Need to include ‘Dogriyat’ in J&K policy: Panthers Party

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 14

Referring to the recent statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for evolving a solution to the prevailing crisis in the state under the policy of “Kashmiriyat, insaniyat and jamhooriyat,” Harsh Dev Singh, chairman, Panthers’ Party, said there was a need to include “Dogriyat” in it too. Saying there had been enough experimentation with this policy laid down by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he added that it had failed to cut the ice and achieve the desired results.

He said the votaries of the policy must bear in mind that the slogan of “Kashmiriyat and insaniyat” had failed to prevent the large-scale persecution, migration and exodus of minorities in Kashmir in the past. He said though the concept of “Kashmiriyat” as founded by Nund Rishi and Badshah was laudable, it had undergone tremendous metamorphosis under the influence of Pakistan and its paid mercenaries thus bringing in it the element of intolerance. He said the rich culture of “Kashmiriyat” nourished by the Sufi saints and rishis had largely been vitiated and polluted by certain vested interests who preached violence and intolerance as against pluralism, brotherhood and co-existence advocated and promoted under the original “Kashmiriyat.”

Lambasting the central leadership, particularly the BJP, for pushing “Dogriyat” into an oblivion, Harsh Dev Singh said it was the Dogra rule which provided the clear example of co-existence, tolerance and pluralism. He said from 1846 to 1947, the state witnessed an era of pluralism and communal harmony with hardly any instance of communal polarisation. He said that the rich Dogra culture had displayed infinite tolerance since times immemorial and still continued to be reconciling and accommodative. He said in the past several years of insurgency and turmoil in the Valley, it was the Dogra land that received the migrants and other victims of militancy with open arms and gave them not only space in Jammu but the much-needed love, affection and solace irrespective of their caste, colour, creed or religion. He said the Dogra land with its age-old tradition of tolerance and peaceful co-existence was the only land in the world where lion and lamb flourished and survived together.