The Election Commission of India announced J&K Assembly elections on August 16. That was a landmark day in the history of the five-year-old Union Territory aspiring to become state again . There are some parts of the history, which are loved by some as they want to read them time and again seeking pleasure, but there are few which irritate them. In the first category was abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019 .It gave rush to a number of feelings across Jammu and Kashmir with the Indian nation watching it with same amount of relief as Germany felt when Berlin Wall was brought down in November 1989 . This may not be the exact simile, it is a metaphor for the watershed moment in the world history nevertheless.
Jammu and Kashmir became part of India because of the instrument of accession signed by Maharaja Hari Singh on October 26, 1947 . This historical event and moment needs to be reinforced time and again as the Maharaja hailed from Jammu and his inclination toward India was due to his devotion to the idea of India. He wanted his state to become part of India , as he was convinced that this nation would accommodate all his subjects in a dignified manner whereas Pakistan had assaulted them, made many of them homeless and let loose marauders on them . There was a string resentment and anger over what happened to Hindus and Sikhs in what is now Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

FIRST TAKE

This is an established fact that Jammu played a crucial role in Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India . Unfortunately, this also is part of history that Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and Jawaharlal Nehru worked out a special arrangement for J&K in the Indian Union in shape of Article 370 . Although this provision was titled ” temporary”, but no one dared to scrap it . This Article sat in the Constitution for 69 years – that is from 1950 to 2019. It was conceived in 1949 and its contours were worked out in that year.
The Congress claims that during its rule it had hollowed Article 370 and nothing was left in it. This assertion has been made in response to the Narendra Modi government’s decision to throw this Article out of the Constitution . Going by the argument of Congress , it becomes clear that it had no respect for its own commitment and it did what it does best betray . The second part is more obnoxious . Why resort to slow poisoning than to kill the provision that it thought was not good for the country . It should have scrapped the provision. It is characteristic of the Congress to betray its commitments . It should have done it long ago what Prime Minister Modi’s government did in August 2019. Straight and simple .
In doing so, the Modi government granted special respect to Jammu and its people . Article 370 and Article 35 A similar guarantees for the people of Jammu , and Ladakh as for the Kashmir Valley. The land and jobs that were within the uninterrupted reach of the people of the special status state now gone forever , never percolated to Jammu residents. They, like the residents of Ladakh , now a separate Union Territory , were discriminated against. Their land had come under threat and their jobs thinned with every passing day .
Jammu residents are equal citizens of India as countrymen living in other parts of the country. They have equal rights enshrined in the Indian constitution. They are entitled to everything that the people in the rest of country have . Jammu should be proud of its history that was kept in suspended animation for long .Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have acknowledged the historical importance of Jammu .
In the changed situation of the past five years , Jammu has regained its pride. This election has brought that into sharper focus . Jammu holds key to future of the whole of J&K .