With both European Union (EU) delegation and as well as delimitation panel bypassing three elected parliament members of Kashmir valley in their discussions on post DDC poll scenario and delimitation of the parliament and assembly constituencies in Jammu & Kashmir respectively, the allegations of Kashmir’s marginalization against the governments both in Delhi and as well as Jammu & Kashmir from the anti-establishment voices are getting the credence both within and outside Jammu & Kashmir . Showing no respect to the majority of the members representing people of Jammu & Kashmir in the highest law making body of the country is by all standards of understandabilities not only a bad omen for democracy in the biggest democracy of the world but also an insult to democracy. Instead of reaching out to the elected parliament members representing the three Lok Sabha constituencies of Kashmir valley in the parliament the European Union delegation has preferred to reach out to those Chairpersons of valley’s district development councils (DDCs) whose political integrity has come into question not once but many a times both before and after the DDC elections and they have defected from one party to the other not once but several times and lost all the assembly and parliamentary elections they contested in years prior to August 5,2019. Taking a brief about the post DDC election scenario from such discredited political representatives and bypassing parliament members representing people of Kashmir in the highest law making body of the country shows the neutrality of the European delegation in establishing a fair and objective assessment about the ground realities of Jammu and Kashmir.
Unfortunately both the European Union delegation and as well as delimitation panel have by dint of their actions compromised the basic standards of democracy and public representation just to satisfy the ego of politicians who either directly represent the political party in power at centre or subscribe to views of leaders wielding power at the centre and as well as in Jammu & Kashmir Government.
An eye opener to the members of the European Union delegation was the critical statement of Jammu Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCC&I) against the claims of the governments both in Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir over revival of economy and development in post August 5, 2019 scenario in Jammu & Kashmir. Similarly delimitation panel also choosen to go ahead with it’s meeting on sensitive issue of delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies despite boycott by valley’s three directly elected Lok Sabha members. Delimitation panel going ahead with the meeting against the views of the majority of the elected parliament members of Jammu & Kashmir shows it’s respect for the majority in a democracy. A democratic initiative taken against the views of the majority of the members itself shows that unilateralism is preferred over majoritarianism even in the issues related to delimitation of the parliamentary and assembly constituencies. Now it would be interesting to see that whether delimitation panel goes by the views of BJP’s two elected Parliament Members who have suggested that instead of population the area jurisdiction,terrain and other such factors should be made the sole criteria in delimitation of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies just to reduce share of Kashmir in both assembly and as well as parliament. Unfortunately both the European Union delegation and as well as delimitation panel have by dint of their actions compromised the basic standards of democracy and public representation just to satisfy the ego of politicians who either directly represent the political party in power at centre or subscribe to views of leaders wielding power at the centre and as well as in Jammu & Kashmir Government.
