Jammu youth open up about issues facing region at PDP’s Gal Baath initiative

Jammu’s youth spoke up on pressing issues like reservation, disempowerment and injustice at a youth conference, titled Gal Baath; an outreach programme started by the Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This comes after doctors from Kashmir were linked to the Red Fort blast.

Besides unemployment and drug abuse, several speakers highlighted the reservation policy that puts open merit students at “disadvantage” with only 30% quota. “It’s unfortunate that real indicators like income are not considered for reservations: those whose income is less than ₹6 lakhs annually. Economically weaker sections should benefit more from reservation and not others,” Vinkal Sharma, a student activist, said.

Advocate Ana Durrani highlighted social injustices. “Anyone who speaks out about corruption is being described as an anti-national. People like Sonam Wangchuk are seen as a national threat and booked under the National Security Act (NSA). It is time to focus on our rights and what we do about them,” Ms. Durrani said.

Displaced Pandits

Ayushman Koul, a displaced Kashmiri Pandit, highlighted the issue of migration and lack of accountability. “My paternal grandparents are from Shopian, and my maternal grandparents are from Anantnag district. They had to leave (in the 1990s) after their home came under attack, and a grenade was thrown at it. However, the fact remains no one was booked or arrested for these acts,” Mr. Koul, who lives in Jammu now, said.

He said, his maternal grandparents kept travelling to Anantnag every year despite the danger. “However, my paternal grandparents avoid their hometown. So, these are two realities before us,” Mr. Koul added.

He also demanded that a Bill, which allows Kashmiri Pandits to maintain and manage temples in Kashmir, be passed. “It’s unfortunate that temples are either run by groups or outsiders but not Kashmiri Pandits themselves,” he added.  

Dialogue with youth

Praising the youth of Jammu for their heartfelt speeches highlighting the issues of the region, former J&K chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said, “There is no dialogue with the youth in J&K. A doctor who is supposed to be helping others kills innocent people (at the Red Fort in Delhi on November 10). We need to understand what makes them anxious. As a party, what can the PDP do to reduce the difficulties faced by the people of Jammu?” Ms. Mufti said.

She said after the Centre ended J&K’s special status in 2019, the Jammu region saw the opening of a floodgate. “Outsiders are flowing in, and crime is increasing. Local business opportunities are being outsourced and given to outsiders. The people are facing increasing hardship,” Ms. Mufti said.