Jammu fast losing its identity as “city of temples”

Phalgun Krushna 6,Kaliyug Varsha 5113

Jammu  : Jammu, the winter capital of our state, till recent popularly known as the city of temples, seems to be losing its very distinct identity and the day is not far when different people will call this city by different names. While few will name it as city of traffic jams, others will be calling it as city of protests/dharnas/ agitations. Many people may give it the name of a city of debris.

A particular city or a place achieves the distinction of being some different from others due to its peculiar background and glorious past.

One does not have to put any hard work or devote much time and energy in getting authentication of what has been said. Just few minutes as per one’s comfort are enough to clear the doubts. Be it first day of the week or last, first month of the year, mid one or the last, every day we come acrosss newspapers carrying maximum news which pertain to displaying of resentment by different sections of the society through press conferences, dharnas, protests, hunger strikes, road march, rallies and even fast-unto-death sittings. Be it a government employee or retired one, highly educated unemployed youth or engaged by the government on contractual/ adhoc basis, political, religious or social organization, each one of them is seen on roads openly protesting against what is called the failure of the democratically elected government to keep its promises and come up to the expectations of people. The people adopt such means to register their anger as they feel betrayed by such political parties which promised moon for them but after occupying chair gifted them cane charging.

The million dollar question rises as who is responsible for such a change. Just ask a layman, he too will come out with a prompt reply holding the government responsible for it. The approach of the government towards the genuine and basic demands of the people in general and the deprived in particular has been nil or very poor. The public cry is increasing over shortage of essential commodities not only in far flung areas but also in cities and towns where ruling elites themselves enjoying luxurious lives at the cost of public exchequer. The public money meant to be used for public welfare serves the welfare of a handful of ministers and bureaucrats. Since there is no one to give ear to the woes and hardships of the people in far off areas , they too come to the winter capital to give vent to their concerns and take similar modes to express their anger and dissatisfaction over the functioning of the government in power during that particular period.

Almost every day, we see hoards of people, comprising of youth, women and senior citizens, converged in groups and demonstrators to stage protests over lack of even basic amenities, a matter which pertains to one’s survival. Performance of the government can be gauged from the fact that people have to come on streets even for getting essential commodities like ration. Every next day we hear the loud slogans and out cry of various employees bodies aggrieved on one or the other front from various departments who assemble at convenient points in the city of temples, particularly when the Durbar is stationed in the capital.

Mubarak Mandi complex, which has few temples in and around the vicinity, also witnesses the protests and demonstrations almost every day by one or the other aggrieved group or community. All these things reflect only insensitivities of the government and callous approach in addressing the problems of the people. In other words, it can be said that this historic place has become the epicenter to hold protests, dharnas, hunger strikes and not even a single day passes when such events do not occur. Its not only Mubarak Mandi but there are so many other places in Jammu city where these things can be witnessed almost every day.

Unlike other parts of the country, in Jammu and Kashmir successive regimes hoodwinked the people by raking up emotional issues and never tried to solve basic problems of the people. Failure of the government to keep a check on continuous “massacre” of innocent people on the roads of erstwhile Doda district speaks about insensitive attitude of the ruling elites.

The city of temples by all means and scenes rampant is fast turning into the city of protests. The concerned quarters better change the nomenclature of the city….!

According to official figures, lakhs of people from outside the state visit Jammu and Kashmir as tourists and pilgrims every year and the number is going up with each passing year. While majority of tourists move to destinations in valley, almost all the pilgrims visit holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi and their recent number has crossed 65 lakh. All of them take halt at Jammu and like to visit different religious places, historical temples in particular, as they have a very clear concept about Jammu as being the city of temples. But it seems that these pilgrims and others on their return to native places might convey the people that Jammu, once popular as city of temples, is no longer so.

Source : Scoop News