle very rarely seen

in any part of the country or may be hard to find anywhere

at the international level.”

Tariq Hameed Karra, former Minister for Housing, Urban Dev. Forests, Environment & Ecology

VC's mission, goal making versity first of its kind

I am highly impressed by the beginning of this university. I am envisaging it as a unique university & first of

its kind, I think, in Asia. I feel the VC has taken it as a mission & a goal as well. I have drawn an image in

my eyes about the university and I would feel a proud person in giving a practical shape to that image &

for which I have decided to do I anything everything. I wish to see this university, the best university in

India, during my I life-time, god willing.

"Thanks to Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri

will no more be out of bounds for students from Kashmir Valley."

Greater Kashmir, Srinagar



Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

Team is moving with missionary zeal

I must congratulate the management and the entire

team of assisting hands who have worked whole

heartedly and with missionary zeal to perform the

incredible feat of making this university operational

in a record time of less than one year. One only

hopes that it becomes a lighthouse for the coming

generations and carves a place of honour and

prestige for itself among the institutions of excellence.

Dr. Haseed A DrabuChairman & Chief Executive, Jammu & Kashmir Bank

The making of Oxford of its own kindA great institution in the

making! Dedicated faculty

headed by a visionary V.C and a

bunch of bright & talented

students working in great

environment is a sure recipe for success. I hope the

university becomes the Oxford University of J&K &

Rajouri develops as Oxford County.

Harsh Dev Singh, Minister for Education, J&K

Amazing. A University in 7-8 monthsWell begun they say, is

half done. The university

has become functional in

a record period of 7-8

months. I find great

enthusiasm in the V.C

and faculty to achieve

over all excellence. I

wish the V. C and his

team of officers the best.

"By debating the issues

like world trade regime

and global climate change,

Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah

University situated at remote

Rajouri district is setting

trends for role of Jammu and

Kashmir in participating in the

issues of national

priorities"

Political and Business Daily; New Delhi

Sudhir S. Bloeria, Former Chief Secretary J&K

The campus is poised to make name in country

It was indeed a pleasant surprise to see what you have been able to achieve during a

short period of one year, both in terms of infrastructure development as well as the high

level of motivation and the spirit that has been inculcated in the faculty and the students

of the University.I am sure under your inspired stewardship, practical vision and untiring efforts this

University will go a long way and make a name for itself not only in the State but all over

the country".

“ “


SGBR EUTAEFLAICEPS B U N I V E R S I T YThe Wonder in the Hills


uring one of my field trips few now become a ritual for me. Invariably,

years ago in the Rajouri-Poonch during my every visit to this region, I Dtwin districts, a friend of mine ensure I visit this University Whenever I

asked whether I was aware of the new find some time to visit my parents back

University, that was recently started in in Tamil Nadu, it is almost a ritual, that I

Rajouri. It was a surprise for me; for I've visit some of my relatives. The BGSBU.

been traveling up and down in the in a way, has become my relative in

Jammu-Poonch road, but never saw Rajouri. I could literally see the growth

one. I joked, perhaps it was one of those of this University, like how Dr Ashfaq

tutorial centers, which call themselves Ahmed Zarri, the young and energetic

as University. My friend was serious and botanist of the Center for Bio-

increased my curiosity when he said, it technology would observe the growth of

was in the hills of Rajouri and the Vice his plants. The first time, when I visited

Chancellor of the University was a the University, there were only two

policeman and that I should visit him. buildings of MCA; today, the entire hill is

Naturally, I got inquisitive. A University dotted with buildings, hosting

in Rajouri, with courses on computer numerous other departments.

science and bio technology, led by a

former police man? And I vividly remember my first meeting

of the Vice Chancellor Mr Masud

In 2005, the State government Chaudhary; I was hoping to see him in an

established a technical university in air-conditioned office, sitting in a huge

Rajouri, with courses in MBA and MCA. well cushioned seat. Instead, I met him

The University is named after a Sufi in a construction site, what is now a

saint Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah, who is faculty's residence. He was sitting in a

revered by all the three major stool, looking into the construction of

communities of these two border the building and invited me with a nice

districts - Hindu, Muslim and Sikh. His big smile. Even today, I recollect his first

shrine – Shahdara Sharief, 30 kms away question: What brings you here, to an

from Rajouri in the Pir Panjal range, is a isolated hilly region from the comforts

holy place and a symbol of communal of Delhi, young man? I wanted to tell

harmony and also attracts people from him, perhaps the same passion that

other regions of the State and even brought him to Rajouri from the

outside it. comforts of Jammu!

I decided to see it for myself. What I have met him thrice, after my first

started as curiosity then in 2005, has meeting. I could see the same passion

Tracing a Revolution

D SUBA CHANDRAN Author is Consulting Editor of Epilogue Magazine and Deputy Director of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies


and energy in him. Some of his difficulties for the students educated Schools, including Computer Science,

detractors and critics may call him over from here. This did create problems for Applied Mathematics, Management,

powering and bulldozing, with what he students from here and also resulted in Bio-Sciences and Bio-technology.

wants to achieve. Perhaps, from whose creating both unemployment and under

angle you look at. What is important at employment. Bio sciences in particular, needs to be

the end, is he gets things done. Whether mentioned, for the faculty here – young

getting bricks for his buildings from and old, see it as a mission to make a

Jammu or faculty for his departments difference. While one cannot belittle

from far away place, he gets them done. the role played by the other

Four years after my first meeting, I see departments, bio-diversity project is

him with the same passion, sincerity special here, for it is unique and is well

and dedication to the University. I suited to this region. Funded by Ministry

sincerely think, it was his passion, that of Sciences and Techonology, and the

really moved the mountain here in Ministry of Forests and Environment,

Rajouri. Undoubtedly for him, BGSBU is the Center for Bio-Diversity has

his Taj Mahal. ambitious projects, including the Pir

Panjal Bio-diversity Park. As Prof Kaul

When I returned from my first trip, I was commented, there is certainly a need to

impressed with this new project, impart education on bio-diversity and

though I was not sure, how far this bio-resources, and need to add value to

initiative would succeed. I wrote an our bio-resources. No one can deny his

article in the Economic and Political point, that there is a need to wedlock

Weekly in 2006, titled Rajouri: Seeds of bio-diversity and bio-technology.

a Silent Revolution. Rajouri along with Assisted by young scientists like Dr

Poonch, two districts bordering LoC in Zarri, the “bird-man”, (I hope, he does

the Jammu region, till few years back not mind me calling him so!), this dream

was one of the most militancy infested is likely to realized at a faster pace.

regions of J&K State. There was a time,

the public feared to travel in the road What is more important about the

from Poonch to Rajouri via Surankote BGSBU is, the growth is not limited just

and Bafliaz, as the militants used to to two districts. Today there are

intercept them with ease. The pool, students from all over the region. As

from which the University could attract expected, the University has started

students to this remote region, was a attracting students from other regions

question. While there are degree of the State and country to Rajouri and

colleges teaching arts and science, both is also producing graduates who are

in Rajouri and Poonch, there are no Given the above problems, many were likely to be employed all over India and

technical courses at higher level. In critical of the future of BGSBU. But even outside. Like the IIT in Srinagar

most cases, courses on these subjects then, after five years, like New Delhi and the University in Jammu, BGSBSU

were not offered by local private metro network, this project has grown has now become a regional center of

institutions, which are recognized, nor at a much faster pace. In my 2005 learning; thus, a two way process has

have a reputation. Since these two article, I wrote, this university, with started and is a major milestone in

regions are backward and cut off from courses on information technology, integrating these two backward

the rest of J&K state and the country, nano technology and bio technology has districts with the rest of the State and

most of the students educated in degree the potential to change the outlook and also the country.

colleges remained inside. Besides, the future of young students from the

standard of education which is region. Though started in 2005, with Obviously, attracting students from comparatively lower also created only four departments, today it has five outside is not an easy task. There are

And I vividly remember my

first meeting of the Vice

Chancellor Mr Masud

Chaudhary; I was hoping to

see him in an air-conditioned

office, sitting in a huge well

cushioned seat. Instead, I met

him in a construction site,

what is now a faculty's

residence. He was sitting in a

stool, looking into the

construction of the building

and invited me with a nice big

smile. Even today, I recollect

his first question: What brings

you here, to an isolated hilly

region from the comforts of

Delhi, young man? I wanted

to tell him, perhaps the same

passion that brought him to

Rajouri from the comforts of

Jammu!



two important ingredients in attracting faced during its initial years, was how to they had decided to come to BGSBU, to

students from outside. First, the attract the best talents available to serve a cause. Not only the young, but

University should have adequate lead the courses. Undoubtedly, Rajouri some senior teachers, also are fired

infrastructure, to provide comfortable is one of the remotest regions even with the same zeal. For example, Prof

facilities for the students not only to inside the J&K state. It would take a Kaul, though retired from the Jammu

study, but also to enjoy their stay. With back breaking five hours journey from University, and taught bio-technology

no entertainment in the near visibility Jammu, which is the nearest town with his whole life, still wants to be a part of

(the University is 13 kms away from a railway station and an airport. this new initiative. For most of the

Rajouri town), students cannot be Security of the family and the future faculty, as Prof Dost Mohammad, the

expected to spend their time in a education of their wards are two issues Dean, another towering personality

University environment. that always dominate the minds of from Kashmir, commented, BGSBU was

faculty. their destiny. There is a missionary zeal

in them. The administration is aware of this

major expectation. Which is why, the

University has 24 hours internet Of course, there are other challenges.

connectivity with wireless facilities. To As I wrote in my earlier article in the

everyone's surprise, the hostels are Economic and Political Weekly, for

clean and their mess cleaner. Perhaps, making any institution of higher

this is one of the few University hostels learning a success, the educational

in the entire country, or perhaps even institutions at the lower levels – schools

South Asia, where the mess is equipped and colleges should provide the right

with a dish washer and a wash basin, inputs. The university teaching should

with flowing hot water in the taps, only shape and provide better teaching,

thanks to the geyser attached. Only but should not start from the scratch.

those who visited the University will While the educational standard in the

understand the problems in getting Valley in schools and colleges are

water to this place; it comes in trucks, comparatively better, Rajouri, Poonch

get filled in the huge tanks, from where and Doda districts remain abysmal in

it is distributed to various buildings and this regard. The recent years witnessed

hostels. There is a bank and a small opening of new colleges; today in

shopping complex. In terms of facilities, Rajouri and Poonch alone, there are six

what the BGSBU offer may not be equal degree colleges – two each in Mendhar

to what the other Universities offer; and Rajouri and one in Sundarbani and

there may not a Gol Market or an Apsara Poonch. The standard of these

theatre or a Dal lake near by, but BGSBU institutions along with that of the

has its own charm. Though some schools would form an essential Today, this concern is being addressed. students do complain about how they ingredient in making the BGSBU a Thanks to the initiative from the Vice feel isolated in the hills, most of the springboard for the students from this Chancellor, and also from the faculty, others do enjoy the natural beauty. region. If efforts are not taken at the who were willing to give up some of Surrounded by hills and away from the lower levels, the students would find it their other lucrative jobs elsewhere to mad rush and concrete jungles of other difficult to compete with the rest from come and work in this place. Take the cities, BGSBU is indeed a romance. One other parts of the State and country. case of the University's young guns – Dr has to feel this place and not read it! Ashfaq Ahmed Zarri, the environmental

Connectivity is a major issue. Unless the scientist or Dr Nisar Ahmed, the university is well linked with the outside The second important ingredient to sociologist/anthropologist. Both are world, it would be difficult to attract attract students from outside is the e x t r e m e l y c o m p e t e n t y o u n g both students and faculty, which would academic strength of faculty. One of the researchers, who could have gone form the core component for the major problem that the University anywhere, if they had wanted. But,

Some of his detractors and

critics may call him over

powering and bulldozing, with

what he wants to achieve.

Perhaps, from whose angle you

look at. What is important at

the end, is he gets things done.

Whether getting bricks for his

buildings from Jammu or

faculty for his departments

from far away place, he gets

them done. Four years after

my first meeting, I see him

with the same passion,

sincerity and dedication to the

University.



success of this new initiative. As of now, Amarnath yatra has become a huge This is where the BGSBU interaction

the only connection is the Jammu- success in the recent years; this region with the rest of civil society should

Poonch road; when compared to how it also has important religious shrines become even more intense. It should

was in 2005, the Jammu-Rajouri road including Shahdara Sharief, the shrine not be just students, courses such as

has considerably improved. It used to of Baba Ghulam Shah near Rajouri; and MBA, MCA and Bio-diversity Park. BGSBU

take almost five to six hours from Buddha Amarnath, the temple of Lord should become a platform and a

Jammu, which is only 160 kms away. Shiva near Poonch town. Besides these springboard for the growth of entire

Now the road is better and if one travels places of religious importance, the region. The State, could make a

by car, he can reach Jammu faster. But region also has important places of conscious effort in appointing its

still, the regular transport is a problem. historical significance – the forts of officials, who will be able to make use

The bus services need to be improved. Poonch, Dhani Dhar and Chingus in of the University. It is a mere

particular can be made into tourism coincidence, that Mr SD Singh Jamwal,

hubs. As of now, most of the historical an extremely capable and highly More importantly, the Mughal road enthusiastic young officer is made the needs to be completed. The DIG of Police. Not many would know, he governments of PDP and Congress has is a botanist and can contribute highly made the necessary investments; the to the bio-diversity park initiative of the NC government led by Omar Abdullah, BGSBU. Besides technical issues, the another youth icon, should take the BGSBU could also invest in social issues extra efforts to make this road and understand the social and tribal functional. This will make the travel issues, which are becoming increasingly from Kashmir Valley to Rajouri much important. Nisar Ahmed, the Deputy simpler and easier. Today, students from Registrar is an excellent sociologist, Srinagar, for example, have to travel all with his PhD on the tribes of Ladakh, the way to Jammu and then to Rajouri; whose expertise can be extremely if the Mughal Road becomes a reality, it useful in this field. should take maximum five to six hours

Bes ides , emot iona l and road to reach Kashmir University via Sophian

connectivity, there are two other and Bafliaz from BGSBU and vice-versa.

important factors, which needs to be This will make the BGSBU easily

addressed if this initiative needs to be accessible to the students from Kashmir

made into a revolution – internet Valley. As of now, from the Valley, it

connectivity and continuous electricity. would take almost one and half days to

On both these counts, both Rajouri and reach Rajouri.

Poonch districts remain poorly

equipped. Electricity remains a luxury Along with connecting these two forts are occupied by the security and both these districts remain in dark districts with the rest of the country, forces. The Chingus fort right on the for most of the working hours. Though the State government should also take Jammu-Rajouri road, where the Rajouri town is slightly better when efforts to develop tourism in the region. intestines of the Mughal emperor compared to Poonch, both the districts The more the region receives tourists, Jahangir is buried, now hosts 22 Punjab face these problems all over. No the higher the prospects of success of regiment. The Poonch fort, once a revolution could succeed, if there are BGSBU. Tourism would not only bring magnificent piece of architecture, was problems of connectivity. the people in, but would also integrate already in a dilapidated status, what

these two districts emotionally with the ever has been left was shattered by the Finally, if the present momentum of rest. This would remove any hesitation October 2005 earthquake. Mr Javed linking the two Kashmirs continues, in their minds in sending their children Khan, the CEO Tourism, another

to study here in Rajouri. Tourism, perhaps this university could even energetic person has a radical idea – to

especially religious tourism in J&K has revive the Mughal Road, all the way attract students from across the LoC.

been picking up in the recent years. from Agra up to Kashmir. When the University was started, the

As Prof Kaul commented, there

is certainly a need to impart

education on bio-diversity and

bio-resources, and need to add

value to our bio-resources. No

one can deny his point, that

there is a need to wedlock bio-

diversity and bio-technology.

Assisted by young scientists

like Dr Zarri, the “bird-man”,

(I hope, he does not mind me

calling him so!), this dream is

likely to realized at a faster

pace.



road between Poonch

and Rawlakot was not

opened. Today the

road is opened for the

divided families and

also for trade. More

than thousands of

people have visited

each other in this

region, across the LoC

in the last few years.

Though started very

recently, the cross-LoC

trade is picking up. The

latest exchange in May

2 0 0 9 a c r o s s t h e

C h a k a n - d a - B a g h

witnessed 39 trucks

cross the LoC, carrying

goods of more than one

c r o r e . T h e n e x t

obvious movement

across the LoC should

the students. There

a re no techn ica l

universities in PoK and

students have to travel

to Is lamabad and

Lahore. If the LoC

becomes soft, BGSBU is

only four hours away

from Chakan-da-Bagh.

In that case, this

u n i v e r s i t y w o u l d

revo lut ion i ze the

entire region and usher

the students of Jammu

and Kashmir into the

n e x t c e n t u r y o n

technological studies.

Undoubted ly, the

BGSBU revolution is

marching ahead. A

good beginning has

been made, but a long

way to go.

Attracting students from outside is not an easy task. There are two important

ingredients in attracting students from outside. First, the University should have

adequate infrastructure, to provide comfortable facilities for the students not only

to study, but also to enjoy their stay.

The second important ingredient to attract students from outside is the academic

strength of faculty. One of the major problem that the University faced during its

initial years, was how to attract the best talents available to lead the courses.

Today, this concern is being addressed. Thanks to the initiative from the Vice

Chancellor, and also from the faculty, who were willing to give up some of their

other lucrative jobs elsewhere to come and work in this place.



fter getting functional in 2005, BGSB University represents the fructification of a dream that was too big to be chased

and too exacting to be accomplished in a limited span of time. Barely in 8 months (December, 2004 to August, 2005) Athe barrenness and wilderness of Dhanore hills started stirring out of its all pervasive passivity into re-generational

activity whose powerful impact was felt in all parts of this beautiful montane state endowed with immense natural wealth

and huge human resource waiting to be tapped and directed towards its fuller commissioning. In these three years of

existence, the university has earned recognition from UGC and AICTE. On the basis of its outstanding performance, the

university is already the beneficiary of several high profile and prestigious research, extension and developmental projects

funded by the Ministry of Science & Technology (GOI), Ministry of Forests & Environment (GOI), Ministry of Textiles (GOI) and

the Ministry of Social Welfare (GOI). We believe we are already heading towards our cherished goals with the infrastructure

getting stronger and sturdier by the day, faculty getting highly competitive, and products getting absorbed in prestigious

institutions with a never look-back attitude. Thus the future is here with us. Our broad contours already having taken shape

point unmistakably to the larger horizons waiting to be explored and conquered. In fact a welt envisioned regime of

expansion and development is already in the process of unfolding which surely will lead to a bigger and brighter future of this

premier institute of higher learning.

Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University represents a symbol of hope for the entire backward region of Rajouri and Poonch,

which has remained perennially, neglected and marginalized, and has suffered considerable trauma during the three Indo-

Pak wars and nearly two decades of militancy. The region, reeling under educational backwardness, endemic poverty and

economic deprivation, deserved an institution of higher education since long. It has fructified only now. The newly

established university will promote education and usher social transformation, sensitise social psyche, guarantee social and

intellectual progress and serve as an antidote to the forces of disruption and chaos.

The BGSB University embraces Multiculturism, Multiethnicity and Multilinguism. It takes pride in being secular in character.

The far-reaching consequences of these rich traditions shall be a beacon lights for not only this region but the whole state,

nay the entire country. Modeled on the rich traditions of Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia, this is the fourth

minority university in row. Its role and relevance for boosting the literacy rate of the minorities, especially Muslims, and

underprivileged sections of the society calls for no explanation. In times to come this centre of higher learning shall,

hopefully, earn name and fame for its mission of promoting intellectual excellence irrespective of religious, ethnic or

regional affiliations.

The overriding objectives of the university are pursuit of excellence and conformation to the national pledge relating to

growth with justice. In this perception we are guided by the Nobel laureate Professor Amritaya Sen who makes remarkable

observation on the kind of symbiotic relationship that obtains between education and its beneficiaries, "Education builds

capabilities which empower people". Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University is a milestone in war against illiteracy, ignorance

and poverty. It is the platform wherefrom the journey towards intellectual advancement and self-sufficiency has been

launched.


Milestone

The War Against Illiteracy


HistoryBaba Ghulam Shah Badshah University,

nurtured by the Jammu & Kashmir Wakf

Council came into existence by the Baba

Ghulam Shah Badshah University Act No.

XVI 2002, of the Jammu & Kashmir

Legislative Assembly. The land for the

university was identified at Dhanore,

Rajouri, and actual possession handed

over in September/October, 2004. Mr.

Masud A. Chaudhary in whom an

academician has always been lying

dormant, was appointed as the founder

Vice Chancellor in October, 2004. By

disposition and his habit of being a

voracious and avid reader Mr.

Choudhary is a scholar and a researcher.

The act of switchover from a super cop

to an academician is no sudden

metamorphosis but the logical blooming means "Read in the name of God who has their single-minded devotion and of what already existed in him. He has

created all that exists." It reflects the dedication. They are our role models in done commendable indepth study

idealism for which the university the pious task of setting up yet another particularly of the tribals of Jammu &

stands. The objective identified for the centre of higher learning.Kashmir, which has culminated in the

university in the Act is to impart quality inception of the Gurjar Desh Charitable

education and undertake research in MissionTrust that has, over the years, acquired basic and job oriented courses. The

the stature of a nodal centre of research Establishment of BGSB University in the university is located at the slopes of and conservation of tribal heritage. most economically backward belt of the Dhanidhar, which is part of the majestic When the university existed only on J&K State is not an accident. It is Pir Panjal mountain range. The unique paper the then Chief Minister, Mufti deliberate. The university represents a geographical location, far from the Mohammad Syed, who was also the milestone in the war against illiteracy, maddening crowds of cities, offers ideal Chancellor of the University at that ignorance and poverty in which people ambience for teaching and learning. time, made a public statement on of these hinterlands are immersed. The less developed environment, away December 15, 2004 that the university Therefore, it is expected to contribute from the hustle and bustle of cities, will become functional from August towards sweeping away the cobwebs of lacking proper connectivity, electric 2005, when the first batch of students

stagnation, inertia and superstition and and water supply may seem some initial will be enrolled and regular teaching

usher in social transformation started. In order to achieve this target disadvantages but these were not nor

particularly in its catchment area. It has the faculty positions were advertised are so daunting that they cannot be

to take care of the educationally and and excellent faculty put in place in grappled with and finally overpowered.

economically backward minorities and August 2005. The first class lecture was What is required is sincerity of purpose

other weaker sections of the society. A delivered on August 29, 2005. By so and untiring zeal. The initial phase of

kind of symbiotic relationship exists doing the new born university Aligarh Muslim University and the Jamia between education and social well successfully fulfilled the commitment Milia have also been studded with being which the Nobel laureate that the Chancellor had made to the similar obstacles. We have learnt how Amritaya Sen explains by stating that, people of Rajouri. Sir Syed, Dr. Zakir Hussain and their "education builds capabilities which

con tempora r i e s ove rcame a l l empower people." The nearly 46% The motto of the university is "Iqra adversities one by one and succeeded in socially disadvantaged section of the Bism-e- Rabbik-al-Iazi Khalaqa" which founding great centres of learning with

SGBR EUTAEFLAICEPS B U N I V E R S I T YMilestone


total population of the twin districts of communities they have lagged hailstorms account for the moderate

Rajouri & Poonch has to be targeted, educationally as well as economically climate and serene ambience of the

and helped to come out of the quagmire for various reasons which is a matter of campus.

of inaction and ignorance, given skills serious concern. India cannot dream of

and the confidence to stand on their becoming an advanced nation unless all The university is spread over a fully feet to fight social injustice and win sections of society catch up with the fenced area of 8,012 kanals of which is a formidable task that requires t i m e . S o m e e m i n e n t I n d i a n undulating rocky slopes covered by oak-involvement of ignited minds. More educationists point out that the pine forests. A sizeable part of the than that it requires passion. "To participation of Indian Muslims in the campus is being developed into a achieve a goal what is needed is not only fields of higher education is dismal. Biodiversity Park with the aim of knowledge, but also passion, (which) Their representation is hopelessly low creating a repository of the fauna and should not be limited to the technical especially in science, technology, flora of the Pirpanjal mountain range aspects but (it) should also aim towards management and medical sciences, and its neighborhood. The physical creating a concern for the society with a because these fields are largely ignored landscape, such as hillocKs of all shapes view to finding positive solutions to by Muslim youth. and sizes, outcrops of rocks, lush green problems." Expansion of education slopes, profusion of native seasonal facilities will therefore, certainly lead to flowers and the commanding view of Location & Settingexpansion of social opportunities for all. sunrise and sunset are features that add

The University campus is located in the colour and beauty to the landscape of

lap of mighty snow covered mountains India is a country of more than 1 billion the campus. As of today, most part of

of Pirpanjal range at Dhanore, 9 Kms people. It is a country of immense the sprawling campus is still open; only

away from Rajouri town (latitude 33° diversity and pluralism. Muslims a small part has come under

23' N. longitude 74° 21' E.) at an altitude constitute, roughly 15% of the total construction.

of 9753.6 meters above the mean sea population of India and represent the

level. The climate of the place varies largest minority community. Compared Academic blocks: from subtropical to temperate. to their counterparts of other The university is running eight courses Frequent rains and occasional

under four different Schools of Studies,

namely School of Islamic Studies, School

of Biosciences & Biotechnology, School

of Mathematical Sciences and

Engineering and School of Management

Studies which are housed in separate

buildings covering total plinth area of

63,960 sqft. All buildings are well

lighted and well ventilated with

spacious lecture theaters, laboratories,

conference halls, toilets, faculty rooms

etc. The buildings have been raised in

tiers and designed tastefully with

manicured lawns attached to each.

Administrative blocks:

Two adjacent administrative blocks

house , the Vi ce Chance l lo r ' s

secretariat, Registry, office of

Controller of Examinations and the

Engineering Wing. Together, the two

blocks cover plinth area 9,956 sqft.



Boarding houses for girls and boys:

Being a residential university hostel

facility is made available on the campus

to all scholars. The hostels covering a

plinth area of 53,300 sqft accommodate

a total of 300 scholars. The rooms are

spacious, well ventilated, semi

furnished and double-bedded. Each

room has provision of ceiling fans, table

lights, internet etc. The hostels have

modern kitchen, recreation halls and a

set of modern bath and rest rooms.

Residential blocks/flats:

On campus accommodation is provided

to all members of teaching and most

officers of the non-teaching faculty in

bungalows and flats. Till date the

university has raised residential is popular as 'Sabrang' square. The shops of twenty gardeners who maintain road accommodation on plinth area of 46, in this complex keep open till very late side plantations and lawns attached to 725 sqft.in night to provide uninterrupted different blocks of the university. Every

service to resident students and staff. attempt is being made to blend the new Roads and Parking:plantation with the existing landscape. All administrative, academic and Ornamental annual flowers are being Helipad: residential blocks are connected with planted along the road network which The university is located away from the one another by a 5.5 km network of 20 impart beauty to the entire campus. town and the 9 km long, circuitous drive feet wide, motorable roads. Besides a The section maintains its own nursery from Rajouri town is time consuming centralized parking lot, parking lots are and polyhouses to multiply plants for and tiresome for V.I.P's who often visit also available with most of the teaching use in plantation.the campus. For them, as also for and administrative blocks. Ornamental

meeting any emergency, the helipad is a shade trees have been planted on road big boon.sides, which will add colour to the Services and amenities:

landscape and provide shade to the

pedestrians as they grow. After sunset Meteorological observatory: Health Centre: when the darkness descends on the The university is maintaining a The University maintains well-equipped terraced campus the serpentine roads Meteorological observatory at its health centre with qualified Medical with street lights and ornamental plants Centre for Biodiversity Studies to Officer, technical and nursing staff. The on either side are a sight to watch. collect data on weather for use in services of the Doctor and Health Hordes of students and members of the scientific studies and for the benefit of Centre available round the clock are faculty enjoy late evening stroll up and farmers and local populace. The provided free to the university staff and down the hillocks. weather report is broadcast daily from students.the local T.V. Channels.

Shopping malls: Bank: In order to make the campus self Arboriculture/Landscaping: A branch of The Jammu and Kashmir sufficient in respect of articles of daily The University maintains a full-fledged Bank has been established on the use, the university has constructed a Arboriculture section headed by a campus to facilitate bank transactions shopping complex on the campus which professional Horticulturist with a staff



by staff and students including the verge of real take off as it combines projects, one on creating a repository

educational loans. the virtues of classical reading with 21st of literature on Rajouri-Poonch belt

century technology. It is trying to reach and the other on Rare Arabic

out to members and create new ways to d o c u m e n t s a r e u n d e r t h e Post Office: fulfill their information requirement. consideration of Ministry of Culture, The campus post office is a great help to The library maintains a collection of Govt. of India for funding.students and teachers both.10,000 books, which are fully

classified as per Dewey Decimal Efforts are afoot to make the university Sports facilities (indoor and outdoor): S c h e m e o f c l a s s i f i c a t i o n . A library a house of wisdom where The university has made arrangements substantial collection of CD-ROMs knowledge will rest and be exploited to for indoor and outdoor sports activities and more than 120 online video its optimum with the help of efficient on the campus. Two big play grounds, l e c t u r e s o f w o r l d - r e n o w n e d library professionals.are being maintained for outdoor games universities are available in the which keep humming in the evenings.holding list. The library stands

Placement Cellregistered as an institutional member Guest House: Training and Placement Cell is an of DELNET through which members

The university has 3 guest houses, one integral part of the BGSB University are able to acquire any document, each at Jammu, Srinagar and Rajouri. s y s tem. I t ha s the requ i red except those pertaining to grey While the first two cater to the faculty infrastructure and manpower for literature, available in any library of and university guests in transit, the one effective interaction and functioning. South-Asia within a fortnight.at the campus is used as the Visitors Training activities are organized by the lodge. The guest houses are well Cell round the year to prepare

Records of documents available with furnished with spacious rooms and a prospective students for campus

the library have been made available in well kept lounge.selection programmes. The Placement

Common Communication Format (CCF) Cell coordinates with the corporate

for access to DELNET members world-STD/PCO facilities: sector and facil itates campus wide. The library subscribes to 25 online In order to ensure proper telephone selection. databases, a few electronic journals connectivity with different parts of the and print version of 49 national and country and abroad, the campus has the

The cell maintains cordial relationship international journals. It offers routine provision of STD and PCO which function with recruiting industries and library service like reprography, round the clock.prepares aspiring candidates to face circulation, reference, photostat, CD-the competitive world. In the global ROM browsing, online access and Security: economy every person is expected to internet facility to members. To keep Since the university campus is cut off be clear, correct and confident in his student members aware about current from the town, is montane and isolated speech and writing. This is not affairs the library subscribes to 12 daily the university has a full watch and ward possible without training learners newspapers and 20 magazines in three section of its own. Besides, there is also how to, draft a speech, overcome languages. SOUL (Software for a State Police Station.stage fright, modulate voice, use University Library) has been installed co r rec t po s tu re , app rop r i a te for automation of the library. Before

Transport facilities: gestures and proper eye contact. end of the year the library will put The University maintains a fleet of 10 With inputs from trainers and Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) four wheelers for use by the university extensive exercise attempts are on the university website.staff and students for movement in being made to impart to budding Rajouri and outside. professionals complete structure of

The library has received grants from E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e , f l a w l e s s

the Deptt. of Social Welfare, Govt. of pronunc iat ion and vocabulary Central Library Jammu & Kashmir under Book Bank development by utilizing proper The Library works under the supervision scheme for raising text book section technique of using dictionary, of Library Advisory Committee of which for use specially by students of the thesaurus and reverse dictionary.Vice Chancellor is the Chairman. It is at socially disadvantaged categories. Two



who travelled forward with unwavering riting a biographical resolve, never looked back when he account is the most took the proverbial first step forward. difficult job. There are His schooling happened in his native several challenges you W village- Kalaban- which lies in a remote have to see through, pocket of Poonch district (J&K). One several pitfalls you have to prevent can have a fair idea of how resilient and yourself from slipping into and of course progressive this man must have been in you have to put aside your personal likes his childhood who refused to have his and dislikes if you do not want to be spir its dampened by negative grossly misunderstood. Doing this kind influences like ages-old poverty and of tightrope walk is a difficult feat to backwardness which made a lethal mix accomplish and if all goes well there together with all-pervasive illiteracy may still be a section of readers who and ignorance. He decided to pursue take delight in finding meaning below higher studies which tossed him from the meaning and the connotation above the lonely and forlorn setting of the the connotation. In the observations village where he was born and schooled below, such concerns have been quite as a young boy to the covetous environs central to this exercise.of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)

where he pursued higher studies as The Man: Fuller understanding of a Bachelor in Law and obtained his degree person comes from close encounters. It tagged with distinction.also requires association extending

back in time that gives you a fair idea of That brought him to a point in his the social background that the person evolution where he had to take up a has acquired through the principle of profession which would respond to his descendence, the barriers and inner urge for helping and serving fellow handicaps he has succeeded in getting human beings and would give him an across and the signposts which s/he has opportunity to wage a war on injustice conquered, retained, built upon and and inequalities which happened to be strengthened by the prowess of his/her

the main stumbling blocks in the way of character and person. Here the

progress and prosperity. Though he had noteworthy observation is that this man

Knowing is not the same as understanding him

Masud A Choudhary, Vice Chancellor BGSB University, has lived life at his own terms. He is silently doing as a matter of faith what others of his species may die to flaunt. All these years he has fattened the account of his achievements without making a fuss about the same. The act of switch-over from a super cop to an academician is no sudden metamorphosis of his personality but the logical blooming of what was already existing in him. Some glimpses of this legend of a person.


The Man Who Moved The Mountains

MY TAINGAuthor is a widely celebrated litterateur; known, among other things for being amanuensis of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s Biography Aatish-e-Chinar. He is recipient of Padma Shri, one of the highest Indian Civilian Awards


immense greed for knowledge and

learning, yet his abundant energy

prompted him to join Jammu & Kashmir

Police as Deputy Superintendent of

Police. His own academic interests

could wait but not the zeal for helping

fellow human beings in distress and in

need of relief and help. In fact so

eventful and distinguished was his

career as a police officer that he was

almost literally handpicked for core

postings like Superintendent of Police in

almost every district of the state

followed by an equally meaningful

innings as DIG Jammu-Kathua Range

followed by equally important postings

a DIG in State Vigilance Organization.

Next came his elevation to the rank of

Inspector General of Police and he

became the founder Director of Sher-i-

Kashmir Police Academy, Udhampur. He

brought innovation and ingenuity to this

apex institution. This posting came at a

time when Jammu & Kashmir was

already aflame with militancy. Upon his

shoulders rested the responsibility of

training a police that could bare its

teeth to bite deep into the scourge of

militancy. One cannot omit the mention

of the fact here that at the onset of

mi l i tancy he was the Sen ior

Superintendent of Police, Srinagar and

this certainly gave him his cues as to

what is required in police force by way contributing unselfishly to the human This is Trust today represents the of providing them an edge in counter- society in fields as varied and diverse as dreams, hopes and aspirations of nearly insurgency operations. Nothing 15 million Gujjars living in different education, healthcare or social welfare outmatches his superb professionalism parts of Jammu & Kashmir. Himself or by preparing an even turf for the in this respect. belonging to this ethnic community, p re se rva t i on , p ro tec t i on and

Masud Choudhary infused new levels of propagation of our ancient art, culture The Mission: We live life with some kind confidence, kindled new hopes and and literature in order to prevent it from of mission to provide it substance and provided new direction to their slipping into obscurity. Slowly making his meaning. All well-meaning people have a unexplored potential and energy. It is way to the top echelons of police

under his visionary and inspiring core ideology which they cherish, hierarchy and superannuating as leadership that the whole of Gujjar propagate and popularize among the Additional Director General o0f Police- community has been fired with the zeal masses for improving the quality of life of the only Gujjar tribal to achieve this of shedding the baggage of the past and their fellow human species. Some preach distinction thus far- Masud busied taking substantial steps in the direction peace, others spread gospel of love and himself with social service way back in of fighting out poverty, illiteracy and brotherhood whereas there are those 1992 when he founded the Gurjardesh backwardness which have traditionally who believe in action-oriented life, Charitable Trust, Jammu.

Some preach peace, others spread gospel of love and brotherhood

whereas there are those who believe in action-oriented life,

contributing unselfishly to the human society in fields as varied and

diverse as education, healthcare or social welfare or by preparing an

even turf for the preservation, protection and propagation of our

ancient art, culture and literature in order to prevent it from

slipping into obscurity. Slowly making his way to the top echelons

of police hierarchy and superannuating as Additional Director

General of Police- the only Gujjar tribal to achieve this distinction

thus far- Masud busied himself with social service way back in

1992 when he founded the Gurjardesh Charitable Trust, Jammu.

SGBR EUTAEFLAICEPS B U N I V E R S I T YThe Man Who Moved The Mountains


kept this community neglected and cultivate the culture of excellence and is again a big achievement for this

marginal ized. Through several competent enough to withstand and university to have attained 100% mark

programmes and projects launched by h o l d u n t o t h e p r e s s u r e s o f in placements for its maiden batch and

GDCT, Masud has been instrumental in globalization. Finally, making the then keeping up this tradition till date

giving a sense of self-respect to the with big corporates already evincing

members of the community. The major keen interest in our products.

plank of his fight against rampant

backwardness in the community has Whether it was the setting up of BGSB been education. Himself an avid reader University or the cultivation, grooming and a staunch believer in the all- or strengthening of GDCT, the struggle powerfulness of education, he focused that had to be undergone was heroic. his primary attention on the education For example BGSB has trundled its was of this community. The Founder Vice ahead in the face of severe financial Chancellor of Baba Ghulam Shah crunch which it has been able to Badshah University (BGSBU)- he got squeeze through amidst great odds this assignment owing to his undeterred, unfettered and unfazed. It monumental contribution to the is quite natural to have a respectable cause of popularization of education financial base which alone can sustain among tribals and other weaker globally competent institutions of sections of the society- he has the higher education. Here in BGSB crowning distinction of having set up University what he had on his side was the said university in barely 08 months, the clarity of vision, the will to perform a fact that sounds as incredible as it is and the determination to deliver. A real. One who is familiar with the sound financial position wasn't perhaps terrain where BGSB University has come on his side which is eloquently up, would certainly bite his tongue discernible from the fact that other under his cheeks on seeing so much sister universities in the state are done in so little a span of time. Add to getting a steady and uninterrupted this the fact that the university had to inflow of finances which is at the back of be created from a shoestring budget the gusto and speed with which they amidst a difficult terrain where even are coming up, growing up and link roads weren't available, where expanding. The wizardry this man has there was no electricity and where been able to do is that the relevance of drinking water facility still needs finances has been relegated to the considerable augmentation. However, background without letting stagnation the will to deliver and to perform campus enticingly tempting for the come anywhere near this fast growing remained unwavering and resolute. admission seekers which carried with it and evolving university.Close on heels with these challenges the need of quality maintenance which was the more daunting job of arranging could lead to suitable placements of Almost identical has been the position a competent faculty strong enough to young professionals, was no easy job. It at GDCT where funds didn't trickle in

“I have known Masud A. Choudhary for years now and his active role in the Trust has

brought it where it is. One can hardly imagine miracles happening but he is the man who

can perhaps make the impossible happen, barriers fall and road to progress smoothened by

the sheer determination and unwillingness to give up under even the most unfavorable

conditions” Dr. Farooq Abdullah

The Founder Vice Chancellor

of Baba Ghulam Shah

Badshah University

(BGSBU)- he got this

assignment owing to his

monumental contribution to

the cause of popularization of

education among tribals and

other weaker sections of the

society- he has the crowning

distinction of having set up the

said university in barely 08

months, a fact that sounds as

incredible as it is real. One

who is familiar with the

terrain where BGSB

University has come up, would

certainly bite his tongue under

his cheeks on seeing so much

done in so little a span of

time.



natural course but had to be managed complete dismantling and obviously, challenges. That after those tiring and

with considerable effort and self-help. overhauling. Making BGSB University a turbulent years in police service

Generous donations that have come in hub of knowledge and excellence was spanning over nearly four decades, he

from time to time from individuals, uppermost in his mind and that was still had the courage to raise a

institutions and government have possible to achieve only by making this university from ground-zero only shows

proved unequal to the ever growing university compatible with the present his academic interests which remained

needs of this premier institution. This needs and requirements of higher unfazed and undiminished even in spite

man however cruised through all kinds education by making the right choices. of an exacting and draining work

of rough weather with admirable poise, It was a measure of far-sightedness that schedule as a police officer. Add to this

courage and grace. Untiring efforts and subjects like Biotechnology and the fact that he has contributed

a great degree of determination Nanotechnology were short-listed for mightily towards making GDCT a

coupled with the dynamic leadership of their early introduction in this premier powerful platform for addressing the

Shri Choudhary have resulted in GDCT institute of higher learning. It was most pressing concerns of Gujjar thraising an impressive Cultural Complex community, and you get the insight of a strongly felt that as the 20 century was

stwhich is going to be a magnificent person who has numerous layers to his the century of physics, 21 century addition to the efforts that have so far multi-dimensional personality than could well be the century of Bio- been pioneered by GDCT in preserving, what actually meet the eye.sciences. A big dream after all is the promoting and showcasing the rich substratum of all big achievements. It is cultural heritage of tribals of J&K in in adherence to this line of thinking that This will not be possible to draw the general and of Gujjars, in particular. the university today has Centre for finishing line anywhere near this iconic

Biodiversity Studies (CBS) which is figure. He is full of love and sympathy thick in R&D activity. This effort has Looking Beyond: Finding solutions to for fellow human beings, is soft-spoken, quite deservedly attracted national problems at hand is not the same as has highest levels of commitment, is a attention with accolades pouring in imagining the future set of challenges man with depth and incisive vision, is from the Ministries of Science & and then putting into shape your endowed with discreet decision-making Technology, HRD, GOI.defense systems. With rare penchant and is imbued in the rich traditions of

for looking into future and meticulously our social, cultural and religious fine-tuning the requirements of the Prominent Attributes: Three things pluralism He is open to well-meaning times ahead, Masud Choudhary poured come out prominently in Masud suggestions and opinions but when it his days and nights trying to close in Choudhary that makes him what he is- a comes to implementing something on upon the best options BGSB University deep seated love for education, the ground he is the one who wouldn't could exercise in order to attune it with preparedness to sacrifice his comfort show any signs of dithering. One reason the requirements of the present and the and convenience and ability to lock why his decision-making is so flawless is challenges of the future. There were horns with even the most obdurate of that he believes in extensive homework some rickety attempts prior to his the challenges. His vast administrative and broadening the scope of the process appointment as Vice Chancellor of this e x p e r i e n c e c o m e s f r o m h i s as far as possible in order to incorporate university, to sketch the roadmap of the distinguished career as a police officer all shades of opinion and to include the development of this institution. This who never threw up his hands in despair whole multiplicity of concerns. When it was a half-hearted exercise that need even in the face of most daunting comes to the churning of all the inputs,

“GDCT has all along done a commendable job under the visionary leadership of Masud A

Choudhary during decade and a half of its meaningful contribution towards the cause of

Gujjars in Jammu & Kashmir. Through his exemplary deftness in visualizing the existing as

well as future needs of the community and by sweating out on several progressive

programmes and policies of GDCT, he has symbolically been the most powerful ideological

pillar of strength behind the achievements of this NGO” Mufti Mohammad Sayeed



his decisions naturally have the strength I had the very natural hesitation in renaissance of this wonderful

and infallibility that is above all doubts trying to reduce into some paragraphs community which after losing its pre-

and misgivings. His decisions being the or pages the outstanding attributes of eminent place because of illogical

decisions most sagaciously taken always the rich and dynamic personality of Shri viscissitudes of history is again rising

find popular backing and hence prompt Masud A Choudhary. I know the and asserting its dignity.

implementation. He is not the one who limitations and pitfalls of my brief. But

would talk harsh to anyone but through if I have been able to reproduce the Mir Taqi Mir seems to be very relevant, unspoken gestures and some spoken facts as they are without allowing any while taking a quote to illustrate the nothings would convey his displeasure. imaginary content to creep in, I believe accomplishment of Choudhary Sahib.He would prefer to laugh away an I have been able to do my job well. I

unintentional mistake of a junior rather intentionally omitted the mention of The Plaudits: Masud Choudhary has than frown or squeak in anger. All these numerous awards and decorations been the very epitome of success, qualities add up to the depth and which have come his way as a police sacrifice and selfless service all these richness of his multidimensional officer, including Presidents award for years of his eventful life and career. personality. meritorious services, for the simple Head and shoulders above everything

reason that I didn't want the readers to The Profile: Profiling of this be- else, he has been a creative and get burdened with such high-profile spectacled, short-statured, soft- innovative mind devoted to the well-attributes which tend to downplay even spoken, sober, energetic giant of a being of fellow human beings. His more refreshing shades of his person, would perhaps run into many contribution to the Gujjar community personality that will remain a huge more pages but that is not our purpose and their most outstanding concerns has gold-mine for me from where to have here. We aren't endorsing through this simply been superb and brooks no my peck as I need, when I need and for paper someone who deserves to be eyed c om p a r i s on w i t h a n y o f h i s all the reasons and seasons I need.by some political party to lead the contemporaries. Here are some of the

Gujjar community, nor is it our intention observations of the two former Chief to portray this man all in the pink to Masud Choudhary has a God given gift of Ministers of Jammu & Kashmir:make him a hot selling commodity. It is emerging as a leader of Men. This has just a small tribute to a matchless enabled him to create a dedicated and For a man of such substance and stature person that Masud Choudhary is. The devoted circle of comrades around him. one cannot perhaps wish success as one boundaries of his outlook are difficult to What is remarkable is that this is an would ordinarily do because he has seen delineate. However, one certainly can extension of his affable and inspiring and experienced success in such an have glimpses of his personality from persona. He has not used this gift for a abundance that he may not be needing three different angles- Masud personal or political gain but it any more. Such iconic figures are the Choudhary, the Top Cop, Masud channelized it for Institution Building. pride of the society of which they are a Choudhary, the Academician and Masud This peculiar trait is reflected into the part and with which they so gladly Choudhary the Socio-cultural activist. emergence and consolidation of world's relate themselves. What one can In all these areas his contribution is not first and truly unique institution of sincerely wish and pray for is his health only immense but exemplary and Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust. There and a lot more to happen through him inspiring. should be no doubt that it heralds the for the good of the fellow human beings!

“He is full of energy and courage. Endowed with vision and armed with untiring spirit

to work selflessly for fellow human beings is his outstanding attribute. I wish him success

and more success in all the ventures he undertakes”Ghulam Nabi Azad



Computer Sciences through its various aba Ghulam Shah Badshah Schools of Studies. Apart from these the University is an upcoming center B Centre for Biodiversity Studies 'CBS' was of learning, knowledge and created with for as a vision for intellect in the state located amidst the promoting biodiversity research, towering ranges of Pir Panjal mountains conservation and extension education. in District Rajouri. Keeping pace with

the times the University has opened up In order to facilitate the link between new vistas for academia and students pure and applied aspects of science alike in the field of Biological Sciences, with issues of concern to of this region, I n f o r m a t i o n Te c h n o l o g y, A p . the CBS Centre has been working Mathematics, Business Studies, relentlessly in this direction through Engineering & Technology and

Empowering Women in Neighbourhood

DR ASHFAQ ZARRIAuthor is a scientist, also taking care of administrative affairs at BGSB University, Rajouri


Story of Change


several strategies. Community learning and analysis among local given motivational and orientation

participation is an integral part of people rural womenfolk. This approach lectures to encourage them for carrying

development programmes and has been has assumed the shape of a dynamic activities throughout the year so that

touted as a major booster of socio- process where all members are trained they develop a better understanding of

economic progress of a region. One such to contribute towards attainment of the essence of the programme and the

programme launched in 2007 is common objectives, and share the possible hindrances which they might

currently running as a full fledged benefit of knowledge and experience. face upon implementation of the

project sponsored by The Department In order to carry out the various activity as an enterprise.

of Biotechnology, Union Ministry of activities under this scheme the initial

Science and Technology has approved step was a socio-economic survey of Income Generating Training and sponsored funded a project entitled targeted famil ies fol lowed by Activities “Bioresource-based training of rural establishment of infrastructure for

Details of the Activities women of District Rajouri-hinterland of conducting training workshops. The

Ours is principally an agricultural nation J&K”. The project aims to create means programme is based on land ownership

and about 70% of the population is of sustainable livelihood for rural status of each family. For example e.g.

dependent on agriculture. According to women for their empowerment and if a woman owns a substantial area of

statistics, women comprise about 60% livelihood security. which is fully land, she can cultivate medicinal and

of rural population and their operational today in the Centre. The aromatic plants or venture into

contribution towards labour force is 60-project would aims to benefit a total of floriculture. In case she does not have

70%. Today the need of the hour is to around 7240 women belonging to from any substantial land holding she can

develop infrastructure for income-ten villages adjoining BGSB University take up mushroom cultivation or quail

generating activities such as mushroom Campus by imparting training in various farming as a viable enterprise. Biocrafts

cultivation, floriculture, biocrafts etc., non-traditional activities such as based on wood work can also be a

which would automatically pave way mushroom cultivation, cultivation of feasible option for them Timing of

for economic progress and livelihood medicinal and aromatic plants, scheduled training programme has been

security for the women. The activities floriculture, vermicomposting, quail set up from 11 AM to 2 PM in the

detailed below are cost-effective, farming and Biocrafts. afternoon, which is generally the time

profitable and have the potential of of leisure from household work.

generating round the year employment. Since The major source of income of Participation certificates and stipends

The trainees selected for the different people of this e poverty torn region is (Rs/-800 per month) are provided to

training programmes are womenfolk rain-fed agriculture, which is rain-fed, the trainees and a portion of this money

belonging to different age groups from and livestock rearing, the . The project be kept aside as seed money to help

nearby and adjoining villages . After aims at socio-economic upliftment of them in setting up their own enterprise

enrollment they are taught the nuances the local populace rural women by after completion of training. In addition

of different activities through training them in income generating to training the womenfolk in various

classroom teaching, demonstrations, activities as mentioned above using non-traditional activities they are

field trips etc. In addition the women low-cost technologies and locally familiarized with the concepts of

are familiarized with concepts of available bioresources. This in turn is entrepreneurship, marketing and

marketing, finances, co-operatives etc. aimed at reducing anthropogenic cooperatives. The role of cooperatives

apart from orientation and motivational pressures on forests, which are an in fixing the sale price of the produce

lectures by the trainers and guest integral part of livelihood of the people. and efforts to reduce marketing cost to

experts.boost the demand has been worked out.

Approach An additional step is training the

Mushroom cultivation An extensive participatory rural womenfolk the techniques of packing

Mushrooms represent a delicacy, which appraisal approach was adopted and processing the produce in an

is in great demand in the country. through the project to facilitate shared appealing way. Finally the women are

Mushrooms are not only excellent

SGBR EUTAEFLAICEPS B U N I V E R S I T YStory of Change


sources of protein but also have good medicinal and aromatic plants and Biocrafts

prospects as an enterprise. Mushrooms floriculture can be a feasible One of the most famous crafts of the

are consumed on a large scale in the alternative for the local populace. region is Chikri Wood Craft, which is

region by the local populace. Around Around eighty women have so far been based on wood of Bauxus wallichiana .

eighty women of nearby villages have trained in cultivation of important designing Beautiful artifacts and articles

been trained in cultivation of Dhingri flowering plants such as Sword lily such as combs, ladles, decorative items

mushroom (Pleurotus sp.) Milky Wwhite (G l ad i o l u s s p . ) , Ra jn i g andha etc. with intricate patterns and a fine

Mmushroom (Calocybe indica) and (Polianthes sp.), Marigold (Tagetes finish are designed .. Some of the popular

Button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) by sp.), Tuberose (Polianthes sp.), articles are combs, ladles, decorative

standard methods. The selected species Chrysanthemum, Rose etc. and items etc. whichThese have a good

are easy to grow, fasst-yielding and medicinal and aromatic plants such as market in the state and country due to

requ i re min imum investment. Sadasuhagan (Catharanthus sp.), Bach their uniqueness and craftsmanship..

Agricultural waste or residues can be (Acorus calamus), Tulsi (Ocimum Around eighty forty women have been

utilized as substrate for mushroom sanctum), Kwadgandhal (Aloe vera), trained in wood, wool and straw based

cultivation. Datura (Datura sp.), Pudina (Mentha crafts and a large number of aesthetic

sp.) etc. Vermicompost can be applied and unique artifacts have been created

Floriculture, medicinal and aromatic as a supplement with fertilizers or as by the trainees. The difficult terrain and

p l a n t s c u l t i v a t i o n a n d such in f lo r i cu l tu re and fo r climatic conditions of the region during

vermicomposting. Given the socio- cultivation of medicinal and aromatic winters make venturing out difficult. In

economic conditions of the farmers, plants besides agriculture. Women such a situation the womenfolk can work

rain-fed character of farming and have been taught about the process of at home and sell their products in the

problems of soil erosion in the hilly m a k i n g v e r m i c o m p o s t b y local market.

terrain of this region low productivity demonstrations in pits, containers and

and poverty are major issues. To a concrete tank specifically designed Quail farming

overcome these hurdles cultivation of for the purpose The climate of Rajouri is suitable for


Rural women of Rajouri gathered for a training at BGSBU Campus.


breeding and rearing of Japanese quail financial help etc. An effort is being position of women and all possible

(Coturnix coturnix japonica) , which in made to sort out these on a priority hindrances which might come during

turn can become a lucrative enterprise basis. Besides a strategy has been t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f s u c h

for the local people due to the fast worked out to facilitate the process of programmes. A collaborative effort on

growth and reproduction. Besides land availing providing subsidized loans or part of the government and people to

holding is not a pre-requisite for the any other financial help in the form of design, implement and encourage

activity hence its implementation is micro-credit schemes to the villagers. strategies to create various means of

easy. Forty women have so far been livelihood by linking agro ecosystem

trained in quail farming and have been In addition trainees and technical knowledge with bio-resources would go

apprised about the nutritional manuals in Urdu and English languages a long way for overall economic

importance of the bird. have been designed and distributed progress and sustainability.

among the trainees for their benefit.

Expected Dividends Apart from all this the preparation of a

The schemes launched with the aim of guide to sustainable livelihood is

rural women empowerment intend to currently under process the purpose of

provide round the year gainful which is to popularize the above

employment, increased family income mentioned activities as a source of

and economic independence of the livelihood security.

women. Success of the schemes can be

assessed by a comparison of pre and The Honourable Vice-Chancellor of the

post implementation survey of the University Jenab Masud A. Chaudhary

economic status of each family. Besides Need for an integrated approach

this, setting up of spawn production

units, nurseries of medicinal and The current policies of the government

aromatic plants etc. can symbolize aim to impart resilience to the

success of the project. The vision production system with active

behind the schemes is to promote cooperation of various sections of the

diversified and value-added agriculture society especially women. The various

where incentives and technical programmes focus on aspects such as

messages would merge leading to value-addition, diversification, micro-

promotion and adoption of full package enterprising and special provision for

of the recommended practices in the landless, asset less and other

adopted trades. economically or socially disadvantaged

families. National Bank for Agriculture

Follow up programmes and Rural Development (NABARD) and

Since the first year of the project is various NGO's have started self-help

complete a post-training survey has groups in various villages where

been conducted in the villages through womenfolk are motivated to engage in

a feed back questionnaire to have a economically viable activities. Various

first-hand account of the problems Agricultural Universities and Krishi

which the women are facing in order to Vigyan Kendras (KVK's) conduct training

start their own enterprise. After the programmes for rural women to impart

interaction with the villagers a couple sc ient i f ic - t ra in ing of income-

of issues came to light which are a generating activities. An overall

hindrance in starting an enterprise for assessment of various development

e.g. scarcity of water, supply of spawn, programmes would highlight actual [email protected]




What they said to us

CHOUDHARY MOHAMMAD ASLAM (Congress) MLA Surankote

t is a matter of pride and prestige for having Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in our Iregion which is considered to be the most backward and neglected region of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The University which is named after famous Sufi Saints Shrine (Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah) is located at Rajouri (foot hills) having a green campuse.

Surrounding with snow-capped peaks of the mighty himalaya, rich biodiversity and valuable agri-diversity make entire Rajouri-Poonch region a nature lovers paradise. The teaching programmes designed by various Academic bodies of the University are interactive, flexible and are directed towards helping learners to gain the ability to confidently and effectively answer real life challenges. The University has different departments include Academics, faculties, central library, in-campus hostel, shopping mall, placement cell, references and external links. The University imparts technical education through the academic divisions like School of Management studies, Mathematical studies, Islamic studies, Bio-sciences and bio-technology, health care and pharmacy etc. Its central library has collection about 8000 Books and journals approx and members 500 appox. The students have been benefited by the opening of this University in the region which not only cater the local students, but students from other parts of the country as well. Masood Choudhary, the former Director General of police and the present Vice-Chancellor of BGSBU is truly a man of honesty and integrity under whose guidance the University is progressing by leaps and bounds and is truly becoming one of the truly professional University of the country.

This region has also come up on global website after opening of varsity in the region. One can search on website about the location and other things regarding the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University. The Rajouri-Poonch region has come up on world map. In addition to the congenial academic environment, the University has also created necessary facilities for recreation, sporting events and all round personality development of its students. The University has many challenges ahead and under the able supervision of Masud Choudhary, it will overcome those challenges and will give tough competition to other varsities of the country in terms of providing quality education to the students.


SGBR EUTAEFLAICEPS B U N I V E R S I T YWhat they said to us

ZULFIKAR CHOUDHARY ALI

MLA (PDP) Darhal

M.R. QURESHI

MLC (NC) Poonch

aba Ghulam Shah Badshah University is a pillar of light in Poonch-Rajouri region. The university Bwhich was established five years ago in the region will go global in the time to come. Our region which is considered to be neglected and backward has now started becoming more aware towards education after opening of Baba Ghulam shah Badshah University in the region. Its campus which is located at the foothills of the great Himalayan. Pir Panchal range in Rajouri, is 154 kms from jammu, meandering the way by the sparkling streams through the thick pine forests make the three hours journey a mesmerizing experience. The local students of the region for which the 25% seats are reserved are getting quality education at the doorsteps. Local populace has got enourmous benefit by opening of this varisity. This university has tremendous potential and will continue to grow and in the short span of period ,this university made lot of achievements and will touch the sky by providing quality education to the students of the region. The university campus has excellent hostel facilities for boys as well as for girls. The hostel with homely environment, well furnished and well ventilated rooms is located in eco-friendly, pollution free scenic setting on a flat stretch of land vanishing into ascendant chain of pine covered hills with a gurgling and foaming brook in the front. Facilities like computer room with internet connectivity, 24 hours power supply, indoor games, common room; canteen service, are the other features of the university. Overall Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University is a boon for the Poonch-Rajouri region, which remained neglected for so many long years. Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party Patron Mufti Mohd Sayeed has contributed a lot for upbringing of the university during his tenure as the chief minister of the state. Line of control (LoC) will become irrelevant in the time to come and this university will impart education to all those who are interested in taking education from this varsity which will benefit them in long way. As far as the role of the Vice Chancellor of the university Masud Choudhary is concerned, he is the man behind this concept and has done lot of work for upliflifting of this university. Initially there were apprehensions about his role as a Vice Chancellor of this prestigious university as he was not an academician, nor had any experience regarding education, inspite of serving most of his service in police he came out with flying colours and proved himself as an able administrator and brought many glories for the university. With his honesty and dedication, Masud Choudhary today not only made the name of university famous, but the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which is known for its beauty all over the world.

arlier, it used to be difficult for the students of the region to get admission in Jammu University and that too traveling Elong distances too. Now when the varsity has come up at stones throw distance, it has brought smile and cheers on the faces of students who wanted to do Post graduation courses. This region has also come up on global website after opening of the varsity in the region. One can search on website about the location and other things regarding the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University. The Rajouri-Poonch region has come up on world map. In addition to the congenial academic environment the University has also created necessary facilities for recreation, sporting events and all round personality development of its students. The campus with its lush green surroundings, swaying fields, blossom laden trees, provides a highly conducive environment for academic as well as recreational activities. The University takes pride in having developing co-operative and participative work culture. The Vice-Chancellor Masud Choudhary of BGSBU is doing commendable job. Earlier people having inhibitions about how a super cop can be a good academician. But his work has silenced everyone's voice.

The University has different departments Academics, faculties, central library, in-campus hostel, shopping mall, placement cell, references and external links. The University imparts technical education through the academic divisions like School of Management studies, Mathematical studies, Islamic studies, Bio-sciences and bio-technology, health care and pharmacy etc.


SGBR EUTAEFLAICEPS B U N I V E R S I T YWhat they said to us

he motto of the University is "Iqra Bism-e- Rabbik-al-Lazi TKhalaqa" which means reads in the name of your Lord who has created (all that exists). It reflects the vision and idealism for which the University stands. The University has launched post graduate teaching programmes in Business Management, Computer Sciences, Information technology, Arabic, Applied mathematics and B.Tech in electronics and communication, computer sciences and engineering and Information technology. Our district which is considered as the Backward district will get benefited by setting up of this University. Earlier, students who live in Rajouri, Poonch, Mendhar, Darhal, Surankote, Kalakote, Nowshera, Sunderbani had to come Jammu to impart post-graduation education. Now it is easy for them to get technical education in their own region. Locals as well as those living in far off places like Jammu, Srinagar, Leh or in any part of country can get admission in Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University and then can serve in any party of country or world. This university means a lot for a region and it will grow from strength to strength in the time to come. In addition to the congenial academic environment the University has also created necessary facilities for recreation, sporting events and all round personality development of its students. The campus with its lush green surroundings, swaying fields, blossom laden trees, provides a highly conducive environment for academic as well as recreational activities. The University takes pride in having development co-operative and participate work culture. The main contribution of setting this historic university goes to the Vice Chancellor Masood Choudhary, without him it was just not possible. He has really worked hard to get this dream into reality and still right from its inception, Choudhary Sahib is striving hard to make it a truly global university where every subject faculty can be taught.

y providing quality education to the students of the region, BBaba Ghulam Shah Badshah University is doing a highly commendable job. As it is an old saying" if attaining education, your are supposed to go to china, without any hinderance, you should go to get education. By opening of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University it has opened a new chapter in the history of Rajouri-Poonch region, which remain a backward and neglected area from the last 60 years. The students faced lot of difficulties in attaining their postgraduate courses. Now when BGSBU has opened its campus in Rajouri with faculties like Mathematical sciences and Engineering, Master in Computer application, Master of Science in Information technology, Master of Applied Mathematics, Management studies, MBA, MFM, Health care, Islamic studies, Computer sciences, Bio sciences and Bio-technologies, Electronics and communication engineering and Information technology, it has provided greet opportunity not only for the students of Rajouri, but for its neighbourhood and far flung areas to attain quality and higher education without moving out of their region. Earlier, there was no such facility in entire Rajouri-Poonch region, but now, BGSBU has built up an excellent academic infrastructure in the form of teaching faculty, computerized labs, 24 hrs wi-fi internet facility. The teaching and research is promoted through modem technological aids with

all the departments being provided with independent computer and LCD facilities. I cannot stop by pen without praising the excellent work done by Vice-Chancellor of the University, Masud Choudhary, without him, it was not possible to get the desired results within a short span of period. The students living in a far-flung areas of Rajorui-Poonch region got maximum benefits with the opening of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University and is situated at an ideal place at the foot hills of Pir Panchal range. The students from other parts of the country are imparting education from this university.

SHABIR AHMED KHAN

MLA (Congress) Rajouri

JAVED RANA

MLC (NC) Mendhar

AIJAZ JAN

MLA (NC) Poonchverall educational scenario in the region after opening of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University has changed dramatically and Oin the region in which university is located has rich geographic, climatic and culture diversity. The teaching programmes

designed by various Academic bodies of the University are interactive, flexible and hands on directed towards helping learners to gain the ability to confidently and effectively answer real life challenges. This university means lot to the region as it generates employment avenues to the local populace besides giving all kinds of education to the people who live in region. This University has built up an excellent academic infrastructure in the form of teaching faculty, computerized labs, 24 hours wi-fi internet facility. The teaching and research is promoted through modem technological aids with all the departments being provided with independent computer and LCD facilities. The University takes pride in having developed co-operative and participate work culture and in the longer run, it will help the twin border distts of Rajouri and Poonch. The Vice-chancellor, BGSBU, Masud Choudhary has done remarkable achievement and full credit goes to him in creating such kind of University in the region. The campus has excellent hostel facilities for boys as well as girls. The hostel with homely environment, well furnished and well ventilated rooms is located in eco-friendly, pollution free scenic setting on a flat stretch of land vanishing into ascendant chain of pine-covered hills with a gurgling and foaming brook in the front. Facilities power supply, indoor games, common room, canteen service are the other feature of the hostel. Overall, BGSBU is a boon for the region which remained neglected for so many long years.

In the sixty years since Independence, there has been a large body of work produced by Indian historians and soci3J scientists. Taken singly, many of these studies are very impressive; viewed cumulatively, they add up to much less than what one might expect. The chief reason for this is the determining influence on scholarly practice of that single. date: 15th August, 1947. Historians don't look beyond the attainment of Independence, whereas other social scientists don't look back at all. We have solid studies of the Congress under British rule, with books Written about its operations in different parts of India, yet there are no systematic studies of the most influential of political parties in the post-independence period. Again, there are numerous ethnographic accounts of the caste system. Yet, we have no analytical overview of caste since Independence.

We have had political scientists conducting field studies of every single election since 1952. But we have no comprehensive analyses of changes over time in voter behaviour, election propaganda, or election finance.

These examples could be multiplied manifold. The Republic of India is a Union of twenty-eight states, some larger than France and Germany. Yet not even the biggest or most important of these states have had their histories written. Again, there are no serious biographies of some of the key figures in our modern history such as Sheikh Abdullah or C. N. Annadurai or A. Z. Phizo or (to take figures from very different, fields) Pandit Ravi Shankar or Dhirubhai Ambani.

It is this lack that the New India Foundation seeks to address, by sponsoring work of quality on modern India.

The New India Foundation invites applications for the fifth round of the New India Fellowships. Open only to Indian nationals, these Fellowships will be awarded for a period of one year, and will carry a stipend of Rs 70,000 a month. Fellowship holders shall be expected to write original books. Proposals should be oriented towards final publication, and outline a road map towards that destination. The Foundation is ecumenical as regards genre, theme, and ideology: the only requirement is that the proposed work contributes to the fuller understanding of independent India. Thus Fellowship holders may choose to write a memoir, or a work of reportage, or a thickly footnoted academic study. Their books could be oriented towards economics, or politics, or culture. They could be highly specific-an account of a single decade or a single region---or wide-ranging, such as a countrywide overview.

Since 2004, a total of twenty New India Foundation Fellowships have been awarded, for books to be written on such topics as the social history of Telugu films, the reform of personal laws, refugee politics in north-eastern India, the history of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, debates on the death penalty in India, and the science and politics of biodiversity conservation.

The first books to emanate from the New India Fellowships are Harish Damodaran's India's Nw Capitalists (Pal grave Macmillan), Vasanthi Srinivasan's Gandhi's Conscienc(f-K£epcr (Permanent Black), and Dinesh Sharma's India's Long Revolution (HarperCollins India).

Applicants for the New India Fellowships for 2009 are invited to submit their c.v., book proposal, and a writing sample of at least 5000 words (published or unpublished) to the Managing Trustee, The New India Foundation, 22 A Brunton Road, Bangalore 560025, before 31 July 2009. These maybe sent by post or courier. Email applications will not be entertained. However, specific queries may be addressed to [email protected]

The fellowships will be decided by a jury whose members are Andre Beteille, Ramachandra Guha, Niraja Gopal Jayal, Nandan Nilekani, and N. Ravi.

Further details about the Foundation may be found at

www.newindiafoundation.org

THE NEW INDIA FOUNDATION

Application Invited for Fellowships

To be published in May:

WAR 2.0 Irregular Warfare in the Information Age

by

Thomas Rid and Marc Hecker Westport, ed. Praeger, 2009

War 2.0 argues that two intimately connected trends are putting modern armies under huge pressure to adapt: the rise of insurgencies and the rise of the Web. It traces the contrasting ways in which insurgents and counterinsurgents have adapted irregular conflict. It examines the public affairs policies of the U.S. land forces, the British Army, and the Israel Defense Forces. Then it compares the media-related counterinsurgency methods of these conventional armies to the more diverse methods devised by their asymmetric adversaries, showing how such organizations as al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and Hezbollah use the Web not merely to advertise their political agenda and influence public opinion, but to mobilize a following and put insurgent operations into action. But the same technology that tends to level the operational playing field in irregular warfare also incurs heavy costs on terrorists and insurgents.

Professor of International Relations, The London School of Economics: "Thematically rich and masterfully constructed, this book shows how our wired-up world has changed the operational environment, making both war and insurgency more complex, decentralised, and bottom-up. Few other books have grasped so effectively the seismic change in the character of war. War 2.0 is Clausewitz rebooted for the 21st century."

Wired magazine, editor of Danger Room, a security blog: "High-tech revolutions are rocking the military and the media,

toppling hierarchies, and upending traditional players. Until now, no one has shown how these twin upheavals are linked--and feeding one another. War 2.0 reveals how the old ways of war and communications are coming apart, and what the chaotic, self-organizing, networked future is likely to be."

worked for several think tanks including Ifri and the Rand Corporation. He is currently a research fellow at Johns Hopkins University. He is author of War and Media Operations (2007).

is a research fellow at Ifri's Security Studies Center and author of several books, including La presse française et la première guerre du Golfe (2003).

IFRI: www.ifri.org

ENDORSEMENTS:

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Publisher's press office contact: [email protected]'s press office: Natacha Crance - 0033 1 40 61 60 22 / [email protected]

Christopher Coker,

Noah Shachtman,

Thomas Rid

Marc Hecker


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