Though scrapping of Article 370 has, by and large, been hailed by the people of Jammu, yet they are skeptical about its benefits percolating down to the region, due to certain factors, appeasement of Kashmir being the major one. The people here want end to discrimination. This, they feel, can be ensured by only bestowing statehood to the Union Territory with empowered regional
councils to take care of distinct urges and aspirations of the people.
Archana Chib, Journalist: A year back, with the revocation of Article 370, the people were assured that the erstwhile State will be on road to development and progress, which had been impeded by terrorism and corruption for several decades in the past. A clean and progressive administration was assured. That time, the ‘Janata’ welcomed and celebrated the historic decision of the ruling party with the hope that now it may be the dawn of ‘Achey Din’.
On grassroots level, however, the situation has become even worse. Neither terrorism nor issues related to corruption, everything seems like ‘Ram Bhrose’. The general public is suffering as their basic requirements related to medical, education, civic and other utility services are not being fulfilled by UT Government. Public is literally waiting for the day they will get a chance to show the mirror to politicians sitting idle in the UT and the Centre.
Vijay Bakshi, Councilor, MC Nowshera: Abrogation of Article 370, which was seen as a hope for upliftment of people residing in Jammu Province, who were always ignored due to Kashmir-centric politics for last about seven decades.
To say goodbye to this discrimination, the people of Jammu positively supported this move by the Union Government and expected that the time has changed and now their demands would be fulfilled. But in the recently-unjust decisions taken by the Centre, the sentiments of Jammu people were hurt and they were totally sidelined by ruling BJP which was hell bent to implement its core ideology in J&K.
It was very shocking for people of J&K that the Government has taken many anti-people decisions during COVID-19 time, which included- ban on high speed 4G internet services, new land laws, domicile certificates, installation of multiple toll plazas etc. There is no doubt in saying that the Union Government has very efficiently utilised this pandemic time to impose anti-Jammu decisions.
King C Bharati, Senior Journalist: Abrogation of Article 370 and 35A is a red letter day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir and creation of two Union Territories was an icing on the cake. However, the steps that needed to be taken post abrogation are neither upto date nor satisfactory.
The major victims of the Article 370 and 35 A viz Kashmiri Pandits and Dogras of Jammu still feel neglected the same way as they were before this historic step.
Government of India must involve both these communities in rebuilding the Union Territory to remove political and developmental concerns of these two communities.
It is imperative that GoI stops using the old tools of pseudo secularism to deal with the situation. We hope GoI realises it, sooner the better, to avoid any catastrophic decisions, which may go wrong like earlier political solutions.
Tanishk Jandial, Law Student JU: Just because of the Article 370 neither the industries opened here nor did the business well. Neither the unemployment got away nor are the daughters were given their rights. This was only due to Article 370. Hence, the Article that was an identity for some but caused an ache of discrimination for few others, has finally been annulled and with an optimistic approach by Parliament of India now, it will create a new era for the people of Jammu as well as the citizens of India as a whole. With the scrapping of Article 370, the Indian constitution seems more supreme and it is like a void has been filled. We now can only hope for a better future and proper implementation of developmental schemes in Jammu. Though the abrogation of Article 370 is a blessing yet the Jammu region is not experiencing so. We the people of Jammu supported the Centre for the abrogation of the special status but now the Centre is not thinking about us. So government should think for the separate statehood, which will boost development in Jammu.
