“Maae ni meriye, Shimle di raahein (roads), Chamba kitni k Door….…” goes the lyrics of a popular folk song of Himachal.
The song aptly captures the agony of a young girl, who fell in love with a boy in Chamba. But the place is too far from Shimla, even from Kasauli. She is asking her mother to tell her how far Chamba is from Shimla, or what is the way to reach. She wants to go to her beloved, see him and live with him.
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Tough terrains, poor road infrastructure and a low Human Development Index (HDI) seem to have compelled Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Himachal Pradesh's Chamba, 300 km away from Shimla, on Thursday. He would be the first prime minister to hold a rally at “Chamba Chaugan”, an iconic site linked to several folk tales besides being a venue for the international “Minjar Fair” that identifies with its cultural history.
The less-developed Chamba
Chamba could be Himachal Pradesh’s most fascinating mountain district, bordering the Kishtwar-Doda areas of Jammu and Kashmir yet development-wise it has a long way to go. Much of the district’s development in road infrastructure has been credited to the entry of NHPC (National hydro-Electric Power Corporation) which owns three mega hydel projects on the Ravi river, next to Chamba town.
"Chamba is a fascinating land but the real development has not even touched the town till now. NHPC has a great role to play in building roads, creating employment avenues and also sharing economic benefits with the natives," says KR Bharti, a retired IAS officer, who has also authored a book on Chamba.
He adds, “When I was posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Pangi, one of the most shocking incidents that was revealed to me was the concept of funeral allowance granted to the officials posted at Pangi," adding Chamba lacks basic amenities like roads, transport and communication.
“Historically, due to its tough terrain and geographical location, no Muslim emperor/invader could reach Chamba. Most ancient temples (there are innumerable), which were once well-protected, face ruins,” he says.
One can't really overlook another historical fact about Chamba; one of its visionary kings, Bhuri Singh, in a landmark move in 1908 set up a hydro-power project to have electricity reach houses in Chamba.
"The Bhuri Singh power project is still running, producing 6,000 units of power every day. It's the second hydro-power project to come up in India's pre-Independence era," says Nilesh Chand, a native of Chamba.
BJP's focus on Chamba ahead of polls
The formal inauguration of three hydro-power projects, including the commissioning of the 180 MW Bijoli Holi project by Modi could just be a coincidence as the BJP-ruled state is heading for the crucial Assembly polls.
In the run-up to the elections, the event is a message to the country and the Congress -- the Prime Minister wants the benefits of development to reach every citizen of this country, revealed a BJP leader.
Speaking to Outlook, Trilok Jamwal, BJP general secretary and CM's political adviser, said that Chamba is one of the 117 aspirational districts of the country, selected by Niti Ayog, on the basis of a poor HDI. Economic deprivation in the state is the biggest factor for Modi’s reach-out here.
“BJP national president J P Nadda, who was the Union health minister in 2018, was deputed by the Prime Minister to hold a meeting with all MPs, MLAs and government officials of Chamba for drawing up a road map to improve its ranking under the HDI, to raise living standards of it’s natives and ensure inclusive growth,” Jamwal adds.
Lord Shiva's land
For the BJP, there is one more aspect to focus on Chamba. It’s also called the land of Lord Shiva or Shiv Bhumi. Manimahesh Kailash, said to be the land of Lord Shiva, is located in Budhil valley of Bharmour, one of the toughest places to reach. These are some of the educationally and economically backward areas dominated by Gaddi population with a sizable Muslim population too.
"Chamba is one of the country's aspirational districts. That shows how Modi ji wants to see it attaining a position as the most developed district. His visit is aimed to give a loud message to the country on his development priorities," says Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.
Congress hits out at BJP
Chamba has five assembly constituencies and continues to elect Congress and BJP alternatively. In the 2017 assembly elections, the BJP won four out of five seats with the Congress winning one in Dalhousie.
But ahead of Modi's arrival, Congress has questioned the hoardings put up by the BJP trying to hard sell "its national agenda on scrapping of article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and resolve to fight terrorism."
"This clearly shows how the BJP is trying to run away from real issues, by racking up national and international issues while chief minister Jai Ram Thakur is trying to cover up his own failures," says Alka Lamba, AICC spokesperson for Himachal Pradesh polls.
