More money after bad...

As Omar Abdullah tries to make his first moves as the new Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, change appears to be in the air. A young, articulate leader with some pragmatism and a dash of idealism is perhaps what J&K needs. He is trying to woo major businesses to invest in the state and he is making the right noises about corruption. But, there are disturbing signs that Omar may turn out to be not much different than his predecessors.

J&K does not need quick fixes; in fact, I am pretty sure there are no quick fixes to the state's sad legacy of misgovernance, corruption, politics of patronage, government overreach, stifling of private enterprise, and a population excessively dependent on the government. This is clearly not an exhaustive list. The problems in J&K are many more and there just aren't enough good people to help solve the problems of the state. To reverse the problems that have accumulated over decades will not be solved overnight. That just won't happen and the Chief Minister needs to first understand it himself and then explain that to the people in the state. It is a mindset thing; the people in J&K need to rethink things, change their approach to development, and settle in for a series of reforms that takes years if not decades to accomplish.

But, as I mentioned earlier, the signs aren't that good. I just came across some news items about how there is a proposal to build a cable car over the Dal Lake, Then I heard that the Chief Minister was doing the rounds in Delhi to seek funding for new colleges and that his finance minister is planning to seek more funds from the central government (J&K gets most of its funding from Delhi) after inheriting a deficit of Rs. 13,772 crores ($2.75 billion equivalent) from the previous government. In addition, there are more demands by state employees to increase their salaries by Rs. 1,380 crores ($275 million) per year. What the state's employees have accomplished in the last 4-5 decades is still not clear but we do know that most people would call the government machinery corrupt, inefficient, and a drain on the state's resources that are derived from the poor Indian taxpayer.

My first piece of advice to the new government and those in Delhi is to stop wasting money in J&K. For example, why does the state government have departments for floriculture, horticulture, handicrafts, fisheries, and so many other useless offices? Are they doing some groundbreaking research that we can't live without? Why does the government operate hotels and tourist huts? Where is the report on the profitability of the Gulmarg Gondola project? When resources are tight, tough choices must be made. But, when the Indian taxpayer keeps supplying money without asking for any accountability, it is no surprise that there is so much waste and corruption in J&K.

Take a hard look at what is needed in the short, medium, and long-term and chalk out a plan which has input from international experts on a range of issues including reducing the size of government, improving the climate for private enterprise and investment, reviewing the state's infrastructure needs, putting together a comprehensive strategy for improving health and education indicators, and improving tax policies and administration and other key issues. Real change requires a radical departure from old, discredited ideas and practices. In places like J&K, real change won't be easy. But, it is possible...with the right approach.

Until next time...

What should Omar do?

As the young chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir takes charge, I wonder what his vision will be and how much he can accomplish. There is much to do and the 6 year tenure of the new government is only going to be a down payment for a long process of development...that too if Mr. Abdullah's team does the right things and does them well.

It will be my endeavor to provide some ideas for his administration. I hope others contribute as well. Perhaps in our small part of the world we can make a difference. Let's think big.

Until next time...

Bombay, Mumbai...

Call it by whatever name you like, this great Indian city has taken the brunt of terrorist attacks over the last few years. I do not have the words to fully express the outrage I feel, this sense of helplessness, yet a sense of determination to counter ideologies that promote the kind of hatred and violence Bombay has witnessed in the last 3 days. I truly hope that the masterminds behind this latest terrorist outrage are brought to justice without delay.

And, let these terrorists not use the name of Kashmir to justify their cowardly acts; nothing can justify the calamity that befell Bombay...nothing.

Lateef Ahmed Wani and his killers

Lateef was only 34 years old. I didn't know him personally but he is the latest victim of the senselessness that now prevails as a result of the Amarnath Yatra controversy as well as the rising discontent against Indian rule in the Vale of Kashmir.

Lateef and other truck drivers were attacked by a mob of fanatics in Lakhanpur (Jammu) on August 5. The truckers were carrying goods from Kashmir and they were attacked as part of what is described as an "economic blockade" imposed on Kashmiris by intolerant elements in Jammu. Lateef leaves behind a devastated family including his wife Hameeda, and three small children--Shazia, Saima and Aqib. Lateef had committed no mistake. He was just doing his job. He was basically lynched, fell into a coma, and then died. Can you imagine the heart-rending scenes at his home when his lifeless body was brought home? Can you imagine the broken lives left behind? Can you imagine what Hameeda must be thinking? What about Shazia, Saima, and Aqib? Do you think they understand? Who should they turn to? For what? What comfort can anyone provide?

What about the killers? What are they thinking? Are they sipping tea, talking about how they got rid of one of "those Kashmiris"? Are they happy? Did they achieve what they wanted? Is that the goal, to kill and terrorize those who must work in order to feed their families? Is their thirst quenched or do they want more? What do they want?

Apparently, the policemen who were escorting the truckers but fled when they saw the killers arrive with knives, trishuls (trident), and other choice weapons. Are they sleeping better now that Lateef has been put to sleep for ever? Is anyone concerned that law enforcement officers left innocents to die? Is there going to be an investigation? Will they tell us what happened? Will anyone be held to account?

The Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti and the state government and institutions such as the army keep insisting that there is no economic blockade of Kashmir. However, the fact of the matter is that there have been calls for disruptions of traffic to and from Kashmir. Even if such interruptions are intermittent, they leave a perception of a blockade. Lateef's killing by fanactics makes perception a reality. I challenge the government and its institutions to enforce the rule of law, bring Lateef's killers to justice, and truly work to ensure normal flow of goods and people to and from Kashmir. Otherwise, it is best not to suggest things are fine and expose more innocent lives to the brutes of Lakhanpur and elsewhere.

A bit more about Amarnath

It has been a while since my last post. Travel plus other events have made it difficult for me to write. I had ended my last post by promising to write about those who are fanning the flames of the Amarnath controversy. So, here it is...

In all of this time that the Amarnath controversy has been raging in Jammu and Kashmir, I couldn't understand one thing: if the yatra has been conducted in Kashmir valley for more than a century without any issue of land ownership coming up, then why suddenly did the Amarnath Shrine Board find it necessary to own some land for creating temporary shelters? Furthermore, why did some people in Jammu take such umbrage to the idea that title to some forest land would not be transferred to the Shrine Board for conduct of the yatra and instead its conduct would be facilitated by the government? After all, the yatra is not attended by people from Jammu alone. I suspect most pilgrims are from other parts of India and there has been a constant effort to improve facilities for pilgrims. Pretty soon, the controversy became Jammu versus Kashmir and Hindu versus Muslim. Quite frankly, I am amazed that Jammu's citizenry is allowing itself to be held hostage by extremisty elements who have helped turn this controversy into a major crisis for Inda's secularism. But, as we all now, some individuals and organizations fan the flames more than others. I will leave you with a couple of examples...

Exhibit 1: Rajiv Sikri (former senior officer of Indian Ministry of External Affairs) writing in Rediff.com says, "To my mind, whether or not the land in question should be transferred to the SASB is only a technical question, not the heart of the issue. The more important thing is whether the state government feels that it has an obligation to improve the facilities that would make the pilgrimage of thousands of Hindu devotees more secure and more comfortable." He goes on to give the example of the Haj subsidy to Indian Muslim pilgrims as a reason to improve facilities for Amarnath pilgrims and adds that "Perhaps our self-righteous and petty Kashmiri politicians in India's only Muslim-majority state should reflect over these facts and tell us whether they think it is at least their moral if not political obligation to be more caring and sensitive to Hindu pilgrims visiting Amarnath."

My take: I am not sure about Kashmiri politicians but I for one do not believe it is the government's responsibility to make religious pilgrimages more comfortable. Governments have a different role and Mr. Sikri should know that. This applies to Amarnath and Vaishno Devi pilgrimages just as much as it does to the Haj. So, please, Mr. Sikri, before you ask others to ponder over things, you should at least review the tenets of good governance given that you probably spent a lifetime in the Indian civil service.

Exhibit 2: S.K. Sinha (Former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir) spoke at a seminar "How to combat Religious Fundamentalism" at New Delhi's India International Center and said the following: "There is nothing unusual in the land transfer. Thousands of hectares of forest land have been given to Reliance to put up towers, to the public works department for road construction, and to the power department for erecting poles. But the land transfer to SASB (Shri Amarnath Shrine Board) was given a communal colour." He added "Even in Jammu, forest land was given to the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. For the Mughal Road, which is necessary for the development of the region, about 10,000 trees have been cut and it is ecologically harmful. But for SASB, not a single tree has been cut."

My take: Will someone please explain to the discredited Mr. Sinha that there is a fundamental difference between public works such as construction of the Mughal Road or setting up of communication towers as opposed to government involvement in religious activity such as the Amarnath Yatra? If this is the thinking of top officials of the Indian government, one can hardly blame the poor folks who go out to die for their gods and godesses. Mr. Sinha has displayed a clear lack of understanding of the job of a governor in India's secular democracy. I wonder how these people make it to such positions! At least they should be given some basic training in good governance before being sent to sensitive spots such as Jammu and Kashmir.

Exhibit 3: Leela Karan Sharma (Convenor, Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti) on the occasion of India's independence day, made a speech to hundreds of activists and declared that "This is a historical place where Dogra rulers waged war against Britishers and we pledge today a war against Kashmir-centric leaders till victory. The issue today is also a war between nationalists and separatists."

My take: Mr. Sharma is doing his country no favours. People like him are the divisive characters that we need to tackle head-on. There is no war between nationalists and separatists in Jammu and Kashmir. My sense is that Mr. Sharma and his ilk have done nothing for the Yatra that comes even close to what Kashmiri Muslims have done for that pilgrimage. The people of Jammu need not fret over the Yatra. It will go on (hopefully in a manner that takes everyone's interests into account). But, the question for Jammuites, as it is for Kashmiris, is what is important for their future--a hyped up, totally retrograde controversy that will lead to divisions or a shared future that easily transcends the dirty politics of communal forces?

Until next time...

Towards a resolution of the Amarnath controversy

The ongoing Amarnath Yatra controversy continues to threaten the peace of the collective minds of the residents of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.  We are now witnessing unprecedented brinkmanship that threatens to pit Kashmiris against Jammuites, Muslims against Hindus...friends against friends.  What can be done to stop this controversy from becoming a nightmare situation that might make Narendra Modi's Gujarat look like a walk in the park?  

Let me suggest a few things that could be done to lower the temperature.  In a separate post, I will address those people who are simply not interested in a resolution of this escalating problem but are unabashedly fanning the flames of religious intolerance, hoping for a cataclysm that will rock the foundations of India's enfeebled secular identity.  They are the ones that we eventually need to tackle head on.

To the people of Jammu and Kashmir:

1. We need to instill a sense of calm and confidence and security for all.  For that, the authorities must not tolerate violence but should not use lethal measures to control unruly mobs.  Of course, it would help if people (the majority that is an unwilling accomplice in all of this) cooperate.
2. The authorities should make clear and emphasize one point: Those who want to perform the Amarnath Yatra can do so and their pilgrimage will be facilitated with provision of  shelters and other facilities.  (Note: I personally am opposed to the government's involvement in the Yatra (and other religious pilgrimages), except to provide basic services such as security. But, we are in an exceptionally turbulent time and civic leadership is in the hands of bigots everywhere).  The Yatris want to visit Amarnath and do so as comfortably as possible.  They should have that opportunity.  That is the crux of what is needed.  The Yatris have no other agenda but that.
3. The Yatra should not, as far as reasonably possible, inconvenience the local poplulation along the route to Amarnath.  The government should help ensure that right now.  One key thing for the pilgrims to realize is that they are guests in Kashmir and that the local population isn't against them (in fact, they benefit as well). However, the pilgrims have certain responsibilities too such as respect for their hosts and help with keeping the environment as pollution-free as possible.  After all, a clean environment benefits everyone.
4. The state government should set up an independent commission comprised of eminent citizens to review not only the recent controversy but the conduct of all religious pilgrimages in the state.  The commission should tender its report within 6 months and recommend ways of minimizing government interference in the conduct of all religious pilgrimages and suggest a way forward on how to make religious institutions less dependent on the government.  It will be important for such a commission to also present all the facts about government financial support to religious institutions and their activities so that we can begin to disentangle religion and government from their unhealthy embrace.
5. The bottom line is: religion is a private matter and the more the state gets involved, the more the danger to democracy and to the secular credentials of India.