Jammu, April 8 (Scoop News) – Close on the heels of tampering with the holy dates of Shri Amarnath Yatra and irrationally curtailing the Yatra period by two weeks, the coalition government in the state has allowed yet another unwarranted controversy to arise in the name of the ‘Dogra certificate’ which can seriously vitiate the atmosphere in Jammu region.
This was alleged here today by the BJP Chief Spokesperson & National Executive Member Dr. Jitendra Singh who said that while the National Conference led government is never tired of accusing BJP of being communal and divisive, the fact is that it is the ruling polity which is playing communal and divisive politics to appease the separatists in the valley on the one hand and on the other hand to provoke public unrest in Jammu region. Dr. Singh further accused the coalition government of constantly violating the faith and self-pride of the people of Jammu by raking up issues like Dogra certirficate and Amarnath Yatra.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the decision to issue Dogra Certificate ought to be viewed above religious or caste lines and is only a reinforcement of secular identity based on region and language which was also given precedence in the Indian constitution as a result of which after independence, the new States of the Indian Union were constituted on linguistic pattern.
Dr. Singh pointed to the coalition government’s tendency to backtrack in the face of separatist offensives and referred to Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s statement that “Dogra certificate aimed at converting J&K into a Dogra-desh”. He said even though Geelani’s observations were devoid of logic, the Kashmir-centric parties like National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were always in a race to prove themselves more loyal than Geelani while at the same time seeking patronage from Congress party for their own survival.
It was for the Congress party leadership to clear its position on a host of issues like this where the party, despite its proclaimed secular outlook, conveniently chooses to offer connivance of silence to communal agenda of Kashmir-centric parties simply to ensure its continuance in power, he added.
Dr. Singh said that instead of communalizing the issue of Dogra certificate, the issue should be used to reinforce the bonds of composite culture among various communities living in the state.