Crafting Peace For Restoring The Valley's Lost Glory

Home Minister Amit Shah’s speech in both the houses was not striking in itself, but his pitch on the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) served to prevent the opposition from taking a steadfast stand against it, leading to passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019.

- Debasish Bhattacharyya

Whether the scrapping of the much-talked-about Article 370 has been just and proper only time will tell. Also, whether revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status will really impact people’s lives and even if it does - to what extent - only time will tell. .

The BBC News article ‘Why Modi’s Kashmir move is widely supported in India?’ read, “Slowly, sedulously the hardened sentiment on Kashmir had acquired a pan-Indian footprint. An obvious upshot was and is a frustration with the status quo in Kashmir and a fatigue with what is seen as the familiar cycle of victimhood and violence, blackmail and bluster. Politically the ground was fertile for a break from the past and for a new initiative, however audacious it may be.”

However, according to Professor Amitabh Mattoo of Jawaharlal Nehru University and former Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, “The battle for doing away with 370 was the easy battle. The battle for the hearts and minds is the larger war which has to be won. The war for peace. And that can only be done by demonstrating to the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh that they are better off without 370. Simply put that economically, there will be better opportunities, there will be investment, they will get employment opportunities.”

It’s true that ongoing uncertainty and confusion in J&K has affected the peak tourist season and its impact will be felt in the coming months. Though imposition of internet blackouts, reportedly for the 51st time this year, is not something new in J&K but cutting off all forms of communication certainly enrages people and disturbs economic activities.