jagmohan
May 8th, 2006, 11:34 AM
Hon'ble Sh Deepender Hooda Ji,
Though I had covered all undermentioned points in a private mail (few months back), may be it had escaped your attention. I am posting relevant portions of the mail below for your kind attention.
1. Identity of JATS
Somehow the JATS have been subdued by the events of the last 150 years and there seems to be an identity crisis. The ‘Kaum’ seems to be a bit apologetic about their identity. This trend will have to be reversed soon. Every other community has something common to look up to or fall back on, be it a temple or a Gurudwara or a ‘New Age Baba’ but unfortunately there is no common symbol for JATS to identify ourselves with. In my view we need such a symbol but I don’t know what can it be but please think on this point. Something common that can unite us all, irrespective of boundaries of states. Peoples without an identity have been trampled upon in the past and would be in the future too. There are so many things for us to be proud of. Our language is unique. Why can’t it be recognized in the schedule? Why can’t Haryanvi be taught as a language till the 5th or 8th Standard in School. I learnt Punjabi when I was in First Standard because then we were part of Punjab.
2. Immediate Future
We should prepare for the time when land holdings will dwindle and the next generation would not know what to do. Efforts would have to be made to empower them, technically and financially to be able to survive in knowledge driven future. God has given us such wonderful natural qualities but we still lag behind. I keep saying that the qualities we possess can’t be taught in any university but still we lag behind. Why? The ‘Refugees’ whom we fed out of sympathy after partition today decide our future. Why? The answer needs to be found, counter measures thought of intelligently and the situation corrected. Given the tools our folks can beat any one hollow as far as managerial qualities go but them who will teach us diplomacy!!
3. Agricultural Based Development
Development does not necessarily mean Shopping Malls, Disneyland or Amusement Parks. It is an indicator, true, but not always. Yes, urban development is necessary but we don’t need urban slums. It is painful to see a JAT family living in a small town, where they have shifted for reasons of education or easy accessibility, still having cattle inside their living quarters, and often living in drudgery in two rooms. Why can't our rural folks gain advantage because of their location in their villages? Why can’t basic resources be brought to them? Why can’t metros run connecting villages?
The US and European markets are going to open up in a decades time and it would be a shame if rural Haryana, meaning mostly JATS, doesn’t take the major share of the cake. Horticulture, floriculture, cash crops, the list is endless. Let us stop feeding the nation as far as wheat is concerned. We can always buy wheat from others provided we intelligently plan our agricultural policy for the future. And that brings me to the next point.
4. Co-operative Movement
The success of co-operative moment in Gujarat & Maharashtra needs to be studied and applied to Haryana. You are in a position to start from your constituency. Many national leaders of today are the products of this co-operative movement. The progress their respective constituencies have made is nothing short of a miracle.
This movement would also act as a shield against exploitation of small farmers and eliminate middlemen.
5. Societies
See if you can start the trend of societies for various residential areas. Housing societies are very popular in Mumbai and have enough funds to provide basic amenities to them selves. I know it would be a new concept in a city like Rohtak but then it is worth a try. You can also advice the local municipal committees to form a society for doing different things like stopping encroachment on public or private land.
6. Development
If I remember correctly and as per the urban blueprint of NCR, Ring Road in Delhi was to serve our national capital till 2020. But it looks as though even the Outer Ring Road would prove insufficient. I mention this because you must do a very intelligent crystal gazing exercise before planning and implementing any project in Rohtak District. Don’t think about the next elections (that you will win again is a given) but look at 2050. The project may look lavish today but would prove you right in the long run.
There should be a ban on sale of all agricultural land along National & State Highways or else we would have one large linear Modinagar from Delhi to Chandigarh and Rohtak to Panipat. The colonizers and industrialists can go a few kilometers in the hinterland and develop.
7. Land Records
The poor farmer is still at the mercy of that wily ‘Patwari’. In today’s age and time we should have all these computerised and on line. Even the Panchayati Land Records need to be open and transparent. Though the Information Act would go a long way in transparency, the above steps are necessary. I am sure you understand the importance of all this. I bring out this point because there are likely to be land wars amongst brothers as urbanization engulfs our villages.
8. The Village
Our villages are still dirty, very dirty. I went to your village on 13 Nov 2004 and didn’t find any change. It seems it has always been the same. And it the story across all villages, including mine. Imagine we don’t even have toilets for our women. Please try and change this all across. Even if your MPLAD is sufficient to construct five toilets in 100 villages during your watch, you would have done a great service to all. There are other issues like drinking water, health, drainage and community participation for the development of a village. Why can’t each village have a Cyber café? We can serve Lassi/Seet instead of Coffee and tea.
Contd....
Though I had covered all undermentioned points in a private mail (few months back), may be it had escaped your attention. I am posting relevant portions of the mail below for your kind attention.
1. Identity of JATS
Somehow the JATS have been subdued by the events of the last 150 years and there seems to be an identity crisis. The ‘Kaum’ seems to be a bit apologetic about their identity. This trend will have to be reversed soon. Every other community has something common to look up to or fall back on, be it a temple or a Gurudwara or a ‘New Age Baba’ but unfortunately there is no common symbol for JATS to identify ourselves with. In my view we need such a symbol but I don’t know what can it be but please think on this point. Something common that can unite us all, irrespective of boundaries of states. Peoples without an identity have been trampled upon in the past and would be in the future too. There are so many things for us to be proud of. Our language is unique. Why can’t it be recognized in the schedule? Why can’t Haryanvi be taught as a language till the 5th or 8th Standard in School. I learnt Punjabi when I was in First Standard because then we were part of Punjab.
2. Immediate Future
We should prepare for the time when land holdings will dwindle and the next generation would not know what to do. Efforts would have to be made to empower them, technically and financially to be able to survive in knowledge driven future. God has given us such wonderful natural qualities but we still lag behind. I keep saying that the qualities we possess can’t be taught in any university but still we lag behind. Why? The ‘Refugees’ whom we fed out of sympathy after partition today decide our future. Why? The answer needs to be found, counter measures thought of intelligently and the situation corrected. Given the tools our folks can beat any one hollow as far as managerial qualities go but them who will teach us diplomacy!!
3. Agricultural Based Development
Development does not necessarily mean Shopping Malls, Disneyland or Amusement Parks. It is an indicator, true, but not always. Yes, urban development is necessary but we don’t need urban slums. It is painful to see a JAT family living in a small town, where they have shifted for reasons of education or easy accessibility, still having cattle inside their living quarters, and often living in drudgery in two rooms. Why can't our rural folks gain advantage because of their location in their villages? Why can’t basic resources be brought to them? Why can’t metros run connecting villages?
The US and European markets are going to open up in a decades time and it would be a shame if rural Haryana, meaning mostly JATS, doesn’t take the major share of the cake. Horticulture, floriculture, cash crops, the list is endless. Let us stop feeding the nation as far as wheat is concerned. We can always buy wheat from others provided we intelligently plan our agricultural policy for the future. And that brings me to the next point.
4. Co-operative Movement
The success of co-operative moment in Gujarat & Maharashtra needs to be studied and applied to Haryana. You are in a position to start from your constituency. Many national leaders of today are the products of this co-operative movement. The progress their respective constituencies have made is nothing short of a miracle.
This movement would also act as a shield against exploitation of small farmers and eliminate middlemen.
5. Societies
See if you can start the trend of societies for various residential areas. Housing societies are very popular in Mumbai and have enough funds to provide basic amenities to them selves. I know it would be a new concept in a city like Rohtak but then it is worth a try. You can also advice the local municipal committees to form a society for doing different things like stopping encroachment on public or private land.
6. Development
If I remember correctly and as per the urban blueprint of NCR, Ring Road in Delhi was to serve our national capital till 2020. But it looks as though even the Outer Ring Road would prove insufficient. I mention this because you must do a very intelligent crystal gazing exercise before planning and implementing any project in Rohtak District. Don’t think about the next elections (that you will win again is a given) but look at 2050. The project may look lavish today but would prove you right in the long run.
There should be a ban on sale of all agricultural land along National & State Highways or else we would have one large linear Modinagar from Delhi to Chandigarh and Rohtak to Panipat. The colonizers and industrialists can go a few kilometers in the hinterland and develop.
7. Land Records
The poor farmer is still at the mercy of that wily ‘Patwari’. In today’s age and time we should have all these computerised and on line. Even the Panchayati Land Records need to be open and transparent. Though the Information Act would go a long way in transparency, the above steps are necessary. I am sure you understand the importance of all this. I bring out this point because there are likely to be land wars amongst brothers as urbanization engulfs our villages.
8. The Village
Our villages are still dirty, very dirty. I went to your village on 13 Nov 2004 and didn’t find any change. It seems it has always been the same. And it the story across all villages, including mine. Imagine we don’t even have toilets for our women. Please try and change this all across. Even if your MPLAD is sufficient to construct five toilets in 100 villages during your watch, you would have done a great service to all. There are other issues like drinking water, health, drainage and community participation for the development of a village. Why can’t each village have a Cyber café? We can serve Lassi/Seet instead of Coffee and tea.
Contd....