Parties Accept Defeat, Politicians Don't

The results of the last assembly polls in 2023 are out. You know the poll winners of these five states now. Let's ask ourselves a question: we saw winners were celebrated on counting day, what will happen to those who lose? Nothing much, they all will be back in some years/months with a newly designed political plan to celebrate and promise us that this time they will make our communities great! Leaders even if they are repeatedly rejected survive in the party even if the party is not being run as a "family limited company". I say so because if we go through and analyze the past political trends we find that once the official voting is done and results are out, all parties only plunge into introspection to find the reasons for defeat but they never work to bring out new leaders. Why they don't? Because the nominations are done by the parties themselves. The local leader only seeks votes in the party's name and when results aren't positive, the party's credibility too gets challenged.

The demand for new leaders doesn't happen in Indian democracy but this isn't rare in other parts of the world. In Western countries, poll-drubbing means that party leaders should take responsibility for the defeat and must quit their positions within the party and make way for new talent and new ideas. No more election defeats impact the existing political order in India these days. However, if we go two decades back things were very different. After the defeat in 2005 Atal Behari Vajpayee retired from politics and so did LK Advani in 2009. Such retirement or resignations are rare in any political party now. The reason for this change is the growth of a 'high command culture' in the Indian political system. An example is the statement given by Former Punjab Congress leader & now BJP's Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar when he revealed that the appointment of Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi was made because the Congress high command wanted to install Channi.  

These days only an attempt is made to gauge the sentiments of local voters and any backbencher can become CM now. If we see it otherwise, voters don't get new choices and the same old faces are allowed to survive in India's politics. Let's talk of BSP chief Mayawati, who has been facing consecutive defeat for almost a decade. Still, she remains the party supremo. Due to this trend, younger and new leaders with newer energies are impossible to find.  An endless rotation of the same ruling elites continues in political parties and because of this many voters prefer not to vote in elections. This approach doesn't make sense as different generations of people have different expectations and constantly making leadership changes will make sense for the voting patterns of the young generation. The supreme leaders in every party are defeat-proof and give shape to non-elected autocracy in political parties. An alternate political emerging force like AAP too has joined this club of politicians. 

Now is the time to introduce and support reducing the 'political lifecycle' of leaders who face defeat and are rejected by the voters. Political parties should demand accountability from every local leader. After an election defeat, every politician should sit out and immediately create space for new leaders to emerge at the forefront to end the repeating of the same ruling elites. In many ways, politics has changed in India since 2014 and some extraordinary shift is needed to bring much younger people into politics to end all partial measures taken after poll results. A vital point to bear in mind to work on this trend will be to understand issues that were "then" and "now" to impact the economic, social, and political interests of younger generations. The political parties need to understand and listen carefully to generational patterns coming in India and break from previous patterns.

Promote Jammu In Bollywood

"Kashmir is that kind of a place, I have been coming here since 1986, my father shot extensively here in Gulmarg and Sonamarg. I've shot in this auditorium in 2016. This place has something magical, it is such a surreal feeling coming to Kashmir, it draws the attention of everyone" said Telugu superstar Ram Charan during the G20 meeting held in Srinagar this year. This statement didn't surprise many because Kashmir has a long history of filmmaking, with Indian producers often shooting several movies up to the 1990s. What happened after the 1990s is known to everyone and the film industry was driven out of the region. 

Since then several attempts have been made to revive the film industry in Jammu - Kashmir which failed because of prevailing violence and also due to no stronger support from the government. In 2021, the Jammu and Kashmir government launched a new film policy designed to attract filmmakers. The idea behind bringing this policy was to provide subsidies and make it easier to get permission to shoot movies in Jammu-Kashmir. It appears that filmmakers are drawn by subsidies offered under the new film policy. Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha few weeks back said that more than 300 films, and shows were shot in Jammu & Kashmir after the launch of the new film policy. No doubt filmmaking has picked up pace in Kashmir and the first multiplex in 23 years also opened in the Srinagar's Shivpora area in 2022. Although the government is creating a vibrant film ecosystem in Kashmir, little shift is needed to promote the Jammu region as a suitable destination for Bollywood for film shooting too. This will provide opportunities for the local artists to showcase their talent on big platforms.

From Shahrukh Khan to Sanjay Dutt to Karan Johar we heard all prominent Indian actors, directors, and film-production houses heading to Kashmir in the last 4 years. It is needed to end the negative perception and narrative about the Jammu region not having potential by highlighting the tourism potential of the region to Bollywood. Little activities continued before this film policy as well. In 2019, the Legislative Assembly (LA) complex in Jammu was used for shooting the web series ‘Maharani’ by renowned filmmaker Subhash Kapoor. For this web series shoot, local artists from the theatre and cultural department were roped in reflecting the massive change that can come if a halfhearted approach for the Jammu region is shunned. Then in 2021, Bollywood actor Shakti Kapoor visited the Mubarak Mandi Complex in Jammu to shoot the Punjabi film “Gangwar 84”. However, the focus should be to get some major movie projects filmed in Jammu after this film policy. Sadly, after the new film policy, most of the production applications approved for feature films, short movies, web series, and advertisements are for the Kashmir region. 

This is a reflection of the other side of the new film policy as around 300 destinations have been opened for film producers and directors to choose from for shooting in Kashmir. Special efforts should be made to make Indian filmmakers flock to places in the Jammu region offering the divine natural beauty of the Shivaliks, Pir Panjal Range, Trikuta Hills, and the low-lying Tawi River basin. Several historical sites like forts, palaces, mountain peaks, scenic beauty, wildlife, and local cultures will ensure the best cinematography and growth of film tourism. Moreover, old temples, lakes, and beautiful gardens can form a natural backdrop for a film shoot in Jammu which is a glowing example of secularism and inter-religious harmony. The border destinations of the Jammu region are rich in tourism potential and these areas are also economically backward so if promoted among filmmakers, employment opportunities can be developed systematically in these border destinations.

It is the appropriate time to disseminate information about the art, culture, history, heritage, livelihood, and glorious traditions of Jammu. A check is also needed to make sure that some people in the administration do not show reluctance to give approvals to initiatives and ideas for the Jammu region on flimsy grounds. Both, J&K and the central government should undertake steps to increase the Bollywood filmmakers' interest in these areas of Jammu as the potential of the entire region is also very attractive and unique. 

Fitness & Women

All women around us grew up playing some kind of sport and enjoyed every minute of it. But once they enter their late twenties or early thirties their love for sports or vigorous physical activity becomes a challenge for them. Till 10 years back, most women had no time to play even those sports that they once enjoyed playing. For some, other reasons behind this reason of not having time were their kids, and physical challenges in the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and endocrine systems. However, this thing has started to change in Jammu and suddenly thousands of women are rekindling their love for exercise after years to reach their athletic goals.  Supporting this fitness journey of women are air-conditioned fitness centers which Jammu has seen a sudden surge in the last 5 years. Some fitness centers are giving free trials so that you can try them before choosing to join them. Let me add that it is no longer a fad for urban Jammu women as fitness centers have mushroomed even in the rural areas of Jammu.

Women between the ages of 20s, 40s, 50s and 60s are now participating in physical activities in these fitness centers and are enjoying every minute of it. For these women exercisers, motivation to work in groups while exercising and listening to playlists to suit their mood makes them follow their fitness schedules religiously. "It's in the group that we make a difference", says Parm, who is working out these days in one of the gyms in the Guru Nanak Nagar area of Jammu. " Film music and rock tracks, go easy for this on-gym entertainment because getting up early in the morning to reach the gym initially was difficult for me as I used to feel tired during the day. But now music gives me positivity", she added. More and more women are taking up physical challenges by doing sit-ups, crunches, squats, and bench presses. Truly speaking, these places are not performing any miracles but only play a small part in their life. It's all because of enthusiasm and love to get back in shape which is making them work out at several fitness centers by spending money for fees and imported protein shakes. 

Fitness is no longer men's domain and we can find some young women participating in strength training exercises for the first time who are led by instructors.  Previously, women wanted to go to a women-only fitness center at the starting point of their fitness journey. For most women, an all-women workout space was considered safer than male-dominated fitness ecosystems. Earlier, these fitness centers used to conduct training for men and women in two different sessions. As of now, women aren’t inhibited by the presence of men, so they have started going freely for mixed workout sessions. It was because of conservative families and cultural unacceptability that prevented women from visiting a mixed group to exercise. Besides, privacy was an area of concern that forced women to enroll in women-only gyms. There could be other reasons also but these are the ones I have isolated in my personal experience.  However, women-only fitness spaces are almost gone now. This all has changed—due to the internet and a positive mindset.  Moreover, due to changed health priorities, women now visit unisex gyms. 

Due to growing demand, fitness centers have changed their style of functioning and have begun offering unisex time slots.  Also women-only fitness centers were not very well-equipped and had less equipment due to which no proper guidance was delivered to these aspiring young women who now want to do lots of cardio and weight training, tone up, and lose inches. While going to the gym for the last 15 years, I witnessed this change in Jammu. To understand more about this change I talked with Raj, a fitness center trainer who added, "Nowadays special training methods have been designed specifically for women who want to ensure that their bodies adjust to dynamic change without getting injured. So that such new gym lovers who are very particular and to make them overcome all these limitations easily, very supportive and comfortable environment is provided". He says, "They are ready to spend extra money for getting such specialized packages. Their preference is to appear fit and become healthy. In the past some years this trend has increased rapidly as more and more young women want to achieve their fitness goals". Women in Jammu are muscling in the physical revolution with workouts like strength, cardio, HIIT, and yoga in these fitness centers.  

The message of this new generation of fitness center-going women is clearly to get fit, fast, and stronger. It is not impossible because some women are achieving tremendous results from their consistent workout plans which are simple and without any type of competitive or vigorous physical activity. More so, every woman of different ages needs to exercise very differently. We need to acknowledge the changes that training can create to reach maximum potential. Especially middle-aged and older women have unique training needs in terms of strength as well as conditioning activities. It's always advisable that the internal potential should be used intelligently to reach health goals as power, muscle mass, and flexibility change as we reach our 30s. In addition, the risk of injury increases as tendons and ligaments also change over time. Interestingly, age-related changes are not specific to women only. Even the young male population which doesn't take care of all these factors while exercising suffers injuries. That said, for those who still don't prefer to join fitness centers please note that you can choose a fitness plan as per your needs. Because having a healthy life should never be an option at a time when fitness services are now available with a lot of convenience and flexibility.

IPC Placed In History

August 11, 2023, was the last day of the monsoon session in the parliament. That day, Home Minister Amit Shah again surprised many by introducing three bills to replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC), the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC). The central government later claimed that the move was done to overhaul India's criminal justice system and to end signs of slavery. The bills to replace the IPC, Indian Evidence Act, and the CrPC are called 'The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (BNS)',  'The Bharatiya Sakshya Bill 2023', 'The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (BNSS)' respectively.

164-year-old IPC served India for over 75 years. The architect of IPC was Thomas Babington Macaulay. Macaulay arrived in India in 1834 as a law member of the Governor-General's Council. There were 5 other law members but he shouldered the primary responsibility to codify criminal law in the territories under the control of the British in India. The sad reality is that the law Macaulay brought came with many imperfections due to which IPC underwent several amendments. For this reason, let's agree that many of the provisions in the 164-year-old IPC are outdated and till today in many situations don't give clear communication of the legal principle. Putting all this together, a more efficient law is required with the consensus of all stakeholders.

BNS has repealed 22 sections of the IPC and amended 175 out of the IPC’s 511 sections. There are, however, some objections raised after these complex changes were introduced. Voices are being raised that the IPC needs scrutiny, not a new name. To support this members of the Bar Association of Madras, Puducherry, Karnataka, and Kerala have started protests against these reforms. Under BNS, now for acts endangering sovereignty, organized crime, mob lynching, terrorism, and rape by a false promise to marry - the police have been given wide powers of arrest. The sedition provisions in the BNS also has been strengthened and Section 150 reads, “Whoever, purposely or knowingly, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or by electronic communication or by use of financial means, or otherwise, excites or attempts to excite secession or armed rebellion or subversive activities, or encourages feelings of separatist activities or endangers sovereignty or unity and integrity of India; or indulges in or commits any such act shall be punished with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine.”

After all the targeting of these bills, the government has referred the bills to the Standing Committee of Parliament for suggestions and modifications. The BNS is a giant leap towards bringing another law reform. Therefore, it has become a proposal with both advantages and disadvantages. But IPC will be placed in history even though the new laws will give rise to some difficulties too. For instance, the court rulings given under IPC provisions and ongoing trials will be impacted by this change. Moreover, many jurists, advocates, law students, policemen, and others linked with the law fraternity will have to attend refresher courses on the amendments. Above all, an attempt should be made to make BNS desirable after careful consideration so that controversies can be avoided. Hopefully, after the suggestions and modifications, the social and practical impact of BNS will play a proactive role in the administration of criminal justice in India.

Toughest Time Awaits Congress

The no-confidence motion became an event where BJP got a chance to flex its muscles. And with this, the opposition party's attempt to add to the anti-incumbency against the central government also failed. The opposition needs to up its game to match the government's narrative. So let's look beyond the sloganeering and shouting opposition MPs in the parliament because several days of another session were lost to adjournments. The leadership question still troubles the opposition after 9 years of BJP in power. As of now, the Congress is the only alternative against BJP in the country but the road to the revival of the Congress party seems difficult. Apparently, Congress can do that sooner by moving over with older leaders and bringing together the young leadership. This is easier said than done. The new Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is 80 and has been given the charge of national revival of the party. This raises a question- What's changing in Congress on the national level? The faction-ridden Congress has a big roadblock in the shape of leaders who head several factions and stitching together the threads will be difficult for Kharge who was once seen as a factional leader in Karnataka. 

A few weeks back, the Congress cadre was in Catch- 22 situation after the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a Member of Parliament. Now Rahul Gandhi is back in Parliament after Supreme Court's stay on his conviction and the party does not want to miss the opportunity to garner public sympathy for Rahul Gandhi across India. After Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul has been successful in shaking off the non-serious image that was plaguing him. And Congress is now projecting the conviction as a sign of Rahul Gandhi’s commitment to issues and priorities that the main opposition party should try to focus on. While Rahul was exploring all legal options for getting relief, the Congress party worked to push for the opposition's unity which took the shape of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance(INDIA). This new alliance has reduced the Congress party to just a 'partner' because  Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is elevating other party leadership before its own leaders in the alliance reflecting the changing power balance in national politics. Rahul too is taking a backseat allowing other senior leaders from across the country to take centre stage. 

It's a win-win situation for BJP as the Gandhi family is losing the mark. At the same time, it is easier for BJP to handle opposition parties and stop their acceptance since Congress is not leading the opposition at the national level. It is pertinent to mention here that internal cracks in the Congress party's organization benefit BJP undoubtedly. Congress will have to put in place young leadership that is non-existent and struggling in states like Rajasthan. No one will see Congress with renewed interest unless steps are taken to build Congress party and not just the family. The stabilizing factors like bringing a Dalit leader as its president won't bring results because BJP is a cadre-based party with figures like PM Narendra Modi leading the government. If Rahul Gandhi & Narendra Modi are put on the same page in the run-up to the 2024 general elections, PM Modi will win the war of perception and again become a reason for BJP's victory. Congress is clearly mindful of the hold PM Narendra Modi has built in the last 9 years and people are accepting him more readily. 

The situation for the J&K Congress unit is no different. The local leadership lacks new faces and nothing has been done in the last 10 years to project young leaders in different areas. Old local leaders have again joined hands with 'party hoppers' to defend their interests and silence the young leadership which is struggling to defeat this attitude of local leadership. Congress office bearers make a systematic effort here to keep others out by misguiding the central leadership. The Congress party is not solving the internal problems which are faced by the young leadership in the J&K Congress.  The days ahead are crucial as the toughest stretch of the political journey awaits the Congress party. Before thinking of national revival, Congress has to yield results in Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Mizoram to get a pretty conservative figure of nearly 100 seats in the Lok Sabha next year. It is important to remember that the no-confidence motion sounded the bugle for the upcoming assembly election and its results will reflect the political mood and possibilities of the contest or shrinking space for the opposition.

Social Media Impacting Mental Health

In the last decade, social media has become part of our lives. With this, many changes noticed in society suggest that the 'connection building' theory of social media platforms is bringing a lot of mental health issues. In fact, “how much” you use social media is a strong reason for rising health problems. The situation doesn't seem serious as we notice young people spending more than 5-7 hours every day on different social media platforms. Slowly, social media is becoming a risk for our youth who do not understand its negative impact on their lives. The continuous and consistent association with digital content has started demonstrating weak mental health in young people.

 The link between 'mental health' and 'social media usage' is challenging but it is very important to understand. First and foremost, social media has brought the promising role of connecting people online with others. But for many, it has also come as a challenge as they are feeling alone and coping with mental pressure when they don't receive emotional support from others in the shape of likes or comments. This has become a reason for conflict in the minds of youth who are using social media solely for receiving reactions to their activities posted on the platforms. It's a myth that has to be shelved by the youth that those with a lot of friends on social media are happy, famous, and successful. Adding to this problem is that young people are investing 'emotions' into social media platforms. This 'emotional investment' is a clear indication of mental health problems.

Silent mental health issues are rising and necessary steps should be taken to create the stopping point for this. Continuous online activities are developing depressive symptoms that later even take the shape of suicidal and criminal tendencies. Are you noticing your child staying up late each night and not getting enough sleep? Don't forget to notice irritability in the child's behavior which is a reflection of growing poorer mental health. It is also becoming challenging to interpret for families by simply observing their children. The entire generation of young people has entered a complex situation where they start hating others who stop them from getting involved on social media platforms. A simple example to judge the harmful effects of these online platforms comes when you examine the reaction of young people who are asked to stay away from any platform for some days. A strong pushback comes in these situations, which reflects the 'social media addiction'. Parents should monitor their child's behavior while they are away from such platforms. Moreover, sleep disruption caused during the night and before bedtime by mobile devices can also be the reason impacting the child, if not noticed.

Due to a lack of consensus on such topics, it isn't easy to make specific recommendations to youth. Still, we should remind young people that their 'virtual friends' are keeping them away from enjoying life with real friends and maintaining healthy relationships. Strong comparisons should be made to advise and involve youth in other activities so that they take more breaks and keep their focus away from digital content. It is because of loneliness that everyone feels connected online.  The intention should be to prevent the young generation getting swept away by the harmful effects — from wasting time to damaging mental well-being. Practically speaking, all such platforms are created for commercial reasons (showing advertisements and collecting data about you). The use and impact of such platforms differs from person to person but it is for sure that everyone needs a way to get out of it. And if done properly and timely can help in preventing mental health problems and understanding the way to stay connected with others in a mindful way.

                                                                        

Politics Outside New Parliament

On 28th May 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new parliament building with grand Hindu traditions.  This day also witnessed Prime Minister Modi installing the royal Sengol at the Lok Sabha chamber of the new parliament. The inauguration date coincided with the birth anniversary of VD Savarkar and it was also on this same date, Jawahar Lal Nehru was cremated in 1964.  The Prime Minister wrote on his Twitter handle: "As the new building of India’s Parliament is inaugurated, our hearts and minds are filled with pride, hope, and promise. May this iconic building be a cradle of empowerment, igniting dreams and nurturing them into reality. May it propel our great nation to new heights of progress". Similarly, Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan supported this event on Twitter and wrote: " What a magnificent new home for the people who uphold our Constitution, represent every citizen of this great Nation, and protect the diversity of her one People @narendramodi ji. A new Parliament building for a New India but with the age-old dream of Glory for India. Jai Hind! #MyParliamentMyPride"

The new triangular building in the heart of the capital is part of the $2.8 billion Central Vista redevelopment project. When everyone was waiting for the inauguration, politics already started outside the new parliament before the inauguration. As crores of people watched the new parliament's inaugural ceremony, the 19 opposition parties boycotted the event, accusing the government of “constitutional impropriety" and for sidelining the President, Draupadi Murmu during the inauguration. Same day, the Delhi police detained protesters and several wrestlers marching towards the new Parliament building for the 'Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat' called by protesting wrestlers against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing sexual harassment charges. From the beginning only this new parliament building project started facing criticism for its cost, damage to the environment, and loss of heritage buildings as part of the renovation which began in the middle of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. The controversies haven't ended even after the inauguration of the new building. The Rashtriya Janata Dal compared the new parliament building with a 'coffin' on Twitter soon after the inauguration.

Amid all the backlash, BJP defended new parliament construction and went ahead to highlight its importance by recalling the history, spirit, and ethos of India because back in 1927, the old parliament building was opened as the seat of the Imperial Legislative Council. And following the end of British rule it was taken over by the Constituent Assembly of India which later became the Indian Parliament after India becoming a Republic on 26th January 1950. On the path to the completion of his second term as PM and while advancing toward the next year's parliamentary elections, Narendra Modi frequently talked about steps taken by him to build a 'New India' and also to protect the heritage and cultural glory of India. Using the idea to reclaim and transform India, PM Narendra Modi has been able to boost his image. The connection created between history, architecture, culture, religion, and politics has served BJP very well.

Everyone seems to be too focused on the controversy around the new parliament, it's time to think of how dramatically the political power dynamics in India will change after 2026. The new Lok Sabha has the capacity of 888 seats and in the year 2026, more seats are likely to be added through delimitation. Soon after delimitation, states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Rajasthan will gain more seats in the new Parliament. Also, the Modi Government wants the Central and state elections to happen at the same time. So the year 2026 can bring a political storm after delimitation and simultaneous elections if BJP gets to power in 2024 again. Those supporting and those not supporting the new parliament will sit inside the new parliament but which side of the hall they will occupy in the future will be decided by the people.

Solve Unemployment Problem

People in Jammu and Kashmir have come a long way after the abrogation of Article 370. In fact, the scheduled G20 meeting in J&K also signals a great change. However, one factor which still reflects that a lot remains to be done is the prevailing unemployment in the youth of J&K. Some days back, LG Manoj Sinha applauded the work and efficiency of J&K Public Service Commission but it reminded many of the inefficient working styles of Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB). Although every state in this country has the right to enjoy power over its residents, the systematic effort to undermine the existence of residents reflects a crisis. The lathi-charge on a few job searchers by police in Jammu seeking a ban on a tainted private firm Aptech was a small example of it. Similar protests were held in Srinagar's Partap Park but that didn't come in the news for the wrong reasons. This gave a different signal to the youth of Jammu.

The overall conduct of the JKSSB reflects failure because since 2019 four major selection processes were marred by allegations of irregularities and even resulted in the cancellation of selection lists. While LG's choice to drop the selection process shows some positive commitment, will it offer back the valuable time lost by the scores of aspirants who rely on JKSSB to conduct recruitment exams? Those associated with a dishonest style of work within JKSSB should have been immediately exposed to the criminal justice system of this country to punish and discipline them and create a deterrence for others.

Over the past decades, Jammu and Kashmir have always faced the highest unemployment rate. The previous governments were totally responsible for it. The youth in J&K are worried about their future since they wanted to move in a new direction after the abrogation of Article 370. Jammu youth celebrated the shift of J&K state to Union Territory status but now they are protesting against broken promises. For job seekers, the festive mood post-Article 370 abrogation has changed to worry and concern. In Jammu, hundreds of aspirants have been regularly holding protests after 2019 as they failed to get jobs. To name a few, we have seen health workers protesting for their regularization and demonstrations by Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) job aspirants.

Supporting this situation are the recent figures of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) on the current unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir which showed the newly formed Union Territory standing at the fourth spot of the unemployment graph among twenty-seven states of India. It has become so because of the government's inability to finish the enrollment processes on time. Back-to-back scams have blown up the belief of youth to get any job soon. Moreover, there is no assurance that such things won't happen in the future. Someone in the central government should take note of this. The failure to generate jobs and with no spark of hope, days ahead are crucial for the youth. Enforcing silence on youth with "lathi" won't work as their problems continue to exist. A struggle to end insecurity will continue within youth until the unemployment problem is solved.

Growing Popularity Of Coffee Cafes

The urban areas of Jammu have witnessed the fast growth of coffee cafes (coffee bars - hang out term) and nowadays bunch of youth is found socializing there. The atmosphere you find at these coffee cafes reminds us of those days when sitting in college canteens was famous for fun moments, meetings, and first-time dates. These days affordable coffee spaces have successfully replaced the college canteen culture for the present generation of youth. Such coffee-serving places are acting as youth centers and the beauty is that it has also created a new way to hang out for Jammuites of different age groups. Interestingly, what previously appeared as world-class cafe culture is now being served at many cafes in Jammu.

It all started somewhere with Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) which led to a surge in the popularity of coffee largely among the tea-drinking population of Jammu. People are found sitting at coffee shops and having discussions to solve social, political problems and answering questions, and planning to deal with issues that may arise soon. You may even find some people sitting alone and enjoying their cups of coffee. As the reasons are different for visiting the cafe, taking a break is a routine for many coffee lovers. And this is not something found on weekends but is an everyday scene. The love for coffee and for daylong socializing in cafes with family and friends has become part of the social ecosystem of Jammu.

The modern coffee culture has brought a love for ‘espresso’ with some coffee bars remaining open till late at night. In Jammu, some people have incorporated ‘coffee nights’ as part of their routine to enjoy nighttime with friends peacefully amid relaxing fun. From morning to night, the sentiment at these cafes remains high which can be measured by the number of empty cups on the tables. Jammuites have developed a desire among all to linger longer in cafes and coffee-drinking consumers are spending money at these neighborhood joints as a habit just like the people living in metros. Local youth is pairing croissants with espresso, latte, and filter coffees. Coffee culture is getting interwoven into daily life to get enjoyment at the highest level. 

With this cafe owners are also spending to build wide open spaces and beautiful interiors with facilities like free wifi-books to push consumers to spend extra time enjoying.  Competition is high amid new places opening continuously to add to the rising cafe culture. In a little over 5 years, Jammu has transformed itself into a coffee city. These coffee bars have become places to meet, think, talk, and drink coffee. Jammu’s new hang-out places have become fascinating and are giving clear expressions of changing culture. The best part is that such places offer people a chance just to be themselves away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. And with such leisure found greeting them on every visit it seems nothing would compel them to shift base to sip their drink.

Stunt Bikers Triggering Trouble

In the last decade, there has been an enormous development witnessed on the Narwal-Nagrota bypass road on the outskirts of Jammu city. On the weekends, this road witness’s large footfall of people visiting dhabas, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. opened along this highway. This thing has also pulled the bikers and local motorcycle clubs to adopt this bypass road as a favorite spot for cruising with their bikes. Slowly, this stretch of road invited stunt biker groups which have now created a bike-stunt menace all along this road. With stunts and speeding, these bikers take it as a weekly adventure activity by jumping lanes and grabbing the attention of others. Most teenagers are involved in this activity, and they are seen performing dangerous stunts with their costly sports bikes. 

Such bikers have grown in numbers and are seen operating in groups. Stunt bikers can be seen standing on the seat and riding their bikes on rear wheels only. Bikers compete within groups to outperform each other. They openly perform drifting, zigzag on this long stretch of road. Adding to this trend of dangerous biking is social media addiction in teenagers. These youngsters upload videos, of stunts like burnout, wheelie, and rolling stoppie, on personal social media accounts to grab attention. While such stunts are performed other road users get scared and many times create a situation for a dangerous mishap. Many collisions caused by these bikers on this road go unreported because some of these stunt-performing bikers are riding bikes without their number plates to escape police action. 

Jammu police are aware of this ongoing activity. And police have kept a check on this road and recently some stunt bikers were booked, and their bikes were also seized. Yet police are unable to deter this activity fully because of occasional monitoring done on this road. Some permanent steps should be taken to avoid this grouping of dangerous stunt bikers and the situation will become better than the best if a shift in the strategy is done by the police. Vigil in this area should be increased in a bid to prevent any unfortunate incident on this highway. Because for police single-handedly managing things is difficult so an initiative like ‘community policing’ can be of great help in tackling this issue. Locals residing in this area or having businesses or volunteers should be roped in to act as ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ of police. These people can maintain a vigilant eye and inform the police on emergency numbers as soon as they notice stunt bikers’ activity. This would become a perfect method to tackle this problem. 

For those found involved in stunt biking a stern message should be given by imposing heavy challan. Further, to tighten grip on stunt biking and to get to the root of the problem, parents of stunt bikers should be counseled to stop their children from getting involved again in dangerous activities. Parents need to understand that the worst thing that can happen is their child's death or grievous injuries during stunt biking. And then there is nothing to be gained except regret. Also, action should be taken against the social media accounts of local youth who are highlighting these stunt bikers triggering trouble. Hitting the road every weekend for bike riding with the highest standards of safety makes every ride a perfect reason to celebrate. Surely, if steps are applied to break this dangerous routine, bike riding will have a new meaning and add zest to live this life.

Art Galleries Need Thinking

In the name of development and growth, 'smart cities' are being made across India. This is rising India witnessing a makeover. But considering the cultural diversity of India, these changing cities can tell rich tales and bring more coordinated results if the steps are taken to develop ‘art galleries’ which have an essential role in protecting art, culture, and languages. As a passionate advocate for the protection, preservation, and conservation of art, culture, and heritage, it always strikes my mind that Jammu can benefit a lot from such galleries to display art where even an appreciation for silent art forms as well can be done.  

In the past, we heard many stories when artists fetched lakhs of rupees for their work. Such remarkable feats in the world of art could have become a reality for our local artists if an exhibition space was developed with absolute commitment and maturity. The most fascinating results of such places are that they always build a relationship between ‘artists’ and ‘art lovers’. An art gallery nurtures talent that can even help a lot in ‘discovering new talent’. What would have taken up to set up a just 1000 sq feet world-class art gallery away from regional politics? Several forms of artworks depicting the culture, history, and art of the region could have been displayed by conducting regular exhibitions and art camps. Such a place within the city could have thrown up interesting stories which illustrated and protected artwork. Further, such results could have made our social system more efficient.

In fact, this never became a reality. Jammu’s painters, sculptors, writers, craft artists etc. got chances to display their work at art galleries worldwide. Still, no one ever took it as a motto to establish something which becomes a place to draw crowds for these all-local artists here. Considering the performance of the local artists and despite having Dogra Art Museum, Jammu Kala Kendra located at Bikram Chowk, JKAACL Art Gallery at Abhinav Theatre, Amar Mahal Museum, and Lotsava Rinchen Bzangpo Art Gallery at the University of Jammu, no one was able to do justice with the local artwork and it should not be ignored.  In Jammu’s context, a feeling comes that somewhere something was wrong, and these above-named non-functional places also support this feeling. 

In the present day, art galleries need thinking to correct the imperfect past. We must develop and revive places that have scope to become an ‘art lovers point’ to make growth inclusive in the era of ‘smart cities’. Jammu-Kashmir makes it to the news for many wrong reasons and such a place could have left a nice warm feeling and become a huge hit among tourists visiting Jammu. Although art always represents the times that we live in and amid prevailing social chaotic situations, it shows the depths of every society. So, for a place like Jammu-Kashmir torn by uncertainty, a place to represent art could become part of a brighter J&K and work into the hearts and minds. 

I have no doubt about the gains Jammu is expected to make by passionately committing to develop an art gallery by overcoming prevailing faulty administrative policies. An art gallery if developed will become a place that would offer culture-heritage for the youth to connect to their roots. And it will also be a turning point to further enrich upcoming generations with local values. At the earliest, corrective measures should be taken in the right direction to carry the true message for a meaningful society.

Bharat Jodo Yatra: Congress On A New Route

Congress party started the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ on 7th September 2022 from Kanyakumari to Jammu and Kashmir. In this yatra, Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi is walking on foot from Kanyakumari towards Jammu and Kashmir. From South towards North covering 12 states, the yatra is believed to cover more than 3500 Km in 150 days. This is seen as one of the most ambitious efforts in recent decades to shape Congress's destiny. Rahul is walking 20 km a day – which starts at 6 am for him.  Sporting an unkempt beard Rahul Gandhi, who always kept a low political profile, is drawing crowds. Congress believes this response to Rahul is because of India’s unity, social harmony, and cultural diversity. 

Suddenly from billboards, Congress leaders are into crowds. Leaders of Congress are shedding ‘rules’ maintained within the party to join a bonfire on the side of the road. Congress got accustomed to being in office and never did any such crusading campaigns after Indian independence. But because of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government, this latest shift in Congress's working style is visible. BJP-RSS always followed this ‘padayatras’ as a social mobilization path. After facing a lot of criticism and suffering defeats at the hands of the BJP, Rahul must consistently exercise this political role to cover the loss of voters. While walking across India, Rahul Gandhi got another chance to take Congress on a new route for political revival. Raising voices against economic, social, and political issues won’t help. Like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, Congress needs another towering face to give ‘oxygen’ to the fainting party fortunes.

As this walk continues, it has by now thrown up many political talks in the shape of controversies.  The root of the debates became the pair of shoes that Rahul Gandhi is wearing to walk in this yatra then pictures of Rahul holding the hand of different females went viral and Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan (who has been a critic of some of the Modi government's economic policies) joining this yatra added to the list of controversies. Adding peak to these debates was Former Congress MP Jagdish Tytler when he was seen at a meeting related to the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. Soon social media was flooded with posts that referred to Tytler as a ‘murderer of Sikhs”. This forced Congress to keep Tytler away from yatra considering the sentiments of Sikhs. Then a wind of politics around this yatra blew more when the Union health minister wrote a letter to Rahul Gandhi to warn him that the Bharat Jodo Yatra would be stopped if Covid protocols were not followed. Later Salman Khurshid’s shocking statement came when he compared Rahul with Lord Ram (God of the Hindu religion).  Many controversies are out on this yatra and surely much more is left in the ongoing debate. 

As this historical yatra is in the last phase. A new political structure will appear when this yatra passes through Jammu and culminates in Kashmir with national flag hoisting. J&K Congress workers have high hope for party revival with this yatra and transformed Rahul Gandhi. Preparations are underway in both Jammu and Kashmir to provide an extensive platform for this yatra. All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary K C Venugopal declared that Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, and many other leaders from various parties would join Rahul Gandhi in this yatra. Although an ideal political arrangement is being planned by Congress, many eyebrows will be raised when different leaders will walk with Rahul because the focus in J&K is on claiming credit for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35-A. This mass reach program of Congress will become an electoral fighting tool in J&K. But will this all matter politically in 2024? We all seek an answer to this single question. Let’s wait and watch the growing BJP and changing Congress.