Omkar Dattatray
At the outset it is pertinent to mention that Jammu & Kashmir was always an independent state even before the rule of the Maharaja’s and so it is in the fitness of things to restore the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest to fulfill the aspirations of the alienated people and assuage their hurt feelings. Thus in the best interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir the status of statehood should be restored to people of Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest so that the disgruntled and alienated people will heave a sigh of relief. A historical and far reaching decision was taken by the centre government and vetted by the Indian parliament on August 5, 2019 whereby controversial articles 370 and 35A of the constitution of India were scrapped and the state was bifurcated into two union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladkah. The resolutions in the parliament were passed to this effect. These decisions transformed the life of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and opened the UT to huge investments and this is bound to develop the union territory. While it is in the best interests of the erstwhile state to annul and abrogate the controversial article 370 as well as 35A as it lead to the fuller integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India. It also fulfilled the aspirations of the 135 crore Indians and also met the dream and resolve of the integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India. It also fulfilled the promise, agenda and manifesto of the then Jan Sangh and now of its new Avtar BJP. However from day one of the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories, there were much hue and cry by the political parties and the common people who wanted the restoration of the statehood to the alienated people of Jammu and Kashmir. The regional political parties of NC, PDP, ANC, PL and grand old party congress opposed bifurcation of the state and resolved to fight for the restoration of the statehood to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Sensing mood of the people of the erstwhile state the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were quick to respond and they promised to restore the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir at the appropriate time. Thus the political parties should not fight for the restoration of the statehood because the centre has promised the restoration of the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir after the assembly elections. The political parties should not press for the restoration of the statehood to the Jammu and Kashmir before Assembly Elections as Prime Minister and Home Minister had promised to restore the statehood to the people of Jammu and Kashmir at the appropriate time after the assembly elections which are long overdue. Some regional parties are demanding the restoration of the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir before the assembly elections and they are unfortunately making restoration of the statehood as a precondition for participating in the elections. But such unreasonable demands should not be made by the political parties. Now that the delimitation commission has made final recommendations about the delimitations of the assembly and parliamentary elections and the election commission of India has asked the state election department to publish electoral rolls and has directed the DEOs to appoint the both level officers. The LG Manoj Sinha has also hinted that elections will be held soon. Thus there is speculation in the political circles and the general public that assembly elections will be held in the month of December. Thus there is jubilation in the political parties and they are touring nook and corner of Jammu and Kashmir to spread their base and increase their support. We have heard that a union territory is upgraded to a state but have not heard that a full-fledged state is degraded to the level of a UT. We have seen it happening in Jammu and Kashmir and the gullible people of Jammu and Kashmir are experiencing the downgrading of the state to two union territories. This is very much unnatural and should not have been done but for the normalization of the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Now about three years have passed since the centre had bifurcated the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two UT,S and so the steps need to be taken at the earliest to restore the statehood to the people of Jammu and Kashmir may be after the assembly elections as promised by the centre government and to be more specific by the prime minister and the home minister at the floor of the parliament. Therefore there should be no confusion about the restoration of the statehood as it will be restored at the appropriate time after the assembly elections. It is hoped that the much due assembly elections will be held in the month of December if the weather permits and thereafter the process of the restoration of the statehood will commence and then at an earliest date the status of statehood will be restored to give a go bye to the alienation of the people. The NDA government of the centre should respect the aspirations and hopes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and take a decision of the restoration of the statehood at the earliest after the assembly elections to heal the wounds and hurt psychic of the gullible people of the erstwhile state. A big leader and former Sadar-e-Riyasat Jammu & Kashmir Dr Karan Singh has also demanded restoration of the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir to remove the alienation of the people. The downgrading of the erstwhile state is not the solution of the ills and problems of the people of Jammu and Kashmir but the restoration of the statehood will to a great extant remove the alienation of the people and it will also result in the removal of the ills and problems of the people. Thus it is necessary that the centre government should order the restoration of the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir so that the people will feel at ease. Therefore the centre government should restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir as promised by the prime minister and the home minister. The gullible people of the erstwhile state should not be forced to launch an agitation for the restoration of the statehood. But the centre government should respect the sentiments, aspirations and hopes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and restore the statehood as promised by the prime minister and the home minister at an earliest possible time to fulfill the promise made earlier at the floor of the parliament at umpteen times. Thus without wasting time and energy the centre should take the decision of the restoration of the statehood so that the alienated people will feel a sigh of relief. The people have been orphaned by the decision of downgrading of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and now the time has come to reverse the decision of bifurcation of the state as well as of the scrapping of statehood so that the people will feel belongingness and ease. In short, NDA government headed by BJP should take a decision of the restoration of the statehood at the appropriate time after the assembly elections. So after the assembly elections, no delay should be made in restoration of the statehood to the gullible people of Jammu and Kashmir. Thus the election commission should announce the schedule of the assembly elections so that the much due elections will take place. The elections will pave way for the restoration of the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir so that people will feel at ease and their alienation is removed.
(The author is a Columnist and Social Activist).