Uneasiness in Jammu a year after revocation of special status

Though the Centre had called the revocation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir a 'historic move', a year later, many people in the Jammu region, including those who had supported the government's move, have expressed their disappointment over the lack of development.

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir):While stripping the statehood and revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, the NDA government had claimed that the move will pave way for tremendous economic growth and prosperity in the region.

A year later, however, people including those who had vociferously supported the Centre's move of abrogation of Article 370 and 35A are now expressing their dismay over the 'hopeless' outcome.

The Modi government had argued that these Articles were an obstacle for the socio-economic development of Jammu and Kashmir. It also claimed that its move to bifurcate the erstwhile state into two Union Territories (UTs) of Ladakh and Jammu Kashmir will help in the restoration of peace and tranquillity in the violence-hit Valley.

As far as the development of the newly carved UTs is concerned, the budget allocation figures of the current financial year itself speak louder than the words. The Modi government, in the Budget for 2020-21, allocated 30,757 crore for the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and Rs 5,958 crore for Ladakh. Most of the analysts believe that this allocation for the UTs is meagre, rather nominal for the economic development of the UTs. Thus, it indicates that the Centre might not be serious to fulfil its promise regarding the development and economic growth of the regions.

An overall impression in Jammu region is that instead of rising in the developmental process, as was promised by the government at that time, the reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir has only added miseries to the common people.

Read:Abrogation of Article 370 from J&K has long term vision, say experts

"The abrogation of Article 370 and 35A brought only economical distress to this place. The BJP government had promised to the people of Jammu that this move will bring prosperity to their lives. But now we can see the worst scenario vis-a-vis our livelihood. Unemployment has enormously risen since then. The alluring dreams of a bright future seem to have proven just illusions. The government is only pleasing outsiders by rewarding them with the domicile certificates, while as the primary residents of Jammu are concerned, they are facing miserable conditions," Mohinder Jeet Singh, a youngster, told ETV Bharat.

Regional and local political parties and their workers are also furious over the consequence of the change in the status of the erstwhile state and government's failure to meet its promises.

"They have ruined Jammu and Kashmir by the initiatives taken on August 5, 2019. Unemployment has gone up and the trade activities have completely halted for the past one year. They have also smashed the democratic institutions here. The Modi government had justified its August 5 action and declared it as an achievement by saying that it has done a great thing, which its predecessors could not do in the past seventy years. While the fact of the matter is that we have lost everything which we had achieved during the past seventy years," said Sheikh Bashir Ahmad, provisional president of National Conference (NC).

Interestingly, many of those who had supported the revocation of the special status and stripping of the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir also seem to be feeling disheartened, these days.

"We had celebrated the move by the government of India on August 5, last year, because we expected this amendment will end the era of Kashmir-centric politics and people of Jammu will start getting their political and developmental rights. Now, a year has passed and we are yet to see any improvement in the situation. We feel deceived," said Advocate Ankur Sharma, President of Ikk Jutt Jammu (United Jammu), a local political group.

Echoing similar thoughts, Shiv Sena leader Manish Sahni said, "We were anticipating prosperity after the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir but it seems that the BJP has ruined our hopes and dreams. The people of Jammu had supported the government on this act because several promises regarding development and prosperity were made to us but now it seems that we have been hoodwinked."

Demanding that the government fulfil its promises, Sahni added, "We still hope that the BJP government will take steps to bring back the UT from the path of destruction and place it on the path of development and prosperity."

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