Qaiser Dar
Srinagar 5 August (KNB): As 2 years of abrogation of article 370 and 35A completes today, several regional political party leaders believe that the claims of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) about development, peace and reduction in militancy related activities in Jammu and Kashmir are delusional and people have been suffering all along.
Talking to news agency Kashmir News Bureau (KNB), Senior Leader and Indian National Congress J&K President G A Mir said, “After witnessing all the things that have taken place during these 2 years, Jammu and Kashmir has been retrograded 25 years. Be it the Law and Order situation, development or democratic setup, everything has suffered a negative impact.”
“Their empty claims are for the Media only and on the ground level, people of Kashmir have resented it as well as have been de-linked from the system,” he said, adding, “No one is listening to the people of J&K and more importantly, all the figures (the centre) is giving out, are nowhere to be found implemented on the ground level.”
He asked, “If you may raise a question to the speakers (of BJP) and ask them about the figure of cases released under PMAY scheme, since the coalition of PDP and BJP in 2014 till now. Yes! the scheme for the indigent population to provide them shelter and other basic needs, which was known by the name of IAY and they later changed it to PMAY. Ask them how many of the poor, who survive beneath the open sky, have been provided a shelter?”
“It is a routine work they failed to do,” he emphasized.
Asked about the loss of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the last 2 years, apart from the Article 370, Mir responded, “Everything! We have lost everything.”
“A difference has been created by the decision (August 5) of BJP between the people,” he added.
He said that before the independence of India, Jammu and Kashmir had a particular status. “We had an identity before their independence, during the Maharaja rule and were well known internationally and that very identity of J&K has been destroyed by the ruling party.”
He added, “We are not talking about any particular position or power, which they used to manipulate people and tell them that these laws were only in place for the benefit of some families.”
He asked, “What sin have the people of J&K committed that their full fledged state was bifurcated and downgraded in pieces. Who demanded this? Who raised their voice for this? Did any party from J&K ask for it?”
Mir said, “The very major and basic thing is the shock that people of J&K received. Even the people of Jammu, who always supported them through every situation, are disappointed and against their decision.”
Regarding the BJP claims of peace and reduction in militancy and stone pelting in Kashmir, Mir said, “These were the main reasons they gave to downgrade our state. Ask them to provide annual figures of the encounters and other related incidents?”
“There has been damage, Security forces, civilians and militants have died but still the DGP gave out the statement that 150 militants are still present here,” he said, adding that they have carried out every operation/strategy but yet their officials give out statements that more than a hundred are still present in the UT. “There has not been much difference,” he added.
Mir further said, “Yes! people have opted for silence but if they (BJP) are taking this silence for happiness, let them have it like that. There is total silence in this state and is that because of the anger or disappointment or happiness? only time will tell.”
Talking to KNB, Retired Justice, Member Parliament and senior leader of National Conference (NC) Hasnain Masoodi said that prior to the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A, they had already informed the government that if they make any changes or alter in any way the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, the consequences of it won’t be good.
“We told them that if they fiddle with the special status, it will cost them (government/BJP) and the move will neither be in the interest of the Nation nor the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
“The atmosphere that was created (by centre) prior to the August 5 decision was something else than what we witnessed after the abrogation of Article 370,” he said, adding, “the people were promised a new Kashmir, a new era but nothing of that kind has been witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir so far. All of it has been a delusion.”
He said that the uncertainties (among people) are still there and it has engulfed the region of Jammu, Kashmir as well as Ladakh. “All the slogans and claims (of BJP) have no importance,” he added.
Masoodi told KNB, “All of this has been about one party (BJP) and not about the nation. We are with the nation but the decision of abrogation of article 370 was a shock even to the constitution of India and clearly against the national interest.”
About the loss of Kashmir apart from the Article 370 and 35 A, Masoodi said that Kashmiris have lost everything.
“Autonomy, culture, Identity, our flag, etc, all these are symbols and we have lost it all during these years,” he said, adding that 5 new languages were introduced so that Urdu could be diluted and it’s importance eradicated.
“Just try to comprehend, as per the government, the statehood of J&K was there till 31st of October (2019) but the flag was removed on 25th of August only.” he said, adding that the day we had adopted our flag (Flag of Kashmir) in the constituent assembly, people had cried that day.”
“What have we not lost! From universities to small state boards, all these things have an importance and we have lost it all except our hope to make things better again,” he said.
About the Government allowing Muharram procession after around 3 decades and exemplifying a normal situation in the UT, Member Parliament Masoodi said, “If the situation in Kashmir is really normal then in Rajya Sabha who do they say that the Statehood will be restored when the situation is normal? They are contradicting their own statements.”
“They have been claiming that militancy has reduced, stone pelting does not take place anymore but then why delay restoration of statehood if everything is so normal?” he asked.
He also said, “Just a few days ago, 16 detainees, young boys, have been shifted to jails outside J&K. Is this the normalcy they are bragging about? These young boys are without trial but their family, relatives and friends have the right to meet them. Even this right is being violated here because not everyone can afford to travel so far.”
Regarding the impact of the All party meeting with PM Modi held on June 24th, Masoodi said, “My personal opinion is that the meeting was a lost opportunity. The parties went there with a hope that maybe a door of peace will be set open but came back disappointed.”
He sarcastically added, “Even that meeting was just used as a platform for ‘Mann ki Baat’.”
“The meeting should have turned out to be a way forward but nothing encouraging came out of it,” he added.
Asked about introduction of 3-tier system in J&K as an example of development set by the Centre, Masoodi said that so many things were talked about and despite facing all the difficulties faced by those, who stepped up for the elections; they have not been given the sources, opportunities to execute what their developmental plans.
“Practically, this very experiment has not been successful. In the name of protective custody, the movement of these elected members has been restricted and they have not even been able to get done with their personnel work, let alone serving the society and the people who elected them,” he emphasized.
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.
“People from the Valmiki community, who were brought from Punjab to J&K for sanitation work and their children educated themselves here but then not given any opportunities and put to the same work as their parents. We gave them citizenship, ensured their rights, is this not development?” he asked.
Koul also said that the women have been given rights now. “Those who used to marry a person from outside J&K, now they have the rights they deserved all along.”
“All these changes that have taken place after the abrogation of article 370, are the very first giant leaps towards development,” he claimed, adding that the J&K has now fully integrated with the country without any separate laws, flags and all.
“These regional political parties and their leaders have always exploited the people of Jammu and Kashmir but now the people have become aware of it,” he said, adding that during the detention of the regional political leaders of J&K, around thousand people told him not to set them free as peace and tranquility has flourished.
Responding to a question about the claims of Omar Abdullah during an interview on a National Television channel that all the developments BJP is claiming to have done in J&K were basically established by the parties in power before, Koul said, “The important thing is completion of the projects. If they had taken up these developmental projects then why didn’t they complete it?”
He said that all these parties have been inaugurating projects years after years but the completion of these projects has been ensured by BJP.
However, about the future plans of BJP in Jammu and Kashmir, Ashok Koul said that they will ensure the very basic needs of people such as water, roads, schools, hospitals, food, etc. is provided.
Moreover, Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), J&K Peoples Conference (JK PC), Apni Party and others also issued statements on the second anniversary of the abrogation of article 370.
PAGD in it’s statement said, “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 the union of India.
By demolishing the constitution of Jammu & Kashmir by the Government it has crossed all the limits of constitutionality, they said.
PAGD also said that the hoax of BJP’s Naya Kashmir is a joke now. The people have started questioning those in authority as to what they have achieved by destroying Naya Kashmir which came into being through a protracted historic struggle of the people of Jammu & kashmir. And empowered the people of all the regions and communities with dignity by liberating them from the shackles of authoritarian monarchy and ruthless feudalism
“We earnestly appeal to all sections of our people in each region and community to remain united and not to fall prey to the false and slanderous campaigns and divisive attempts aiming at dividing and disarming our people,” PAGD said, adding that “We are sure that at this time of serious crises we shall not succumb but continue our struggle in defence of our rights using every opportunity through peaceful and legal means.”
Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari in a statement said, “There exists no substitute to the special status to J&K. But we strongly hope and believe that the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India which is an abode of justice will reciprocate to the people’s collective demand and deliver justice. God forbid, even if the Apex Court’s verdict disregards peoples’ aspirations, the Apni Party will have no choice but to chalk out other peaceful means to pursue this goal with New Delhi.”
Blaming traditional political parties for their policies of deceit and intrigue , Bukhari said that it is not the BJP alone but other political parties who have been pivotal in doing away with the special status of J&K.
He said that people of J&K do remember how Kashmir based MPs were given an ample opportunity on August 05, 2019 to speak over the necessity of sustaining the special status of J&K but they miserably failed to utter even a single word about it.
“Now today they are shedding crocodile tears and sermonizing on the subject. It’s a shame for them. They should rather confess and apologize to the people for their criminal silence,” Bukhari said in the statement.
Moreover, the Jammu Kashmir Peoples Conference said that, “August 5 will perpetually be remembered as a dark day and a day of disempowerment in the history of J&K.”
Party spokesperson, Adnan Ashraf Mir said, “August 5th is seen as a day of disempowerment, a reminder of the humiliation that the people of J&K were subjected to. The decisions taken on August 5th are spiteful and contrary to ideals and values of a democracy, federal character of the Indian State.” (KNB)