Sheikh Khalid

It seems that the National Conference has forgotten the past and needs a reminder

The Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, 5 May 2022, finalized the delimitation order and submitted it to the Election Commission of India wherein it has recommended 43 Assembly seats for Jammu division and 47 seats to the Kashmir region.

The Delimitation Commission submitting its final report on Jammu and Kashmir has evoked sharp reaction from National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and other smaller parties in Kashmir.

These parties have been “beating their chest” after the panel has redrawn the assembly and parliamentary constituencies in the Union Territory.

The commission has recommended 43 assembly constituencies for Jammu region and 47 for Kashmir. For the first time, nine assembly constituencies have been reserved for the Scheduled Tribes, out of which, six are in Jammu region and three in Kashmir.

The six new assembly constituencies in the Jammu region are expected to be carved out from Rajouri, Doda, Udhampur, Kishtwar, Kathua, and Samba districts.

The one new seat for Kashmir would be carved out from the Kupwara district. The Kashmir based parties are unhappy. Anyway, It is nothing new. These political formations, especially NC and PDP, have developed a habit of opposing every move which is aimed at making J&K self-reliant. It seems that the National Conference has forgotten the past and needs a reminder.

The NC in the 1980s had demolished the constituencies of Awami Action Committee (AAC) headed by late Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq, who was killed by militants in 1990 at his Nigeen residence in Srinagar. In the 1980s the delimitation process had torn apart AAC bastions.

It’s strange that today the same National Conference is questioning the credibility of the Delimitation Commission that was headed by Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai and comprised two other members, Sushil Chandra, Chief Election Commissioner; and KK Sharma, State Election Commissioner.

The leaders who are questioning credibility of the commission need to sit back and ask themselves whether they have any credibility left? When they were arrested after August 5, 2019, not a single protest was held in any part of Jammu and Kashmir against their detention and no one demanded their release.

The Delimitation Commission that was set up in February-March 2020 to redraw assembly and parliamentary constituencies in J&K after its division into two Union Territories, J&K and Ladakh, has done its job meticulously. The ones who are unhappy have a reason to be so as they are aware that grabbing power won’t be easy for them in times to come.

During the past 70-years, Kashmir based parties ruled J&K and the National Conference remained in power for many decades. After the Peoples Democratic Party appeared on the scene in 2000, it challenged NC’s hegemony and went on to form the government in 2002 with the support of Congress. PDP had just won 16 out of 83 assembly seats.

From 2002 to 2018 power kept on shifting between the NC and PDP. Now, the political equation has changed and all the political parties, including the ones in Jammu have been empowered. This has perturbed the NC and PDP. The bête-noire have come together and have dropped enough hints about contesting the forthcoming assembly elections jointly.

Leaders of both these parties are aware that none of the national parties will support them as their past is an ample proof of the fact that these formations keep on changing their colours like chameleons. NC and PDP rather than questioning the credibility of the Delimitation Commission should focus on regaining their grounds.

These parties have been left with nothing to sell, neither autonomy, nor self-rule. People haven’t responded to any of the slogans raised by these parties after the abrogation of Article 370.

The experiment of forming Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) has ended up in a fiasco as people of J&K rejected the alliance of Kashmir based political parties by terming it as “one more drama.”

The attempts of NC and PDP leaders to “sell old wine in new bottle” haven’t yielded any results. Both these parties are at crossroads and are unable to digest that for the first time in so many years they are about to face stiff competition, which can turn these parties into a history.

After August 5, 2019 NC and PDP leaders are trying to project themselves as “Messiahs” (saviours) of people but a common man seems least interested in their stunts. These parties should accept that assembly and parliamentary constituencies have been redrawn and J&K’s status-quo has changed.

Both these parties haven’t been left with any constituency as they have lost support of the people. The leaders of these parties should stop throwing tantrums and allow people of J&K to taste the real fruits of democracy.

Article Source: https://www.greaterkashmir.com/todays-paper/editorial-page/look-whos-talking

About the Book

Why Article 370 Had To Go delves deep into Kashmir’s onion layered conflict and discerns the most complicated political realities—a clear break from the existing literature on Kashmir. The book presents strong arguments in favor of the abrogation of Article 370. Jehangir records that Kashmir’s aspirational youth is fed up of terrorism that has destroyed tourism, economy and the social fabric of Kashmir’s society. He stresses that religious militancy is not what Kashmir is all about. He reiterates that Kashmiris have always practiced the Islam of Sufis which is about syncretism. It is Khalid’s quest for a secular democratic Kashmir that has brought forth this book that profiles through a personal journey, a larger political perspective.

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah is visiting Jammu and Kashmir at a crucial time. It’s his maiden visit to the Union Territory after the abrogation of Article 370 two years ago.

After August 5, 2019—when the Centre announced its decision to scrap J&K’s special status and divided it into two Union Territories—the erstwhile princely state has witnessed massive transformation and development but the recent killings of eleven civilians, including five non-locals, have to some extent eclipsed the good work that has been done on the ground level.
Militants going on a killing spree hasn’t deterred the J&K Government from carrying forward its agenda of peace, prosperity and development. It seems determined to pull the Himalayan region out from the quagmire of uncertainty and turmoil.

Since 2019, J&K has witnessed many firsts. The recent announcement of direct flight from Srinagar to Sharjah, the initiative will bring the Middle East closer to Kashmir. More than one lakh Kashmiris are working in Sharjah. The direct flight to Srinagar will bring them home within a few hours as customs, immigration and all other facilities will be available at the Srinagar Airport. It’s a welcome step and a major relief to travellers intending to fly to the Emirates.https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.485.1_en.html#goog_871847915

The pace of connectivity projects, including four-laning of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and trains reaching the Valley, has increased manifold. Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, who visited J&K last month announced that the train would reach Kashmir by 2024. The Minister also assured that the Jammu-Poonch railway link would be completed after addressing viability issues of the area.

The grievance redress system in J&K has been revolutionised. There was a time, when people used to stand in long queues outside the Civil Secretariats in Srinagar and Jammu cities to reach the helmsmen. However, after August 5, 2019 the government has revamped the system.

The help lines and online grievance redressal portals have been set for a common man to drop his complaint and check the status about the action taken either online or over the phone. The officials are just a phone call away. The system which used to remain inaccessible has become accessible.

The Centre has taken many steps that a common Kashmiri couldn’t have even imagined. The tourism sector in Kashmir has witnessed a boom. The outbreak of COVID-19 did slow down the process to some extent despite that things have moved at a fast pace.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have been successful in rewriting J&K’s history. The government has set new benchmarks for the governance and no one is being allowed to take his job casually.

The Union Home Minister has been personally monitoring the developments in Jammu and Kashmir and has shown keen interest in ensuring that the erstwhile princely state witnesses a massive development. He has gone on record to say that former political regimes couldn’t do much for the people.

During the past two years many new projects have been announced and the ones that were awaiting completion for the past many decades have been thrown open for the public. People of J&K are reaping the benefits and are witnessing development that they couldn’t become a part of for the past seventy years.

People of Kashmir to a great extent have understood that development needs a peaceful environment and nothing can move if the situation remains disturbed. Maximum populace of J&K has boarded the wagon of peace, prosperity and development but still there are some elements who want Kashmir to burn so that their shops don’t get closed.

A common man in Kashmir is no more interested in slogans and rhetoric as he has observed that there is a difference between lip service and proper delivery system.

J&K’s development has been the Centre’s priority. Many far-flung areas that had no road connectivity have been connected with the highways and main roads. The power scenario has improved. Healthcare facilities have got a major boost. The work culture in the government offices has seen a rapid transformation.

In a nutshell Jammu and Kashmir has taken many steps towards a new era. The breaking out of a new dawn has brought J&K closer to the country and people of Kashmir too have realized that the world has opened for them and sky is the limit.

The writer is core member of BJP , former VC JKPCC.

Article Source: https://www.greaterkashmir.com/editorial-page-2/amit-shahs-jk-visit-is-significant

The transition of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state into a union territory has been so rapid that it has ripped apart the traditional political parties in Kashmir. Slogans, narratives and notions have been dispelled. There is no autonomy or self-rule left. Politicians, who used to talk about everything from bijli, pani and sadak to Kashmir being an “issue” have lost their addresses and are making desperate attempts to make their presence felt, they are finding it hard to regain their lost ground. Prior to August 5, 2019 — when the Centre decided to abrogate J&K’s special status and divided it into two union territories — Kashmir based politicians used to claim that they are the only ones who could rule J&K and keep it with India. But the Centre’s August 5, 2019 decision shattered the myth. More than 40 leaders from different political parties, including National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party, were detained. But not a single person came out on the streets to seek their release, nor did any part of J&K witness any protest against the Centre’s decision to scrap the special status of the princely state.

It has been proven beyond doubt that denizens of J&K have accepted the change in the status quo and have moved on with their lives. They have sent a clear message to the world and the extremist forces that they want to live in peace and they are not interested in any sort of rhetoric. During the past two years, New Delhi has made every attempt to inculcate the spirit of nationalism among the people of Kashmir and has expedited the development process. People too have responded by not resisting the change and seem happy with the way things are changing but a very important element seems to be missing i.e. no attempt is being made to build a narrative that can bridge the gap between New Delhi and Kashmir once for all. The narrative building is missing.

After August 5, 2019, the national flag has been hoisted across J&K, and at many places people have come forward to participate in the activities to show their love and affection towards the nation. But a lot still needs to be done. People of J&K have understood that the clock cannot be reversed and the leaders who are claiming that they will get everything back cannot be trusted. They are good actors and are once again trying to stage a drama. People of Kashmir need to come forward and become a part of the nation-building process rather than acting like mere spectators. They need to take a cue from Indians, who are settled in foreign countries, despite them being far away from their country, they have kept the culture of India alive and they proudly identify themselves as Indians.

The abrogation of Article 370 has provided New Delhi with a chance to end the uncertainty in Kashmir once for all. The complete merger of J&K with the Union of India is a clear message to one and all that no power on earth can snatch J&K from India and the people of Kashmir are like other Indians. Nor are they special, neither different. They are pure Indians. The ball is in the court of New Delhi. Leaders sitting in the national capital have to ensure that no one gets a chance again to tell Kashmiris that India hasn’t done anything for them. New Delhi has to own the people of the Valley and it needs to provide them with equal opportunities and chances to compete with the rest of the country. Kashmiris need jobs, employment avenues, and most importantly peace, which has remained elusive during the past three decades.

By now it’s clear that Kashmiris are not hatemongers and don’t believe in a separatist ideology. Kashmiris during all these years have been living under the shadow of guns. They need to be told that they are safe in their own country and no one will snatch anything from them. People of Kashmir need to be reassured that their future lies with India and they have nothing to fear for. People handling the affairs of J&K have an important role to play. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is leading from the front and has taken revolutionary steps to put the newly carved out Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on the right path. The narrative, which teaches inclusiveness, needs to be built so that coming generations don’t fall prey to false propaganda and hoax slogans.

he Jammu and Kashmir administration is gearing up to meet yet another challenge as the second wave of Covid-19 seems be knocking at our doors. The officials who have been at the forefront of fighting Covid-19 during the past one year have done an exemplary job and have been lauded by everyone. They may face yet another challenge and their management skills are likely to get tested again. It’s not only the Covid-19 which the administration has dealt with during the past one year. It has handled many issues simultaneously. Since the day Manoj Sinha has taken over the reins of Jammu and Kashmir, he has revolutionized the entire system.

Path-breaking initiatives taken by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha have helped in putting the derailed system back on track. What the political regimes couldn’t do for so many years, the dispensation led by Sinha has done it in just a few months. Curbing corruption and acting against the big fishes have been one of the biggest achievements of the J&K administration. L-G Sinha has given a freehand to the anti-graft agencies and these organizations have not disappointed him. They have gone after the corrupt, who were of the opinion that they were above the law and no one could touch them.

Besides working on various fronts, L-G Sinha-led administration has concentrated efforts towards giving development a push by expediting the pace of the projects that were kept in limbo by the erstwhile political regimes. The officers have ensured no chances are taken. The change is visible. Work culture in the government offices has improved. Employees don’t take their jobs lightly anymore, they are aware of the fact that employment rules have also changed. Anyone having completed 22 years in service or having attained 48 years of age can be shown the exit door if his/her performance is found unsatisfactory.

Law and order situation in Kashmir has improved significantly. The stone-pelting incidents have declined, street protests and shutdowns that were orchestrated by a handful of people have become a history. L-G Sinha is on a mission to put J&K on the path of development, peace and prosperity. The leaders who used to claim that Kashmir would burn after August 5, 2019—when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate J&K’s special status and bifurcated it into two union territories—have been left dumbfounded as they are unable to digest Jammu and Kashmir’s transformation.

After August 5, 2019, bureaucrats have put in all their efforts to ensure that the benefits of the centrally sponsored schemes trickle down to the deserving people and no one is left out. Participation of people in the District Development Council elections has shattered the myth that people in Kashmir believe in boycott. The changed scenario has proven it beyond doubt that the former rulers mishandled J&K by raking up the issues which didn’t fall in their domain. Had they focused on peace, prosperity, development and governance people would have never rejected them. They indulged in petty politics to cling onto power. Had they invested in youth and welfare of the erstwhile state, today people would have stood by them. Leaders are reaping what they had sown.

L-G Sinha-led administration has formulated a new model of governance and has set an example for how any state or union territory has to be managed. The Centre by extending its full support has proven its sincerity and has shown to the world that Kashmir and its people hold a special place in the hearts of policy makers and helmsmen. The Lieutenant Governor-led administration in J&K is leaving no stone unturned to implement the slogan of “sabka saath, sabka vikas,” raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With each passing day, young faces are coming to the fore and leading from the front. People of Kashmir too are responding to the initiatives being taken by the Centre and the UT administration. It’s a ‘win-win situation’ for New Delhi as well as the people of Kashmir. The leaders who used to project themselves as Messiahs of Kashmiris and claimed that nothing will happen without them have lost their relevance and are finding it hard to make a comeback. Nothing seems to be working out for them and the political careers of self-proclaimed leaders have hit a dead end.

Article Source: https://www.news18.com/news/opinion/in-jammu-and-kashmir-lieutenant-governor-manoj-sinha-led-administration-sets-new-benchmark-3570113.html

Terrorists killing a sarpanch, Ajay Bharati, a Kashmiri Pandit, in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district has once again exposed the real face of terrorists and their masters. Sitting across the Line of Control, once again it has been proven beyond doubt that terrorists and their handlers are the worst enemies of people of Kashmir. And they are faceless murderers, who have no regard for human lives.

Bharati’s killing is one more addition in the long list of innocents, who have been killed by these trigger-happy terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir during the past 30-years. Whosoever has tried to talk about peace and development in Kashmir has fallen prey to the bullets of the terrorists.

The deceased Sarpanch had returned to Kashmir along with his family in 1996 as he loved his roots and had rejected the idea of living in a separate township. He was a symbol of Kashmir’s pluralism and Kashmiriyat. No one from Jammu came to vote for him in the Panchayat elections, which were held in 2018. The people who voted for him were Kashmiri Muslims of his own village.

Bharati’s killing has saddened every right-thinking Kashmiri irrespective of him being a Muslim or a Hindu.

His killing has highlighted the fact that true Indians in Kashmir are the soft targets for the gun-wielding terrorists whose only job is to create fear and spill innocent blood. These indoctrinated terrorists are just a handful of people. Their presence in Kashmir doesn’t mean that every Kashmiri is a terrorist and is a hardliner.

More than 95% people in Kashmir are peace lovers who want to live a peaceful and prosperous life. Terrorism has been imposed on them by our hostile neighbour, who during the past 30 years has left no stone unturned to turn Kashmir into a huge graveyard.

In 1947 when Pakistani tribals (Kabalis) reached north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, a 19-year-old youth Shaheed Maqbool Sherwani stood like a wall and didn’t allow these raiders to move towards Srinagar. He was killed by the tribals after they realized that he is a “true-Indian”.

Since 1990, many true-Indians like Sherwani have been killed by the Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. But these killings have not shattered the resolve of the people in the Valley, who love their country and have stood by it during the most difficult times.

Ajay Bharati’s cold-blooded murder by the terrorists has raised an important question. Why has our leadership failed to protect the people who have been loyal to the country? Why did the regimes led by Congress and other parties prior to 2014 just focus on few political families and the separatists? Had the erstwhile governments given loyal people a chance today, J&K would have been a better place to live in. It’s unfortunate that loyalists were always taken for granted.

Since the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken over the reins of the country, there has been a paradigm shift in New Delhi’s Kashmir policy. Politicians, who used to call shots and dictate terms to Centre, have been cut to size. MLAs with separatist leanings have been shown their worth. The Modi government has sent a loud and clear message that pseudo-nationalism is not acceptable. Interests of the country are supreme and they cannot be compromised with.

However, in the process of acting tough against the anti-nationals, a few hyper-nationalist leaders and some media houses are trying to label every Kashmiri as a hate monger and a separatist. These leaders and media houses need to change their attitude. They should remember that people of Kashmir have given immense sacrifices to uphold the tricolour. They have faced bullets and bombs but have not allowed Pakistan to succeed in its nefarious designs.

Top officials in the security establishment have often reiterated that its due to the local support and information that security forces have got an upper hand against the terrorists. These glaring facts and realities cannot be ignored.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always said that Kashmiris have to be embraced and taken along. The leaders who give provocative statements and talk about resorting to violent means against the people of Kashmir are not doing any good to the nation. They are just adding fuel to the fire.

Ajay Bharati’s addition to the list of the martyrs has further strengthened the resolve of the “true-Indians” in Kashmir that they won’t allow Pakistan and its agents to create a wedge. One hopes that the nationalist people in our country will honour the sacrifices of Kashmiris and would allow things to fall at place rather than adding to the confusion.

Article Source: https://www.news18.com/news/opinion/kashmiri-pandit-sarpanchs-killing-why-has-our-leadership-failed-to-protect-those-loyal-to-the-country-2664383.html