Mehak Grover
There has been a misconception that revoking article 370 and along with it 35 A would be the end of Kashmir and end of its existence. No, it’s a big No. In fact, this revocation has started a new begining for kashmir.
From being the daughter of the soil to becoming an outsider in my own house- the journey has been a bit saddening but the end has been a happy one.
Any discussion over the revocation of Art 370 would have evoked tensions and riots. India did the right thing by doing it without any mention of it.
For 70 straight years, this temporary article has forced citizens of Jammu and Kashmir to live under different laws than all other Indians. If a pond is not activated with fresh water, it will decay one day. Then, why are we trying to do the same with human beings? Why are we trying to isolate a group of people from the rest of the country? Why are we letting our own people perish?
There exists an unnecessary chasm between citizens of Kashmir and the rest of India. The provision empowering the state with ‘special’ status has always been the elephant in the room. Jammu & Kashmir has always appeared like a foreign policy issue, instead of a domestic one due to its status in our Constitution.
Article 35-A gives the right to buy property or land, get a job under the state Government of J&K, get admission to public colleges there or receive aid such as scholarship, vote or contest in Assembly elections of J&K only to people defined as “permanent residents”. Who decides permanent residents? Article 6 of the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution. People who are not permanent residents cannot get these rights, despite the fact that not giving them these rights tramples over their Fundamental Rights. It’s been 10 years I have been living in chandigarh, but still my heart belongs to my birth city. Even today, if someone speaks unpleasant about Jammu, my blood gets a boil. How disheartening it would be for a person to be out rightly rejected as a citizen of a state you feel your heart for?
“Today, I am an equal with the men of J&K. Now, my children also are entitled to property. What more can I ask for?
An unlawful order was passed to subvert the Fundamental Rights of non-permanent residents based on an Article which was supposed to be temporary. Famously, Dr. Ambedkar declared that he would never, as Law Minister, consent to Article 370. He said – “You wish India should protect your borders, she should build roads in your area, she should supply you foodgrains, and Kashmir should get equal status as India. But the Government of India should have only limited powers and Indian people should have no rights in Kashmir. To give consent to this proposal, would be a treacherous thing against the interests of India and I, as the Law Minister of India, will never do it”.
Agreed, internet has been banned past so many months. People are totally out of touch from the rest of the world. But, what was happening before? Every 2nd day, there were terrorist attacks, tear gases, stone, pelting, bandhs in Kashmir for one thing or the other. And because no centre intervention was possible, these matters lingered on and on. People kept suffering, students kept suffering. Atleast, now for once and for all, all the issues will be solved and there will be rainbow again in the sky!
Indian Government’s revoking of the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir created “equality for all Indians” and can be a “stepping stone to peace” in the Valley. It is One Nation One Constitution. This will instil the feeling of unity among all citizens of India.It will open doors for private sectors to invest in J&K. This will boost the economy of the state. There will be the scope of other job opportunities now apart from tourism. The centre will be able to provide better medical facilities to citizens of J&K now. Appropriate measures to control corruption can be taken now by the central government.
After all this, my mind is continuously being disturbed with few questions. Is humanity unified today? Do we work together for our common good? Have the ‘National Governments’ of each country ever come together and declared in one voice and heart- It’s time that we stopped fighting amongst ourselves and start truely to work together for the good of all people throughout the world? No! Forget about the Government of each country, have the Government in power and opposition ever held hands in India for the common good? Do the party in power take opposition’s advise for their respective decisions, or for that matter, does opposition try to give their positive suggestions ever? No. Both try to underestimate each other and apart from building the nation, they try to pull each other down. This is how we can make our country grow and discuss about sensitive issues prevailing in our country? People of Jammu and Kashmir wants development and not bombs.
“In equality lies peace
And peace leads to prosperity”
It is rightly said that “United we stand, divided we fall.” India, as a whole nation, is united. Article 370 is a bane or a boon, I really can’t comment on that. But, it is making our people fight in the name of powers and land. It is not about hindus or muslims. It is about HUMANITY. This so called ‘special status’ which Jammu and Kashmir is enjoying is not really special. It has become a major fighting tool only because it was being misused by a handful of people for their own individual interests. How long will this plight continue? Kashmir is our heaven. Let’s make it beautiful again. There is more power in unity than division. When there is UNITY, there is always VICTORY.
It is not about the removal of article 370 or keeping it intact. It is about UNITY, EQUALITY, SOLIDARITY, BENEVOLENCE.
In words of Dalai Lama-
” Peace doesn’t come through prayer, we human beings must create peace.”
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