Jammu — A city of protests
Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 25
Protests, demonstrations and strikes have become everyday feature in the city. Slugging it out with the government on the roads seems to be the first option chosen by aggrieved residents, employees and student organisations to get themselves heard.

Jammu has virtually become a city of protests with over 2,500 protests taking place during this year alone, although the state Darbar remains in Srinagar mostly. It would move here on November 9.

Doctors, engineers, employees, teachers, transport workers, students, home guards and even surrendered militants - everyone has either staged demonstrations here or are still continuing with these.

Students take to the road in support of their demands ranging from central university to higher stipends or even installing a generator. The unemployed are seeking jobs; daily wage/ad hoc employees want regular jobs;while teachers, doctors, corporation staff and other employees having regular jobs want higher scales.

Not only that, a road accident, rape, murder and even an incident of a person going missing can trigger a protest anytime, holding traffic to ransom.

The main venues of protests are outside Jammu University, office of the divisional commissioner and three bridges over the Tawi . These bridges are the favourite spots of agitators as a protest on any of these brings the traffic to a standstill in the city and affects flow to Srinagar.

Although the law makes it mandatory to seek prior permission for holding any demonstration, very few adhere to the provision. “Our country upholds democratic values. We give permission for peaceful rallies only. Those holding up traffic, resorting to burning effigies can’t get permission,” said M. Dwivedi, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu.

Though ready figures were not available, the number of those seeking permission was very less, he said. Taking action against protesters was again a complicated matter and could spark more protests, he added.

“Around 15 protests take place in Jammu daily. Thousands of employees of the State Road Transportation Corporation have been on the roads for five months, Home Guards have been camping outside the Divisional Commissioner’s office for over 800 days and doctors are on strike for over a month now,” said a senior police officer

The Jammu University Research Scholars Executive Association (JURSEA) is “well-accepted” as holding the record of over 300 protests on diverse issues. From the Amarnath land row to central university, to seeking higher scholarships, to researchers, to fee deposit counters, Internet facility, the association has been taking on the authorities for everything.

“Why should we seek permission for protesting. Who will give it? There is no point in talking to the authorities. We only get hollow assurances,” said JURSEA president Vikas Sharma.

JURSEA Vice-President Rakesh Chib said talking to officials had never yielded results. “However, we have got 148 illegal study centres closed and stipend of MPhil and PhD scholars raised by way of holding protests. The tool has also been effective in many other cases like examination for the posts of naib tehsildar, Internet facility for students in all departments and even installing generators. Generally, we have to protest three to four times a week for various demands,” he said.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah did not respond to queries on the issue sought by The Tribune through email. Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather has said on record that the government doesn’t have resources to accept all demands.

Former state DGP MM Khajuria said prolonged agitations were a sign of political immaturity. He rued that rarely any action was taken against protesters.

courtesy--the tribune--october 26,2009