A gesture by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to halt his cavalcade to give way to an ambulance in Shimla, won many hearts.
It was not for the first time that PM Modi has shown humility, since the day he has taken over as the Prime Minister of the country he has always acted like a “Pradhan Sevak” and sent a message that all are equal.
Humble gestures of the Prime Minister during the past 8-years have helped in wiping out the VIP culture across the country and Jammu and Kashmir has been no exception.
Till August 5, 2019 – when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate J&K’s special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories – politicians who ruled the Himalayan region acted like monarchs.
Whenever a cavalcade of any minister used to pass through any street in J&K, traffic was stopped to facilitate his/her movement and commoners had no option other than to wait. The traffic snarls that were caused to facilitate the VIP movement led to many ambulances carrying sick people to the hospital getting stuck in the jam.
Ministers and the MLAs in J&K used to jump the queue as they belonged to a special class.
Doors of the Civil Secretariat were closed down when the former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah used to enter the office. Nobody was allowed to move on J&K streets when Omar’s cavalcade, with he himself driving, used to pass.
Till 2019 every leader of a political party used to enjoy a special protocol in J&K. They were provided with a special security cover and a fleet of the government vehicles.
Former regimes spent crores to promote VIP culture
To travel in official vehicles and have a trail of security guards was considered to be a status symbol in J&K. The former regimes used to spend crores every month on the security of “protected” persons.
The Tribune in April 2017 reported that a whopping amount of nearly Rs 3 crore was spent on the fuel for the security vehicles of ministers in two years. This excluded the amount spent on other departmental vehicles, which always used to be a part of ministers’ cavalcade.
The report claimed that nearly Rs 285 crore were spent on fuel of the vehicles deployed for the security of ministers.
Till 2019, there were 1,785 “protected” persons in J&K. These included 1,463 categorised and 322 uncategorised – who were enjoying security cover in the form of personal security officers (PSOs), residential guards, vehicles or accommodation. Besides, there were 284 political activists who had been given secured hotel accommodation across the state.
The erstwhile J&K government used to spend Rs 12 to 15 crore to maintain VIP status of 1,785 categorised and uncategorised citizens of J&K. These categorised persons were provided with 3,982 PSOs and the 322 uncategorisedVIPs were provided with 482 PSOs.
Not only this, these “protected” persons had 564 guards at their residences to provide them security round the clock.
The security wing of the J&K Police had provided 811 vehicles to them. The cost of the fuel and maintenance of these vehicles was borne by the Police.
J&K House in New Delhi
Another symbol of VIP culture prevalent was J&K House at Chanakyapuri in New Delhi. It remained reserved for politicians, their family members and other influential people. Common people had no access to it.
The J&K House comprises three Blocks, A B and C having 57 rooms, four VIP suits and 38 residential quarters. These were only allotted to such people who carried a recommendation of a minister or a MLA.
Many patients from J&K who used to visit New Delhi were denied a room as the facility remained exclusively reserved for the VIPs.
Omar strengthened VIP culture
The VIP culture was so deep-rooted in Jammu and Kashmir that not only the ministers andMLAs enjoyed privileges, their kith and kin also were provided with luxurious accommodations in and outside J&K.
When Omar Abdullah was J&K Chief Minister, he strengthened the VIP culture in the cash starved erstwhile state by sanctioning extra perks and incentives to the ministers and legislators. The Omar Abdullah led regime took a big leap over the Central Government and Members of Parliament (MPs) by increasing the salary of every J&K legislator more than Rs 30,000 than the Lok Sabha members.
Besides hefty salaries, Omar led dispensation accorded attractive perks, free vehicles, security, medical allowance, housing allowance, travel allowance, housing loans, free accommodation, air, road travel, free electricity and drinking water to the ministers and legislators.
No VIPs left
During the past three years the VIP culture in J&K has been wiped out completely. The top government functionaries’ move along with the commoners as none other than the Prime Minister has led from the front to drive home a point that VIP culture is not acceptable.
The Centre’s decision to scrap Article 370, a temporary provision in the Constitution of India, paved the way for implementation of Right to Equality in J&K after seven decades. The move instilled the confidence among the common residents of J&K that they are a part of democratic setup and the rule of monarchs and VIPs has ended.
For 70-years people of J&K were misled by the politicians, who peddled blatant lies to remain in power. These leaders under the garb of J&K’s special status kept on reaping the fruits of power and deprived the common man of his rights.
(IANS)
