Kashmir After 370
News Kashmir Exclusive
Two years ago, the Government of India via parliament decided to annul the country’s special constitutional arrangement with Jammu and Kashmir and separate Ladakh from the rest of former J&K. The Jammu and Kashmir , Ladakh were made two seperate Union Territories.
Two years down the line the narartives are different . Many in the country believe that after abrogation of the article 370 Jammu and Kashmir has changed for better , while another large section including many local parties believe the Jammu and Kashmir has changed to worse .
After the abrogation Jammu and Kashmir like many parts of the country wherein former political rivals came together against the BJP ,the Jammu and Kashmir saw a similar coming together of the principal rivals, the National Conference of the Abdullahs and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) of the Muftis after the BJP fulfilled one of its core agendas.
National Conference leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, joined hands and held meetings after their release in 2020 from house detention in August 2019.They adopted resolutions to fight for restoration of the special status available to Jammu and Kashmir earlier. The Gupkar Alliance is said to be preparing for assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir, speculated to be held next year.Another big change has been witnessed with reference to the property rights .Following abrogation of the special status, the central government issued a notification amending the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act dropping the “permanent residents” phrase. Now, ‘outsiders’ can buy land in Jammu and Kashmir if it is not an agricultural land.Regional political parties of Jammu and Kashmir have termed the article 370 abrogation a big disaster. The statement of PAGD also known as Gupkar alliance comprising of NC, PDP, Congress and communists reflected on hopelessness on eve of second anniversary of article 370 abrogation in Jammu and Kashmir as it stated that August 05 marks the completion of two years since the unprecedented assault on the constitution of India was taken to nullify Article 370 of the constitution – thereby damaging the very bond of our relationship with union of India . By demolishing the constitution of Jammu & Kashmir by the Government it has crossed all the limits of constitutionality PAGD observed Downgrading historic state of Jammu & Kashmir and dividing it into two separate union territories without the consent of the people and also ignoring the Resolution adopted by J&K legislature on 03 March 2004 to preserve the unity and the secular character of Jammu & Kashmir state has set a precedent that any state can cease to exist as a state and can be carved up into any number of fragments any time , by placing it under Governors Rule. Thereby the very existence of a state becomes a matter of central discretion, a substantial step towards a unitary state.
On the other hand, regarding the regional political parties’ denial against the BJPs claims in context of Jammu and Kashmir, Senior Leader and BJP General Secretary (J&K) Ashok Koul said, “Be they deny it or not, the main thing is that West Pak Refugees were given domicile.”
“The biggest injustice was the denial of domicile to those West Pak Refugees living in Jammu and Kashmir. Now they have been given domicile/citizenship; is this achievement not visible to these political leaders?” he asked, adding that L K Advani, who also belonged to the same community became the Deputy Prime Minister of India.On ground zero , The strong view is that economy of Kashmir has collapsed and depression among people is growing since two years of abrogation of the article 370 and partition of State into two Union Territories.
