ARJIMAND TALIB ANMOL SHARMA

IN FOCUS
Would Budget 2010-11 Evil Deeds of
Dipankar Sengupta: The Dilemma of Rather
address the Basics ? How to Pay for the Predecessor’s Party! Kot Bhalwal Jail
P17 P15 P46

Epilogue
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Jammu, March 1 ,2010 / Vol 4 / Issue 3 | Price Rs. 30 | Postal Regd. No. JK-350/2009 | www.epilogue.in

JAMMU & KASHMIR

BUDGET
2010-11
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT J&K BUDGETS

KEY FEATURES OF PAST 10-YEAR'S BUDGETS

Subsidies Central Plan
Fiscal Surplus Amortization
Budget Surplus Budget Deficit
Capital Receipts Plan Expenditure
Plan Expenditure Primary Deficit
Revenue Deficit Primary Surplus
Revenue Expenditure Non-Plan Expenditure
Aggregate Receipts Capital Expenditure
Revenue Receipts Revenue Surplus
The Money Movement Aggregate Disbursements
Balance from Current Revenues Miscellaneous Capital Receipts

nsible jo
se I have found Epilogue interesting. May be you need to broaden your convas to look at
ur
h year of

39th f
nalis

what has been happening in PaK and the Northern Areas and the solutions on offer
o
issue e or desired. Also the surrounding scene - Tibet, Xinjiang, Afghanistan - the last being
m

sens closely linked to developments in J&K. And, of course, Pakistan.

4t

BG VERGHESE P7
 Baba Ghulam Shah
RAJOURI - 185131
Badshah University
Attention Admission Seekers
S.No Programme Admission Procedure

1. a. MBA - Management Studies Through MAT Exam of February and May 2, 2010
b. MBA - Financial Management followed by Group Discussion and Personal Interview.
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2. a. MCA - Computer Sciences Entrance Test : July 4, 2010

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Pharmacology / Biotechnology with at least 60%
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b. M.A. - Arabic

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c. Electrical & Renewable Energy SC/ST)
Engineering
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Applications - BCA
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Application forms alongwith Information Bulletin : Available on payment of Rs. 600/- by Demand Draft, drawn in favour of Registrar, BGSB University
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3. Regional Office, H.No. 201, Sector - B, Bagh-i-Hyder, Hyderpora Bye-Pass, Srinagar, 9419011449 and
4. Can also be downloaded from University website : www.bgsbuniversity.org
MAT forms will be available from the above mentioned offices somewhere in the month of March.
For More Details Contact : Dean Academic Affairs, 09419103563 and Assistant Registrar (Admission), 09419171665.

No. BGSBU/Acad/10/22
1

Epilogue
because there is more to know

www.epilogue.in CONTENT
Contributors to this Issue 3
Editor Prologue 5
Zafar Iqbal Choudhary Letters 6
Current Affairs
Publisher Kashmir Policy 8
Create Discussion, not Confusions
Yogesh Pandoh Ram Chander Sharma
Books
Consulting Editor Women in Kashmir 30
D. Suba Chandran The Glorious Roles they Played
Volume 4, Issue 3, March 2010 Nyla Ali Khan
Exclusive Series
Associate Editors By George : 33
Irm Amin Baig I N FOCUS The Cunningham Contribution
Tsewang Rigzin Rakesh Ankit
Budget 2010 Ladakh Affairs
15 The Dilemma of Rather Media: 36
General Manager How to Pay for the Predecessor’s Party! Ladakh’s Best Friend,
Kartavya Pandoh Dipankar Sengupta AIR Leh needs urgent upgrade
17 Would Budget 2010-11 address the basics? Tsewang Rigzin
Art Editor
Arjimand Hussain Talib Political and Religious 37
18 Give women their due Organisations Join Hands for UT
Keshav Sharma Manisha Sobhrajani Tsewang Rigzin
19 Put Rural Ladakh on Agenda Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpochey 37
T. Namgail visits Leh
Research Officer
20 Think of saving precious glaciers Son of Ladakhi Soil, Stobdon 38
Raman Sharma Padma Sethi
is Indian Envoy to Kyrgyzstan
20 Prioritise Quality Education
Tashi Angchuk Education 38
Phones & email Students Launch Movement
Office : +91 191 2493136 21 Focus on Education
Thukjay Tashi ask ‘fourth idiot’ to come back
Editorial: +91 94191 80762 21 Make Separate Power Budget Rinchen Dolma
Administration: +91 94191 82518 Syed Basharat Bukhari Governance 40
subscriptions : +91 90188 87136 22 Senior Citizens : Council reviews plan progress
Epilogue Report
editor@epilogue.in Think of this 9% of total population
Vikram Gour Academy Urged to Preserve 41
subscription@epilogue.in 23 Make Agriculture Engineer of Growth Ladakhi Culture, Heritage
Ashwani Sharma Profile 42
Printed and Published by 24 Make Tax Collection Transparent Nawang Rigzin Jora :
Yogesh Pandoh for Epilogue
Arjimand Hussain Talib The Unconventional Politican
24 Bridge Rural-Urban Divide T. Norfail
NewsCraft from Ibadat House, Choudhary Zulfikar Ali Gender 43
Madrasa Lane, Near Graveyard, 25 Do the Regional Balancing Act Not a fledging anymore :
Balwant Singh Mankotia Women’s movement in Ladakh
Bathindi Top, Jammu, J&K - 180012
26 Give Air Connectivity to Tashi Morup
and Printed at : DEE DEE Unreachable Areas Rs 500 Crore for Illuminating Ladakh 45
Reprographix, 3 Aikta Ashram, New Tsetan Namgyal 11998 Youths Jobless in Ladakh 45
Rehari Jammu (J&K) 26 Do Need-Based Mapping Column
Sajjad Kichloo
Evil Deeds of Kot Bhalwal Jail 46
27 Revisit Your Previous Promises Before Anmol Sharma
Disputes, if any, subject to jurisdiction Making New Brain Drawn
of courts and competitive tribunals in Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen Indifference pushing youths away 47
Jammu only. 28 Put Brakes on Price Escalation from their homes
Peerzada Mansoor Vikram Gour
29 Invest Creative Ideas Opinion
RNI : JKENG/2007/26070 Abdul Majid Wani
ISN : 00974-5653 Paying Price for Justice 49
29 No Fresh Taxes, Please
M R Qureshi Assassination of Shahid Azmi
Price : Rs 30 M Shamsur Rabb Khan

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

 v it e to p a rticipate in the
d and its pa rt n e rs in
The World Ban P E T I T I O N 2 0 1 0
INTERNATION AL ESSAY COM
NOW:
TOPIC: videos

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

y c o m p e t i t i o n . o r g
www.e s s a
3 CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE
Ali, Choudhary Zulfikar; (In Focus
p24) is a Member of Legislative
Assembly representing Darhal
constituency in Rajouri district of
Jammu province. He belongs to
Peoples Democratic Party.
Angchuk, Tashi; (In Focus p20) is a
businessman bases in Kargil district
Ankit, Rakesh; (Forgotten History
p33) is a young historian from Bihar.
As a Rhodes Scholar recently he
studied various missing links in the
making of Kashmir conflict. Based
on his first hand study, he is
contributing exclusive series to
Epilogue
Bukhari, Basharat; (In Focus p21) is
Member of Legislative Assembly
representing Sangrama constituency
in Baramulla district of Kashmir
province. He belongs to the Peoples
Democratic Party.
Dolma, Rinchen; (Ladakh Affairs
p38) is a journalist and researcher
based in Leh
Gour, Vikram; (In Focus p22) is an
Engineer and activist. He
specializes in energy matters and
works for welfare of senior citizens
in Jammu and Kashmir.
Khan, M Samur Rabb; (Opinion p49)
is Editor with Indian Institute of
Dalit Affairs
Khan, Nyla Ali; (Books p30) is a
Kashmir writer and scholar and
author of (most recently) Islam,
Women and Violence in Kashmir:
Between India and Pakistan. She is
a professor of English at a US
University
www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3
Kichloo, Sajjad Ahmed; (In Focus
p26) is Member of Legislative
Assembly representing Kishtwar
constituency in Kishtwar district of
Jammu province. He belongs to
National Conference.
Kumar, Ashok; (In Focus p28) is
Member of Legislative Assembly
representing Ramban constituency
in Ramban district of Jammu
region. He belongs to Congress
Mankotia, Balwant Singh; (In Focus
p25) is Member of Legislative
Assembly representing Udhampur
constituency in Udhamour district
of Jammu province. He belongs to
J&K National Panthers Party.
Mansoor, Peerzada; (In Focus p28)
is Member of Legislative Assembly
representing Shangus constituency
in Anantnag district of Kashmir
province. He belongs to Peoples
Democratic Party.
Morup, Tashi; (Ladakh Affairs p43)
is a journalist and researcher
based in Leh
Namgyal, T; (In Focus p19) is a
journalist based in Leh
Namgyal, Tsetan; (In Focus p26) is
Member of Legislative Assembly
representing Nubra constituency in
Leh district of Ladakh region. He is
an Independent Legislator
Qureshi, MR; (In Focus p29) is
Member of Legislative Council
representing Poonch district of
Jammu region. He belongs to
National Conference
Epilogue, March 2010
 CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE 4

Rigzin, Tsewang; (Ladakh Affairs p36) Sobhrajani, Manisha; (In Focus

is an eminent journalist and
researcher. He is Associate Editor of
Epilogue based in Leh, Ladakh
Sengupta, Dipankar; (In Focus p15) is a
Professor of Economy at the University
of Jammu
Sethi, Padma; (In Focus p20) is a
development activist and Director of
an NGO Rural Development and You
Sharma, Anmol; (Columns p46) is a
lawyer based at Jammu. He has been
regular writer with Epilogue since 2008
Sharma, Ashwani; (In Focus p23) is
Member of Legislative Assembly
representing Bishnah constituency in
Jammu district of Jammu province. He
is an Independent Legislator.
Sharma, Baldev Raj; (In Focus p24) is
Member of Legislative Assembly
representing Reasi constituency in
Reasi district of Jammu province.
Belongs to Bhartiya Janta Party.
Sharma, Ram Chander; (Current
Affairs p8) is a veterinary doctor based
in district Rajouri. He is also an activist
working for the welfare of refugees.
p18) is a Delhi based independent
researcher working at various
aspects of Kashmir conflict. She
divided her time between Delhi
and Jammu and Kashmir
Talib, Arjimand Hussain; (In Focus
p17) is an international
development consultant and a
widely read columnist based in
Kashmir. His book 'Omar Abdullah:
The Burdens of Inheritance' is due
for release in the coming months
Tashi, Thukjay; (In Focus p21) is a
development consultant working
in Leh
Wani, Abdul Majid; (In Focus p29)
is Member of Legislative Assembly
representing Doda constituency in
Doda district of Jammu province.
He belongs to Congress.
Yaseen, Hakeem Mohammad; (In
Focus p27) is Member of
Legislative Assembly representing
Khan Sahib constituency in
Badgam district of Kashmir
province. He belongs to Peoples
Democratic Forum.

Readers' requests for getting in touch with the

authors, for feedback, comments and further
discussions on their subjects of interest, are
welcome. Since all authors/contributors are not
interested in taking mails directly, the readers are
requested to send us interview requests at
editor@epilogue.in for passing on to the authors

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

5 PROLOGUE
Agenda for 2010-11
ZAFAR CHOUDHARY
A
t Epilogue, reporting
state budget has always
been a very serious
business. Since 2007, it
has been a unique
process for us involving the makers
of budget, the behind-the-curtains
architects, and experts on economy
and, of course, those seeking to
know how state's budget is prepared.
Each year we have brought out two
exclusive issues on the subject –one
pre-budget, analyzing the previous
year's performance and listing public
expectations and one post-budget
carrying comprehensive reports and
analysis on the year's budget. We
have often been asked by our
readers that why we lay so much
emphasis on budget reporting. The
answer to this question is very
simple. It is all about public money
and the public deserve to know how
their money comes and goes. Before
presenting Budgets, the Finance
Ministers often engage with a not-so-
wide section of society in, what is
called as pre-budget consultations.
These consultations are always
almost limited to a pre-identified set
of business chamber representatives
and a handful of teachers of
economics, commerce and
management from the Universities
of Kashmir and Jammu. They are the
www.epilogue.in
From the Editor
same people who have been meeting
the Finance Ministers for years with
almost same sets of suggestions.
Finance Ministers are not to be
entirely blamed for keeping their
consultations limited to some known
faces. In fact, the public at large,
particularly the elected
representatives show a very little or
no interest in such exercise. This lack
of interest stems from the lack of
knowledge for the process as most of
the people believe that budget is a
pure arithmetic and it better left to
the Finance Minister and his key staff.
In this pre-budget issue we have
made an attempt to reach out the SEPTEMBER 2009
legislators with due care to the
parties they belong to and the
districts they come from. First such
exercise of this kind, it was aimed at
gathering feedback for the Finance
Minister on what the general public
want his Budget 2010 to reflect. Most
of the legislators, economists and
other stakeholders we spoke to have
strongly emphasized on capitalizing
on the natural resources to create a
robust economic base in Jammu and
Kashmir. It is hoped that the Finance
Minister takes note of these
suggestions.
Feedback :
zafarchoudhary@epilogue.in
FEBRUARY 2008
Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010
Letters 6
Readers Write

Why You Ignored Movement is Driven

Two Ministers
Dear Editor
At first sight, the
photographs of Ministers page
after page (performance review
of coalition government,
Epilogue Feb 2010) appeared
little out of place for a
scholarly journal like Epilogue.
However, the reading of
articles allayed the fears. This
kind of review was important,
timely and, of course, well
balanced exercise. The only
aspect of this review which
goes unexplained is that you
blacked out two Ministers –Taj
Mohiuddin and Agha Roohullah.
Even though I don't think it was
an oversight but bias is least
expected from Epilogue. It is
strongly suggested that working of the government is constantly monitored,
reviewed and reported for enabling the public to make well informed opinions.
by Peoples
Dear Editor
The movement for rights to self
determination in Kashmir seems to
have been slightly underplayed by
the author Ahmed Ali Fayyaz in his
essay 'Revisiting Srinagar Central 20
Years After Bloodshed'. The
sentiment for rights in Kashmir is as
strong today as it was 20 years back,
the leaders of the movement wield
far more influence today than they
did two decades back, the fire is
growing only brighter and stronger.
He is right in pointing out that
leaders are now a divided lot and
drawn in different directions but I
FEBRUARY 2010 would like to assert that ongoing
movement in Kashmir driven by the
sentiments of the peoples and not
the leaders.
MIR IFTIKHAR
AKNIT SHARMA
Sumbal, Kashmir
Jammu

Three-points Govt Must Consider for Panchayat Polls

Dear Editor,
As you know, there are indications that the State Government is intending to hold the much - awaited Panchayat
elections soon. I am sure that while making preparations, the concerned Ministry is also considering policy measures
required to be taken before elections are held. I think that at least 3 aspects should not escape Government's attention.
First, it must spell out a timeframe for constitution of PRIs at all 3 tiers - Halqa, Block and District, so that this time the
entire structure of Local Self Government is put in place. Second, it must clearly spell out a mechanism for effective
devolution of functions and funds to local bodies at each level so as to rebuild people's confidence that PRIs are going to
be real (and not cosmetic). Third, it should declare reservation of 50% seats of Panches and Sarpanches for women so as
to ensure their effective participation in grassroots democracy. In my view, the above measures, taken before elections,
will send a strong signal to the people of J&K that the process of democratization of governance has finally begun here as
well!

G. M. SHEIKH
Director
Leh Development Organisation, Leh

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

7 Letters
Give Youths
Choice, Not
Chance
Dear Editor
Epilogue is one of the
best Magazines and I request
that Editors should focus more
on youths. In our society the
ethic of moral education in
lacking behind, as a result of
which many evils such as
corruption, crime etc prevail
very often. The logic behind
all this is that the youth are in
depression and this syndrome
is increasing day by day.
With the growing
significance and having seen
the prevailing status of youth,
it has becoming more
challenge task to bring out
the sustainable future for our
younger generation.
Unfortunately, under the
present circumstance there is
no common platform for our
youth to discuss their
problems. I strongly believe
that youth can play an
effective role in bringing
about sustainable and
equitable development in the
world through their actively
participation in the
developmental work and their
positive active.
Today's our youth are
tomorrow social reformer that
why they need to be
encouraged in every positive
field. They need right
guidance and good
environment, work
environment, political
environment, quality
leadership, so that they can
have a future by choice not by
chance.
SONAM DORJEY
Sakti, Leh
www.epilogue.in
Readers Write
Give Fair Deal to Geo, Socio, Psychology
Dear editor,
This is the response to 'spreading literacy' (Epilogue, Feb 2010) in which I got to
know that the new government brought some good hopes for the future of the
education sector, especially the recruitment of various teaching and non teaching staff
in education department which also includes the creation of 200 posts of lecturers for
the subjects viz, IT, Bio chemistry, Functional English, Environmental Science and Bio
Tech. at Higher Secondary level. Impressively, the creation of 200 posts for above
mentioned subjects are welcome for those with career holders of those subjects and
for students as well. But on the other hand, there is no clear indication about future of
those with subjects specially Geography, Sociology, Psychology etc, as a career that the
concerned authorities of the Omer Government couldn't give the proper attention to
these mentioned subjects in creation of post for these subjects at Higher Secondary
level. If various states and central universities are offering master degree programmes
in these social science subjects under UGC, then why the concerned authorities of in
government fail to consider these subjects at 10+2 level. Moreover, the teaching of
these subjects at said level will not only solve the unemployment issue to some extent,
but also are more relevant for the indepth study of subjects that assume importance in
our state.
TSERING ANGCHUK
Leh
I have found Epilogue interesting. May be you need to broaden your
convas to look at what has been happening in PaK and the Northern
Areas and a the solutions on offer or desired. Also the surrounding
scene - Tibet, Xinjiang, Afghanistan - the last being closely linked
to developments in J&K. And, of course, Pakistan
BG VERGHESE
Wish, Epilogue Stands Tall
Dear Editor,
It was really very nice to scan the special issue of
epilogue...luckily it was also first time for me to come
across this magazine and visualizing the warm
recommendation from my close mentor Mr Ramchandra
Guha. Hope to see good future of this magazine albeit also
wish for continuance of standing.
ATUL THAKUR
New Delhi
Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010
CURRENT AFFAIRS 8
Opinion

KASHMIR POLICY
Create Discussions, not Confusions

RAM CHANDER SHARMA

The proposal for safe return and amnesty to the youths who crossed over to the Pakistan administered
Kashmir during years of turmoil as mooted by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and quickly endorsed by
Union Home Minister P Chidambram has kicked off confusion among several sections in Jammu and
Kashmir. Recently the report of Prime Minister's Working Group headed by Justice Sagheer Ahmed has
already caused criticism in Jammu and Ladakh regions. These developments have taken place at a time
when many steps being taken on Kashmir are seen influenced by external pressures –may be America's
dilemma in Afghanistan. Need of the hour is to evolve a broad consensus on Kashmir issue and not a
confusion among the stakeholders.

B
reaking the long frozen ice of
Indo-Pak dialogue New Delhi
recently jumped into Foreign
Secretary level talks with Islamabad
putting terrorism as topic of discussion.
Pakistan, on the other hand, insisted on
downplaying the issue of terrorism and
stressed for resumption of composite
dialogue including discussions on 'core'
issue of Kashmir and Indus water shar-
ing. The Pak Prime Minister went to the
extent of declaring diplomatic win over
India –that its neighbor bowed before
international pressure over the bilat-
eral issues and resumption of dialogue.
The bilateral relations between two
nuclear South Asian neighbors are run-
ning at low after 26/11 terrorist
attacks.
The American engagement in
Afghanistan and the failure of NATO
forces with rising financial cost has led
the Obama administration to review its
South Asian and Central Asian policy to
lead and finance the war against terror.
US is in a hurry to wash its hands off the
unending vicious cycle of violence and
possible fall out against the US national
interests and is on the track of reconcili-
ation with a faction of moderate Taliban
having the Pakistan backing –handing
over the administration and law and
order to the beleaguered Karazai
Government. Pakistan is playing as a
mediator and guarantor to the new for-
mula. India as a major player in the sub
continent has considerable interests in
Afghanistan. If the new set up turns a
reality than Pakistan would definitely
cut Indian diplomacy to its size and the
Indians in a knee jerk reaction are on
the fast mode to have bilateral dialogue
with Pakistan and some populist mea-
sures in Jammu and Kashmir as well.
Keeping these fears and the recent
spurt in anti Indian emotional flare ups
in Kashmir valley following killing of two
young boys the Omar Abdullah govern-
ment proposed the carpet amnesty to
the Kashmiri youths in Pakistan adminis-
tered Kashmir who denounce militancy
and return to Jammu and Kashmir with-
out arms. The Home Minister has sup-
ported the scheme openly despite a
warning statement of Defense Minister
saying that the terrorist infiltration has
increased in the year 2009. The Union
Health Minister and former Chief
Minister of Jammu and Ghulam Nabi
Azad has expressed reservations over
the scheme as similar to the right wing
nationalist Bartya Janta Party.
Pakistan's intelligence outfit the ISI
is running scores of armed training
camps in the PaK and Pakistan and push-
ing the Kashmiri youths across the LoC
for subversion. The recent suicide
attacks of Taliban inside POK areas
against the Pak army are the direct fall
out of Pakistan's army action against the
Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Pak restive FATA
and North West Frontier Province
including that of the South Waziristan
with full military force under the terms
and conditions of Obama administra-
tion. The American drone attacks have
killed the top leadership of Tehrik-e-
Taliban inside the Pak territory making
the anti American sentiment more vocal
and open inside the Pak political circles
and the tribal Pushtun community term-
ing the attacks as direct threat on the
sovereignty of the country.
Pakistan has fully exploited the sit-
uation in the troubled Jammu and
Kashmir to its main agenda of interna-
tionalizing the Kashmir issue. On the

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

9 CURRENT AFFAIRS
other hand the Indians are failing
with every passing day in dealing
with the situation. The alienation of
people and the aversion against the
Indian army and other security
forces in J&K –release of Justice
Sagheer Ahmed report on the
Center and State relationship at
this juncture has proved disturbing.
The Ladakh Union Territory Front,
PoK Refugees, West Pak Refugees,
KP organizations and other Jammu
based political parties including the
BJP have opposed the 5th working
group report which was hurriedly
handed over to the Chief Minister.
Now, the new amnesty scheme for
the Kashmir youth across the LoC is
opposed tooth and nail by these
groups.
Government of India has been
generous with the surrender policy
of the militants in J&K. This has
already backfired in the valley, as
most of the surrendered ultras are
linked with further killings and loot-
ing on the behest of J&K Police and
the security forces.
The relief and rehabilitation of
PoK Refugees, WP Refugees, KP
Migrants and other Displaced
Persons has been put to cold storage
by the State and GOI and the state
government. On the other hand the
fresh amnesty and surrender policy
mooted by J&K Govt with full cen-
tral govt backing is creating confu-
sion. The quiet diplomacy is a fail-
ure right from the beginning with
major separatist groups and even
the moderate Hurriyat M is keeping
away for the moment due to inter-
nal opposition within the group. The
sensitive issue of resolving the
Kashmir imbroglio needs all party
discussion and consensus instead of
promoting the vested political
interest inside the state.
www.epilogue.in
Reports
Don't links talks resumption with
Kashmir: Holbrooke tells Pak
U S President Barack Obama's Special Envoy
to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard
Holbrooke has said that while Washington
supports renewed contacts between Pakistan
and India and wants the process to continue,
Pakistani leaders should not burden the
nascent process with insistence on core issues,
specifically Kashmir. Holbrooke said it was
encouraging that India had agreed to engage
with Pakistan and issues could be brought onto
the agenda once the talks progressed. Holbrooke was in Pakistan in mid-February and
had meetings with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani among others there.
HOME MINISTER: Incident
of Terror up in J&K
W hile commending the role of security forces in
combating terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Home
Minister P Chidambaram admitted, on February 17 in
Jammu, that there has been an increase in terrorism-related
incidents in the state. Sixty five terrorist incidents have
taken place in the state in the first 45 days of this year,
Chidambaram said at a press conference after reviewing the
security situation in Jammu and Kashmir at a meeting of the
unified command, a strategic group comprising
representatives of the army, paramilitary forces, police and
intelligence agencies. "In these incidents, seven civilians, nine security personnel and
24 militants have been killed," he said, but felt that the "security forces were making
gradual progress, and the situation was improving."
He commended the role of security forces. "They are dealing with the situation
with great caution and wisdom." The home minister made it clear that zero tolerance
would be exhibited towards human rights violations. Evidence of that was the arrest of
a Border Security Force trooper who was suspected to be behind the killing of
Kashmiri teen Zahid Farooq. "The commandant has been suspended and investigations
are on," Chidambaram said. At the unified command meeting, sources said, the home
minister took stock of the situation on the borders and also in the hinterland. He
urged security forces to neutralize militants but avoid collateral damage.
Pak Pushing in Ultras: Army
A rmy Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor said on February 19 that Pakistan was continuing to
push in militants from across the border into Jammu and Kashmir but the armed
forces deployed there were capable of tackling it. "Our neighbour is continuing
infiltration of militants from across the border into Jammu and Kashmir. It (infiltration)
will continue. Forces are deployed in the border and they will make all efforts to stop
the infiltrators there. If some militants do come in, our forces will tackle them”.
Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010
CURRENT AFFAIRS 10
Reports

J&K IN NATIONAL PRESS

Earning Goodwill
Times of India, Feb 17

N ew Delhi's show of resolve in continuing with the India-

Pakistan talks despite the Pune blast has been heartening.
Now, it must also stand firm on defusing internal tension without
letting the latest terror attack cloud the issue. This is particularly
so when it comes to Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar
Abdullah's recent proposal backed by Union home minister P
Chidambaram for the return of Kashmiris who had crossed over to
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). It is a potent statement of
intent. And given that hard questions will be asked of Islamabad in Establishing accountability for incidents such as the
the wake of the Pune blast, this is an opportunity for it to back up
shooting of 17-year-old Zahid Farooq Shah is another.
its rhetoric about a sustainable solution in the region with concrete
action by cooperating with New Delhi on the issue. The devil lies in Credibility is the currency of any dialogue; moderate
the details, of course. Concerns such as the ones raised by Union Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's
health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad about militants using this as an backing out of talks with the Centre because of the killing
entry point are overstated. Similar concerns came up when the shows how such incidents degrade that credibility. It's
Muzaffarabad trade route was opened; they came to nothing. But essential to restore trust in the Valley where large
this does not mean the process is risk-free. Rigorous controls and
sections of the people are alienated from the
screening mechanisms must be put in place before any such
initiative can be launched. There should be thorough procedures for
administration.

Amnesty Call Goodstep

Asian Age, Feb 12

U nion home minister P. Chidambaram's readiness to

endorse J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah's suggestion
for the return of Indians trapped in PoK is a positive
development. Seen in any light, the chief minister's proposal
to grant amnesty to former Kashmiri militants stuck in PoK over the years, and encourage their return and reintegration into
society, is a useful one. Given the ups and downs the state has known for two decades, such an idea should have been
formulated long ago. In the light of experience, it was easy to see that bringing the former flame-throwers back into the
fold would have had a salutary effect on Kashmir society.
Using their ingenuity, some young men, who had crossed over to PoK for arms training in the late Eighties and the early
Nineties with one or another militant outfit in the backdrop of an insurgent movement, have been returning. Their narrative
is uniformly one of disillusionment with the “jihadi” establishment run by Pakistan in “the other Kashmir”. The articulation
of this on a wide scale — were an amnesty scheme available — was certain to have had a positive impact on the younger
generation in the Valley, some of whom continue to be wooed by jihadist ideologues. What has prevented a wholesale
trudge back of the prodigal is the absence of a suitable amnesty scheme and the consequent fear of long jail terms. Quite
apart from young minds in the Valley being influenced by the negative experiences of their brethren who had gone across,
accepting people back into society is a “public good” in its own right. It is such thinking that lay behind amnesty schemes in
respect of dangerous Chambal dacoits initiated through the aegis of stalwarts like Jayaprakash Narayan in the past. The
ending turned out to be good for all concerned, the government included. Taking people back into the system removes a
source of festering bitterness. This has been seen to be the case in some states of the Northeast as well. In Kashmir also,
there are several people who have committed serious crimes but have emerged as political leaders of the so-called

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

11
identification of returning militants, with corroboration from
family members. Abdullah and Chidambaram must focus on
reintegration efforts as well. Laying down arms can be
temporary if the individual finds himself alienated socially and
economically from a society that has changed drastically in the
intervening years. It's crucial that concurrent to any such
proposal, a concerted effort be made by the state and central
administrations for the rehabilitation of the tens of thousands
of Kashmiri Pandits still living in transit camps in Jammu. It
has been two decades since they were driven from their
homes in a blatant instance of ethnic cleansing. To facilitate
the return of those who might have crossed the border to
take up arms against the Indian state while ignoring the
continuing plight of the Pandits would be a gross miscarriage
of justice. These are all crucial pieces of the Kashmir
conundrum. Establishing accountability for incidents such as
the shooting of 17-year-old Zahid Farooq Shah is another.
Credibility is the currency of any dialogue; moderate Hurriyat
Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's backing out of talks
with the Centre because of the killing shows how such
incidents degrade that credibility. It's essential to restore
trust in the Valley where large sections of the people are
alienated from the administration.
separatist camp. If they can be rehabilitated without the state
making a fuss, there is no reason why the rank-and-file
insurgent, who made the wrong choice at a given historical
moment, should be denied a similar opportunity.
J&K Congress leader and Union health minister Ghulam
Nabi Azad has raised some issues of procedure. He has noted
that a general amnesty can be exploited by PoK jihadist
networks to push in terrorists. Such concerns naturally need to
be taken into account while formulating schemes for the
return of Kashmir Valley people. Appropriate vetting
procedures will be required to be put in place. However, it
will be shortsighted not to see the wider picture. Clear
numbers may not be available about Kashmiris stranded in PoK
but keen to return. The scheme to be drawn up for their
rehabilitation necessarily has to be pragmatic, elastic, and
adequately funded, possibly with Central and state
government resources. The main idea is to see such a proposal
as a political act with wide social benefits. Successful
prosecution of the plan cannot but have a beneficial effect on
the wider “Kashmir question”, irrespective of the terms in
which it is defined. In any conversation with Pakistan as well
as the local separatist leadership, a successful rehabilitation
programme of this nature cannot but have a strong impact.
www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Reports
Nilekani takes J&K
inch closer to UID
project
P utting all speculations to rest,
the chairperson of Unique
Identification Authority of India
Chairperson Nandan Nilekani has
brought Jammu and Kashmir on his
project agenda. It was earlier
widely believed that Jammu and
Kashmir might go untouched in this
ambitions national project.
Nilekani recently visited Jammu and made a presenta-
tion before the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and other
government officials to be involved in implementation
of the project. The state government has already con-
stituted a high level committee headed by the Chief
Minister to coordinate with the UIDAI.
Making the presentation at the civil secretariat,
Nilekani said that this unique number will be based on
data to be provided by each person. His/her biometrics
like finger prints, iris scan and facial features will be
stored in the database and any person seeking any kind
of service will have to prove his identity using these
biometrics, Nilekani said. Abdullah appreciated the
UIDAI for taking proactive steps in introducing UID num-
ber in Jammu and Kashmir. He assured the state govern-
ment's full cooperation with the UIDAI in the implemen-
tation of the project. Abdullah said a committee will be
constituted to work on this project, adding permanent
resident certificates will also contain this unique identi-
fication number to make them more informative.
Urban Local Bodies
polls from Apr 15
F ollowing a decision of the state cabinet in its
meeting held on February 15, the J&K
government has announced elections to the urban
locals bodies. The Election Department has been
told to to draw a schedule and complete entire
election process by first fortnight of May. The
election to two Municipal Corporations in two capital
cities of Jammu and Srinagar, six Municipal Councils
and about 71 Municipal Committees are likely to be
held in second fortnight of April.
Epilogue, March 2010
CURRENT AFFAIRS 12
Reports

Advani warns UPA Mufti appeals BJP to

against diluting Indian support peace process
authority in Kashmir
C alling for a consensus
among various political

S enior BJP leader and

Parliamentary Party Chairman L K
Advani on February 19 warned of
parties for resolution of
the Kashmir issue with
Pakistan, PDP has appealed
dire and unprecedented agitation if to the BJP-led NDA not to
the UPA took any action that create hurdles but support
compromised national interests and the new efforts of the
failed to take measures to check Central government.
prices of essential commodities. In "There is a need for parties
his concluding remarks at the three-
across the political
day National Executive and National
spectrum of the country to evolve a consensus on
Council conclave in Bhopal, Advani
resolving the Kashmir issue with Pakistan and also
referring obviously about the Indo-Pak talks scheduled to be
address its internal dimension," PDP patron and former
held on February 25, said the talks of granting autonomy by the
Chief Minister, Mufti Mohmmad Sayeed said. "There is
committee headed by Justice Saghir Ahmad was nothing but a
no substitute to resolving this festering sore that has
'fraud', as no meeting had taken place. "I warn the Government
dampened the immense economic potential of South
that if it takes any step to dilute Indian authority in the
Asian region for decades and bruised the body and soul
Northern most State of the country, the Government will have to
of Jammu and Kashmir," Mufti said.
face unprecedented national repercussions," Advani said.

Sadhus join ex-militants in selling

Hindu temple properties in Kashmir
C harging the government of failing to protect the religious properties of pandits in the Kashmir valley, the Kashmiri Pandit
Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) has said temples were being leased out or sold by some non-state subjects and a former militant with
the help of revenue department. President of KPSS Sanjay Kumar Tickoo alleged that time and again it has been observed that the
state administration, particularly revenue department was working against the interests of pandit community. He said the
department was working with the unscrupulous elements in vandalising the religious property of the Kashmiri Pandit community
damaging the over all social fabric in general and the very existence of the community in the valley. Tickoo said KPSS takes strong
note about the recent development regarding the Shri Ganesh Temple, Sonwar, Srinagar. The non-state subjects alongwith one
ex-militant turned temple broker was trying to sell or lease the property of the temple. Even some persons (Non-State Subjects)
in the shape of Sadhus are trying to change the title of the temple and its property by corrupting the concerned Revenue Officials,
he alleged. This ex-militant turned broker in the temple land mafia is involved in many other sale and leases of other temples in
the Valley. He alleged that even after repeated complaints against the said person no action was taken by the authorities for the
reasons best known to them.
Even with the help of former militant some other non-state subjects (Sadhus) are trying to mutate the temple property in
their name with the help of the concerned officials of the Revenue Department. He questioned how state administration and
judiciary allows sale and lease of the temple property when Article 370 was in force in the state. Tickoo alleged that despite ban
by the government on the sale of such property, it was going on. This, he said, was a clear conspiracy against the Kashmiri Pandit
Community. In 1819, when Sikh Rulers invaded the Kashmir Valley they tried to demolish the muslim worship places in the Valley,
but the Kashmiri Pandits came forward and saved them from the invaders, he said adding now KPSS request the majority
community of the Kashmir Valley to come forward and save our religious places from these anti Kashmiri Pandit and Anti Social
elements and keep the spirit of Kashmiriyat alive in true sense.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

 Who Writes the Complex Stories of
J&K Budget in Simplest Possible Form?

Epilogue, Of Course

---images ----
FEB 2007. Jan 2008.
Feb 2008. June 2009.
Sept 2009.

Our Budget Reports and Analysis Are Written By Top of the Line
Experts In A Manner That Even A Layman Enjoys Reading Them
 FROM EPILOGUE ARCHIVES SINCE 2007
16 UNPUTDOWNABLE STORIES
Available in Hard Copies, E-Files, CD-ROM

Employment to Some Basics About Buoyancy in J&K Economy Financing Development

Empower Growth J&K Economy and Budget 2008-09 in J&K is Financing Peace
Vol 1, Issue 2, Feb 2007 Vol 2, Issue 1, Jan 2008 Vol 2, Issue 1, Jan 2008 Vol 2, Issue 1, Jan 2008
By Prof NISAR ALI By BALRAJ PURI By Prof NISAR ALI Interview: TARIQ HAMEED QARRA
Economist Author, Thinker Economist Finance Minister (2008)

Budget 2007-08 How Not to Promote

J&K State in the An Economy in
The Unfinished Agenda Economic Growth: The Case
Grip of Financial Crises Disadvantaged Position
Vol 2, Issue 1, Jan 2008
Vol 2, Issue 1, Jan 2008 of Jammu and Kashmir Vol 2, Issue 1, Jan 2008
By ARJIMAND HUSSAIN TALIB Vol 2, Issue 1, Jan 2008
By ABDUL RAHIM RATHER By RAM SAHAI
Economist, By DIPANKAR SENGUPTA
Leader of Opposition (2008) Business Leader (Since Died)
Development Consultant Economist

J&K is a Rich State Run

A Lot Needs to be Done Budget 2008-09: Political Figures Fudged,
By a Poor Government
Vol 2, Issue 1, Jan 2008 Courage Sans Innovation Statistics Faked
Vol 2, Issue 2, Feb 2008
By ANNIL SURI Vol 2, Issue 2, Feb 2008 Vol 2, Issue 2, Feb 2008
Interview: HASEEB DRABU
Business Leader, By DIPANKAR SENGUPTA By ABDUL RAHIM RATHER
Economist,
Management Consultant Economist Leader of Opposition (2008)
Chairman, J&K Bank

Enhancing Own
Resources, Controlling Ensure Taxpayers' Money There are No Quick Fixes;
We Have Brought Turn
Non-Productive Goes to Programmes We are Working on a
Around in Economy
Vol 2, Issue 2, Feb 2008 Expenditure Are Our Top That Work Workable Employment Policy
By TARIQ HAMEED KARRA Priorities Vol 3, Issue 9, Sept 2009 Vol 3, Issue 9, Sept 2009
Vol 3, Issue 6, June 2009 By BILAL HUSSAIN Interview: ABDUL RAHIM RATHER
Finance Minister (2008)
Interview: ABDUL RAHIM RATHER Financial Journalist Finance Minister (2009)
Finance Minister (2009)
15
The Dilemma of Rather
How to Pay for the
Predecessor's Party!
DIPANKAR SENGUPTA
Economist
T
here is no person in Jammu and
Kashmir whose position is as
unenviable as Mr Abdul Rahim
Rather. His inheritance as the Finance
Minister of the state was an economy
rocked by agitations in both in Jammu
and the Valley as the result of the Shree
Amarnath Land Controversy and the
precarious financial position of the
government made much worse by the
recommendations of the Sixth Pay
By not renewing the 5-year moratorium
on state government employment
agreed upon by the NC led state
government and the NDA Government in
2000, the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan
Singh opened the floodgates for a surge
in largely non-productive government
employment. The Congress-PDP
coalition did not “disappoint.” The state's
salary bill doubled during the previous
coalition's tenure spiking form 2005
onwards. Even with buoyant revenues
salaries as a proportion of total
expenditure rose to 30% towards the
end of the Congress-PDP rule as
compared to 24% when NC lost power in
2002. It has fallen to Mr Rather's lot to
handle the consequences of the 6th Pay
Commission which was announced just
prior to the present coalition coming to
power. This coalition will have to think of
ways to pay for the previous coalition's
party
www.epilogue.in
IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
person to the masses who symbolise
political authority are state level
politicians. This unfair fact of life means
that Mr Rather will have to think of ways
and means to tackle this problem as
well. Last but not the least, he will also
have to deal with the consequences of
the drought.
Mr Rather's work therefore is cut
out. He will have to deal with the fall
out of three major timebombs none of
Commission which no government would
which is his doing! As if that was not bad
have the courage not to accept.
enough, the deficit on account of the
The previous Congress-PDP
power sector still remains abnormally
coalition had handed Mr Rather a time
high even after generous power grants
bomb in the form of a state government
for the central government under a MOU
with a huge salary bill, the result of the
signed with the state government that
lifting of the freeze on government
was supposed to bring this sector to
employment for Jammu and Kashmir in
order. With the enhanced pay to be paid
2005. By not renewing the 5-year
for the entire year (unlike in the previous
moratorium on state government
year when it was paid for only part of the
employment agreed upon by the NC led
year), the salary bill will probably cross
state government and the NDA
8000 crores as opposed to 6500 crores
Government in 2000, the Prime Minister
the previous year. Thus Mr Rather has no
Dr Manmohan Singh opened the
floodgates for a surge in largely non-
room for financial manouevre. Nor can
productive government employment.
her abuse the previous government to his
The Congress-PDP coalition did not
heart's content, as his coalition partner
was part of it. Such, as they say is life!
“disappoint.” The state's salary bill
The NC government therefore has
doubled during the previous coalition's
two choices. It can seek to play the
tenure spiking form 2005 onwards. Even
politics of victimhood and blackmail
with buoyant revenues salaries as a
and seek extra central government
proportion of total expenditure rose to
assistance and carry on with business as
30% towards the end of the Congress-PDP
usual. Alternatively, it may choose to
rule as compared to 24% when NC lost
bite the bullet and carry out painful
power in 2002. It has fallen to Mr Rather's
adjustments as it courageously did a
lot to handle the consequences of the
decade ago when it froze hiring at the
6th Pay Commission which was
state level. The chances are it will do
announced just prior to the present
neither.
coalition coming to power. This coalition
Some financial room may accrue
will have to think of ways to pay for the
to the state for an action that is purely
previous coalition's party.
As if this were not bad enough,
non-budgetary in nature. Once the
inflation, particularly food inflation is
long-delayed panchayat elections are
held, grants-in-aid recommended by
assuming alarming proportions. Strictly
the 12th Finance Commission that
speaking this is a matter that the
could be spent only through Panchayati
central government's responsibility.
Raj Institutions may resume. These
However, in these matters, the closest
were withheld as the previous coalition
Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010
IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
had not held elections to these bodies
long after their terms had expired. .The
13th Commission has been requested by
the state government to release this
amount once elections are held.
Crucially this assistance, by its very
nature is biased towards rural areas.
Potentially therefore they may be
dovetailed with a state-government
sponsored scheme so that investment in
the state's rural economy especially
irrigation infrastructure receives a
much needed fillip. Equally
importantly, the State Government
must find a way to dovetail existing
schemes with NREGS for which
Panchayats should be involved so that
the farce of the entire allocation under
this scheme lying practically unspent
does not reoccur. Given the severity of
the recent drought and the fact that for
most crops the state's productivity is
below (the already low) national
average, the importance of this step
cannot be doubted. For a state facing a
financial crunch, this will be a
significant step taken largely at the
expense of the central government
under the aegis of an arrangement open
to all states.
As for setting the state finances
right and creating an environment for
growth, the government is unlikely to
take any courageous decisions. This
The NC government therefore has two
choices. It can seek to play the politics
of victimhood and blackmail and seek
extra central government assistance
and carry on with business as usual.
Alternatively, it may choose to bite the
bullet and carry out painful adjustments
as it courageously did a decade ago
when it froze hiring at the state level.
The chances are it will do neither
www.epilogue.in
As for setting the state finances right
and creating an environment for growth,
the government is unlikely to take any
courageous decisions. This state
government is unlikely to freeze hiring
as it did in 2000. The trauma of the
subsequent loss of power in 2002 still
lingers. In any case the space created
by that action was utilised by its rivals in
power (although in a most wasteful
manner.)
state government is unlikely to freeze
hiring as it did in 2000. The trauma of
the subsequent loss of power in 2002 still
lingers. In any case the space created by
that action was utilised by its rivals in
power (although in a most wasteful
manner.) What it can do is to take steps
to plug the power deficit. The much-
touted political difficulty in executing
this measure is simply overstated. It
must be remembered that after initial
resistance, the exercise of metering
power went ahead smoothly in the
Valley. Indeed, this very fact led to a fall
in power consumption as consumers
realised that power would no longer be a
free commodity. The new government
has now to begin charging for power
consumed. This may be unpopular in the
short run, but in the long run may deliver
political dividends if the power outages
and shortages become a thing of the
past. But this too is essentially a non-
budgetary governance exercise. The
budget will merely signal if the
government wished to take this step.
The budget to be presented to the
state assembly cannot hope to
overcome the state's problems in a
single stroke. But its nature will tell
whether it is business as usual or long-
term political sagacity which will be at
play.
Vol. 4, Issue 3
16
F L A S H B A C K 2 0 0 1
Ø
Budgetary deficit down to mere
Rs 124.84 crore, Next year's
budgetary deficit provisionally
estimated at Rs 618.73 crores.
Ø
Receipts up by Rs 1701.81 crore.
Expenditure down by Rs 205.80
crores.
Ø
Total disbursements for next
year decrease to Rs 9070.49
crores as against Rs 9178.59
crore provided in BE of current
year.
Ø
Tax collection targets exceeded
by Rs 53.16 crore excluding
electricity duty, which is lower
by Rs 12 crore in comparison to
budgetary targets.
Ø
Tax revenue targets for next year
fixed at Rs 794.91 crore and
non-tax revenue targets at Rs
661.58 crore.
Ø
Plan expenditure estimated at Rs
1750 crore and for the next year
provisionally fixed at Rs 2000
crore.
Ø
Security Related Expenditure
over and above the normal
expenditure on law and order up
from Rs 253.12 crore to Rs
401.94 crore.
Ø
Salary payable to migrant
employees estimated at Rs 83.41
crore in 2000-2001.
Ø
Budgetary support to PSUs kept
in RE at Rs 75.41 crore.
Ø
Rs 13.50 crore for modernisation
of police force.
Ø
Import duty on IMFL up from Rs
5 per LPL to Rs 10 per LPL.
Export fee on IMFL abolished.
Liquor industry taken out of
negative list.
Ø
Toll tax rates increased upto 10
per cent . Fresh fruits and
vegetables exempted.
Epilogue, March 2010
17 IN FOCUS
Budget 2010

FLASHBACK 2001
Would Budget 2010-11 Ø
Electric and
electronic goods,
Address the Basics? Plaster of Paris and
Earthmovers
ARJIMAND HUSSAIN TALIB brought under the
International Development Consultant existing list of 12
items for purpose
J &K state today looks akin to those African states which survive by foreign aid. For years, poverty
eradication and economic growth strategies in such countries have failed to deliver for many reasons.
The most striking reasons being donor dictates, lack of political sovereignty, unjust international trade
of entry tax.
Ø
Sales Tax reduced
regimes, poor taxation systems, abysmal governance and acute corruption. by four per cent
Zambian economist, Dambisa Moyo's path-breaking book 'Dead Aid' has some unmistakable lessons –
on motor spare
especially why the 'aid model' has actually failed, and what havoc aid dependency was wrecking with
parts, tyres and
most of the African countries. Given J&K's case of aggravating aid dependency and poor tax revenues,
tubes and by three
our case also needs to be looked from the same prism. As the government is finalising the state's budget
per cent on
for 2010-11, a focus on the macro picture is expected. That macro picture would help us analyse where
jewellery and
the state is headed. Excessive focus on the micro aspects of the budget exercise would, at best, address ornaments.
the populism constituency. We require a political will to look at the policy part of it – from a macro Ø
Small scale
perspective. industrial units
J&K state is at a highly critical juncture today. The level of dependency on the Government of India exempted from ST
(GoI) aid – in our case 'grants' – is reaching a critically high level. In Budget 2009-2010, the GoI grants on service
constituted 59 per cent of the state's total annual income. Salaries, pension liabilities, interest component of
payments and the power bill alone constitute 53 per cent of our expenditure. Capital expenditure in sales of their
2009-10 was a mere 34 per cent. products.
In 2002-03, the overdraft from the Jammu and Kashmir Bank (the state's official banker) was Rs 814 Ø
Benefit of self-
crore as against the maximum permissible limit set by the Reserve Bank of India of Rs 950 crore. Today, assessment scheme
the government has a whopping overdraft of Rs 2,200 crore to deal with. Then there are other systemic extended to the
problems, as acknowledged by the Finance Minister himself, related to delayed payment of salaries to dealers with
government employees and the delayed clearance of bills in the government treasury. taxable turnover
The state's debt to GSDP ratio also requires some imaginative thinking. J&K's overall fiscal liabilities upto Rs 25 lakh as
are constantly increasing. Fiscal and primary deficits are also burgeoning. The growth rate of fiscal against the present
liabilities was 18.33 per cent during 2005-06 over the previous year. The ratio of fiscal liabilities to GSDP limit of Rs 10 lakh.
also increased from 60.37 per cent in 2000-01 to 73.78 per cent in 2005-06. That means that the fiscal
Ø
Golden
liabilities had grown faster than the State's GSDP. The state's spiralling debt liabilities have become a
Handshake
sort of a vicious cycle of deficit, debt and debt service payments.
Scheme proposed
There is a constituency that believes that since J&K's for Public Sector
GSDP and the per capita incomes are relatively better, the Undertakings
state can ward off any public finance crisis. That is only partly (PSUs).
As the government is finalising the right. We must bear in mind that in J&K's case a relatively
state's budget for 2010-11, a focus on the better GSDP does not necessarily mean corresponding Ø
Daily wagers
macro picture is expected. That macro buoyancy in the state's tax revenues. Our taxation system has wages enhanced
picture would help us analyse where the too many loopholes. Imperatives of public order and peace from Rs 45 per day
through populism measures would continue to remain as to Rs 60 per day.
state is headed. Excessive focus on the
long as the larger political conflict remains unaddressed. Freedom fighters
micro aspects of the budget exercise pension up by 50
The crisis of our power sector is acute and beyond the band
would, at best, address the populism aids of any budget exercise. The revenue deficit in the sector per cent. Ration
constituency. We require a political will is again likely to make the state's budget go haywire. It is allowance of
to look at the policy part of it – from a again a political issue, which requires a political solution. police jawans up
macro perspective. And it remains to be seen whether Mr. Omar Abdullah can go from Rs 300 to Rs
beyond the usual band aids or not. 450 per month.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
Give women
their due
MANISHA SOBHRAJANI
Researcher
I n any society, women—consciously or
unconsciously—strengthen social
structures and fabrics. In Jammu &
Kashmir, they do much more. Contrary to
popular perception, women's issues are
not 'soft' subject matter, but a plethora
of complex themes with unimaginable
parameters, and this is especially true of
women in J&K.
As I write this column, the State
Assembly has just got down with 45-day
long budget session, one of the highlights
of which will be the controversial Jammu
and Kashmir Permanent Residents (Dis-
qualification) Bill which seeks to annul
permanent resident rights of Kashmiri
women who marry outside the state.
Based on my interactions with sev-
eral women from different walks of life
in many regions of J&K over the years, I
have two suggestions towards the state's
budgetary planning. Economic independ-
ence is the one thing that is most crucial:
creating work opportunities for women
It is suggested that there are interven-
tions towards personality development
(of women), self-defence, confidence-
building etc., keeping in mind the fact
that the region has been witnessing a
political turmoil—especially in the last
20 years—which has translated into
extreme situations for women where
many have not had the chance to go to
school or utilise their potentials to the
maximum.
www.epilogue.in
on a priority basis is the need of the hour.
In the 2009 budget speech made by
the J&K Finance Minister Abdul Rahim
Rather, the word 'women' is mentioned
less than ten times in a 85-page long docu-
ment. The references are as bleak as '...a
special scheme has been devised for
their economic empowerment. Under
this scheme, 100 women entrepreneurs
shall be selected from each district tak-
ing the total to 2,200 in the first phase.'
The budget speech also mentions:
'Special provisions have been made in the
budget for development of Gujjar and
Bakerwals, Schedule Castes and
Schedule Tribes, Women and Child
Welfare.' I am not sure if mentioning
women in the same breath as other cate-
gories mentioned above is the smartest
thing to do.
My second suggestion is towards cre-
ating educational awareness for women.
And this does not simply mean knowledge
from books and educational institutions.
Rather, it is suggested that there are
interventions towards personality devel-
opment, self-defence, confidence-
building etc., keeping in mind the fact
that the region has been witnessing a
political turmoil—especially in the last 20
years—which has translated into extreme
situations for women where many have
not had the chance to go to school or uti-
lise their potentials to the maximum.
My humble suggestions can be
achieved by initiating a grassroots repre-
sentation of women in civil society orga-
nizations which, based on their work in
Vol. 4, Issue 3
18
B U D G E T G L O S S A R Y
REVENUE RECEIPTS are all those
receipts, which do not incur
repayment liability. These include,
in addition to the State's own
revenues (Tax and Non-Tax), share
in central taxes, grants from the
Central Government for the
financing of State Plans as well as
non-plan grants. These also include
interest and dividend on
investments made by the
Government.
REVENUE EXPENDITURE is that
which covers the routine
administrative expenditure of the
State, such as wages and salaries,
expenditure on maintenance and
repairs and other overheads like
payment of rent, taxes, user charges
of services, insurance premia and
interest. It also includes expenditure
on goods for sale like in Stationery
Depots, Govt. Presses, Agriculture
Production Department, Health
institutions and CAPD.
BUDGET DEFICIT, the
conventional deficit, is the
difference between total
expenditure and total receipts and
has to be zero in the absence of
monetization, State Governments
have no access to the monetization
route and as such Budget Deficit in
their case ought to be zero.
the field, make policy recommendations
to the government. Based on their feed-
back of the ground realities, the govern-
ment will easily be able to assess the situ-
ation and create suitable opportunities
for women.
And hopefully, the next budget
speech will acknowledge women as indi-
viduals who ought to be given their due.
Epilogue, March 2010
19
Put Rural
Ladakh on Agenda
T. NAMGAIL
Journalist from Zanskar in Kargil
I-n today's age of information and tech-
nology, there are many remote villages
in our state which still don't have motor
road connectivity and telecommunica-
tion facility. Such things should be kept
as top priority of the government. At the
same time the government should also
invest a lot in the field of information and
technology.
Our government must also keep pro-
vision to produce electricity from differ-
ent kinds of renewable energy such as
hydro, wind and solar energy. Ladakh is
perhaps the only area in the country
which has a very high potential for pro-
ducing electricity from solar and geo-
thermal energy and these should be
tapped.
As the unemployment is rising day
by day everywhere, setting up of indus-
tries of different kinds needs to be
encouraged by providing due incentives
by the Government. Production of local
and organic produces and local handi-
Government should come up with a
scheme to provide subsidies and
incentives for Ladakh region to
construct green house at a large scale
so that every household in Ladakh can
produce vegetable for their own
consumption in the winter months
www.epilogue.in
crafts must also be encouraged.
Ladakhis have seen that construc-
tion of greenhouses for producing vege-
tables in winter in Ladakh has revolution-
ized life in Ladakh in the past more than
one decade. Therefore the government
should come up with a scheme to provide
subsidies and incentives for Ladakh
region to construct green house at a large
scale so that every household in Ladakh
can produce vegetable for their own con-
sumption in the winter months.
In the 2009 budget speech made by
the J&K Finance Minister Abdul Rahim
Rather, the word 'women' is mentioned
less than ten times in a 85-page long doc-
ument. The references are as bleak as
'...a special scheme has been devised
for their economic empowerment.
Under this scheme, 100 women entre-
preneurs shall be selected from each
district taking the total to 2,200 in the
first phase.'
The budget speech also mentions:
'Special provisions have been made in the
budget for development of Gujjar and
Bakerwals, Schedule Castes and
Schedule Tribes, Women and Child
Welfare.' I am not sure if mentioning
women in the same breath as other cate-
gories mentioned above is the smartest
thing to do.
My second suggestion is towards cre-
ating educational awareness for women.
And this does not simply mean knowledge
from books and educational institutions.
Rather, it is suggested that there are
interventions towards personality devel-
Vol. 4, Issue 3
IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
B U D G E T G L O S S A R Y
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE relate to
the creation of assets. This
corresponds to the State's own
investment outlay on the acquisition
of permanent assets like land,
buildings, power projects, Irrigation
and water supply schemes,
establishment of Industrial Estates,
all extensions and structural
alteration of existing assets,
construction of roads, railways,
airports, plant / machinery, Inter-
State Bus Terminals etc. etc.
Disbursements, which are
comprised of repayment of State
public debt and the loans and
advances made by the State to the
various entities, are also taken as
Capex.
opment, self-defence, confidence-
building etc., keeping in mind the fact
that the region has been witnessing a
political turmoil—especially in the last 20
years—which has translated into extreme
situations for women where many have
not had the chance to go to school or uti-
lise their potentials to the maximum.
My humble suggestions can be
achieved by initiating a grassroots repre-
sentation of women in civil society orga-
nizations which, based on their work in
the field, make policy recommendations
to the government. Based on their feed-
back of the ground realities, the govern-
ment will easily be able to assess the situ-
ation and create suitable opportunities
for women.
Epilogue, March 2010
IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
Think of saving
precious glaciers
PADMA SETHI
Director, Rural Development and You (RDY), Leh.
W e the people of Ladakh are
expecting a lot from budget 2010-
11. I am sure the government will fulfill
ours basic needs in the upcoming budget.
Ladakh, with its peculiar geo-climatic
conditions, is situated in the
northeastern part of the Indian state of
Jammu and Kashmir. It is a high-altitude
cold desert, with settlements located as
high as 16000 feet above sea level where
the winter temperatures dips down as
low as - 40° C. Most of Ladakh's
population lives in rural villages where
people still follow agrarian lifestyle.
Scarce resources make everyday life
further difficult in this environment with
harsh climatic conditions. Still, Ladakh
Prioritise
Quality Education
TASHI ANGCHUK
Businessman, Chiktan village of Kargil District
I feel that the Finance Minister should
give his top priority to the education
sector because it is only education that
ensures a peaceful, bright and a sustained
future. Teaching community should not
face any obstacle while they pursue their
due rights, be it a case of getting promo-
tion or any other privileges, because
teaching is a highly honored profession.
The Government should foresee a future
www.epilogue.in
has been home to a centuries old
indigenous culture that has not only
survived this land, but has thrived in it.
In view of above circumstances, I
shall impress upon the government to
come up with programs in the upcoming
budget for Sustainable Development of
Rural Ladakh and also for Renewable
Energy Development in Ladakh besides
allocation of funds for saving the
precious Himalaya Glacier that have
been lifeline for lakhs of people
inhabiting in many Himalayan
mountainous enclaves.
The sudden advent of globalization
and modernization has posed a threat to
Ladakh's traditional lifestyle, like what
wherein, unlike today, not a single dilapi-
dated school building should exist.
Secondly since the State is composed of
three distinct regions, Jammu, Kashmir
and Ladakh, with their own respective
culture and history, the Government
should also give its priority to promote
and preserve the diversity of the cultural
richness of the State. Preservation dif-
ferent historical monuments and distinct
Vol. 4, Issue 3
20
I call upon the Finance Minister to come
up with programs in the upcoming
budget for Sustainable Development of
Rural Ladakh and also for Renewable
Energy Development in Ladakh besides
allocation of funds for saving the
precious Himalaya Glacier that have
been lifeline for lakhs of people
inhabiting in many Himalayan
mountainous enclaves.
has happened in the past in other parts of
the globe on account of industrialisation
and globalisation. Therefore the need of
the hour is that the government should
take steps to bridge the gap between
Ladakh's traditional lifestyle and the
modern development by striking a fine
balance between the two. At the end I
am also expecting more and more fund
allocation for the development of the
far-flung areas of Ladakh like Dipling
area, such villages are still lacking very
basic amenities.
The government should come up
different schemes and programs
customized to different cultural
identities of the State for their
promotion and preservation
cultural identities will help the
Government to promote the State as a
unique tourist destination. Hence the
government should come up different
schemes and programs customized to dif-
ferent cultural identities of the State for
their promotion and preservation.
Epilogue, March 2010
21
Focus on
Education
THUKJAY TASHI
Programme Officer, GYURJA, TATA-LAHDC Support program
J ammu and Kashmir is economically
backward state despite its high
potential of economic development. Low
literacy, quality education and lack of
employment opportunities are enforcing
the violence in the state. The full poten-
tial of human resource is still a dream to
make a reality as a result the state is
infected by the low quality and unskilled
labour to be employed in a production
units while compromising the productiv-
ity and efficiency of a production unit.
Thus it is most urgent that state allocates
its financial resource strategically in
building the education infrastructures
and in line with providing quality educa-
tion to its citizens.
The second impediment for the
Make Separate
Power Budget
SYED BASHARAT BUKHARI
MLA, Sangrama
M y strong suggestion to the Finance
Minister would be to consider
reverting back to the brief practice of
presenting a separate budget for the
power sector. While sitting in the capital
cities we talk big about the power pro-
jects while situation in the rural areas
still present a gloomy picture. A separate
budget for power sector will not only
www.epilogue.in
state development is the poor and lack of
entrepreneurship development which
drags the state way behind others.
Centralized nature of entrepreneurship
promotes “survival of the fittest” and
“have and have not” among the citizens
that is against the state's social tradition
and human right therefore decentralized
small unit entrepreneurship is the solu-
tion for it. Economic decentralization
can be promoted through tourism indus-
try that the state has unlimited scope to
tap by promoting more attractive home
stays and travel companies. This is
already the main source of livelihood to
thousands of people and still the pressure
on it is dramatically increasing. So rea-
sonable financial resource allocation
help in better fiscal management but
also streamlining of the projects, supply
of power and realization of revenue. We
talk of going about mega power projects
but there are many villages where people
are yet see the first glow of an electric
bulb and then there are villages and
power supply lines are tied through the
trees. Like every March, our conven-
Vol. 4, Issue 3
IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
Centralized nature of entrepreneurship
promotes “survival of the fittest” and
leaves the gaps between “haves and
have nots” among the citizens that is
against the state's social tradition and
human right therefore decentralized
small unit entrepreneurship is the
solution for it
would not only rejuvenate and synergies
the state's crippled economy but a provi-
sion of constitutional right to life.
In conclusion investment in better
educational infrastructure in order to
produce skillful and resourceful citizens
to be more productive is the need of the
hour. The Promotion of decentralized
entrepreneurship by tapping the greater
potential of tourism industries will not
only provide livelihood to growing popu-
lation but bring back the life in its econ-
omy. Therefore sufficient budget alloca-
tion will meet twine objective of the
state peace and development.
B U D G E T G L O S S A R Y
FISCAL DEFICIT is the difference
between aggregate disbursements net
of debt repayments and recovery of
loans and revenue receipts and non-
debt capital receipts.
tional Budget brings to discussion the lat-
est economic scenario and proposals for
the next year, a separate budget for
power sector will serve as an annual real-
ity audit to improve the state of affairs.
My other suggestion is to make employ-
ment policy a workable proposition and
support it with budgetary provisions.
While, of course, I strongly suggest
against imposing any fresh taxes, the
Finance Minister should also think of eas-
ing some areas to de-escalate prices of
essentials.
Epilogue, March 2010
IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
Senior Citizens :
Think of this 9% of total population
VIKRAM GOUR
Engineer, Activist
B udget 2010-11 is the second budget
of the present term of Abdul Rahim
Rather, one of the ablest of the Finance
Ministers of the State so far. He must
have many things in mind for running the
government in most economical manner
to achieve optimum benefits for the citi-
zens of the state. I would only like to add
a few public beneficial items to suggest
from both for increasing revenue as well
as for meeting the aspirations of the peo-
ple of the state.
The Senior Citizens: The Senior
Citizens (SC) constitute more than 9% of
The Senior Citizens (SC) constitute more
than 9% of the population of the state
and the number is on the increase. The
population is estimated to increase to
more than 12% by 2015-16. Majority of
the SC are in the rural areas and most
of them are uncared for. Till date no FM
has shown any interest in the welfare of
CS in the state. We expect the FM in his
budget will provide adequate funds to
care for the SC in the shape of opening
Day-care Homes, Old age- Homes, Pay
and stay Homes, removal of VAT on
Medicines for SC, reduction in charges
on government/tourism guest
houses/tourism huts, providing
Emergency Services, both medical and
otherwise to the CS etc and advise the
government to enact laws that will
protect the right of the hapless CS vis-
a-vis their financially sound children
www.epilogue.in
the population of the state and the num-
ber is on the increase. The population is
estimated to increase to more than 12%
by 2015-16. Majority of the SC are in the
rural areas and most of them are uncared
for. Till date no FM has shown any interest
in the welfare of CS in the state. We
expect the FM in his budget will provide
adequate funds to care for the SC in the
shape of opening Day-care Homes, Old
age- Homes, Pay and stay Homes,
removal of VAT on Medicines for SC,
reduction in charges on govern-
ment/tourism guest houses/tourism
huts, providing Emergency Services, both
medical and otherwise to the CS etc and
advise the government to enact laws that
will protect the right of the hapless CS
vis-a-vis their financially sound children.
Such laws already stand already enacted
by the GOI. This act of the FM will cer-
tainly assure greater political support to
the government from this large section of
the population of SC.
That Court Fee on registration of
the property in court at present is 21%
which is highest in the country. We do not
understand whether this high rate has
been fixed for optimising the revenue of
the state out of property registration or
encouraging people for under-valuing
the property while getting it registered
or not getting it registered at all. As per
our information majority of the incum-
bents are keeping away from getting
their property registered and those who
getting it registered or enormously
undervaluing their property for registra-
tion and final looser the state. We would
Vol. 4, Issue 3
22
B U D G E T G L O S S A R Y
CAPITAL RECEIPTS include loans
raised by the State from the market,
borrowings from RBI and other
institutions, loans from the Centre,
receipts from special securities
issued to NSSF and the State's
recovery of its own loans and
proceeds from disinvestment of
Government's stake in Public Sector
Undertakings, all form part of
Capital Receipts.
CENTRAL PLAN refers to the
Central Government's budgetary
support to the Plan and, the internal
and extra budgetary resources raised
by the Public Sector Undertakings.
SUBSIDIES are financial aid
provided by the Government to
individuals or a group of individuals
to become competitive. The grant of
subsidies is also aimed at improving
skills of those who benefit from the
subsidies.
AMORTIZATION refers to
liquidate (a debt) by repayment in
installments is called Amortization.
PLAN EXPENDITURE consists of
revenue spending and capital
spending in the plan. Under the
former is included salary and
maintenance expenditure. Latter
includes expenditure on creation of
capital assets.
like to advise the FM to reduce the Court
Fee to around 10% so that the purchasers
are encouraged to get their property reg-
istered thus increase the revenue of the
state.
Epilogue, March 2010
23
Make Agriculture
Engine of Growth
ASHWANI SHARMA
MLA, Bishnah
P eople of all the three regions of the
State have voted for good
governance and as such expect peace
and progress. Budget is not merely a heap
of stapled papers with seal of
government. It must not only reflect the
agenda of the government but should
also pave the way for various
developmental projects (both ongoing
and new) in the state for the year ahead.
As a public representative I would like to
see allocation of more funds for my
constituency which mainly comprises of
rural population. Otherwise also in
overall context to state, around 80% our
population resides in rural area and
earning their livelihood through mean of
agricultural pursuits. The crisis of
unemployment can be catered or
minimized if the government comes with
a comprehensive plan for agriculture
sector. The attention of the government
should be focused for incentives to the
farmer's community. The fertilizer, loans
and other requirements of the farmers
may be given priority. Since we don't
have any major industrial establishments
in the state so the growth of the state is
directly proportional to that of
agriculture productivity. The irrigation
facilities need to be strengthened.
Power is one of the major issues
concerning every member irrespective of
political affiliation. We have so much
potential for hydro-power generation in
Jammu and Kashmir. The pending power
generation and power grid projects
should be taken into on war-footing
speed. In my own constituency there are
www.epilogue.in
two such projects costs Rs. 70 Cr. are
pending. I feel the government will also
take the problem of people into
consideration and complete the projects
well in time.
In my constituency, the people of
the border area are not given
compensation by the government for the
loss of crops and fields acquired by the
army and other security forces for the
purpose of border fencing. The land is
acquired but neither rent nor any other
compensation is being awarded to many
poor villager of my constituency. The
state government must take the issue
with government of India.
Let us be hopeful that this time the
Finance Minister is sincere in delivering it
to the people of the state, and Ladakh,
Jammu and Kashmir get their equal
share.
Special attention is also required
towards health and education sector
especially in rural areas. Though in the
government schools the situation has
improved but yet we are not able to bring
private players in rural education sector.
The Government Medical College in
Jammu is under staff and over-burdened
with patients. To tackle this problem we
must upgrade our rural health facilities.
Primary Health center may be
strengthening, Sub District and other
district hospitals must be equipped with
modern techniques and proper staff
strength.
The regional discrimination is there
and no one can deny this fact, be it
employment or other incentives each
Vol. 4, Issue 3
IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
B U D G E T G L O S S A R Y
PRIMARY DEFICIT is Fiscal Deficit
net of 'Interest Payments and Debt
Servicing' under Non-Plan.
REVENUE DEFICIT is the
difference between Revenue
expenditure (Plan / Non-Plan) and
Revenue Receipts (Tax / Non-Tax).
BALANCE FROM CURRENT
REVENUES (BCR) is the difference
between Revenue Receipts and the
sum total of all Plan grants and
Non-Plan Revenue Expenditure.
AGGREGATE DISBURSEMENTS
include (i) Revenue Expenditure (ii)
Capital Disbursements and (iii)
Disbursements under Public
Account.
AGGREGATE RECEIPTS include
(i) Revenue Receipts (ii) Capital
Receipts and (iii) Receipts under
Public Account.
MISCELLANEOUS CAPITAL
RECEIPTS (MCR) are treated as
Non Debt Capital Receipts.
government ignored Jammu region,
whether it was question of releasing
funds for the district development.
Jammu is perhaps the largest district in
the state in respect of population and
area. We are having 11 constituencies
but the amount released in the district
development board is not sufficient to
meet the requirements. There is need for
allocation of more funds.
I am hopeful that the Finance
Minister will not burden the ordinary
citizen of the state with more taxes as
already the poor man finding it difficult
to make both hands in this era of price-
hike and inflation.
Epilogue, March 2010
IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
Make Tax
Collection Transparent
BALDEV RAJ SHARMA
MLA, Reasi
B- efore listing my demands for the
upcoming budget, I would like to know
from the Honourbale Finance Minister, Did
his government deliver all the promises
made in his previous budget? As an elected
representative of the public I would like to
see a public friendly budget without bur-
den on common people in form of direct
and indirect taxes. The tax collection
system needs more transparency without
humiliations to the tax payers.
In the budget it is also expected that
government make some announcements
regarding a visible policy on Kashmiri
Pandits. The government must make it clear
that what do they want to do with them ?
there should be no more experiments.
The migrants from Jammu region may
also be treated at par with that of Kashmir
without any prejudice, discrimination and
delay. Now they must be allowed to live a
Bridge
Rural-Urban Divide
CHOUDHARY ZULFIKAR ALI
MLA, Darhal
W hether it is Union Budget or State
Budgets, when the presentation is
round the corner it is just the urban-
centric view point that comes under dis-
cussion. There has never been any pro-
cess of consultation in the rural areas and
therefore the fears of not factoring in
majority feedback always remain. My
www.epilogue.in
dignified life.
It is shameful that the state govern-
ment supported by union government is ask-
ing for amnesty and other incentives to the
terrorist returning from PoK. It is unfortu-
nate that the Chief Minister of a terror vic-
tim state is advocating amnesty to the ter-
rorists.
The government is keen to rehabili-
tate those who adopt the path of violence
and killings but they have no sympathy with
innocent educated youth of the state.
Today, educated youth of the state feels
being humiliated, carrying big degrees with
them but denied of any job. Instead of ini-
tiating a rehabilitating policy for the
state, the focus of the government
should remain on exploring new job
opportunities for the people. The hyped
employment policy of the state is nothing
but a joke with the educated young peo-
first and foremost suggestion to the
Finance Minister would be that his bud-
get should lay emphasis on schemes that
are aimed at bridging the rural urban
divide. You look at education,
healthcare, power supply and road net-
work, the rural areas lag far behind.
There should be a scheme of incentives
Vol. 4, Issue 3
24
ple of this state.
The discrimination issue is not being
sorted out. When Omar government took
over there were big sloganeering of dealing
with the regional discrimination. I feel it
sorry to say that during the present govern-
ment the level of discrimination has wid-
ened instead of being bridged. The funds
released for the district development are
not sufficient. The districts of Jammu
region and especially that of my constitu-
ency is being almost ignored.
There is acute power shortage in the
state and there are many remote villages
that are yet to be electrified. The power
scenario is also worst in towns and villages,
there power remains off even for days and
week together.
For the past few years, there has been
dry seasons without rain. The wells are dry
and it's just drought like situation. No water
for irrigation and also scarcity of drinking
water. This issue needs to be address on pri-
ority. The government must come with a
policy to deal with the alarming situation.
The government seems concerned on
Cross LoC trade but I feel it has not been
able to give any benefit to small business-
men and common people may be it is good
for a few businessmen. Don't orchestrate
about the political issues but concentrate
on developmental issues.
and disincentives for accelerating infra-
structure and services in the rural areas.
I would also like to recommend that
there should not be any new taxes in the
Budget 2010. Instead of levying any fresh
taxes, the Finance Minister should look at
some areas where tax regime can be
eased. Recently there has been central
tax rebate to Jammu and Kashmir and its
benefits should percolate down to the
masses in general through measures in
the upcoming Budget.
We understand that inflation is
national phenomenon but some cess on
petrol diesel etc levied in last year's bud-
get has further contributed to price esca-
lation in Jammu and Kashmir. This local
inflation is hitting the poor hard. Budget
2010 should come up with definite mea-
sures to ease the prices of essentials.
Epilogue, March 2010
25
Do the
Regional Balancing Act
BALWANT SINGH MANKOTIA
MLA Udhampur
B udget defines goal of the
government and it also reflects the
action plan of the government for various
sectors in the state. I feel no hesitation in
saying that this government has failed in
meeting with the aspirations of the
people of the state, especially that of
Jammu region. The role of the
government is not only to rule but also to
govern and administer the system, the
Omar government is just confined to
'rule' but failed to govern and administer
in a proper way.
Today, the common citizen is
loaded with the burden of unchecked
price hike of essential commodities. He
is not even able to have bread and
butter for his family. It would be
soothing to see Jenab Finance Minister
making some announcements to take
steps so that the graph of inflation is
brought down.
The government needs to take
immediate steps to revive its Pubic
Distribution System, which is a total a
flop show. The ration card holder are
being deprived of their due ration. The
V O T E O N A C C O U N T
Finance Minister Abdul Rahim
Rather had taken a Vote-on-
Account of Rs 9503 crore on March
3 in a brief session of the Legislature
for a period of five months for the
financial year 2009-10 beginning
April 1.
www.epilogue.in
poor people are totally depend CAPD
ration stores and when they are shown
out of stock board they feel humiliation.
So this needs special attention and there
must be accountability of the officers
concerned.
The affected people are not even
paid compensations under drought
relief fund. The drought relief fund
amount may be enhanced and should be
made flexible so that victims and
genuine people are not being harassed
unnecessarily.
To deal with the rising graph of
unemployed youth the government
should accommodate private investors
in the state, a industrialization policy
should be formed so that more private
players come in the state and our young
educated people get the job
opportunities. Though the government
has announced an employment policy but
it has no sense. The banks will be asked
to give loan to the educate youth, but we
all know that banks demand mortgage
from the applicants hence if a person has
own capital then what's role of
government. ?
In the Health sector also we need
more attention; we are at 3rd end and
at number 28 in national health graph.
People of the state and especially that
of my constituency have to cover a long
distance to reach Jammu even for minor
health related problems. Again in
Jammu patients are forced to visit AIIMS
or PGI Chandigarh. We need more
health institutes in the state with
modern techniques and medical
Vol. 4, Issue 3
IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
APPEASE ALL BUDGET
The last budget of the last National
Conference regime was presented
by then Finance Minister Abdul
Rahim Rather on March 6, 2002.
Aiming at Assembly elections due in
September same year, Rather
announced wide ranging
concessions for tourism, hotel and
entertainment industry ranging from
slapping of taxes to extension of tax
holidays. This Budget carried a
deficit of Rs 1200 Crore. Finance
Minister also appeased the State
Government and public sector
employees by announcing the
installments of Dearness Allowance
(DA) and Cost of Living Allowance
(COLA) and reviving the scheme of
housing loan upto Rs 50,000.
Key features
? 100 pc interest subsidy to
house boat, taxi owners
? 5 years tax holiday on ST
charged from hotels
? Surcharge on fruit orchards
totally abolished
? Tax enhanced on deluxe
liquor, middle class
exempted
? DA, COLA sanctioned for
Govt employees, housing
loan revived
? Show tax abolished, excise
duty reduced in cinema
halls
professionals. The pace of work on
ongoing projects should be speed up so
that they can be completed without any
further delay.
No one can deny and ignore the
discrimination with Jammu region of
the state. Be it tourism sector or any
other area. The people of Jammu have
always felt the blunt. The government
must ensure that discrimination be it
regional or sub-regional will be erased.
Epilogue, March 2010
IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
Give Air Connectivity
to Unreachable Areas
TSETAN NAMGYAL
MLA, Nobra
W- ith a positive hope and as a repre-
sentative of people of Nobra I am
confident that in the coming budget
there will be a good deal with the people
of the state and especially with the
remote areas. We all know that in Ladakh
region the road connectivity is question
of life and death, because of difficult ter-
rain and hostile weather the people of
the area remain cut off from the rest of
the world. Even within the region the peo-
ple find it difficult to reach the nearest
village. The only life line during the long
winter season is air-services which are
unfortunately not in everyone's reach.
Since people and students of the area
have to either move to valley or to
Jammu region for education, health and
other official matters. It is prayed that in
the budget more air-services are
allowed with low-fare.
The pending tunnel projects may
Do Need-Based
Mapping
SAJJAD KICHLOO
MLA, Kishtwar
J ammu and Kashmir being
geographically very uneven state ill
affords a uniform development policy.
What is important in our state to do a
need based mapping in all rural and
urban areas and then formulate
www.epilogue.in
be taken in a fast track manner so that
complete well in time saving precious life
of the people. The medicines and other
goods of daily use are air-lift from other
parts of the state-country which costs
more carriage and ultimately the com-
mon people have to bear the burden.
I am confident that the present gov-
ernment is able to make it to the aspira-
tions of the people of the state and will
do justice to them. The traditional silk
route can be of a great help as it can join
the country with rest of the world.
There is no industrial sector in the
area and the people of the area have lim-
ited resources to earn their livelihood e.g
Ladakh region is a favourite destination
for international tourists, the govern-
ment of India if moves in direction to
open Mansarover Road, then there can be
enormous expansion of tourism sector
which will help the regional economy to
development projects accordingly. The
Government often talks of connecting all
those villages with population of more
than 5000 persons but still there are
many areas with more than 60,000 souls
awaiting first 'invasion' of a vehicle of any
Vol. 4, Issue 3
26
grow besides giving employment to the
people of the area that are not able to
carry their agricultural pursuits during
the hostile winter season. The region can
be serve as corridor to Indo-China trade
helping both the countries. We can
import essential commodities from them
at a low cost and similarly export our
item to them making it convenient for
both the neighbours.
Besides tourism, Ladakh region is
also enriched with minerals resources
the area has the potential to be devel-
oped as a hub for mineral resources.
There is no need to go even deeper even
minor mining can bring the results. The
state government must look into this
and draft a policy in this direction to
explore more possibilities, funds may
also be allocated for making further
researches so that the possibilities could
be developed. There is even possibility
of exploring Uranium, hence we need to
go with pace and plan.
Since we have long winter span
making it difficult for the people to
make their routine work, we meet with
biggest challenge of power sector. This
also needs a comprehensive plan, the
present power system needs a revival
and up gradation. We require more
funds meeting out power crisis in the
region of Ladakh.
sort. Many areas in my constituency
Kishwar and in Gurez and Tulail etc are
live examples. Road connectively should,
therefore, become a priority sector in
the rural areas. When I talk about the
need based development mapping, what
comes to my mind is the plight of people
in remote and rural areas. I am happy to
learn that the Chief Minister has shown
his keen interest in rural road
connectivity and has asked for Detailed
Project Reports for around 200 villages. I
would suggest that 2010 should be
declared as a year of rural roads
connectivity and its reflection should
come in the Budget speech of the Finance
Minister.
Epilogue, March 2010
27
Revisit Your Previous
Promises Before Making New
HAKEEM MOHAMMAD YASEEN
MLA, Khan Sahib
I would like to suggest the Finance
Minister that first of all he should re-
study the budget 2009-10. He should
come with all the related data about his
previous year's budget. What did he
promise and how much he could do. The
upcoming budget should not be merely
a reprint of the previous budget with few
alterations and editions. The budget is
not a document but it defines the fate of
the state and its people.
Today, world and the country are
facing unemployment problem and I
think the problem is more grave in our
state because of political unrest and
other allied factors. The proportional
growing graph of educated unemployed
youth is much more in our state than any
other part of India or elsewhere in the
world. I assure, if they (youth of the
state) are given jobs then the state can
witness an unprecedented atmosphere
of peace and progress. The government
has to match the policy on papers with its
implementation on grounds. Of course
no government can accommodate
everyone in the government jobs but you
have to carve out a policy so that more
private players invest in the state and
people get employment opportunities.
For industrialization in state we have to
provide un-interrupted power supply but
even today the government has failed to
do so. Until and unless we tackle the
power crisis, we cannot dream peace and
progress. We are naturally resourceful
state well-vested with potential of
hydro-power and tourism industry.
www.epilogue.in
Besides power there is also scarcity of
skilled labour in the state, for the
purpose we need more ITI's and
Polytechnic colleges even at tehsil and
block levels.
The serving employees of the state
government are being ill-treated and the
promises made to them are not made so
far, they are forced to adopt the path of
agitation, the sixth pay
recommendations are not implemented
in toto. It is really an embarrassment for
the state government that the old retired
government employees are totally
ignored. The FM should announce proper
implementation of sixth pay panel
recommendations and release the
pending arrears of serving retired
government employees.
I am sorry to say that government is
exploiting the youth of the state, you are
not adhering even your own rules and
laws, where is your rule of minimum
wage policy? You want a post-graduate
and professional graduates to stake his
future for your 1100 and 1500, what are
you offering to ReT and other contractual
agricultural graduates?. I am hopeful
that in the coming budget the
government comes with without any
further delay you must enhance their
wages.
I also feel that the government will
make more efforts to appreciate cross-
Loc trade, the on going trade between
the businessmen of the two parts of
Jammu and Kashmir should be given a
boost. The barter system of trading may
Vol. 4, Issue 3
IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
B U D G E T F A C T O I D S
THE HARSHEST BUDGET
Annual Budget for the year 1999-
2000 presented by then Finance
Minister Mohammad Shafi in the
Legislative Assembly on March 4,
1999 is considered as the harshest
of two decades as it carried a wide
range of takes on almost all range of
people in the state also hiked most
of the existing taxes. The Finance
Minister had said that he was left
with no other option to bring
Jammu and Kashmir out of the
financial mess. A tentative breakup
of Rs 1750 Crore Budget comprised
a Revenue component of Rs 738
Crore and Capital component of Rs
1012 Crores.
In 2004 the Plan expenditure was
pegged at Rs 3300 Crore and Non-
Plan expenditure at Rs 7379 Crore.
In 2002-03 the Plan expenditure
accounted for only 25 per cent of
the total budget.
be replaced with proper system. The
traders of the state are demanding for
banking and communication facility
between the two business communities,
under the present system the concerned
people will not be able to carry on it.
It is quite unfortunate that we pose
the state as tourism destination but
every day people are being killed on
roads, the state needs to be careful for
that . The issues of road connectivity
and widening of roads may be taken on
war foot.
Because of difficult terrain the
health system in the state is in a very
vulnerable stage, you cannot allow a
patient in some remote village of
Kupwara to cover a long distance of some
100 miles to reach SKIMS, Srinagar. The
budget-2010 should allocate more funds
for health sector.
Epilogue, March 2010
IN FOCUS
Budget 2010
Put Brakes on
Price Escalation
PEERZADA MANSOOR
MLA, Shangus
I- am not hesitant to say that this govern-
ment has failed to act on the expecta-
tions of the people. More than 60 % peo-
ple voted just for peace and progress and
on both the fronts the Omar Abdullah gov-
ernment has failed. Peace and progress
and interlinked the present government
able fail to bring normalcy in the state.
During N-C Congress regime we tried to
normalize things and of course we were
able to move forward in the direction of
normalcy and calm.
Today the people are crying and
dying because of the uncontrolled price
hike of essential commodities. The gov-
ernment must ensure a check on the ris-
ing inflation. The BPL and other weaker
sections of the society may be given more
subsidies. The CAPD ration store has
failed to deliver it to the people. There is
need of transparency and accountability
in the Public Distribution system. The
ration quoto for the rationees must be
enhanced.
There is a flood of unemployed edu-
cated youth, they possess higher qualifi-
cations but are without job. It is the duty
of the government to take a note of that
and make proper arrangement for their
employment. Because when these edu-
cated youth are deprived of their rights
then they take the other way which is not
good for the society. Though the govern-
ment has announced an employment pol-
icy for them but again it would not be
wrong to term it as a flaw. We are already
having PMRY ( Pradhan Mantri Rozgar
Yojna) and we know the financial insti-
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tutes attributes impossible conditions
making it difficult for the poor applicant
to either withdraw his application or stop
following the already submitted one. The
loan facility to the educated youth is not
going to help. We demand that there
should be a separate employment budget
besides power budget.
The Horti-Floriculture industry of
the state needs special care because in
the absence of any major industry in the
valley the people of the Kashmir are
depend on these two industries. The hand-
icraft industry of the Kashmir has no
match and that should also be given
incentives for boost.
In the upcoming budget we want
that there must be a separate power bud-
get for the state. Today the whole state is
suffering because of power shortage and
this needs to be addressed at an earliest.
Power is key to growth, be it for industri-
alization or for irrigation purposes.
The state needs an economical
boost and that can be possible with peace
in the region. We ought to have friendly
relations with our neighbours. The ongo-
ing Cross-LoC trade can be of tremendous
help in this direction. People of both the
region can be benefited with this if it is
fully operational. At present the busi-
ness communities of the two region are
having traditional barter system (
exchange of goods). And the businessmen
are finding it difficult to carry on, the
communication link with PoK may be
allowed and a branch of Jammu and
Kashmir Bank may be set up there in PoK.
Vol. 4, Issue 3
28
Give Roads
to Villages
ASHOK KUMAR
MLA, Ramban
I would expect that the Minister for
Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather to allo-
cate special package for connectivity to
far-off places in Ramban constituency.
Still hundreds of villages are inaccessible
and people have to walk on feet for kilo-
meters together. If you don't have road
connectivity, development in other sec-
tors would remain elusive. Besides road
connectivity, we have great expectations
from the coalition government that it
would announce measures for improving
health sector in remote areas of the
State. “The hospitals particularly sub-
district and primary health centers,
where infrastructure is very poor, we
hope the government would take mea-
sures for improvement of these institu-
tions so that the people could be pro-
vided better health care system. As far as
power sector is concerned, my constitu-
ency still has 20-25 villages which are
still un-electrified. For instance Dessa,
Sadan, Chortha and Balihota villages
don't have electricity. Government
should take a keen interest in providing
electricity to these villages and I hope
the ruling alliance would allocate special
funds for electrification of rural areas.
Last but not the least, the Government's
main thrust should be on providing pota-
ble water to villages where streams and
other water resources got dried due to
existing dry spell.
B U D G E T G L O S S A R Y
NON-PLAN EXPENDITURE
consists of salary, interest payments,
subsidies and grants. It can be
divided into revenue spending and
capital spending.
Epilogue, March 2010
29 IN FOCUS
Budget 2010

WORST FINANCIAL CRISIS

The year 1998-99 was of worst
Invest financial crisis. The mismatch
between resource raising capacity of
Creative Ideas the State and the unavoidable
mounting expenditure resulted into
ABDUL MAJID WANI depletion of resources and cash
crunch. The main reasons
MLA, Doda
contributing to the severe resource
gap were attributable to
T here is a unique paradox in Jammu and Kashmir. For years and decades we have
been hearing about abject poverty, unemployment and economic downturns.
These terms sound strange for a resource rich state like Jammu and Kashmir. On one (a) that the year opened with a high
hand we talk about the massive hydel potential, mineral reserves and forest wealth and overdraft of Rs 944.92 crore and
on the other hand we have to rush to New Delhi for funding for every petty schemes. I unpaid bills and hundies of Rs
would like the Finance Minister to break the precedence of presenting routine Budgets 206 crore.
and come up with systematic plan of exploiting the natural resources. The routine
patchwork exercises of cutting taxes from one sector and levying on the other will not (b) the State extended the benefit of
help for long. Someday, the government will have to sit down and think of major policy pay/pension to its employees
initiates for massive economic growth. In the first stage, I suggest, a systematic and and pensioners as recommended
scientific resource mapping. Second stage can involve fund mobilization and third by the 5th Central Pay
stage on execution. Commission which resulted in
Forget the losses accrued of Indus Water Treaty. We need to ask ourselves how financial impact of Rs 510 crore.
much of available waters have we been able to use? Not more than 10 to 15 per cent of
the total resources. I understand big hydel project need huge investments but these
© two instalments of JDA of3%
projects can be put to Public-Private Partnership or Built Own Operate and Transfer
and 6% to the State
(BOOT) mechanism. For the economic development it is not always important to invest
money. What is important to invest creative ideas.
Government
employees/pensioners added the
burden of about Rs 120 crore on
the State exchequer.
No Fresh
(d) the losses of the State Electricity
Taxes, Please Board continued to be very high
and since additional power
MR QURESHI became available from Uri, the
MLC, Poonch expend hire for purchase of
power reached the level of Rs
537 crore.
T- he Government must ensure that the commitments which it had made with the pub-
lic last year and which have not been fulfilled thus far, should be on its priority. It
should assess the ground realities and basic needs of the people so that special provi- (e) the security related expenditure
sions are made in this year's budget. The theme of the Governor's address should be has not been fully reimbursed by
given a practical shape on ground and the government must take measures for the wel- the Government of India and as
fare of the people. Special focus should be made on education, health and power, per claims of the State
besides expediting recruitment process for unemployed youth. No new tax should be Government be outstanding is
introduced so that common man doesn't suffer in view of sky-rocketing prices of essen- of the order of Rs 896.92 crore
tial commodities. We hope that the Government would take pro-people and people- as on date.
friendly measures to resolve the genuine issues of the employees.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

BOOKS 30
Extracts

WOMEN IN KASHMIR
The Glorious Roles They Played

NYLA ALI KHAN

The articulation of the fervent patriotism of Kashmiri women, which manifested itself in their emboldened
personae in 1931, 1947, 1950, and 1975 until the dawn of insurgency and counterinsurgency in 1989-90,
requires research paradigms and hypotheses that give as much credence to the path paving work of women
within religious, familial, and communal frameworks and to the work of those women who deconstructed
well-established frameworks in order to lead subaltern movements, motivate minority education as
opposed to state controlled education, and recognize culture and history as sites of struggle.
women steeped in centuries old tradi- guards” and “guard of honor” the prac-

S
ome Reminiscences about
Women's Agential Roles or Lack
Thereof, 1947 and 1989:
While reminiscing about Begum
Akbar Jahan's significant role in 1947,
Krishna Misri writes about the formation
of the National Militia and Women's
Defense Corps, volunteer forces of men
and women organized under the leader-
ship of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah to
ward off the onslaught that occurred on
October 22, 1947, when hordes of
tribesmen from the Northwest Frontier
Province, under the patronage of the
Pakistani army, crossed the border of
the princely state of J & K in order to
coercively annex the region:
In the absence of a competent civil
authority, volunteers of the National
Militia filled the void. They patrolled
the city day and night with arms, kept
vigil, guarded strategic bridges,
approaches to the city, banks, offices,
etc. With preliminary training in weap-
ons, some of them were deployed with
army detachments to fight the enemy at
the war front.
With its multi-faceted and radical
activities, Women's Self Defense Corps
(WSDC) was a harbinger of social
change. It provided a forum where
tions, abysmal ignorance, poverty, and
superstition could discuss their issues.
Attired in traditional Kashmiri clothes
and carrying a gun around her shoul-
ders, Zoon Gujjari, symbolized the
WSDC. A milk vendor's charismatic
daughter, hailing from a conservative
Muslim family that lived in downtown
Srinagar, she received well-deserved
media coverage.
My elder brother, Pushkar Zadoo,
joined the National Militia, while I along
with my sisters, Kamla and Indu,
became volunteers of WSDC. We were
first initiated into physical fitness and
then divided into smaller groups, where
weapons' training was imparted. It was
essential to follow the instruction given
by our instructor, an ex-army service-
man to a tee. Soon we understood the
operational details of loading and
unloading a gun, taking aim, and finally
pressing the trigger. To get acclimatized
to shooting the 303 rifle, sten-gun, bren
gun, and pistol, practice drills were
organized in an open area, known as
“Chandmari.” The initial nervousness
soon gave way to confidence and we
would hit the target when ordered. For
all parades including “ceremonial
tice was that men's contingents were
followed by women's contingents.
During that gut-wrenching inva-
sion, Begum Akbar Jahan undertook
exhaustive relief work in order to reha-
bilitate displaced and dispossessed vil-
lagers. “She addressed the volunteers
on political issues to raise their political
consciousness. Miss Mahmuda Ahmad
Shah, a pioneering educationist and
champion of women's empowerment,
along with other leading women, was in
the forefront of WSDC. Begum Zainab
was a grass-root level leader. She took
charge of the political dimension of
WSDC. Shouldering a gun, she was in the
forefront, leading women's contin-
gents. Sajjada Zameer Ahmad, Taj
Begum Renzu, Shanta Kaul, and
Khurshid Jala-u-Din joined the 'Cultural
Front' and worked with Radio Kashmir as
anchors, announcers, and actors.
Several women writers and poets
emerged on the literary scene and con-
tributed to the cultural renaissance that
followed down the decades.”
Women, as evidenced by the work
of constructive and rehabilitative work
undertaken by political and social
women activists in the former princely

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

31
state during turbulent and peaceful
times, have more or less power depend-
ing on their specific situation, and they
can be relatively submissive in one situ-
ation and relatively assertive in
another. Assessing women's agency
requires identifying and mapping power
relations, the room to maneuver within
each pigeonhole and the intransigence
of the boundaries. A woman's level of
empowerment also varies according to
factors such as class, caste, ethnicity,
economic status, age, family position,
etc. In 1950, the government of J & K
developed educational institutions for
Women on a large scale. That year the
first Government College for Women, a
watershed in the gendered landscape of
the State, was established. This insti-
tution provided an emancipatory
forum for women, broadening their
horizons and opportunities within
established political and social
spheres. Higher education in the State
received a greater impetus with the
establishment of the Jammu and
Kashmir University. The mobilization
of women from various socioeconomic
classes gave them opportunities to
avail themselves of educational oppor-
tunities and enhance their profes-
sional skills, attempting to reform
existing structures so as to accommo-
date women. The educational methods
employed in these institutions were
therefore revisionist in nature, not rev-
olutionary. But the pugnacious
militarization of the political and cul-
tural discourse in the State in 1989-90
marginalized developmental issues and
negated the plurality of ideologies
through a non-negotiable value system.
In the e-mail, Misri wrote about the gory
landscape of 1989:
In 1989, Kashmiris were caught
between the terrorists and state terror-
ism, two sides of the same coin. Women
bore the brunt of the suffering since,
ironically, the two forces wielding
www.epilogue.in
BOOKS
Extracts
power shared a patriarchal mindset that
ISLAM views women as symbols of individual
and collective “honor.” As has been the
WOMEN
case throughout history, women's bod-
ies in Kashmir became sites of war irre-
& spective of their class, caste, religion,
VIOLENCE IN KASHMIR
BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN
region, or ethnicity. Physical violations
of women became common and were
used to challenge the collective honor
of the community. Rape, gangrape,
abductions, kidnappings, naked corpses
with amputated limbs hanging from
tree tops, were visible manifestations
of the grim reality that gripped women's
lives in the Valley. In addition were the
hordes of panic stricken people on the
run, uprooted from their moorings,
bereft of their home, history, and iden-
tity. They had become refugees in their
own land. For women, the new reality
was in part reflected in the new identi-
ties they assumed, rape victims, abduc-
ted women, widows, grass widows,
migrants, and so on.
The United Nations Declaration on
Elimination of Violence Against Women
states that pervasive violence against
women is a product of “unequal power
relations” between men and women,
which characterizes gender relations in
all parts of the world. Violence is built
into patriarchal structures and it is prac-
ticed during peace as well as war.
Kashmiri women have gone through
immense turbulence and torture in the
last two decades and reconstituting
their devastated lives is a formidable
challenge. Given the urgency of the
problem, what they need is empower-
ment. However, much of the discourse
in the last two decades has focused on
women either as victims/losers or wel-
fare beneficiaries. Scant attention has
been paid to their attempts to reconsti-
tute their lives and to face the struggles
of everyday existence. One of the ways
that that victimized and displaced
Kashmiri women are rebuilding and cre-
ating meaning in their lives is by taking
Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010
BOOKS 32
Extracts

up agency oriented roles. The resource- common traits: they are based on a radi-
fulness of under-privileged women in cal politicization of religious identities
becoming part of a larger reconstitution
and conflict mitigation process is to be
commended. For example, Parveena
and their agendas exemplify their
exclusionary ideologies; though these
women have served in the low and mid
Epilogue
because there is more to know
Ahagar's untiring search for her son cul- tiers of their respective organizations,
minated in the creation of the they have to date been excluded from
Association of Parents of Disappeared
Regional in Content
the upper echelons. Some organizations
Persons. This association has become a have expressed deep reservations about National in Presence
rallying forum for parents and relatives including women in the top tier. None of
in search of their missing kith and kin. Ask for your copy at :
these agencies has a plan of action for
Others have set up self-help groups that women. How women perceive their ?
Abhijeet Sagar Book Center
deal with specific issues pertaining to future after struggle in a regressive dis- Pune,
widows, grass-widows, and orphans. MAHARASHTRA
course is unclear. It appears that they
Still others have become involved in ?
American Book Center
Anna Salai, Chennai
large scale social work and/or social Women, as evidenced by the work of con- TAMIL NADU
activism. structive and rehabilitative work under- ?
B N Dey & Co.
Agency oriented roles are highly taken by political and social women Pan Bazaar, Guwahati
visible in the political participation and activists in the former princely state ASSAM
mobilization of women. Outnumbering ?
Deepak Kumar
during turbulent and peaceful times, Magazine Agents, Patna
men at times, they have made their pres-
have more or less power depending on BIHAR
ence felt in a big way in protest rallies
their specific situation, and they can be ?
Dey & Bose Magazine Agent
and dangerous political missions. Howrah,
Women are organized under several
relatively submissive in one situation
WEST BENGAL
political organizations that are affili- and relatively assertive in another. ?
Ideal Books
ated to their male counterparts. Assessing women's agency requires Tutors Line, Trissur
“Dukhtara-e-Milat” (Daughters of the identifying and mapping power relations, KERALA
Nation) is affiliated to a radical Islamist the room to maneuver within each ?
JMD Book House
Shimla
group and advocates restrictive codes pigeonhole and the intransigence of the
HIMACHAL PRADESH
of conduct for women. They even con- boundaries. ?
Life Book House
done the use of coercive methods to Himidira Road Bhopal
enforce their agenda. Those aligned look at issues from the lens of their MADHYA PRADESH
with moderate militant groups, on the patriarchies and believe in an illusion- ?
Modern Book House
other hand, have less restrictive codes ary post-conflict resolution. While Lucknow,
UTTAR PRADESH
and refrain from the use of coercive women have gained some “agentive
?
Rajesh Agencies
methods. At the other end of the contin- moments,” these gains are flawed as Jaipur
uum is “Daughters of Vitasta” (Daugh- their agendas stem from an insulated RAJASTHAN
ters of the Jhelum, a river which is the worldview. ?
Shams News Agency
lifeblood of Kashmir), the women's wing I agree with Misri's passionate Farmanwadi, Hyderabad
of “Panun Kashmir” (Our Own Kashmir), articulation of the merciless forms of ANDHRA PRADESH
?
Uniquality News Agency
mainly operating from Jammu and oppression that Kashmiri women now
Bapuji Nagar, Bhubaneshwar
Delhi. They seek resolution of the prob- confront, “The focus has shifted from ORISSA
lems of internally displaced Kashmiri empowerment of women to the brutal
Pandits in terms of a separate homeland politics of intimidation and coercion India Book House, MUMBAI
within the geographical space of the symbolized by attempts to enforce a Oxford Book Stores
Kashmir Valley. Despite their varying dress code on them. . . . The burden of NEW DELHI, MUMBAI, KOLKATTA,
perceptions, all women's organizations the new adjustments has disproportion- CHENNAI, BANGALORE & GOA
in India Administered J & K share some ately fallen on women.” Central News Agency, NEW DELHI

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

33
FORGOTTEN HISTORY
BY GEORGE:
The Cunningham Contribution
RAKESH ANKIT
'
Facts are subversive, and expensive' –
writes Timothy Garton Ash. Subversive
of political and historical claims; of
lies, half-truths, myths and – it can be
added – memories. Yet as he asserts – a
few lines down – 'the first job, not the
only job, perhaps not the most
important, but the first job of the
historian and the journalist is to find
facts'.
While the loc-marked frontier
between the two halves of Kashmir may
be heavily wired, guarded and
patrolled; the frontier between fact
and fiction in the literature on Kashmir
is open and unmarked. In fact, much of
it is history as storytelling – and a short
wa y a wa y from postmode rn ist
relativism.
India and Pakistan have disputed
over many 'facts' related to the October
1947 conflict in Kashmir but none so
heavily as India's conviction that the
government of Pakistan gave raiders
facilities in the October invasion.
Pakistan equally strongly denied the
allegation. The British, on their part,
while being 'satisfied that Jinnah has
been feeble or unwise in acquiescing or
tolerating the activities of the
tribesmen or more probably in not
stopping his people from pursuing such a
policy', did 'not believe that Jinnah
planned or designed what in fact has
happened'.
To recapture the various positions,
very briefly, India claimed that Pakistan
gave raiders facilities and must
www.epilogue.in
New Research on Kashmir
withdraw them. Once they go back,
India will pull its troops back.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Abdullah's
administration was a valid one as he
represented the people of Kashmir and
a plebiscite will be organised under the
Abdullah administration.
Pakistan responded by claiming
that it can not control the tribes till an
impartial administration was in place.
Plebiscite must be organised under a
neutral set-up and once India could
guarantee these two promises, Pakistan
can help bring the tribes back. In
addition, it pointed out that Poonch,
Jammu and Sialkot had seen the Sikh
and Dogra troops attacking the Muslims
leading to a refugee crisis in Western
Punjab and NWFP. This excited the
tribes to go into Kashmir which Pakistan
tried to prevent short of use of force.
And of course, the fountain of Indian
legality – the instrument of accession –
was stingingly termed as 'fraudulent and
based on violence'.
What of the British view? By 31
October, HMG's position had crystallized
thus: It would have been natural for
Kashmir to have acceded to Pakistan
given the demographic, geographical,
trade-transport and communication
factors. Srinagar's conduct in Poonch in
September and correspondence with
Karachi in October suggest that it
valued differences with Pakistan as
providing an excuse for accession to
India. There was no evidence for
Pakistan having organised incursion.
Vol. 4, Issue 3
exclusive series
Instead they brought strong political
pressure on the tribes and refused to
recognise the provisional government
set up by the Muslim Conference (on 6
October, headed by Md. Anwar) even
though India had openly facilitated
Junagadh's provisional government.
Pakistan was unwise in not physically
stopping tribesmen and doubtless local
authorities showed some connivance
but Jinnah could not actually have
stopped the movement of tribesmen
however ardently he had desired.
Pakistan was weakened by the refugee
problem and just like the Indian Punjab
had difficulty in imposing its authority
over local officials. The Indian
government made a dangerous and
provocative mistake by accepting even
provisionally the accession of Kashmir
into India. There was no need to do this.
Military help could certainly have been
sent to Kashmir from India without
accession to the state. Moreover, India
did not seek to keep alive the spirit of
cooperation with Pakistan by informing
Jinnah what they were about to do and
of explaining that it was not intended to
produce a fait accompli as regards
Kashmir's future position. All this
suggested that one object of
government of India was to secure
Kashmir's accession to India and
Pakistan could hardly be expected to
put any other interpretation. The
solution: stop fighting to arrange
plebiscite or rather arrange plebiscite
to stop fighting.
Epilogue, March 2010
exclusive series
New Research on Kashmir
Now, among the many witnesses
with a ring-side view of the unfolding
events in Pakistan – events which were
at the very core of the above positions –
was Sir George Cunningham (1888-1963)
who was then the Governor of the
North-West Frontier Province (here
after NWFP). Sir George, GCIE, KCSI and
OBE, joined the ICS in 1911. Early in his
career, he served as Asst. Commissioner,
Punjab (1914-17); Political Agent,
Waziristan, NWFP (1922-23) and
Councillor, Kabul (1925-26). He rose to
be the PPS to the Viceroy, Lord Irwin
(1926-31) and, subsequently, was
appointed first as Acting Governor of
the NWFP (Nov. 1932- May 1933) and
then confirmed in that capacity for a
nine-year long tenure from 1937 to
1946. He returned to Peshawar
following Sir Olaf Caroe's departure in
August 1947.
Cunningham kept a diary – written
in longhand. It can be accessed as
manuscript no. MSS Eur D670/6 at the
Oriental and India Office Collections,
British Library (London). This next few
paras bring to light Cunningham's
entries between 6 October and 22
December 1947.
Cunningham was worried at 'quite
a lot of talk of the actual danger of war'
as October began. On 6 October, he
confided to himself: 'The Pakistan
government seems to me to wink at very
dangerous activities on the Kashmir
border, allowing small parties of
Muslims to infiltrate into Kashmir from
this side. That might easily become a
casus belli'. A week later, one can see
the horizon darkening: 'There is a real
move in Hazara for Jehad [sic.-
underlined in original] against Kashmir. I
have warned everyone I could, including
the Afridis and Mohmands, of the danger
of taking part in anything like this, in
case it leads to war between India and
Pakistan'.
www.epilogue.in
On 15 October, Cunningham wrote
that 'the Kashmir affair is boiling up. I
am not quite sure how far my own
ministers know about it, or sympathise
with it, but they have sanctioned quite
a lot of petrol and flour'. He sought to do
his constitutional duty by warning the
Governor-General. Writing to Jinnah,
he said: 'I am perturbed by the move
which a lot of our people are making in
the Kashmir direction. The talk now is
not merely of defence against attacks
from Kashmir by Sikhs, but of invasion
into Kashmir'. Three days later,
Cunningham got his answer from his
Chief Minister Abdul Qayyum. A
barrister and a member of the Muslim
League in 1940s, Qayyum was the CM in
NWFP in 1947 and later became the
Federal Interior Minister during the
Bhutto years (1971-77). He put it bluntly
to the Governor that, 'It would be a good
thing to fill Kashmir with armed
Muslims. Even if we do not give any
support or sympathy to the movement,
it would be difficult to stop small
parties trickling over'. It was clear that
Pakistan was nervous about the
strategic danger if Kashmir joined India
and there was a strong school of thought
arguing that direct action now would
make the Maharaja join Pakistan.
On 20 October, 900 Mahsuds left in
lorries for Kashmir along with 200
Mohmands as 21 October was 'tipped as
the “D” day'. The same day,
Cunningham confidentially informed
General Sir Rob Lockhart (C-in-C, Indian
Army from August to December 1947): 'I
am afraid that certain people up here
have been playing with fire; I have
pointed out to them the probable
results of their activities and they have
at last realised, I think, the dangers;
but, I am afraid that it may be too late.
Anyhow we shall know one way or the
other long before you get this'.
(Lockhart got the letter on either 23 or
Vol. 4, Issue 3
34
24 October) The next morning 'several
thousands' left Hazara and took over
Muzaffarabad and Domel. On 23
October, Cunningham finally lost his
innocence when Liaquat asked: 'How
many men have we there? Are they
getting supplies all right?' The
movement of tribes continued over the
next couple of days as they took Garhi,
Uri and Baramulla.
Cunningham confronted Abdul
Qayyum on 25 October thus: 'I know
pretty well all that had been going on in
the Province, and who had been
instigating our tribesmen to go to
Kashmir'. In reply, Qayyum 'grinned'!
The next day clouds parted. Iskander
Mirza [then Defence Secretary (1947-
54), Pakistan; later Governor-General
(1955-56) and President (1956-58)]
came to the Governor and finally
brought him into the loop. The Defence
Secretary briefed the Governor 'all the
underground history; apologised on
behalf of Liaquat for keeping him in
dark and confirmed that it was decided
about a month ago that Poonchis revolt
should be helped. Jinnah sanctioned the
project 15 days ago while Abdul Qayyum
was in it from the beginning'.
Cunningham met Jinnah for the
first time since the invasion began over
28-29 October. In Karachi, the Qaid-a-
Azam convened a meeting of all the
state governors and chief ministers to
explain the government's position.
While admitting that he 'could not quite
follow Jinnah's reasoning about the
fraudulent accession of Kashmir';
Cunningham, nevertheless, agreed that
'the only thing to do now was to pump in
more tribesmen but with proper organi-
sation of rations, ammunitions and sup-
plies'. Cunningham quotes Jinnah
imploring that it was 'essential for
Mudie-Gracey-Cunningham [Sir Robert
Francis Mudie, Governor West Punjab
(1947-49); General Sir Douglas Gracey,
Epilogue, March 2010
35
C-in-C, Pakistan Army from 1948 to
1951] to enter into the full spirit of this
struggle for safeguarding of the lives
and rights of the Kashmir people'. On his
part, he told Jinnah that if this was his
definite policy then he was quite pre-
pared to support it.
The next couple of entries attempt
some rationale and reflection.
Cunningham insists on one hand that
'nothing could bring back the tribes
except to satisfy them that justice was
genuinely going to be given to the
Muslims of Kashmir' and on the other
that 'we [Pakistan] must avoid suggest-
ing that we can influence them'. He
feels that he has become, previously
unthinkable, 'practically a member of a
tribal lashkar'. He consoles himself by
claiming that 'the fact that it is aimed
against the Sikhs and people like Patel is
some consolation'. This readiness to
accept the fait accompli gets reflected
in the advice that Cunningham gives to
Brown of the Gilgit coup fame on 1
November.
On 4 November, Cunningham's
entry takes a tone of pained resigna-
tion, naïve idealism, sober self-
righteousness and even irony. He admits
that, 'with the backing of Ministers,
Muslim officials have been giving orders
to help tribes'; and, notes: 'I could have
found half a dozen excellent grounds for
resigning in the last two weeks or so, but
I feel that we may be able to get the
thing gradually under control again and
that one must try to see it through'. Ten
days later, Cunningham was still caught
at the crossroads of conscience: 'It is
difficult to keep the balance between
being cold and constitutional on the one
side and entering con amore into the
plots on the other'.
Four weeks later, Cunningham had
made his peace – much like almost every
British officer/official employed with
the Pakistan government: 'However
www.epilogue.in
much Pakistan may be criticised for
encouraging this situation/invasion, it
is quite certain that if they had not done
so Kashmir would have joined the Indian
Union; and this would have been unnat-
ural'. There was 'no question…of resist-
ing this movement from this side, any
more than a Turk in France in the 12th
century would have resisted the
Crusade'! Which is why it did not matter
that the Chief Minister of NWFP was 'so
occupied with Kashmir' – in the words of
his Governor – that he had 'little time to
attend to real administration'.
As he wrote to his former boss Lord
Halifax [Viceroy, India as Lord Irwin
from 1926-31; later, UK Ambassador to
US (1941-44)] on 17 December:
'When the whole of India was being
carved up it seems to me quite ridicu-
lous that the states shouldn't
[be]…Hyderabad ought obviously to
have gone to India, and Kashmir, just as
obviously to Pakistan…[Because
of]…this Kashmir business…official
eyes, from top to bottom, have to be
closed to certain things that ought not
to be done. Whatever criticism may be
made of those who have encouraged
this Muslim invasion of Kashmir, there is
no doubt that, if it had not been made,
Kashmir would have irrevocably slipped
away into the Indian Union, and some
two million more Muslims would have
been decanted on Pakistan'.
On 14 February 1948, Sir George
Cunningham wryly noted the pattern of
the 120 days since 14 October 1947:
'There are probably…2 or 3, 000
(tribesmen in Kashmir) now, though at
the outset there were 5 times that num-
ber. They often come and see me
(though I am not supposed to approve),
and sometimes congratulate me on the
success of their operations! A funny situ-
ation'!
This then is Sir George
Cunningham's contribution in helping us
Vol. 4, Issue 3
Exclusive Series
New Research on Kashmir
look back and compose the picture of
the past. There is a postscript, however.
Long after the initial dust had settled,
Louis Mountbatten – always conscious of
his place in history – engaged
Cunningham in a spirited correspon-
dence to thrash out the sequence and
the sentiments of those tumultuous
October days. Cunningham's response –
in the light of what we know now – is
interesting and worth quoting at length.
I leave the readers to draw their own
conclusions about the personality and
politics; character and conscience of Sir
George:
'I am not able to say who were the
actual people who incited our tribes and
stirred them up. I know some of them
and suspect others but I honestly do not
know (I never felt there was much use in
enquiry) where the real initiative came
from. Facilities for the tribesmen's
actual transit through the province (lor-
ries and petrol) were no doubt made
available which would have been impos-
sible if officials had not shut their eyes'.
'From the beginning the tribes
looked on the Kashmir conflict as a
“holy war” – an obligation to help their
fellow Muslims in Kashmir against – in
particular – the Sikhs. If October
onwards we had ordered our police to
shoot down the tribes as they passed
through (which would have been the
only way of stopping them) we could
probably have enforced in some cases
under great protest, but the result
would have been such an outburst of
popular feeling that not one of our men
would have been left alive'.
Prediction and prescription about
the future of Jammu & Kashmir have
proved dubious products. Description
and analysis of the history of past as
well as 'history of present' provide a
better preparation to answer the ever-
present question, namely, 'What is to be
done?'
Epilogue, March 2010
LADAKH Affairs
MEDIA
Ladakh's Best Friend,
AIR Leh needs urgent upgrade
TSEWANG RIGZIN
A
ll India Radio Leh has been the
only media for the people of
Ladakh for decades to have
relied upon for things such as news,
issues related to health, education,
religion, science and so on. People of
Ladakh are extremely nationalistic and
are very proud to be Indians, for which
one cannot ignore the role played by
patriotic programs this radio station has
catered to even the remotest areas of
Ladakh in the last few decades. In
Ladakh a relatively poor family would
have a radio set.
As the world has entered an era of
information and technology with
sophisticated digital technologies,
radio station Leh also needs to be
improved in terms of both power and
manpower. In the last few years, people
living the border areas of like
Changthang, Nubra and Sham have been
complaining for bad reception for Leh
radio on both Short-Wave or on Medium-
Wave. Ladakh's strategic location
further makes it all the more important
for the Government of India to give
priority to these media organizations
because bad reception of Leh radio on
the border might even lead people to
listen to the programs broadcast by the
high-powered stations across the
borders as this region shares its borders
with Pakistan in the west and China in
the east.
In view of these circumstances, the
Government of India has been time and
www.epilogue.in
again requested by the people of Leh to
upgrade this radio station in all
respects.
Recently in a letter to the Prime
Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh,
Padmashree Morup Namgail, a former
employee of the All India Radio Leh has
urged the Government of India to pay
attention to strengthen the All India
Radio Leh and the Doordarshan Regional
Kendra Leh in all respects on the ground
that these media organizations are the
only source of communication and
information for the people of Ladakh
region. In his letter Morup Namgail has
said that Leh radio station, which set up
in the year 1971, has served as a very
important medium for the people of
Ladakh region to depend upon as the
only source of information for
everything.
Regretting the delay being caused
in the renovation and construction of
the All India Radio, new complex,
Namgail has written: “To our dismay
there is no sign of getting them
completed till date, as a result it has led
to poor infrastructure facilities to the
employees in particular. Even many of
the staff members have already retired
from their services without seeing new
infrastructure being materialized.” Mr
Morup Namgial has also apprised the
Prime Minister of the circumstances
under which local programs are being
telecast through the Doordarshan
Kendra Leh. It is pertinent to mention
Vol. 4, Issue 3
36
Ladakh's strategic location further
makes it all the more important for the
Government of India to give priority to
these media organizations because bad
reception of Leh radio on the border
might even lead people to listen to the
programs broadcast by the high-
powered stations across the borders as
this region shares its borders with
Pakistan in the west and China in the
east.
here that Doordarshan Kendra Leh
telecast an hour long local program a
day for five days a week. Padmashree
Morup Namgial has requested Dr.
Manmohan Singh to send a team of
experts to asses and evaluate present
state of affairs the All India Radio and
Doordarshan Kendra Leh.
Over the decades since its
inception, Leh radio station has been
managed and run by a team of
dedicated local officers. Since many of
the senior local staff are retiring from
their services, it will be appropriate for
Prasar Bharti to have relaxation with its
norms in appointing editors and
program staff from the region itself who
have adequate understanding of local
issues and knowledge about Ladakh's
distinct linguistic, social, and cultural
conditions.
Epilogue, March 2010
37 LADAKH Affairs

Political and Religious

Organisations Join Hands for UT
TSEWANG RIGZIN

A
s reported in the previous issue of Epilogue that a conglomeration of
Leh based political and religious organizations was being floated in
the wake of the Justice (retd) Sagheer led Working Group Report on
'Centre-State Relations' having not recommended Union Territory status to
Ladakh, the first meeting of this forum was held in Shenam Community Hall
Leh on February 18, 2010. The meeting participated by representatives of religious organizations, Ladakh Buddhist Association,
Ladakh Gonpa Association, Anjuman-mion-ul-islam, Anjuman Imamia and Christian Community, and political parties District
Congress Committee, Ladakh UT Front, Peoples Democratic Party, Bhartiya Janata Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, welcomed
this move and unanimously resolved to struggle for the UT demand for Ladakh in 'one voice' till Ladakh achieves it. Since there
was unanimity by all parties on the UT demand for Ladakh, it was unanimously agreed to form “Joint Action Committee for U.T.
demand” to struggle for the UT demand in a sustained and planned manner. This 'Joint Action Committee' will be led and spear-
headed by an individual who has not been actively involved in politics with any of the political parties in Leh. Somebody capable of
spearheading such a composite forum is yet to be looked for by all concerns. It was also made clear in the meeting that this com-
mittee will not be spearheaded by any religious association. However, all religious associations will be members of the 'Joint
Action Committee'. It was recommended in this meeting that another few sittings of this conglomeration are conducted in near
future for finalizing strategies of this committee to pursue the demand. In this regard, Ladakh Buddhist Association – the organiza-
tion that took the imitative to bring together all parties – has called the next round of meeting for the 8th of March.

Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpochey visits Leh

A
s comes spring session, Ladakh 'the land of lamas' starts
getting blessed by highly spiritual lamas. His Holiness
the Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpochey arrived Leh February
17 for holding a 10day religious sermon called “Takpo
Thargyan” at Naro Photang Pushpa Hari, Shey. The sermon is
being organized by the Young Drukpa Association, Ladakh and
is being attended by thousands of devotees.
On his arrival at Bakula Airport Leh, Rinpochey was given
a rousing reception by the people of Ladakh. Among the promi-
nent who received Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpochey included the
Chiarman, LAHDC, Mr. Chering Dorjay, President Ladakh
Buddhist Association Mr. Lobzang Rinchen, former MP, Mr.
Thupstan Chhewang, MLC, Leh Mr. Norbu Gyalson, Executive
Councilor Health Mr. Tsering Angchuk, and Vice President,
Ladakh Gonpa Association Leh.
The Ladakh Buddhist Association and Ladakh Gonpa
Association have jointly accorded a warm reception to
Gyalwang Drukpa at Chowkhang Vihara from where the
Rinpochey was taken to Shey Photang in a large motorcade.
Thousands of devotees holding khataks, traditional auspicious
white scarf, and flowers were seen all along the road from Leh
to Shey Naro Photang to receive the Gyalwang Drukpa
Rinpochey.
On Feb 24, the 47th birth anniversary of His Holiness the
Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpochey was celebrated today at Naro
Photang Pushpa Hari, Shey which was participated by thou-
sands of people from all over Ladakh including monks, nuns
and prominent political, social and religious leaders of Leh.
Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpochey in his speech extended apprecia-
tions and thanks the people of Ladakh for celebrating his birth
day in such a befitting way maintaining the typical Ladakh's tra-
ditions. He stressed for preservation and promotion of age-old
cultural heritage of this region which in the long run would
help to protect the distinct identity of the people of this
Himalayan region. Rinpochey has strongly emphasized for cul-
tivating fine mind, compassion and helping attitude in order to
maintain peace and harmony among all the co-existing com-
munities.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

LADAKH Affairs 38

EDUCATION
Son of Ladakhi soil,
Stobdon is Indian Students
Envoy to Kyrgyzstan ask 'fourth
RINCHEN DOLMA

I t is a pride and encouragement for all people of Ladakh region to
learn that Professor Phunchok Stobdan, a Ladakhi son, has been
appointed by the Government of India as the Indian Ambassador to
Kyrgyzstan in February replacing J.S. Pande. Professor P. Stobdan was
born in Stok village in Ladakh to Loksyapa family.
Professor P. Stobdan is the third person from Ladakh to serve a
foreign country as an Indian Ambassador after Padmashree Late
Sonam Norbu, one of Ladakh's renowned engineer and former minister
in the State Government
Introducing to new leaf in the book of their glorious
history, the Ladakhi students, pursuing their studies
in different parts of country, have resolved to put all
their acts together for launching an education move-
ment back home. Nearly a thousand of them
recently gathered in Jammu, a rare gathering of its
kind, called upon Sonam Wangchuk of SECMOL fame
to come back and lead from front

“
and Padma Bhushan Late Idiot is not one without brain but one with special
Kushok Bakula Rinpochey, brain and I'm an idiot with thousand other idiots
gathered here today,” said Sonam Wangchuk,
the architect of modern
Founder and Former Director of SECMOL Leh, address-
Ladakh, another former
ing the jam-packed Zorawar Auditorium Hall,
State Minister and former
University of Jammu on February 21.
Lok Sabha MP from Ladakh.
He was invited as the Guest Speaker in 'An
Nawang Rigzin Jora,
Interactive Seminar on Education with Sonam
Minister for Tourism and Wangchuk' organized by the All Ladakh Students
Culture and Chering Dorjay, Association Jammu (ALSAJ). As stated by all the key
Stobdan is third Ladakhi to serve a Chief Executive Councilor,
foreign country as an Indian speakers of the day this seminar was indeed a page writ-
LAHDC Leh were among the ten in the history of Ladakh because it was for the first
Ambassador after Padmashree Late prominent social and politi- time that all the Ladakh Students Unions from almost
Sonam Norbu, one of Ladakh's renowned cal leaders from Ladakh all parts of India, that is, Jammu, Chandigarh, Delhi,
engineer and former minister in the who congratulated Profes- Dehradun, Dharamshala and Varanasi have united on
State Government and Padma Bhushan sor P. Stobdan for his one platform for one purpose which concerns them the
Late Kushok Bakula Rinpochey appointment as the Indian most and that's nothing but 'Education in Ladakh'.
Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan. The seminar was attended, if not more, by thou-
Professor P. Stobdan is a leading Indian expert on issues concern- sand Ladakhi students besides student monks and their
ing national and international security with specific focus on Asian representatives from Dharamshala and Varanasi and
affairs covering Central Asia and Inner Asia, including Xinjiang, Tibet, many others from Ladakh who are in Jammu for winter
Myanmar and the Himalayan region. He has written extensively on a holidays.
wide range of security-related subjects in a number of professional “When one talks of education in Ladakh one can-
journals on strategic affairs, books and newspapers both in India and not ignore the name Sonam Wangchuk as he is the hero,
abroad. He served in Central Asia as the Director of the Indian Cultural the father, the path maker of education system in
Centre at the Embassy of India, Almaty, Kazakhstan between 1999 and Ladakh, a precious gem that unfortunately we Ladakhis
2002. He has also served as Joint Director in the Indian National Secu- have lost,” said Gyan Konchog Rafstan, representa-
rity Council. Between October 2006 and November 2007, he was tive of Varanasi Ladakh Student Union. The objective of
Director of the Centre for Strategic and Regional Studies at the Uni- the seminar was to know about the past, present and
future of education standards in Ladakh from the man
versity of Jammu. He is a member of the India International Centre,
himself who has laid nearly 20 years of his life in mak-
New Delhi.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

39
Launch Movement,
idiot' to come back
ing and improving the education system
in Ladakh thus to ensure a bright future
for the aspiring young generation and
for a better Ladakh.
“Ladakh is diseased in terms of edu-
cation and the Ladakhi students' going out-
side Ladakh for studies after 10th or before
has made them like educational refugees
and reason being not having better educa-
tion standards in the region at primary and
middle class levels which is in dismal state
and a matter of grave concern.
The onus is on the people of the
region; they have to leave the 'chalta hai'
attitude and come forth with their needs
and demands to bring the necessary
changes and improvements in the existing
education system. I assure that the day peo-
ple of Ladakh will feel the thirst for educa-
tion I will readily and happily come to serve
you all again; its not that I don't want to
work for your welfare but I see no point in
banging head against the wall, its like
forcefully pouring water into someone's
mouth who is not thirsty at all, instead
its better I give the water to others who
are thirsty,” expressed Sonam
Wangchuk in his speech.
Sonam Wangchuk said it loud and
clear in the gathering of thousand students
that neither he would possess a land on his
name nor he would have children of his
own and he has no interest in politics so his
name would never be seen or heard in
political sphere. “I have denounced my
personal life at the age of say 12-13 years
and I held it deep and strong that as a self
I'm dead and it's physically I'm alive to work
for the welfare of others with education
as my tool. I don't say I am God or some-
thing, I too have negative qualities or
www.epilogue.in
traits but my intentions are never
wrong; may be my actions contradict
the conventional system or tradition but
they are never done with an intention to
harm the local public but with a mind to
bring prosperity through change,”
shared Mr. Wangchuk.
Answering to the question on how can
the education system be improved in
Ladakh asked during the open discussion
session Mr. Wangchuk stressed on the
importance on the profession of teacher.
He said that teachers play a vital role in
shaping the future as the making of the
future lies in their hand; on their dedica-
tion, sincerity and efficiency towards their
duty rely the future of students and in turn
of the region. He cited the best example of
Sir Elizer Joldan who was the only post-
graduate in Ladakh during 1940s and
had the offer to pick and choose any of
the gazetted post but he opted for the
profession of teacher as he felt teaching
the best job to serve his people and dis-
seminate his knowledge among them.
“Today's most of the successful and emi-
Vol. 4, Issue 3
LADAKH Affairs
nent senior doctors, engineers, govt.
officials in Ladakh are the result of Sir
Joldan's hard wok. If you really want to
bring a sea change in the education sys-
tem of Ladakh and get it at par to the
system in Delhi or UK then I suggest you
to choose the teaching profession with
clear mind because it demands great
hard work, dedication and determina-
tion as it is not so easy a job specially in
regions like Ladakh,” added Mr. Wangchuk
Enthusiasm among the participating
students was clear from the sheer strength
of their presence and they sat throughout
the sessions that lasted till late evening. “I
just wanted to know Sonam Wangchuk's
views on education, and in case he decides
to come back to Leh what would be his
future plan regarding education enhance-
ment in Ladakh,” said Tsering Dolma M.Sc.
Jammu University. Speaking in tandem,
Stanzin Zompa, a trainee in nursing, said,
“I had heard about SECMOL and had
some idea about their activities, but its
role in educational aspirations and prog-
ress in Ladakh along with preserving
Ladakhi tradition was what I was curious
to know.”
Besides Mr. Wangchuk who was the
guest speaker, other key speakers who too
expressed the views on status of education
in Ladakh on behalf of their students union
included President of Student Union of
Chandigarg, Jammu, and Executives rep-
resenting Delhi, Dharamshala, Dehradun
and Varanasi. Later Mr. Wangchuk also
advertised the annual magazines namely
Yontan (bi-lingual, English and bhoti) by
Central Institute of Tibetan Studies,
Varanasi and Singey Khababs by monk
students from Dharamshala.
The programme was given a tinge of
entertainment with three songs sung by
the students of Jammu union and one of
the songs was sung by Norphel, President
of Jammu Union as he said the film 3 Idiots
is 'related' to Mr. Sonam Wangchuk and the
story line projected in the film co-relates
to his life story, so this song is dedicated to
Mr. Wangchuk and “we hope rather we
know that one day the education system
will definitely shine in Ladakh.”
Epilogue, March 2010
LADAKH Affairs
GOVERNANCE
Council reviews plan progress
EPILOGUE REPORT
T
o review the financial and physi-
cal progress under district plan
and BADP for the year 2009-10
and to approve the drafts rules of proce-
dures and conduct of business of Ladakh
Autonomous Hill Development Council,
Leh, a three-day General Council
Meeting of LAHDC, Leh was held in the
Council Assembly Hall between
February 22 and 24.
The Chief Executive Councilor,
LAHDC, Leh Chering Dorje chaired the
meeting. The Executive Councilor
Minority Affairs, Mohammad Khan,
Executive Councilor Health Tsering
A n g c h u k . E x e c u t i v e C o u n c i l o r,
Agriculture, Tsewang Tondup, Executive
Councilor Education Dorje Stanzin, the
Opposition leader of the House and for-
mer Chief Executive Councilor, Rigzin
Spalbar, Chief Executive Officer, LAHDC
Leh Ajeet Kumar Sahu, the Councilors
and the district officers attended the
meeting.
In his welcome address, Chering
Dorje said that a total of Rs: 71.31 crore
has been allocated to Leh under district
plan for the year 2009-10 which include
Rs: 54.03 crore under capital, Rs: 12.00
under NABARD loan, Rs: 5.00 crore as
Projectized Schemes and Rs: 27.96 lacs
as Revenue.
Dorje said that against the alloca-
tion of Rs: 54.03 crore under capital nor-
mal, Rs: 35.90 crore has been spent up
to ending Jan. 2010 which is 66.45% of
expenditure. He said that an expendi-
ture of Rs: 2.32 crore has been made
www.epilogue.in
against Rs: 5.00 crore under Projectized
schemes. He further told in the General
Council that against the allocation of
Rs: 12.00 crore under NABARD scheme,
Leh district has so far received Rs: 9.00
crore and by the end of Jan. 2010, Rs:
8.39 crore has been spent registering
93.20% expenditure. Mr. Dorje said that
overall 65.63% of expenditure has been
achieved in spite of the Planning and
Development Department releasing
funds in the month of October 2009.
The CEC further told that the
Action Plan under BADP has been
approved for Rs: 12.07 crore which
include Rs: 8.34 crore under Indo-China
and Rs: 3.73 crore under Indo-Pak and so
far the Planning and Dev. Deptt. has
released only 85% of the approved fund.
He said that against the released fund of
Rs:6.19 crore under Indo-China Scheme,
Rs: 3.76 crore has been spent while as
under Indo-Pak scheme, Rs: 1.92 crore
was expended against the released
amount of Rs: 2.77 crore registering a
overall expenditure of 63.37 % under
BADP.
The Opposition leader, Rigzin
Spalbar took the issue of giving maxi-
mum admission to the non local candi-
dates in the Polytechnic College Leh
ignoring the interest of the locals. In
this context, he strongly demanded the
Hill Council Leh to properly investigate
the issue so that the interests of the
local students are not harmed. The CEC
assured the General Council that LAHDC
will examine this case.
Vol. 4, Issue 3
40
The Executive Councilors have pre-
sented the progress reports and expen-
diture statement concerning various
departments under their portfolio. The
Chief Executive Officer, LAHDC, Leh AK
Sahu gave explanations of the quarries
raised by the Councilors.
The Councilors of respective
Constituencies have raised important
issues with relate to their constituen-
cies and also demanded to complete the
pending works.
During the second day of the meet-
ing, four resolutions were moved by dif-
ferent Councilors and out of these, only
two resolutions were passed. The
Councilor Deskit, Tsewang Rigzin moved
a Resolution regarding preservation and
promotion of distinct culture of Ladakh
was unanimously passed by the general
Council. This resolution demanding out
of the four Executive Councilors, one
should be named as Executive
Councilor, Art, Culture and Language in
order to give due attention for promo-
tion of culture of this region, LAHDC to
identify a line Department as the “Exe-
cuting Agency “ to carry out policies and
programs of the Council for the promo-
tion and preservation of cultural heri-
tage of Ladakh, all govt offices and
institutions coming under the purview
of the Council to have their sign boards
written in Bhoti script along with
English, Hill Council to honour individu-
als and associations who contributed
significantly for the preservation and
promotion of Art and culture and LAHDC
Epilogue, March 2010
41
to allot sufficient funds
under district plan for pro-
motion of culture. Such a
resolution also moved by
the Councilor Thiksay, Mr.
Tondup Spalzang demand-
ing the Hill Council to for-
mulate a plan on the promo-
tion and preservation of
Ladakh's Art, Culture and lan-
guage and allocation of suffi-
cient fund under district
plan was also unanimously
passed in the meeting.
L a t e r, t h e C h i e f
Executive Councilor, Mr.
Chering Dorje in his valedic-
tory address expressed sat-
isfaction over a fine
achievement under district
plan and realizing satisfying
expenditure. Mr. Dorje
made a special mention
that under the aegis of the
Deputy Commissioner, Mr.
Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Leh dis-
trict is doing well in all
developmental sectors and
hoped that the district will
have a remarkable achieve-
ment in its annual plan this
year too. He appreciated
the PWD, Sheep and some
other departments for per-
forming well in their fields
during last financial year as
well this year. At the same
time, Mr. Dorje also urged
other departments to
redouble their efforts in
achieving the target by the
end of current financial
year.
The meeting con-
cluded on the third day with
a Power Point presentation
on Greater Leh Master Plan
b y Te t r a Te c h . I n d i a
Limited.
www.epilogue.in
LADAKH Affairs
Academy Urged to Preserve
Ladakhi Culture, Heritage
W
hen Zafar Iqbal Manhas, Secretary Jammu & Kashmir, Academy of Arts, Culture and
Languages, visited Leh recently for the launch of two volumes of Books on 'Lama Tsultrim
Nyima', 19th century Ladakhi religious, cultural and social reformer, and 'Prophet
Mohammads Biography in Ladakhi', a delegation of Ladakh Cultural Forum Leh led by its
president Tsering Norboo Martse called on him and submitted a charter of points concerning
preservation, promotion and the development of rich cultural heritage of Ladakh.
Demanding the inclusion of a capable person from Ladakh into the Central Committee of J&K
Academy of Arts, Culture and Langues, the Cultuaral Forum regretted that for many years Ladakh
has been grossly neglected and not being incorporated in the Central Committee which has
deprived Ladakh region in terms of benefiting from all the privileges and shares at all levels.
It was also brought to the notice of Zafar Iqbal Manhas that a few years back, a Fine Arts
Institute was sanctioned for Ladakh but unfortunately it was never brought into existence or
implemented for whatever the reason maybe.
The fine arts institute has a wide scope and potentialities for the Ladakh community but it,
according to sources, never materialized on the pure pretext of lack of funds. Ladakh is known for
its century's old rich cultural heritage, and therefore, establishing this institute in Leh would play
a vital role in preserving, protecting and promoting the distinct culture of this unique Himalayan
region. Hence the Forum requested the J&K Academy to take up the funding issue with the
government to ensure setting up of the Fine Arts Institute in Leh with a special provision to
promote traditional musical instruments and other culture values of Ladakh.
Demanding creation of an Additional Secretary post for Leh Cultural Academy in order to
effectively and efficiently carryout the cultural policies, Cultural Forum pointed out that in
Kashmir and Jammu regions, the heads of the departments are of the Additional Secretary ranks
while in Leh the Academy has a mere Cultural Officer.
According to the newly constituted norm of Cultural Academy, the qualification for the post
of a Research Assistant should be an M.A in Urdu. This for Ladakh is completely irrelevant and not
applicable since the entire population of Ladakh speaks and writes Ladakhi (Bhoti) and as such,
the qualification of Research Assistant for Ladakh should be either BA or MA in Ladakhi (Bhoti).
Therefore an amendment in this regard was also demanded. Zafar Iqbal Manhas, Secretary
Jammu & Kashmir, Academy of Arts, Culture and Languages, assured the delegation that Ladakhi
knowing would be made an important criterion for this post.
Ladakh over the last decade has been a major producer of documentary as well low
budgeted feature films. But, Ladakhi filmmakers feels that Jammu & Kashmir, Academy of Arts,
Culture and Languages, has not acknowledged and appreciated our contribution in this creative
field and also never gave any opportunities to the film producers to represent our films in the
Annual J&K Film Festival despite repeated requests. Therefore, Secretary was requested to
include Ladakhi films in the annual J&K film festival in order to enrich Ladakhis cultural values.
All the post of the editors at the academy in all languages like Kashmiri, Dogri, and Hindi etc.
are all upgraded to chief editor post but unfortunately the editor for Ladakhi in Leh has been
retained as editor.
Ladakh has a rich drama culture (opera) and a drama instructor was appointed and also
various programs were carried out under this post. But the instructor along with the post has been
shifted to Kashmir years back and since then Cultural Academy Leh has been deprived of this
opportunity. It was therefore urged the concerned authorities that restore this post back to Leh.
Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010
LADAKH Affairs
PROFILE
Nawang Rigzin Jora:
The Unconventional Politician
T. NORFAIL
A
n utterly straight person and an
avant-garde statesman, Nawang
Rigzin Jora is a leader of a rare
breed— one who always stands up to his
promises and delivers the public goods
efficiently. Some experts and journal-
ists call him the “Reformist Politician”.
His tenure as a Cabinet Minister in the
State Government has become a
watershed era in the history of
Ladakhi politics: Never before him
came a leader from the trans-
Himalayan region who has had
such a popular and admired image
in the State Government; and it
would also be hard for the future
leaders from Ladakh to match the
persona and image that Mr. Jora
has curved today in the politics of
Jammu and Kashmir.
As far as clean and upright
image and steady performance is
concerned, nobody appears to
come close to him in the entire
Council of Minister. Innovative and
visionary, he has always been able
to leave a mark in every depart-
ment that were/are under his port-
folio (both during this and the pre-
vious coalition). In fact, his per-
formance as a Cabinet Minister in
the previous Coalition
Government in the state was the
only reason for his remarkable vic-
tory over the veteran Ladakhi
leader and LUTF mentor, Thupstan
Chhewang in the 2009 Assembly
Elections.
Apart from his performance as an
innovative and dedicated Minister, one
more thing that sets Mr. Jora from the
rest of the politicians is his easy accessi-
bility— not only to the people of his own
www.epilogue.in
constituency but for others with genu-
ine grievances. This distinctive trait
makes him a true representative of the
people his constituency worthy of giving
popular mandate many times. Defying
party and religious lines, he always
extends a helping hand to every person
coming to his chamber for any kind of
help. He almost lets nobody down, par-
ticularly the Ladakhis. Even a cursory
look at his chamber will make one real-
ise this fact.
There are quite a few accomplish-
ments during Jora's last one year tenure
as a cabinet Minister vis-à-vis his con-
stituency. One of them worth mention-
Vol. 4, Issue 3
42
ing is that on his initiative, four blocks
(Kharu, Saspol, Chushot and Panamik)
have been regularised very recently
thereby, fulfilling a long pending
demand of the people of Leh District.
Secondly some major projects have
been put into NABARD to materialise
some of the major demands of his con-
stituency.
Under his current portfolio
(Tourism and Culture), there have
also been some noteworthy
achievements:
? T h r e e To u r i s m
Development Authorities viz.
Leh, Kargil and Zangskar have
been created.
? Tourism infrastruc-
ture in Leh is being created at a
cost of Rs. 50 crores.
? Food craft institute
at Leh has been set up at a cost
of Rs. 4.75 crores.
? Revival of water
sports like white water rafting in
Zangskar, Leh and Bhaderwa,
Sonamarg and Pahalgam is being
done.
? Development of tour-
ist facilities in Kargil has been
taken up at a cost 200 lacs.
? Development of
Drass and Panikhar has been
taken at a cost of Rs. 247.70
lacs.
? Development of Drass and
Sankoo as tourist destinations is being
done at a cost of Rs. 472.32 lacs.
In short, it appears that despite
the ambiguity and haziness of the coali-
tion politics, nothing seems to hold this
man back.
Epilogue, March 2010
43 LADAKH Affairs

GENDER
Not a fledgling anymore:
Women's movement in Ladakh
TASHI MORUP

In a traditionally patriarchal society, the rising awareness, collective action of women's groups has been a
growing phenomenon. From addressing social evils like alcoholism, effecting a ban on polybags to forming
SHG's for developing small enterprise, women in Ladakh have been leading movements for social,
economic and political change. Policy levels however still remain very much a male bastion though there is
a growing recognition of the women in this sphere too.

W
omen in Ladakh seem to have
taken it upon themselves to
change the socio-cultural and
political landscape of this traditionally
patriarchal society. Organising
themselves into groups, they have
taken up causes which according to
Stanzin Dolma, President Ama Tsogspa
Choglamsar are threatening their social
fabric.
Ama Tsogspa or Women Alliance is a
movement of housewives, mostly
illiterate which led a spirited campaign
against plastic in this highly sensitive
ecological zone. Polythene bags have
been officially banned in Ladakh since
1998, a pioneering move within India,
the need of the hour in the context of
environmental degradation on our
Starting with a small group at Leh their society. Several Self Help Groups
planet. It goes beyond campaign for
town Ama Tsogpa now covers virtually (SHGs) have also come into existence
plastic ban. Alcoholism has been
all 111 villages in the district Leh over a short period drawn together for
rampant in the region having a
extends to the icy Zanskar region and both economic self-reliance and a
disastrous effect on youth and women
areas in Kargil district. “We have over greater participation in decision-
have taken up cudgels against it
5000 members spread across entire making processes. This has been the
beginning in 2006. Taking on the role of
Ladakh including Leh, Zanskar and some domain of men but now women are
keepers of the law, in the light of a
areas of Kargil,” says Rinchen Dolker, extending their more traditional roles
recalcitrant local police, women
General Secretary. Ama Tsogspa is to take an active part in the
undertook several raids to recover
a reflection of the changing face of development of society. While social
hidden supplies of liquors sold by illegal
Ladakh, of its women speaking up and movements like the SHG's causes are an
bars and destroyed them in full public
taking collective action for bettering expression of this new role,
view.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

LADAKH Affairs
representation of women at the policy
level is woefully inadequate.
The highest policy level body in the
region, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill
Development Council (LAHDC), Leh,
does not have a single elected women
councillor. In Panchayati Raj, of the 639
elected Panches only 37 are women and
not a single woman is Sarpanch. The
sole woman MP from Ladakh was
probably due to her royal lineage, the
queen of erstwhile Ladakh kingdom. No
woman has ever represented Ladakh as
MLA or MLC. Out of 30 councillors in
LAHDC there are only two nominated
women.
“It gets very difficult at times to
put across our demands. Men can
relieve themselves in open we cannot,
but Hill Council pays no heed to our
strong demand for public convenience
at different places including the Leh
town,” says Dolma, a nominated Panch
from Likir village. Dolma raised this
issue in a meeting of various
representatives on Vision Document
2020 prepared by Hill Council. The
resistance by an entrenched mind-set
and an inflexible polity is strong. The
proposed 33% reservation for women by
state government continues to be in
limbo while several moves to make
Ladakh an equitable society languish for
want of attention by those at the helm
of affairs.
Meanwhile the spirit and
momentum on the ground continues
unabated. Despite the challenges,
several SHG groups have come into
existence under a guideline provided
by Central Government's Watershed
Development Project. In Saspotse
village one of the mother-SHG's
formed in 2001, facilitated by Ladakh
Development Organisation, a local
NGO has triggered a chain of several
groups engaged in small enterprise
www.epilogue.in
activities like handicraft and fruit
processing.
Today there are 500 odd SHG
groups in the entire district selling
agricultural produce like peas, barley,
hay, vegetables, handicrafts like
pashmina shawls and carpets. The
collective saving generated through
micro credits runs into crores besides a
growing awareness and access to
government schemes. “SHG has
greatly benefited us, we have learnt to
speak for our demands with concerned
departments and it gives us a new
The highest policy level body in the
region, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill
Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, does
not have a single elected women
councillor. In Panchayati Raj, of the 639
elected Panches only 37 are women and
not a single woman is Sarpanch. The
sole woman MP from Ladakh was
probably due to her royal lineage, the
queen of erstwhile Ladakh kingdom. No
woman has ever represented Ladakh as
MLA or MLC. Out of 30 councillors in
LAHDC there are only two nominated
women
confidence,” says Yangchan Dolma, an
SHG member and Deputy Chairperson
of SHG Federation at Saspol village.
This Federation itself indicates a
strategic step towards mobilizing
women in the economic, social and
political spheres in Ladakh. As a body,
they are able to leverage funds from
the Hill Council, which as individual
SHG's was difficult. “SHG has
established itself as a viable
mechanism for organizing and
empowering women in Ladakhi
villages. This should be taken note of
while considering future policy options
for women's development,” states a
Vol. 4, Issue 3
44
review report (2007) by Ladakh
Development Organisation (LDO).
The writing on the wall is clear.
There has been a recognition of all
these developments at different levels
of governance and policy. The Ladakh
Buddhist Association, a leading soico-
cultural organisation has opened a
women wing For the time being, even
though access to the highest decision-
making process is denied, it is not
diminishing their involvement in the
affairs of society nor their move to
strengthen their collective base,
economically and politically.
Political parties like Congress and
Ladakh Union Territory Front(LUTF) too
are unable to ignore the growing
influence of women. In the Assembly
elections last year, they held separate
meetings with them, an indication if not
an assurance of a growing political
space in the region. Several women are
today active members in the respective
parties. Spalzes Angmo, former
nominated Councillor (LAHDC) has
recently been appointed as member of
Minority Commission of Government of
India. Angmo has been pushing for
setting up of Women's Development
Department in the region. In the
Panchayat elections in J&K promised by
the state government, women are
expected to play a leading and decisive
roll not only as voters but as
contenders.
The winds of change are now
unmistakable. For the women in
Ladakh, the time is now, to speak up,
stand shoulder to shoulder alongside
men, to bring in their ideas and energy
into the public domain and to work
towards a society that is inclusive.
(Charkha Features. This was
written under Sanjoy Ghose Medial
Fellowship. Series Editor SUJATA
RAGHAVAN)
Epilogue, March 2010
45 LADAKH Affairs

Rs 500 Crore 11998 Youths

for illuminating Jobless in
Ladakh Ladakh

I A
n a major step towards addressing energy issues in Ladakh, the Union s many as 11998 educated youth are
Government has allocated a budgetary support of Rs 500 Crores. This has registered as unemployed in Ladakh
been possible with endeavours of Ladakh's representatives, particularly region of Jammu and Kashmir.
the State Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora, and Union Minister for New Over 5.67 lakh unemployed educated
and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah. In his Budget speech in youth have registered with various
Parliament, the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said: “The Ladakh region District Employment and Counselling
of Jammu and Kashmir faces an extremely harsh climate and suffers from Centres of Jammu and Kashmir as on
energy deficiency. To address this problem, it is proposed to set up solar, December 2009. In a written reply to the
small hydro and micro power state assembly, Minister for Higher
projects at a cost of about Rs.500 Education, Labour and Employment Abdul
crore” Gani Malik said that of the total 567358
On behalf of the people of youth, 272072 belong to Jammu division,
Ladakh, Minister for Tourism and 283288 to Kashmir valley and 11998 are
Culture Nawang Rigzin Jora has from Ladakh region.
extended a sense of gratitude to Besides, 27069 unemployed
UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, technocrats, agriculture graduates and post
Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan graduates have registered with the district
Singh and Finance Minister, Pranab employment and counselling centres.
Mukherji for announcing Rs. 500
The minister said the government has
Crores for setting up of solar small
introduced an employment welfare
hydro and micro power projects
programme whereby a monthly voluntary
for Ladakh region of the state.
service allowance (VSA) will be provided to
Jora said this was a much
eligible unemployed educated youth having
needed package for years as the
educational qualification of matriculation
area faces extremely hard climate
and above for the next three years,
particularly in winter and the
commencing from the financial year 2010-
package envisages construction of ease out the energy requirement of
11.
people of Ladakh to make their lives more comfortable. He said this package
The Minister said that it is a major
envisages construction of 30 small /micro hydel projects of 23.5 MW, 300 SPV
initiative by the Congress Government to
power plants of 5-100 KWs. Besides 2000 SPV home lighting and about 40,000
solar thermal systems such as water heaters, solar cookers, solar passie minimize use of diesel and kerosene as well
building and solar green house will also be installed under the programme. as firewood and to make the life of the
The Minister said that it is a major initiative by the Congress people more comfortable and added that
Government to minimize use of diesel and kerosene as well as firewood and setting up of a large number of green houses
to make the life of the people more comfortable and added that setting up of would also help people of Ladakh to grow
a large number of green houses would also help people of Ladakh to grow vegetables in the winter months. . He said
vegetables in the winter months. . He said that the amount of Rs. 500 Crore that the amount of Rs. 500 Crore will be
will be spent over a period of 3 years. spent over a period of 3 years.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

COLUMN
Errata!
Evil Deeds of
Kot Bhalwal Jail
ANMOL SHARMA
A
ny thoughtful civilian or for that
matter any common man would
have definitely come across a
situation, where an unexpected incident
not only disheartened him but also left a
lasting impression on his mind. It can be
because the kind of behavior he
experienced or the words, conduct etc,
of the other person was far below the
basic courtesy and not at all expected of
him.
The extreme image clash we saw
unfolding on National TV in the graphic
sexual escapades of Gov. N. D. Tiwari's
with three young girls was in complete
antithesis to an image of a person who is
eighty something and a vociferous self
professed Gandhian, which we over the
time had also adapted ourselves to
indentify with him.
Similarly, incredibly savvy, 'secular'
and sophisticated image which Dr.
Farooq Abdullah flaunts was put up for
question mark when he shocked us by
arguing with Sheikh Shakeel Ahmad on
NDTV for being a Muslim but supporting
Hindu Dogras during one of the SASB land
row debates.
The cash-at-judge's-door-scam that
jolted conscious of every Indian was in
sharp contrast with the upright and
sincere image of an Indian woman and
also with the sacrosanct image of a High
Court Justice.
What was the reason for the
treasury officers of Town Hall or Mubarak
Mandi in the past to misbehave and treat
the elderly retired people like dogs who
www.epilogue.in
46
would go over there just to get their
legitimate and well earned pension? I N S I D E J A I L S
Why is that a patient hailing from a
As per the latest details,
Ø
remote area of Thana Mandi has to die in
the strike called by the GMC doctors over
2329 prisoners of different
some (non)issue of few hundred rupees categories are lodged on
here and there in their pay scale. It two Central and 12 District
would have been sufficient to humble Jails of Jammu and
them down, nonetheless, to see that the
Kashmir. Of all the
Doctors of Apollo, Escorts etc throw their
reports into the dustbin merely at the prisoners, 179 are
mention of the word GMC, Jammu. detained under Public
The suggestion that has to be Safety Act (PSA), 337 are
understood very clearly is that the convicts, 1805 undertrials,
problem or the general rule here is not
4 juveniles and 4 civil
that it is the self apologetic command
man who has to each and every time bear prisoners.
the brunt or be at the receiving end of Of 179 PSA detenues, 55
Ø
the system. Be it at the hands of a
bureaucrat, a GMC Doctor or a
are of foreign origin. There
Policeman. are 61 other prisoners of
These incidents have two important foreign origin lodged in
lessons that they offer to teach to anyone jails within and outside
who experiences them. First is that they
the state.
teach the new aspects of human conduct
and also they challenge you to not to take As many as 728 persons
Ø
things lying down and confront the were booked under PSA
delinquent person how so ever high he
during last two years, 16
may be.
This kind of situation also
of them were booked
confronted me when just a few days ago, more than twice.
my friend took me along with him to get
the charge sheet of one the detainee in
316 PSA detenues
Ø were
the high security Kot Bhalwal Jail. The released at different
experience turned to a pretty points of time between
extraordinary one and forced me to think January 1, 2009 and
out loud in the shape of this writing. I
January 31, 2010
know nothing will change but still it
Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010
47
might have some chance to snowball into a
consequence. At least I am talking about the
nonsense in the form of a Kot Bhalwal Jail.
The standard thing anticipated from the
jail staff is that they are meant to facilitate
the meetings between the detainees and the
near relatives that are allowed to meet them.
For this purpose various rules and orders have
also been made under which the visit has to be
carried out and which are to aid the both.
But in reality visit to this prison turns to
be an insulting, dehumanizing experience.
The trademark training of the staff is to be
totally uncooperative and utterly impolite
with the people. The jail manual has been
rendered an empty formality and some other
unwritten commandments are being obeyed.
They even have the nerve to flout the rules in
front of law knowing persons.
When I called the DG Prisons on his
official number, he kept on repeating the
words 'main kisi se baat nahin kerta phone pe,
main sunta he nahin baat phone pe'. Although
it is debatable whether a public servant can
refuse to talk on his official phone or whether I
could have called him repeatedly until he
listens! Are phone provided to them only to
make calls and not to listen the grievance of
an ordinary man?
Kot Bhalwal Jail is the victim of total
mismanagement and is being ignored by the
authorities. It needs a person like Kiran Bedi
who took every posting as a challenge brought
radical reforms in the running of Tihar Jail, be
it spiritual Courses, Vipasna and the like. KBJ
does not need a bossy DG who does not bother
to look into the irregularities that are bought
to his notice.
The present form which this prison is
evolving into is akin to that doomed hutment
in the movie 'Evil Dead' where anyone who
went inside also became an evil spirit. The
simile here is that the people managing the
show are themselves evil in their conduct and
the poor soul who enters this prison also gets
haunted. However, this engine of oppression
goes a step further and also harasses the
relatives of the people who go inside it.
What is more surprising is that the top
www.epilogue.in
Brain drain
Healthcare blues in J&K
notch people managing the Jail are supposed
BRAIN DRAIN
to be literate in the sense that they must be
knowing that oppression, atrocity etc can
never make a person repent. To make a person
Indifference
repent and atone he has to be elevated to the
higher level of consciousness.
pushing
The wisdom in the teaching of Lord
Buddha who transformed a hardcore criminal
youths
called 'Aungli Mar' into his most beloved
disciples or the way Sage Narada
away from
metamorphosesed Saint Valmiki from a
barbaric dacoit reveal undoubtedly that
their homes
reforming a person needs a subtle and humane
approach. Putting unnecessary pressure or VIKRAM GOUR
strain upon the inmates or their families will
L
result in a similar kind of answer. ast month one of my
If Jail staff deliberately makes their very close friends had
families members to wait for 2 hours, even if an encounter with the
they come within the scheduled time. If medical services both gov-
money orders etc sent to the inmates for doing ernment as well as private
IGNOU courses never reach them or are sent available locally in the heart
back. If the food items which family members of the winter capital of the
bring for their relative lodged in the Jail are state. I leave it to the readers
to decide how to rate this
gobbled by the staff themselves.
most important public utility
If the members and the inmate are made
service required in an emer-
to sit on the dirty floor and basic facility like a
gency.
chair is not provided. If, even the chargesheet
My friend's wife was ail-
is not allowed to be discussed between the
ing for some time and was
lawyer and inmate etc then what else remains
under treatment of a very
for them not breed disgust and anger for the
well known doctor. Her con-
Jail authorities.
dition worsened one evening
The Kot Bhalwal Jail which also houses
and she was rushed to gov-
militants from Pakistan etc gives us an ernment medical college for
excellent opportunity to deprogram them and immediate medical help on a
to understand the mind of the terrorist. These very cold and foggy evening.
people are living materials for the analysts The sick lady was admitted to
and also services of Islamic scholors could an emergency ward and
have been utilized to preach them the real treatment was started. As
interpretation of Islam. On the other hand the the condition did not
impression that an outsider gets is that the improve, my friend's family
Jail Authorities are least bothered whether and close doctor friends
they live or die. insisted on immediately
We all know, by the way, that all of their removing the sick lady to
'strictness' collapses the moment someone Delhi for further treatment.
living in shanty area of Peshawar or in the A close relation with
plains of Afghanistan utters 'khul ja Sim Sim' some influence was able to
and person like Moulana Masood Azhar reaches arrange for an 'Air Taxi' of
grottoes of Kandahar on an Indian Airlines Escorts Hospital, since the
fight free of cost. patient had to be trans-
Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010
Brain drain
Healthcare blues in J&K
ported to the Air Port in the cold and
foggy evening the Medical College
authorities were requested to provide
an ambulance for transporting the
patient. Surprisingly, we were informed
that the Government Medical College
that the state has long been trying to
get converted into an institution of
national importance like AIMS, New
Delhi had no fully equipped ambulance
to transport critically ill patients. They,
instead, advised us to look for such
ambulance available with one or two
private Nursing Homes in the city. One
such ambulance was provided by a pri-
vate Nursing home. Although, we were
charged Rs 7,000/- for transporting
from medical college to air port yet it
was found that the ambulance did not
have any heating arrangement in it to
protect the patient from intense cold
weather and the emergency equipment
installed in the ambulance was not auto-
matically switched on to watch the
patient during transportation. The
accompanying doctor had to be per-
suaded to switch on the emergency
equipment to watch the patient's condi-
tion during transportation.
The flight had taken off from New
Delhi and we had reached Air Port but
the air craft could not land on account
of very thick fog. By 5-30 PM we were
informed that the air craft had landed in
Amritsar and it could come to Jammu
only next day in the morning. The
patient had now to be shifted back to
hospital. Knowing well the conditions
prevailing in the Govt. Medical College
during night hours it was decided to
take a chance with the Batra Medical
College on National Highway for spend-
ing the night.
Next morning we again needed an
ambulance to transport the patient to
the Air-port. This time it was Batra
Medical College that provided the ambu-
lance. The ill-equipped Ambulance was
to drive to the airport with patient at
around 10-30am almost at the traffic
www.epilogue.in
peak load hours. The ambulance had no
automatic Siren it had to be hand oper-
ated although it had the rotating red
light at the top. With siren being han-
dled by one of the patient's relation and
blowing and the red light rotating at
the top of the ambulance none of the
traffic police men tried to clear the
way and the traffic along the way giv-
ing no preference to the ambulance to
move it took more than 45-minuts to
cover the distance up to the air-port
which should have taken not more
than 20-minutes. The family members
were greatly relieved after reaching
This latest experience of the services
available to citizens outside the country as
compared with the services available in
J&K made me think about the reasons the
younger generation prefers to keep away
from their hometowns. A doctor in the
hospital or his clinic, a traffic police man
on duty, a worker at work, a government
employee on duty or even a common citi-
zen driving/walking on the road or attend-
ing to his routine work, all are indifferent
to others problems. And the government
itself is indifferent to the people's prob-
lems. All this because there is no rule of
law. No one is accountable to anyone
above or below.
the Air Port without any untoward hap-
pening and putting the patient in the
air-craft.
Immediately after this experience
I had a call from my son from Dubai ask-
ing us to visit him for a month, this being
a pleasant weather period in Dubai.
In Dubai, I had a similar experience
of calling for emergency Medical
Service. My grand child had swallowed
something and my daughter-in law
being alone in the house immediately
rang up for emergency medical service
kept available in each locality by the
UAE government free of cost. They
immediately sent an ambulance fully
equipped with all medical gadgetry
Vol. 4, Issue 3
48
required in an emergency. The ambu-
lance reached within 10-minuts and in
these ten minutes doctor in the ambu-
lance obtained full information from
the mother to keep himself ready to han-
dle the situation and continuously
advised the mother how handle the
child during the intervening period.
After shifting the child into the
ambulance the accompanying doctor
enquired from the mother which hospi-
tal she wanted to take the child. The
ambulance immediately sped towards
the hospital blowing siren and flashing
red light at the top of the ambulance.
Although, there was no traffic police
visible en route, yet the busy traffic
gave immediate gave preference to the
ambulance and cleared the way. The
ambulance covered a distance of about
15-km in about 10 minutes. In these
intervening 10-minutes drive to the hos-
pital the doctor in the ambulance had
established contact with the hospital
and informed them about the condi-
tions of the child to keep them ready
with treatment they had to gi ve to the
child. After the ambulance reached the
destination the hospital authorities
took charge of the child.
This latest experience of the ser-
vices available to citizens outside the
country as compared with the services
available in J&K made me think about
the reasons the younger generation pre-
fers to keep away from their
hometowns. A doctor in the hospital or
his clinic, a traffic police man on duty, a
worker at work, a government
employee on duty or even a common
citizen driving/walking on the road or
attending to his routine work, all are
indifferent to others problems. And the
government itself is indifferent to the
people's problems. All this because
there is no rule of law. No one is
accountable to anyone above or below.
The party that rules is worried only
about the their vote and not about wel-
fare of the people or the country.
Epilogue, March 2010
49 opinion
In Defence of Justice

Paying Price for Justice :

Assassination of Shahid Azmi
M Shamsur Rabb Khan

T he bloody assassination of 32-

year old Shahid Azmi on
February 11, 2010, the defense
counsel of Fahim Ansari, the 26/11 co-
accused, is not a simple murder. There
is a dark scheme behind this brilliant
lawyer's brutal killing when four
assailants barged into his office at
Kurla and pumped bullets into him at
point blank range. From Mumbai to
Jaipur to Lucknow, the thread of this
scheme running through various court
premises across the country whereby
Muslim lawyers are being targeted,
thrashed, shot at, injured or killed for
defending accused of bomb blasts.
Azmi is the third lawyer killed in
Mumbai. So, if the securities agencies
go on to arrest innocent Muslims
randomly, or on mere suspicion and
their lawyers are intimidated or
threatened, where do they go for of UP Police that later admitted to a Jaipur serial blasts case. The
justice? case of mistaken identity. AM Faridi, Association took the decision after
On August 12, 2008, Mohammed another Lucknow High Court lawyer, Shahbaz Hussain, one of the alleged
Shoaib, a senior lawyer of Lucknow who was successful in securing masterminds of May 13 serial blasts
High Court faced the wrath of angry acquittal for a terror accused, was was arrested in Lucknow in August
Hindu lawyers, who pounced upon him even threatened that his family would 2008 and produced in a local Jaipur
and beat him black and blue besides be eliminated if he did not withdraw court. Defending the boycott, the
shouting slogan 'lawyer of Pakistani from the terror cases. In August 2008, Association President Madhav Mitra
terrorist', while he was going to defend the Lucknow Bar Association held an Sharma reasoned: "It might be wrong
a terror case. The lawyers were angry emergency meeting and passed a legally but it is justified morally”.
at 56-year old Mohammed Shoaib since resolution expelling both Shoaib and Similarly, a resolution was issued by
he was able to secure an acquittal for Faridi. the Faizabad Bar Association warning
one of his clients Aftab Alam Ansari of In Jaipur, lawyers affiliated to the lawyers against representing those
Kolkata, who was framed as a Harkat- Rajasthan High Court Bar Association suspected of involvement in the
ul-Jehad-al-Islami (HuJI) terrorist in declared that they would not Ayodhya blasts of 2005, while the
January 2008 by the Special Task Force represent any of the suspects in the Varanasi Bar Association followed suit

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 3 Epilogue, March 2010

opinion
In Defence of Justice
after the attack in that city in 2006.
Similar fatwas are being issued by
lawyers' associations in Karnataka and
Madhya Pradesh as well.
Along with terror attacks on our
country came the great communal
divide between two major
communities, i.e. Hindus and Muslims
in the court premises and among the
legal professionals. The divide is so
deep that those lawyers who have read
'innocent until proved guilty' a
thousand times are blinded by the
sheer hatred they nurse for the terror
suspects, if they happen to be
Muslims. And while the Hindu lawyers,
like hooligans, beat up the Muslim
lawyers, police personnel are found to
be standing idly. Will the same bunch
of lawyers and their associations go for
the same hostile treatment against
Hindu terror accused Pragya Singh and
Col. Srikant Purohit?
In this dark scheme, security
agencies, in collusion with media, play
the major part. And as is the wont,
after every blast, Muslim names start
flashing on TV channels while the
police go on arrest innocent Muslims
indiscriminately. Like a lie, if spoken a
thousand times seems a hard truth, it
sends a strong message across the
country that Muslims who are arrested
as terror suspects are actually the
perpetrators, and they have no legal
right to defend themselves even if
they innocent. Albeit police as an
institution has been rated one of the
most corrupt body, public sentiment
tends to believe it in case it arrests
Muslims as accused in terror cases.
Numerous instances point to the
fact that many innocent Indian
Muslims have been framed falsely by
the security agencies as terrorists only
to be released after torturous trauma
and terror tag. In framing fabricated
cases against innocent Muslims, the
www.epilogue.in
Special Cell of the Delhi Police has no
parallel. In 2005, it arrested Maulana
Dilawar Khan and Imam Masood Ahmed
of Delhi. Branded as LeT terrorists,
they were falsely charged with
plotting a suicide attack on the Indian
Military Academy in Dehradun and
spent five years in jail before a Patiala
House Court judgement set them free
in January 2010 for want of evidence.
The court also criticised the Special
Cell for its lapses in investigation and
for misusing its powers. Once arrested
the two Muslim clerics were paraded
The murder of Shahid Azmi is not a
murder of an individual only, it is a well-
designed campaign to intimidate and
ultimately obliterate the idea of justice
and silence the voice of the innocents.
Every accused has a legal right to
defense and lawyers must respect since
a fair trial will prevent several
retaliating minds to calm down
like animals in front of cameras, while
the Special Cell officers were jostling
with each other to stand next to 'the
terrorist' so that they could also figure
prominently in the picture. In the
aftermath of Batla House encounter,
more than a dozen Muslim young boys
have been taken into custody, and more
than 50 cases have been registered
against some of them in four states and
six cities. Is it possible for a poor or
middle class family to defend their
wards?
Such deliberate prosecutions
clearly show that the judicial process
has been made so stringent for such
families a near impossible exercise to
Vol. 4, Issue 3
50
get bail for their wards. In a scenario
of gross injustice, if a lawyer likes of
Shahid Azmi, who was arrested under
TADA by Delhi police in 1995 for being a
member of SIMI, gathers courage to
take up cases of those falsely
implicated, they undergo a hell of an
experience. Azmi's first big case was
Mumbai local explosions in 2006 in
which he was defending three
accused, including one of the prime
accused, Faisal Sheikh, the LeT's
alleged Mumbai chief. In the fake
encounter and murder of Ishrat Jehan,
Azmi played a pivotal role to get
justice to the bereaved family. In his
short career, Azmi successfully
pleaded in court against the
application of MOCOCA as well as POTA
for his clients. His successful pleading
in the Ghatkopar blasts case of 2002
led to the abrogation of POTA.
The murder of Shahid Azmi is not a
murder of an individual only, it is a
well-designed campaign to intimidate
and ultimately obliterate the idea of
justice and silence the voice of the
innocents. Every accused has a legal
right to defense and lawyers must
respect since a fair trial will prevent
several retaliating minds to calm
down, besides giving a new impetus to
our unified fight against terror. In the
face of many proven cases where the
security agencies have erred in
prosecuting and killing innocent
Muslims as well as the threats to their
lawyers, there is an urgent need for
the creation of a special court at Delhi
or any one chosen city to try all cases
related to terrorism. All such cases
pending in various states ought to be
transferred to this special court. On
the lines of the National Investigative
Agency, the government should create
such court so that it would be
convenient for both – the prosecution
and the accused – to seek justice.
Epilogue, March 2010
Why Epilogue ?

Epilogue is perhaps the first scholarly, analytical and investigative monthly journal on Jammu and
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Epilogue is collectively edited by leading editors and publishes original contributions from scholars,
experts and journalists having a keen eye on Jammu and Kashmir. The journal reaches and
further endeavours to reach all people in the South Asian region who contribute to policy
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Epilogue is backed by a network of journalists, media practitioners, academics, experts, researchers and
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Epilogue has a shelf life that extends far beyond the news or event period covered; therefore, this
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