It is time to look at Jammu and Kashmir beyond the statistics of violence. The real change on the ground is reflected in overall development and the social milieu.
The statistics reflect a significant fall in terrorist incidents since the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. This thaw in the frozen turbulence has given time for people to ponder, rethink and reinvent their lives. The change is here to stay because it is coming from within.
The priorities of the people of Kashmir have taken a turn. Stone pelting and hartals are passé. People are participating and pursuing art, sports and other interests as never before. There are demands for better roads, infrastructure, power supply and facilities for education, health and sports. People are raising issues of corruption, delay in delivery of services and demanding avenues for employment – a sign of trust in democratic institutions. The regional newspapers are capturing Kashmiri society’s newfound aspirations.
The Central government’s approach towards dealing with the lingering problem after the repeal of Article 370 may have scripted the turnaround. Kashmir has always been the hotbed of Pakistan-peddled terrorism and this has had forced successive governments to look for a solution through the prism of security. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, known for taking tough decisions, has decided to go whole hog to decimate terror infrastructure and isolate terrorists. He is backing his larger vision of a progressive Kashmir with a multi-pronged approach which goes much beyond security and rests on socio, economic and political paradigm.
Modi’s choice to lead this transformation in Kashmir reveals it all. Breaking from the past where we have seen bureaucrats and defence experts as the choice of the Central government, Modi has settled for a thorough professional politician from the heartland of politics for implementing his vision for a holistic lasting solution for Kashmir.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has followed the policy of zero tolerance against terrorists, separatists and their ecosystem, but that is just the precondition for his prime objective of setting up of the stage for connecting to people. And he has struck a balance. He has not hesitated in awarding ex gratia compensation and seeking inquiry on reports of alleged killing of civilians by the army.
Sinha has often emphasized that it was not just the responsibility of police and security forces to establish peace. It also required participation of the civil administration and every stakeholder of the community. Sinha launched the ‘My Town My Pride’ and ‘Back to Village’ programmes which, in his own words, was to connect with the stakeholders to achieve “inclusive development, Jan Bhagidari and public awareness”. The massive public outreach programme, in which high ranking government officials at times even spend their nights in the villages, has led to fulfillment of basic needs of the people. The belongingness has now emboldened people to insist on authorities to deliver on promises.
It is business as normal, despite sporadic attempts by terrorists to disturb peace and communal harmony in certain regions of Jammu and Kashmir. The end of the era of hartals, bandhs and stone pelting signifies vanishing influence of terrorists, separatists and their sympathizers on the masses. That anti-national elements are feeling wounded in the new democratic polity has led to some desperate attempts in the recent past.
The government has reciprocated in equal measure. It has brought in investments, promoted industry and business opportunities, provided facilities for skill development and greater opportunities for pursuing medical, fashion and other professional courses.
Jammu and Kashmir has seen over 1.88 crore tourists’ visit last year which is unparalleled since independence.
The effort at dismantling the terror ecosystem with strict vigilance, suffocating finance and identifying informers and sympathizers who have infiltrated into government systems is now paying dividends. The society is purged of the shadow of uncertainty and this is reflected in the social psyche.
People are participating in sports and adventure activities like never before. The equal participation of women in conflict area is the social indicator of empowerment. Reports of women participating in soccer, rugby and adventure sports are green shoots of things to come. Kashmir is mainstreaming today by boasting of women rappers and hip hoppers. This can be contrasted with the pathetic reverse witnessed with Taliban taking over Afghanistan.
The Kafkaesque narrative from the perspective of separatists has vanished from the local media and there are no advertisements eulogizing terrorists any longer. Stories pertaining to problems in various regions, corruption in society, issues of health, employment and achievements of the people from Jammu and Kashmir are now making headlines. Rightly so, the word ‘militant’ has been replaced with the word ‘terrorist’ in media which is willing to shrug off masked terror control.
The world, it seems, is also able to see through Pakistan’s proxy war in and beyond Kashmir. It is not without reason that ISI-backed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba has started operating in J&K as ‘Resistance Front’, a term borrowed from Hitler-era lexicography echoing the resistance force in the West against the then Nazi regime. Nonetheless, Pakistan is still struggling to garner international support on Kashmir.
Back home, Jammu and Kashmir is competing with other states and union territories on human and development indices. The union territory has shown remarkable improvement on governance goals which has been recognized by NITI Aayog, among other agencies. Jammu and Kashmir is also hosting a G-20 meeting in May, despite objections from China and Pakistan. This is just the beginning of the turnaround in the priorities of people and the way the global community views Jammu and Kashmir.
Anika Nazir is a Srinagar-based political commentator and social activist. She tweets from @i_anika_nazir. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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