Author: Zubair Ul Islam
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir, formerly a State is a region in Southern Asia administered by India as a Union Territory. The region was converted into Union Territory on August 5, 2019 when the Special Status of Jammu and Kashmir State (Article 370 and Article 35A) was abrogated and the State was bifurcated into two Union Territories (Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh) by Government of India.
On August 5, 2019 when Home Minister of India Amit Shah in a Parliament said that the corruption, misgovernance, political instability, Pakistan’s interference, ceasefire violations, militancy etc is the main reason for making Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as two different Union Territories. He also said that the statehood will be given back on appropriate time once Jammu and Kashmir will run on developmental track.
In 2021, since last 17 months, Jammu and Kashmir has not seen any progress but downgrade in every field especially school/college going students, businessman, e-commerce sector is worstly hit.
Since Government is talking about peace and claiming non-violence, less number of stone-pelting related incidents, killing of militants in large number, and so on as their big achievement. They are completely ruling out or missing the other side. A silence may have different meaning for different people. In this region the silence may refer to loss of trust and hope in a democracy that was once cherished. A gap has widened between the Government and the people or it can be said its hard to build a bridge that can work as link between people and the Government.
Since 1947, when Jammu and Kashmir was acceded to India on three points Defense, Currency and Communication its Special Position was continuously degraded by the Governments of all times and the major change was in 1975 when Prime Minister and President were downgraded to Chief Minister and Governor and then in 1987 rigid elections which changed the political and social scenario of the entire region.
Kashmir region, which is also known as ‘Paradise on Earth’ has never seen a peace since its accession to India in 1947. It has always been a political tussle between two nuclear power countries, India and Pakistan. The politicians of both the countries had never shown serious concerns towards solving this long pending Kashmir issue, rather its being used to score political points.
In 1947, when both India and Pakistan got independence, the issue was stuck on Junagarh (now a City in Gujarat) and Jammu and Kashmir. The plebiscite was done in Junagarh and after that it became part of India then why doesn’t Jammu and Kashmir deserve a chance. If not plebiscite, then why people are not being treated like as other citizens in this country. The step-motherly behavior of Government towards people of Kashmir will not bring people closer to the country but will take them far away.
The United Nations has also given solution to the Kashmir issue but both countries seem deaf and dumb and not giving much priority to solve Kashmir issue which is adding sufferings to the people. People are in hope that one day this Kashmir issue will be solved that will stop bloodshed and bring peace in the region.
There are many examples of brutality in Kashmir such as Kupwara Massacre, Gaw Kadal Massacre, Kunan Pashpora Mass Rape and other such cases where people are not given justice even almost after thirty (30) years. If Government would have acted and given justice to them may be situation would have been different in Kashmir.
The killings of hundreds of innocents in Jammu and Kashmir either by army or by militants is the worst thing that can happen in any region. It has added salt to the wounds and alienated people further from believing in democratic set-up as no justice was given to their families.
In 1990’s, the Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave Kashmir as some believed it was done by the then Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Jagmohan and others believed it was done by JKLF, which also created a rift in Hindu-Muslim brotherhood in Kashmir and that was a sad part.
Almost every family in Kashmir has lost a member because of this gun-culture and violence besides thousands are languishing in jails and it needs to be stopped otherwise bringing peace in this region is impossible as no family can bear to lose a loved one by this gun-culture and violence.
If both the countries fail to solve Kashmir issue, future generations in Kashmir will continue to suffer from bad to worse.