| As is now well known
there is a nation-wide movement afoot among the people of Jammu and Kashmir
State, to bring about a complete change in the social and political outlook
of the people. This Movement is not confined to any particular community
or section of the public but all classes of people have begun participating
in it with the fullest consciousness of the issues it involves. But we
do make it perfectly clear at the very outset that our loyalty to His Highness'
person and throne is unswerving and needs no reiteration.
The ultimate political goal of this
movement is the achievement of the complete responsible government under
the aegis of His Highness the Maharaja Bahadur. But as sponsors of this
national movement, we feel that it is our bounder duty to acquaint all
our countrymen as also others who are interested in it of the immediate
objective we have in view.
Our Movement is essentially a movement
of peace and good-will. Immediately, it aims at securing the elementary
-and basic rights of citizenship. It shall certainly try to bring about
such a state of affairs in this country as would make it possible for even
the humblest subject of His Highness to contribute to the making of his
own destinies. Our demands are modest, but they have the force of reason
and justice behind them. Not that we are not conscious of our limitations;
not that we are not fully aware of the fact that the Government knows its
mind and has resources as its disposal to enforce its w ill. But in the
soul-stirring words of Pandit Moti Lal Nehru: "However much we may be enfeebled
in body, our souls have never been nor will ever be killed." Our Movement
has a gigantic urge behind it. It is the urge of hunger and starvation
which propels it onwards in most adverse circumstances.
The ever-growing menace of unemployment
amongst our educated young men and also among the illiterate masses in
the country, the incidence of numerous taxes, the burden of exorbitant
land-revenue, the appalling waste of human life due to want of adequate
modern medical assistance, the miserable plight of uncared-for thousands
of labourers outside the state boundaries and in face of all this the patronage
that is being extended by the Government in the shape of subsidies end
other amenities to outside capitalists as also the top-heavy administration
that daily becomes heavier, point to only one direction that the present
conditions can never be better as long as a change is not made in the basic
principles that are underlying the present system of Government.
Our cause is both righteous, reasonable
and just. We want to be the makers of our own destinies and we want to
shape the ends of things according to our choice, of course, under the
august patronage of His Highness. This we cannot do, so long as a healthy
change is not effected in the present system of Government. We have also
come to the conclusion that without such a change it is impossible for
the communities individually or the country collectively to progress. We
are, therefore, of this firm belief that the Government of His Highness
should, before long, be modified on the following li yes:
-
the present system of administration
i n the State shall be replaced by Responsible Government subject to the
general control and residuary powers of His Highness the Maharaja Bahadur
as hereinafter mentioned;
-
the Ministry shall be responsible to
the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature and shall have, subject to such responsibility
power to control the expenditure of the revenues of the State and also
to make such grants and appropriation of any part of those revenues or
of any other property which is at present under the control or disposal
of the Council as reserved expenditure, save and except the following which
shall remain under the control of His Highness the Maharaja Bahadur : (1)
Expenditure of the Military Services (2) Expenditure classed Political
and Foreign (3) Payments of all debts and liabilities hitherto lawfully
contracted and incurred by His Highness-in-Council on account of Government
of Kashmir (4) The Dharmath Trust;
-
the principle of responsibility to the
Legislature shall be introduced in all the branches of administration of
the Government subject to general control, reservations and residuary powers
vested in His Highness in respect of control of Military, Foreign and Political
Affairs etc., provided that the proposal of His Highness for appropriations
of any revenues or monies for Military or other expenditure for Foreign
and Political purposes shall be submitted to the vote of the Legislature,
but that His Highness shall have power notwithstanding the vote of the
Assembly to appropriate up to a fixed maximum any sum His Highness may
consider necessary for such expenditure;
-
the Legislature shall consist entirely
of members elected by constituencies formed on the system of the adult
franchise. Provision should be made for the representation of labour, trade,
landlords and educational interests in the Legislature by means of election;
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the election to the Legislature shall
be made on the basis of joint-electorates; seats should be reserved for
the minorities, and all other safeguards and weightages should be guaranteed
to them in the constitution for the protection of their legitimate linguistic,
religious, cultural, political and economic rights according to the principles
enunciated, accepted or acted upon by the Indian National Congress from
time to time. In addition to the above the religious rights and sentiments
of all the communities should always be respected and not interfered with;
-
all the subjects of the State, without
distinction of creed and caste shall be admitted for services in all armier
of defence and for that purpose His Highness shall be assisted by a Minister
responsible to the Assembly; and
-
no subject of His Highness shall be
liable to suffer in liberty, life, property or of associations and free
speech or in respect of writing except under sentence by an ordinary court
of justice and as a result of lawful and open trial.
All this cannot be given for the mere
asking. It requires wise statesmanship from the side of the Government.
Our earnest desire is to avoid a strife. Let the Government make an announcement
accepting the above principles and if His Highness' Government is pleased
to discuss these principles with us we shall certainly and whole-heartedly
co-operate for this purpose. We are sure that if this is done there will
reign peace all around.
(Sd.) Sh.
Mohammad Abdullah, the President of the Kashmir Muslim Conference
(Sd.) M.M.
Sayeed, Member Kashmir Assembly
(Sd.) G.M.
Sadiq, Member Kashmir Assembly
(Sd.) Main
Ahmad Yar, Member Kashmir Assembly
(Sd.) M.A.
Beg, Member Kashmir Assembly
(Sd.) Pandit
Kashyay Bhandu, Editor, The Kesari
(Sd.) Pandit
Prem Math Bazaz
(Sd.) S.
Budh Singh
(Sd.) Pandit
Jia Lal Kilam
(Sd.) Ghulam
Mohammad Bakshi
(Sd.) Pandit
Sham Lal Saraf
(Sd.) Dr.
Pandit Shambhoo Nath Peshin |