- Every Indian must be aware of how the Jammu and Kashmir situation has panned out over the last few decades owing to disruptions of several varieties, including terrorism perpetrated from across the border. The disconnect between the people of J&K and other regions of the country was quite palpable over the decades. The ordinary citizens of the region were in great distress owing to the loss of lives and properties from disturbances, which was an aberration for the entire country. The law-and-order situation was grave, with no signs of peace prevailing despite the monumental efforts of successive Union Governments. The alienation of J&K people from the mainstream was complete. However, the narration has changed for the better in the last few years.
PC: PTI
- The present dispensation at the Center has taken several initiatives to ensure the region is seamlessly integrated into the mainstream. Of course, the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the region into two union territories meant the special status enjoyed by the region no longer existed. Since the abrogation, the Union Government has emphasized ushering in several developmental measures by pumping in desired funds, resources, and, most importantly, intent to pursue the stated agenda. All those efforts appear to be bearing fruit. In a welcome outcome, the Independence Day event in Srinagar was well-attended, which only goes to highlight the significance of the same at multiple levels.
- First and foremost, it demonstrated that there’s substance to the Union Government’s claim that normalcy is returning to Kashmir. The parade this time had far fewer security checks in comparison to earlier years. Moreover, mobile and internet services were not suspended for the third year in a row. For the uninitiated, the last time Bakshi Stadium saw such large crowds numbering in the thousands was in 2003. Add to this the record 1.27 crore tourist arrivals in Kashmir so far this year. All this augurs well for the peaceful initiatives of the region, bringing much-needed positivity and anticipation of even better times ahead. Secondly, this puts paid to the narrative that the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 had harmed Kashmir beyond repair.
PC: Maj Gen Sheru Thapliyal
- Note that since Article 370 became a dead letter, there has been no large-scale disruption in J&K. Yes, there were tragic targeted killings last year. But the security grid in place has drastically reduced infiltration attempts. Plus, action against overt members of terror groups is paying dividends too. Looking at the above positives, conditions are favorable for restoring full-fledged democracy in J&K. This is necessary to complement the security and development gains made over the last four years. Only when the people of Kashmir can peacefully exercise their franchise and select a government on their own can normalcy in the fullest sense return to the region. Hopefully, this will be realized sooner rather than later.
