‘State’s diversity under attack; idea of India under threat’
Senior CPI (M) leader and MLA Kulgam M Y Tarigami Monday accused the RSS and BJP of promoting a design to ‘trifurcate’ state on communal lines. Tarigami also said the Sangh’s (RSS’s) project is not only to damage the state but the idea of India is under threat.The senior communist leader said the regional division of the state is a long cherished dream of the RSS.
“We all know that it has been their (RSS) dream to divide the state on the basis of religion, region and language,” said Tarigami.
He added that the present coalition has ‘miserably failed to stop this polarization’. “The present government was expected to deliver but unfortunately they are encouraging the atmosphere of drift and intolerance in the state. Efforts are being made to bring different communities at loggerheads.”
He also accused the BJP of using the same ‘nefarious designs’ in the recently held elections in Ladakh.
“The election results in Ladakh are not surprising. They have again promised the union territory status there. This is not a coincidence. Despite the fact that CM Mufti Sayeed had been saying that the coalition is a historic opportunity for reconciliation between two communities and two regions, the record is quite opposite,” alleged Tarigami.
He also warned that the diversity of the state, which is an asset, is under attack. “Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have been gifted with certain amount of diversity. We have different geographical, cultural, ethic, and religious units. These are all assets. These assets are under attack, “he said.
Asked if people of Ladakh have voted for BJP due to promise of UT status, Tarigami maintained that votes were given for development.
“Maybe at certain levels people get swayed. We all saw what happened here in 2008. There was total polarization. But what happened then. We are living together, doing business together. The mandate given to them is for development of that area. But they start asking for something which will damage Ladakh region and it will be opposed. The region includes Kargil also. They haven’t voted for that,” explained Tarigami.
Tarigami said if people don’t understand this plan and want a separate region, it will result in communalization. “If that happens it will mean permanent division. One village against another, one section of people against another. Will that help us? I am of firm belief as a student of politics that this division is aimed at polarization, communalization of the state.”
He appealed all the political factions to ‘unite against the RSS design.’ “Whatever our political differences are in the state, my appeal to all is what is at stake is more important than ordinary political differences. It is the trifurcation of the state, dismemberment of our state. It can be stopped by the will of the people. If this plan goes ahead, it will be damaging for everyone, Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh. We can stay together. We can develop a mechanism to share our profits together. There is no room for separation.”
RSS IN CONTROL
Tarigami also said the trifurcation plan was on the cards of the RSS since 2002 however the government at that time was not ready for that. The situation now, Tarigami maintained, has changed drastically. “In 2002, RSS passed a resolution in Kurukshetra for a separate Jammu and Ladakh. I along with Nirmala Deshpande went to the then Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and asked that if this was the government position. He said it’s not the official position but the RSS position.”
“And what now?. RSS is in command. It’s not a cultural organization. It’s in command of the Indian government. It’s leading them today. They have to be stopped at any cost from dismembering our state.”
The MLA also said the speaker Kavinder Gupta should have stayed away from an RSS rally in Jammu. “The hon’ble speaker’s chair commands great respect and he should have kept a distance from attending such an event. It was not expected from the speaker to disrespect his constitutional mandate of neutrality.”
Talking about the beef issue, Tarigami said RSS doesn’t have any love for the cow, but for sectarian politics. “Beef was never such a big issue not only in the state but the whole country. Today they have made it a matter of life and death because of political reasons, for polarization. There is no love for cow. There is love for sectarian politics. This is a design, a project to target the minority. This must not be allowed to succeed.”
IDEA OF INDIA UNDER THREAT
Tarigami said that various ministers recently have issued provocative statements related to beef murders. He related those statements to the polarization design of the RSS. “The ministers and people sitting at responsible positions who are issuing provocative statements is not a slip of tongue. It’s deliberate. It’s intentional. This is a product of that nefarious design to promote a fascist ideology in the country by polarizing people of the country. In my opinion the victim will be the diversity of India. The focus of these people is to destroy the idea of India which has evolved through centuries,” said Tarigami.
He lauded the writers’ community for registering protest by returning their awards. “I salute the writers’ community for their protests. This is for the first time that such a protest has taken place in the country post independence. Such a huge number of writers, some of them of international repute have protested against what is happening in the country.”
