Jammu: Delimitation Commission, in a transparent and judicious manner, must give its due to all parts of Jammu region so they can also be equal partners in the process of democracy.
This was demanded by the 5-member National Conference (NC) delegation led by its provincial president Devender Singh Rana in its memorandum submitted to the Delimitation Commission here this evening.
Other members of the delegation comprised Surjeet Singh Slathia, Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo and Javed Ahmed Rana.
The party’s memorandum stressed that the representation, particularly in the far flung, rural areas must be judiciously decided so that “there is accessibility and ease of public delivery to enable effective governance and approachability of public representatives.”
“We are confident that the Delimitation Commission shall work in the most transparent , judicious and fair manner providing justice to all in delimiting the constituencies as per the constitutional framework based on the basic tenets of Delimitation – population, geography, topography, area, physical features, contiguity, convenience of administrative units and facilities of easy communication and approachability of public convenience,” Rana said in the memorandum addressed to the Chairperson Delimitation Commission J&K Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai.
Asserting that Jammu & Kashmir is at the crossroads of history, Rana said that his party “has been and is a strong votary of strengthening democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.” “We always espouse the cause of the people of Jammu and Kashmir as per their aspirations which are diverse and multidimensional,” Rana said.
Reiterating party’s commitment for the “singular, inclusive Jammu and Kashmir”, the National Conference provincial president in the memorandum averred that the Delimitation Commission must give its due to all parts of Jammu region so that the commitment for the equitable empowerment of all regions and sub regions should not get dented.
The NC memorandum noted that there were also geographical and topographical challenges in the Jammu region and certain areas were far flung, inaccessible, remote, backward and mountainous. “So there is a need to address their issues in a manner that they can also be equal partners in the process of democracy by being able to conveniently exercise their franchise. The Scheduled Caste Communities, the Scheduled Tribes of the region must get adequate judicious representation. Reservation should be based on settled criterion which should be followed in a transparent manner to ensure that the faith of the people is maintained in the institution of the Delimitation Commission,” it maintained.
Rana in the memorandum expressed confidence that justice would come to Jammu and Kashmir and to the Jammu region through the Commission.
The memorandum noted that any Delimitation process had a vital role in empowering each constituent to be an equal shareholder in the process of democracy so that each one could feel empowered and should not feel relegated, isolated, disconnected or disempowered.
“This Delimitation Commission in the circumstances that it has been constituted is unique and its findings can have far reaching consequences in shaping the future of Jammu and Kashmir. History will judge its decision and our role critically and if we fail we shall fail our people and the nation as a whole,” it was cautioned in the memorandum.
It stated that the decentralisation should form core of democracy, all regions or sub-regions crave for equal role in the governance where no one should nurture a feeling of subservience or discrimination.
“We are for the singular, inclusive Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir is a model of unity in diversity, but each region and sub region has its own diverse characteristics and thereby peculiar needs and demands which need to be addressed by the Delimitation Commission in a manner that everyone feels involved and democratically empowered,” Rana stated.
He pointed out in the memorandum that Jammu region with an area of 26293 Km2 and population of 53,50,811 (as per 2011 census which is the basis of this Delimitation Commission) “is a pluralistic society with multi ethnicity, linguistic diversity and has representation of various castes and creeds. Jammu and its sub regions (whether it is the plains of Jammu or the hills of Poonch-Rajouri or the erstwhile Doda district comprising Kishtwar, Doda andRamban) feel alienated and have a sense of deprivation.”