By Tarun Chugh
Jammu and Kashmir has a special place in the heart of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It’s to the credit of PM Modi that J&K is overflowing with tourists, and the Union territory will soon host a G20 meeting. This will be after three decades when the international community will witness the rise of a new Jammu and Kashmir, which is buzzing with industrial activities. Preparations are in full swings to welcome the international dignitaries. They would not be surprised to see peace and tranquility in the Kashmir valley.
Private investment is making way into J&K amid peace and tranquility. Industries had shut down their shutters when Pakistan-exported terrorism arrived in the valley. But now there are changes for better. PM Modi after taking the oath of the office in 2014 has steadfastly worked for the all-round development of J&K.
Jammu and Kashmir is now flooded with applications for setting up industries. The J&K administration has received 60,000 applications for setting up industrial units. In addition, the administration is carrying out development works of a whopping Rs 50,000 crores in the UT. The district administrations have in the last couple of years have roped in the farmers, entrepreneurs and others to become the stakeholders in the turnaround of the economy of the UT. Jammu and Kashmir is now exporting vegetables and fruits to the Middle East. There is a massive interest from the UAE and other countries to import the agricultural produces from Jammu and Kashmir. The J&K administration is tapping wealth of the scientific community to give the scale to the farmers in the UT to tap the export opportunity.
But the dynasties of Nehrus, Abdullahs, Muftis, and Mohammed Yusu Tarigami of the CPI cannot see the positive changes as they fan a fake narrative in the Kashmir Valley. They represent the vested interests who have lost out on the journey of Jammu and Kashmir to the path of prosperity. They have ganged up to serve their vested interests with a common agenda. They want Jammu and Kashmir to remain stuck in the terrorism bind. This is with the aim to train the gun at the temple of India so that their political business flourishes.
But the Central government is steadfast that no roadblock to the path of development will be entertained. The narrative of the troika will be countered with development. The sense of entitlement of the ruling family members of the Kashmir Valley will be countered by ensuring that the true democratic aspirations of the people are fulfilled. They created a terrorism capital in J&K and supported stone-pelters.
Now that the business of stone-pelters, the troika is busy peddling fear that there will be demographic changes in the valley. This is being done with an ulterior motive. This is being done to negate the aims of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
The women of the UT who lost their rights if they married outside have finally been given back their rightful dues. Women are getting their rights. The women who mere married outside will now get the right to vote in their constituencies in J&K. For many years, they were stripped of their rights to vote for Vidhan Sabha elections. This right has now been given, reflecting in the new addition of electorate.
After the scrapping of 370 and 35A, the women, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes have become equal stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir. They can now take part in the full democratic process, while also benefiting for several Central welfare schemes. Lakhs of people in Jammu and Kashmir have availed benefits from the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, which was not earlier available to them. Lakhs of houses have been built. Same goes for toilets. The Narendra Modi government is not looking at religion of the people in extending the benefits of the Central schemes. They are for all the citizens of the country irrespective of their caste, creed and religion. But the family-based political outfits in J&K want to peddle the fake narrative by stoking fear of religion.
This has to be countered. The people will give befitting reply to the ruling political class who rue loss of entitlement. In the BDC and DDC elections, as many as 22 lakh people came forward to vote. This paves way for the arrival of the new crop of leadership in J&K, They will help in fulfilling the democratic aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
(The author is National General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party).