|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shaping India’s New Destiny
The exceptional administrative qualities of the author have been well documented in not only the articles and books that have been authored by him but by others too. Even a difficult and complex state like Jammu and Kashmir acknowledges that aspect, though many even there do differ about his politics and political philosophy. In Shaping India’s New Destiny, he deals with various challenges that the country faces, ranging from Kashmir, terrorism, Assam, Naxalism, urban development and governance and then finally draws a roadmap for bringing about another renaissance and regeneration. Jagmohan’s contribution towards execution of urban development and planning gives him the authority to speak about these subjects, as do his two stints as Governor in Jammu and Kashmir during momentous years, on how to reshape Kashmir policy. His opinion on redesigning our cities to meet the challenges of modern life and constant migration needs to be taken seriously irrespective of the political affiliations. However, the staunch nationalist in him de-links the migration from Bangladesh to Assam with that which takes place all over the world because of socio-economic pressures not only from Punjab to the affluent West but also from Latin America to the US and North Africa to France. Nevertheless, his concern about a challenge that has created fault lines in the Indian state needs to be appreciated in the spirit it has been expressed. Along with terrorism, the increasing Naxal threat has been analysed in depth. Inexplicably for a man of his sensitivity he dismisses it as a movement that is discredited, ignoring the support it drew from the masses in Nepal and is drawing support from them among the tribal regions of India. More than four decades ago the Hindi novelist Fanishwarnath Renu, dismissed by the elitist urban mind set as ‘anchalik’, had dealt the subject of alienation and angst among the Santhals in the face of development and spreading tentacles of urbanism. It has today metamorphosed into a grave threat. Jagmohan suggests that it can be tackled with a strong hand and also Chattisgarh’s Salwa Judum. The subject of Kashmir and terror comes up again and again in the book. It must be said that his first tenure as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir was his crowning glory. Not only were the divided people of the shappy because of significant improvement in the quality of governance but because of the constitution of Mata Vaishnav Devi Shrine Board that gave joy to the honest pilgrims and unintentionally took the wind out of the sails of the Hindus communalists in and outside the state. However, there are unanswered questions about his second tenure. One would have hoped that just as he has brought out the facts related to his actions during the Emergency period he will give an insider’s take on how the Pandit exodus began and why it could not be stopped. As a panacea to the ills, Jagmohan pins all hope on the renaissance that might come as a result of the ‘pure and noble’ heart that one acquires after a visit to Mata Vaishnav Devi. Lakhs of people make such pilgrimage every year to that holy shrine and many more. The small number of atheists and agnostics might wonder if it is being suggested that it is their ‘impure and ignoble’ heart that stands between the stagnation and the arrival of the Great Inspiration and Helmsman! Nevertheless, the book is bound to cast a few stones in the pond and generate, hopefully, meaningful debate.
|
IN
his new book Shaping India’s New Destiny, Jagmohan, drawing
upon his vast and varied experience, critically examines the ‘tryst
with destiny’ exhortation made by the first Prime Minister of India,
Jawaharlal Nehru. He attributes the failures to the inability to
"acquire a Great Inspiration and produce a Great Helmsman who could
churn the stagnant pools of Indian society". The book, in fact,
explores the stagnant pool and suggests a formula to acquire that Great
Inspiration and Helmsman.
