Save Doda, Save Nation Satyagraha

BJP exposes Govt. failure to protect Hindus
After Kashmiri Pandits, a conspiracy to rid Jammu of Hindus
From Our Correspondent

The conclusion of the Save Doda, Save Nation Jail Bharo Andolan launched by the Bhartiya Janta Party at Jammu on June 15 in a most peaceful and orderly way gave a lie to the wild propaganda of UPA, Congress and J&K government who raised the bogey that it will unleash communal bitterness and lead to violence. In fact, they had no nothing else to hide their utter failure to protect the life and property of Hindus. Instead of performing his constitutional duty, J&K Chief Minister said that it was not possible to provide security to every hamlet in Jammu where Hindus were living. Nothing could be more irresponsible than such words coming from the mouth of an elected chief minister as it amounted to refusal to perform a bounden constitutional duty The satyagraha attracted thousands of party karyakartas, irrespective of their caste, creed or sex, to Jammu from every corner of the country to express solidarity with the sufferings of the Hindu families who have now become the special target of terrorism. After having succeeded in pushing the Kashmir Pandits out of the Kashmir Valley to a life of hell as refugees in their own country in various States, terrorists are now a step further to attain their objective of ethnic cleansing of Jammu region also. The BJP succeeded in bringing into focus the plight of nationalist elements in J&K who are the target of militant attacks and failure of both the State and the Central government to extend protection to them. The first day's report was carried in the previous issue of BJP Today. We presents a comprehensive report till the conclusion of the satyagraha.

The Day One of the Satyagraha on June 7 had a tremendous impact with more than 3000 karyakartas led by former BJP National President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, courted arrest alongwith satyagrahis from the States of Kerala, Rajasthan and Akhnoor. At the time of arrest, Shri Naidu was joined by BJP National Vice-Presidents Shri La Ganeshan, National General Secretary Shri Vinay Katiyar, J&K BJP State President Dr. Nirmal Singh, Kerala State BJP President Shri Shridharan Pillai, former Union Minister of State Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta, former Haryana Governor Shri Babu Parmanand, 12 MPs and 23 MLAs from Rajasthan.

On Day Two of Save-Doda, Save Nation Jail Bharo Andolan, on June 8 about two thousand satyagrahis from Punjab, Chandigarh, Andaman & Nicobar, Ramban and Basohli led by former Chief Minister of Delhi Shri Sahib Singh Verma courted arrest outside the Civil Secretariat at Jammu. National General Secretary BJP Vinay Katiyar MP, J&K BJP State President Dr. Nirmal Singh, Punjab State BJP President, Shri Avinash Rai Khanna, former Union MoS Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta, National Secretary BJP S. Harjeet Singh Grewal, BJP legislative group leader & former Punjab minister, Shri Tikshan Sood, Biwi Gurcharan Kaur, former MP, Shri Jattan Lal Tak, State Treasurer, Andaman & Nicobar, Former MP Shri Satya Pal Jain, State General Secretaries J&K BJP Shri Ashok Khajuria and Shri Bali Bhagat, Shri Bhim Sen Aggarwal, Secretary, Chandigarh BJP, Shri Sachin Lohtia, President Chandigarh BJP SC Morcha, Shri Sat Pal Gosain, former MLA, S. Sukhminder Pal Singh Grewal, Former Punjab State President BJYM, Basohli District President Shri Satish Sharma and Shri Ramban District President Shri Shyam Singh Katoch were among the other prominent leaders who courted arrest.

Earlier, addressing the satyagrahis at the Parade Ground, Shri Sahib Singh Verma said that the militants in this State have been killing innocent people, including women and children under a conspiracy but the governments at the Centre and in the State have not adopted a clear cut policy to curb their nefarious activities. He said it was in the year 1989 that the militants started killing Hindus in the valley. The government then failed to combat the militancy and as a result about four lakh Kashmiri Hindus were forced to leave their native places and take shelter at Jammu, Delhi and other parts of the country. These people have not been able to return to their places as the government has not taken their sufferings seriously. It is very unfortunate that the state government is working day in and day out to rehabilitate the surrendered militants but it is least bothered as far as the Kasmiri Pandits are concerned. He said today the militants are targetting Hindus in Doda with a motive to ensure that they too vacate Doda as Kashmiri Hindus did in 1989 to escape their physical liquidation. He said the BJP would not allow the militants to succeed in their plan and assured the people of the state of BJP’s full support. He said demanding security is no crime and the BJP fully backs the people when they ask for security, strengthening of Village Defence Committees (VDCs), provision of workable communication network and weapons to give a befitting reply to the militants. He, on this occasion, also criticised the state government foe adopting discriminatory attitude towards Jammu and Ladakh regions of the state in every sphere at all levels. He took the State Chief Minister to task for being non-serious towards meeting the genuine demands of the people of militancy-affected areas of the State, Jammu region in particular.

Day Three of the satyagraha against massacre of Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir and failure of the government to check terrorism gained further momentum on June 9 when more than 3500 party activists courted arrest under the leadership of Shri Shanta Kumar, National Vice-President of BJP at Jammu.

Among others who courted arrest were former Uttranchal Chief Minister, Shri Bhagat Singh Kohshiari, Himachal BJP President, Shri Suresh Bhardwaj and Haryana BJP Chief Shri Ganeshi Lal.

Addressing the gathering at Parade Grounds before courting arrest, Shri Shanta Kumar said India should destroy terrorist training camps in Pakistan as infiltration of ultras had not been stopped despite a dialogue with Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Maj. Gen. B.C. Khandoori (retd), and Shri I.D. Swami, former union ministers, Shri Rao Narbir Singh, Shri Balbir Singh Saini (both from Haryana), Shri Krishen Kumar Kapoor, Shri Ramesh Dhawala, Shri Rakesh Pathania, Shri Dulo Ram, Shri Ashok Sood and many others from Himachal Pradesh were among those who courted arrest.

As it was the turn of the BJP activists from Himachal Pradesh, Uttranchal and Haryana to court arrest, a large contingent from Himachal and Haryana came here to participate in the satyagraha.

Shri Narotam Sharma, vice-president of the Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha, was injured when the police pushed the satyagrahis near the Secretariat.

On Day Four on June 10 over 1000 Bharatiya Janata Party activists including a sizeable number of women workers drawn from Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra States along with BJP’s Samba district courted arrest under the leadership of former BJP National President, Shri Bangaru Laxman at Indira Chowk in connection with ‘Save-Doda, Save-Nation’ Andolan.

Other senior Party leaders who courted arrest along with Shri Laxman included BJP’s National spokesman Shri Prakash Javadekar, National General Secretary, Shri Thaverchand Gehlot, National Secretary, Dr K Hari Baboo and Shri Bandaroo Dattatray, AP BJP State President, Shri Inder Sen Reddy, Vice-President Maharashtra BJP, Shri Kirit Somayya, former MoS Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, district president Vijaypur Samba, Shri Chander Prakash Ganga, Shri Ashok Khajuria, Shri Bali Bhagat and BJYM leader Shri Omi Khajuria.

Prior to their court arrest, hundreds of BJP karyakartas took out a procession from Parade Ground where they had converged to participate in the public rally.

Earlier, addressing the public rally Shri Laxman expressed grave concern over the killings of innocent people by the terrorists in J&K. He alleged that Government was just behaving like a mute spectator to the killings of members of a particular community in the State.

Lambasting at the recent statements on the withdrawal of troops from Siachen and demilitarization in J&K, Shri Laxman demanded that Doda be handed over to Army.

Assuring full support to Doda people in their present struggle, he declared that BJP will not allow the designs of militants to succeed.

Shri Laxman said the days are gone when a portion of J&K was annexed by Pakistan as at that time the Jana Sangh had not come into being. But now BJP is ready to make any sacrifice for the unity and integration of nation.

Shri Thavar Chand Gehlot reiterated the Party’s demand for abrogation of Article 370 which he alleged was the mother of all troubles in the J&K. He also demanded strengthening of VDCs by providing sophisticated weapons as well as required facilities and deployment of more security forces and army in militancy infested areas of the State.

Terming the ‘Save-Doda, Save-Nation’ Andolan as a movement for national integration, Party’s National Spokesman, Shri Prakash Javadekar said people of the entire country are with the masses of J&K in this agitation.

He said the people have been shocked with the killing of innocents by terrorists and over the last 16 years 70,000 innocents have lost their life at the hands of terrorists.

Later addressing a press conference, Shri Javadekar claimed there has been encouraging support to BJP’s Andolan.

Decrying the Prime Minister’s recent statement on zero tolerance to human rights violations, he asked are the terrorists not violating the human rights?

Killing innocent people, he said, is nothing but cowardice. Instead of calling for zero tolerance to human rights violations, Prime Minister should have called for zero tolerance to terrorism, he said.

On Day Five of the satyagraha contingents of BJP karyakartas from the States of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Orissa led by former Union Minister, Smt. Sumitra Mahajan. More than 1800 karyakartas with their State leaders courted arrest. Many people had come in their traditional dresses. BJP leaders demanded that army presence should be increased in the State and Doda handed over to it for security.

J&K State BJP President Dr. Nirmal Singh condemned the action of the State government registering criminal cases against senior BJP leaders, Shri Sahib Singh Verma and Shri Vinay Katiyar.

On Day Six it was the turn of the contingents of BJP karyakartas from the States of Gujarat, Karnataka, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli to join in this national andolan for saving Doda and the nation. All the important leaders from these States were present and more than 1500 people courted arrest.

On Day Seven led by Deputy Leader of BJP Parliamentary Party in Rajya Sabha, Smt. Sushma Swaraj, on June 13 over 3000 satyagrahis from Bihar, Assam, North-East, Arunachal Pradesh and Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Bhaderwah and Kishtwar Districts of Jammu region and activists of BJP Mahila Morcha courted arrest at Jammu alongwith BJP National Spokesperson Shri Ravishankar Prasad, sitting MPs including Shri S.S Ahluwalia, Shri Kiren Rijiju, Shri Tapir Gao and Shri Nikhil Choudhary, former MPs including Shri Krishna Choudhary, Shri Shahnawaz Hussain, Shri Rajiv Partap Rudi and State President J&K BJP Dr. Nirmal Singh, State president Assam BJP Shri Indramani Bora, State President Bihar BJP Shri Radha Mohan Singh, former Union MoS Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta, former Governor Babu Parmanand, District Presidents including Shri Anil Parihar, Shri Sunil Gupta, Shri Koushal Kotwal, Shri Yogesh Sharma, BJP Mahila Morcha Prabhari Smt. Suresh Jamwal, Mahila Morcha State President Smt. Surekha Choudhary, Vice-president Smt. Raj Rani Jamwal.

Addressing a massive rally before courting arrest, Smt. Sushma Swaraj held the Congress-led UPA government directly responsible for whatever the terrorists are doing to rid the state of Hindus. She said the entire nation is standing like a rock behind the militancy-affected people who have taken the militant onslaught as a challenge to the nation. She said that the minority community in Jammu & Kashmir is playing a splendid role and doing everything to defeat the evil designs of the terrorists.

Accusing the Congress and its coalition partners of tinkering with those laws which were enacted by the NDA government to bring the terrorists to justice, Smt. Swaraj said that it is disgusting that these so-called secular parties are describing POTA and similar other anti-terror laws as anti-Muslims. She said a terrorist is a terrorist who has no religion. Our satyagraha is against the terrorism and not against any community. It is also against the State apparatus which has singularly failed to discharge its constitutional obligations and take on the subversives. She asserted that the approach of the Congress-led UPA government and the attitude of the Congress-PDP government in J&K towards the terrorists will prove a waterloo for the pseudo-secular outfits. She said that the state Chief Minister does not know what Kurukshetra means for the Hindus across the country and added that BJP will certainly convert Jammu into a Kurukshetra and comprehensively defeat all the evil forces, including the terrorists and fundamentalists.

Smt. Sushma Swaraj took to task all those in the Congress and the Congress-led government for their campaign of disinformation that the BJP’s Doda Bachao Satyagraha has disturbed communal harmony. She said it is not the BJP but the Congress and similar outfits which are associating the cult of terror with the members of a particular community and it is this mentality that is causing schism in the society. She charged the Congress with adopting this approach for pandering to the sentiments of a particular community. She also criticized the State Government for creating an environment under which the terrorists are roaming about freely killing innocent civilians, in general, and members of the minority community, in particular.

She expressed grief and shock over militant attacks in Jammu and Anantnag on June 12 which left nine Hindus dead and over 27 wounded.

Taking a dig at State Chief Minister’s suggestion that the BJP should abandon the satyagraha and he would give “2-3 seats to it.”, she said the BJP satyagrahis from all over the country are reaching Jammu in their thousands every day to show their solidarity with the people and to awaken the government out of its slumber. She had all praise for the BJP Mahila Morcha. She said men and women satyagrahis are weathering the vagaries of nature as they are determined to neutralize the baneful influence of the state government as well as the militants.

She expressed disgust over the state government’s move to regularize all those who have been manning till date the positions in the government vacated by the Kashmiri Hindus temporarily as they had to migrate from the valley to save their lives and honour. She asked the government to do away with this move and take steps to enable the displaced Hindus to return to the valley so that they could lead a peaceful life.

Prominent among others who also addressed the satyagrahis included Shri Ravi Shanker Prasad, Shri Rajiv Partap Rudi, Shri S.S Ahluwalia, Dr. Nirmal Singh, Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Shri Indermani Bora, Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta, Smt. Suresh Jamwal, Smt. Surekha Choudhary, Shri Sunil Gupta, Shri Anil Parihar and Shri Koushal Kotwal.

On Day Eight satyagrahis from Uttar Pradesh and Goa thronged in large numbers to join their brethren in Jammu to fight against terrorism and take part in Save Doda, Save Nation Andolan. More than 2000 men and women led by their State leaders marched through the streets shouting anti-government slogans. They were also joined by local leaders when they courted arrest.

The Day Nine Save Doda—Save Nation Jail Bharo Andolan concluded at Jammu on June 15 with satyagrahis/party activists from Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Daman, Diu, Silvassa and Jammu Mahanagar courting arrest under the leadership of senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi.

Before courting arrest, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi addressed a massive rally of over 3000 satyagrahis. He said that the satyagraha which commenced at Jammu on June 7 has become a symbol of India’s unity and integrity. People from every State of the country have been coming here in thousands to express their solidarity with the militancy-affected people of the State. It is not a small thing. He said history of BJP is a saga of sacrifices. We have been sacrificing for the national cause since independence. Who is not aware of the fact that Janasangh founder-President Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee laid down his life to ensure that the permit system is abolished in the State. He said the patriotic people of Doda deserve full appreciation as they have been fighting the militancy bravely. I salute them. Be it Kanyakumari or Assam today everyone is convinced that the people of the State have been struggling hard for their survival as the Congress-led Union and State Governments have totally failed to protect their life and property.

Describing the UPA’s Kashmir policy as directionless and ambiguous, Dr. Joshi said it is because of the lack of clarity that terrorism in the State has increased manifold, thus endangering the life of all the patriotic people in the state. He pooh-poohed the suggestion that the stayagraha has communal overtones and said theirs is the fight between terrorism and pro-integrationists forces. He said the enthusiasm of the BJP leaders and cadres from all over the country participating in the satyagraha indicates the nation’s resolve to defeat all the subversive forces. He ridiculed the UPA government for persisting with the dialogue process between India and Pakistan and declared that the Union government must review its whole policy keeping in view the utter failure of Pakistan to honour its January 6, 2004 commitment that it would not allow any of its territories to be used for cross-border terrorism.

Dr. Joshi rejected outright divisive ideas such as self-rule, more autonomy and demilitarization and instead urged the Union government to start a serious process to ensure the revocation of Article 370 so that the State is brought at a par with the rest of the country. He regretted that the people of Jammu and Ladakh have suffered gross neglect during all these years of independence and asked the State government to evolve some definite mechanism that could ensure balanced development of all the three regions of the State . He said the need of the hour is not more autonomy for Kashmir but the genuine empowerment of ignored regions of Jammu and Ladakh.

Dr. Joshi criticized the Prime Minister that none of the five working groups proposed to be set up on May 25 at Srinagar deals with the plight of the displaced Kashmiri Hindus. He demanded the constitution of a working group charged with the responsibility of suggesting ways and means designed to induce the displaced Hindus to return to their homes and hearths, so that they are able to lead a peaceful and dignified life and participate in the State’s political and economic progress. He said there is no place whatsoever in the country’s scheme of things for the cultural genocide of any community

He emphasized the need for the implementation of the February 2, 1994 resolution passed by Parliament unanimously asserting that Jammu & Kashmir is an integral and inseparable part of India and that Pakistan has no locus standi in any part of Jammu and Kashmir.

He also said that there can be no dialogue with Pakistan unless Pakistan stops once for all cross-border terrorism. He assured the people of the state that the BJP shall ever remain at their beck and call and see to it that no power on earth is able to snatch even an inch of J&K territory.

Besides Dr. Joshi, Prof. Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Madhya Pradesh State BJP President Shri Satya Narayan Jatia, Delhi State BJP President Dr. Harshvardhan, State President J&K BJP Dr. Nirmal Singh, Tamil Nadu State Vice-president Master Matin, former Union MoS Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta, Prabhari Jammu Mahanagar, Prof. Hari Om, Jammu Mahanagar District President Shri Shiv Kumar Gupta also addressed the satyagrahis.

Prominent among those who courted arrests under the leadership of Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi included Dr. Satyanaranan Jatia, Dr. Ram Krishan Kusmaria, Shri Kailash Joshi, Shri Varinder Kumar, Shri Chattar Singh Darkar, Shri Ganesh Singh, Shri Chander Bhan Singh, Shri Laxman Singh, Smt. Neeta Pateria, Shri Krishan Murari Moghe, Shri Vikram Verma, Shri Ashok Argal, Shri Laxmi Narayan Sharma, Shri Narayan Singh Kesri, Smt. Anusuia Ji, (all MPs), State presidents Dr. Nirmal Singh and Dr. Harshvardhan, State Office bearers of Madhya Pradesh BJP, Delhi BJP, former president Delhi BJP Shri Mange Ram Garg, Office-bearers and sitting MLAs of Delhi BJP, Shri Dushyant Kumar National Gen. Secretary BJP SC Morcha, Mayors of Gwalior, Indore and Burhanpur.