It will not be prudent to assume that all problems of Jammu and Kashmir have been resolved in the past five years since Article 370 was terminated from the Constitution of India. Much has been achieved, which in itself is a great success story; there exist formidable challenges nevertheless. The achievements have been made in multiple sectors, and the citizens of this part of the country have acquired a rare confidence that was subsumed by the violence of the past three and a half decades.
Regaining confidence in life is not a philosophical idea; it inspires growth and development of personalities, and by extension the whole of the region. This is what has transformed Jammu and Kashmir, but there is lot more to be done. This is clear from the statements made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday that marked the fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.
NEWS ANALYSIS
The Prime Minister, while recalling the abrogation of Article 370 by Parliament on August 5, 2019, which ushered in a new era of hope and promise and helped various sections across J&K and Ladakh, which were made union territories , made it a point to assure the people of the two UTs that his government ” will keep working for them and fulfill their aspirations in the coming times.” This is a statement which rightly called the abrogation of Article 370 as a “watershed moment in our nation’s history.”
It was being said that the achievements made so far in Jammu and Kashmir are not the end in itself. There are many more miles to go. It was a caution to all those who believe that with the decisions taken on August 5, 2019 and the journey made since then, everything has been delivered. This was a note, in particular, for the cheerleaders of the removal of Article 370 in the BJP . The party has been extolling all virtues of the abrogation of this constitutional provision, as if it was the ultimate goal .The PM reminded them that the journey and task ahead are quite challenging and formidable and it is not the time to rest and sit on laurels.
The PM’s assurance to work for the people has two immediate prospects -holding of the Assembly elections in J&K , and restoration of the statehood . The Prime Minister, who has fulfilled all his commitments to Jammu and Kashmir, had reiterated the promise of polls and the restoration of statehood during his visit to Srinagar on June 20 . Again on August 5, he held out the assurance, not specifically mentioning the two issues, but reading between the lines makes it clear that he was hinting at both the things and much more , an accountable and accessible government after the elections . Therein lay the pledge to ensure that the elections are free and fair.
Something unthinkable happened in Jammu and Kashmir after August 5, 2019; the people understood that a government rich with the political will can fulfill all the political and constitutional commitments with such a planning in which not even a single soul is harmed . That’s precisely the doomsayers were not expecting . They were hoping for chaos and turbulences all over the Valley . They were proved wrong. Tough measures were taken –blanket ban on all means of communications , strict restrictions on movements . Keeping people indoors was better than allowing them to pour in streets and clash with security forces .It was a calm transfer from pre-Article 370 to post Article 370 era., which made the world to wonder. It snatched all the mischief making opportunities that Pakistan was looking for . The world kept mum on the development because it set an example of reducing the area and influence of conflict-mongers and the conflict’s dimensions .
A lot is being said about the windfall of tourists in Kashmir, shops opening late into night, and families strolling on the banks of Jhelum and Dal Lake without an iota of fear. These are some of the things that have given confidence to the people that they can plan their timings for outings – darkness is not to be dreaded, because there is enough inner and outer light to guide them on their ways.
Most importantly, this confidence has also come from empowerment of the marginalized sections of society . To put it more honestly , the whole of the population of J&K and Ladakh had been marginalized as there was no certainty in their life and future was riddled with bombs, IEDs, shootouts and stones . There were marginalized sections within the overall marginalized population- tribals, backward classes, villagers and the poor . Their chances of access to opportunities were blocked by the rich, influential and powerful . This has changed . Read with the overall stabilization of the situation , it is a great groundwork for the future generations.
