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http://epaper.newindpress.com/Articletext.aspx?article=28_08_2008_011_001&mode=1

Stop this Humbug called Kashmir is hurt R. Vaidyanathan Professor IIM Bangalore
It is fashionable for the bleeding heart liberals {BHL] in India to talk out of turn and use POTA [Pulled out of Thin Hair] data to justify their rantings. They fail to recognize the thin line between being a liberal and a subversive and often forget the English word called --- democracy. The lumpen liberals like that one book wonder Arundhati Roy [who proudly proclaimed in the USA-- couple of months ago that she has ceded from India since India is not a democracy] need not bother us here since we need some infinite degree algebraic brainless wonders in our political discourse, to have some buffoonery. But when the other BHLs like Vir Sanghvi [HT] and Swaminathan Aiyar [ET] and PB Mehta [IE] talk about Kashmir is hurt we need to sit back and wonder what is happening. Not only that--the former two even suggest about conducting a plebiscite in Kashmir about their choices due to their hurt. Why are Kashmiris hurt? According to them-- The first reason given is that polls were mostly rigged in J & K [not just in K] except the recent one where that screaming ladys [Mehbooba] scheming father [Mufti Syed] could become Chief Minister. This argument is specious since the first candidate to cede from India on this ground should be Bihar since time immemorial polls were rigged in that state. Just glance at the news papers of the seventies and eighties then you will find in every poll maximums numbers of people have been killed in that state. What about Bengal? Jyothi Basu could not have lost Baranagar to a CPI candidate but for rigging by Siddharthaa Juba Congress boys. Ask Priya Das Munshi or better Fata Kishto [no more!]the one armed wonder at Harrison sorry MG Road or Inu Mitra at Kharda all of the hall of fame of 1970s Kolkata----Now in every poll CPM indulges in scientific rigging according to opponents. The Dalits of Western UP will tell horror stories of rigging by Jats till the arrival of Seshan and BSP in that order. So are the Dalits in Tamil Nadu who were prevented from voting by Vanniars and Thevars. But none of these states are encouraged to cede from India by the BHLs

In spite of the fact that some polls might have been rigged in J&K we should recognize that our general elections are different from that of Pakistan where generals get always elected. Do the hurt Kashmiri really prefer generals getting elected or general elections? It is for all of us to discuss. The BHL endlessly talk about Hurt Kashmiris and Kashmiriyat and Hindus being their brothers etc. But interestingly or intriguingly every chief minister of Kashmir after 1947 is a Muslim. Sheik Abdulla;, Bakshi Gulam Muhammad ;Shamsuddin ;G.M Sadik;Sayeed Mir Kasim; Shek Abdulla;G.M Shah;Faruk Abdulla;Mufti Muhammad Sayeed; Gulam Nabi Azad. This is in spite of the fact that J&K has a population of nearly 10 million out of which 64 % is Muslims and 32% is Hindus according to 2001 Census. But not a single Hindu has become CM of that ultra secular state. Even though Andhra Pradesh with less than 5 percent Christians has currently a Christian CM in this communal country. The second grievance is regarding their socio-economic condition. That is an area which has not been studied by our BHL and they are talking off their hat. In every indicator J & K stands in the top rung states. Some of the indicators are 1. Per capita Consumption of Electricity at 759KWh [2006-2007] is much higher than UP, MP, Rajasthan, Bihar WB etc. [Rajya Sabha Question No.290821-04-08]. 2. Per Capita Central assistance at Rs.2860 [in 2000] much higher than all states; with TN at Rs.260 and UP at 385 and WB at 426 and all India figure of Rs. 395. If at all; rest of India should be hurt about it--.Even total Assistance of Rs 2631 crore in 2000 is highest among states. [Rajya Sabha Question Nb.1370 dated 03-08-2000] 3. State wise per capita Allocation of Kerosene in India [2006-2007] at 7.55 KG is much higher than most states with all India average at 8.9KG.[ Rajya Sabha question 158 dated 01-12-07] 4. State-wise per capita availability of Milk in India [2005-2006] at 353 Gms per day is much higher than most of the states with all India average of 241 Gms per day. [Rajya Sabha Question 1801 dated 11-08-2006]. 5. State-wise per capita allocation for Agriculture and Rural development [2002-2003] at Rs. 305 [Rs.245 and Rs.60] is much higher than most states including TN at Rs. 188 and AP at Rs. 125

Maharashtra Rs 202 [leave alone BIMARU states] with all India average of Rs. 152..[ Lok Sabha Question 4659 dated 23-04-03. 6. State-wise per capita expenditure [ Current and capital] on health in India 2001 at Rs.363 is much higher than most states with TN at 170 , AP at 146, UP at Rs. 83 and WB at Rs.206 and a national average of 167. [Rajya Sabha question no. 756 dated 28-07-2003] 7. State-wise per-capita Net State Domestic Product ay Factor Cost [constant prices] in 20052006 at Rs.8308 for J&K is higher than all BIMARU states and also in the top quarter in India. [RBI annual report2006]. 8. State-wise average monthly per capita consumption expenditure of Farmers in India 2003 at Rs. 712 for J&K is third highest in India [next to Punjab at Rs 828 and Haryana at Rs. Rs 741 with national average of Rs 502. [Rajya Sabha Question 1759 dated 08-12-2005. 9. State-wise percentage of Children under age 3 years as undernourished on Anthropometric Indices [stunted Wasted or underweight] of nutritional status as per NFHS-III in India 2005-06 for J&K is stunted [too short for age] at 28 and wasted [too thin for height] at 15 and underweight [too thin for age] at 29.4 is the lowest in India except Mizoram/Goa Kerala and Sikkimwith a national average of 38 and 19 and 46. 10. The number of households living in predominant roof material of concrete /G.I metal, asbestos sheets is 63 % is one of the highest in India [ Housing profile Table H-3A Appe4ndix Census 2001-- J&K]. 11. The distribution of households in terms of ownership of dwellings at 94 % is one of the highest in India [Table H-5 Census of India The StateJ&KCensus 2001]. 12. Location and source of drinking water shows that 75 % of households have it within /nearby premises and 53 % is provided through tap.This is again one of the highest among States.[ Table H-8 Census of the stateJ&KCensus 2001]. 13. Distribution of Household by source of Lighting reveals that 81 % is served by electricity [Rural 75 % and Urban 98%] and only 15% dependant on Kerosene. This level of electricity usage is highest among states. [Table H-9 Census of the state Census 2001]. 14. Fire-wood is used by 56% of households for Cooking followed by 22 % of LPG and 7% for Kerosene. [Table H-11 Census of state2001].

In spite of 13 and 14 we find that the state-wise per capita allocation of Kerosene is highest and may be that is used to burn effigies of non-believers!! 15. We also find that 47 % of households have both electricity and toilets [85% for urban households] and this is much higher than many developed states. [Table -12A [E] Census of state- 2001 16. Among the 1.6 million households in the state 37% avail banking services, 65 % have radio or transistor and 41 % possess TV. [Table H-13 the state census 2001]. Incidentally other than terrorist outfits even a so called moderate like Saifuddin Soz gave a call to Kashmiris to boycott the Census since it was felt it will harm the kashmiriyat whatever that nonsense is. Hence any socio-economic indicator one looks at one finds that the state is among the top quartile or among the top percentile of States. Within the State if at all Jammu feels rightly so that they are neglected since they do not know how to black mail the Indian State apparatus and foolish enough to carry Indian National flag in their agitations! The other complaint is regarding owning land /property in Kashmirin relation to the Amarnath Board getting 40 acres with usage rights during the yatra season. Now it is up to BHL to tell the country about the properties owned in the rest of India by the Kashmiri politicians including Omar Abdullah, Mufti Syed, Mehbooba Beghum, Mirwazi, Geelani and various other moderate terrorists to extreme terrorists. [Whatever is the difference!]. It is surprising that our investigative media has not explored the real estate in Bangalore/Mumbai/Hyderabad etc cities owned by these terrorists and their terrorized followers. The mosques in Srinagar have been misused for political instigations. They are no more places of worship. But BHL are silent about it. The choice for BHL is clear. They should once and for all decide whether it is advisable to suggest a plebiscite based on assumptions not borne out of facts or go along with the terrorists. Indian State has an army but Pakistan army has a State. Pakistans State policy is terrorism which has been widely recognized. In any international airport you are stopped if your passport is from Pakistan. India has been exporting IT [Information Technology] to be part of a globalised world. Pakistan is exporting IT [International Terrorism] to subvert the world.

The mindless youngsters shouting Azadi on the streets of Kashmir should be clear whether they would like to be part of India that is democratic and becoming a world power or want to be ruled by the Army of Pakistan to protect their religion from imagined crisis. If it is the later then the road to Muzzafarabad can be opened for the willing to leave to the land of honey and milk. They will only reinforce world opinion that Islam is totally incompatible with democracy. As far as India is concerned it should conduct a referendum encompassing the entire country about the future of Kashmir in relation to keeping Article 370. That is the only referendum we should think of. The bleeding heart liberals should be told that they are subverting democracy without realizing that the thin line between a liberal and terrorist is getting blurred. Enough of this nonsense called Kashmiri is hurt _______________ The author is Professor of Finance, Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore, and can be contacted at vaidya@iimb.ernet.in. The views are personal and do not reflect that of his organization.