Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Sept 4: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today said that democracy is thriving in Kashmir, and those who once spoke of separatism are now seeking participation in the democratic process.
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Singh made these remarks while speaking to reporters during his visit to Srinagar, where he accompanied Habba Kadal constituency candidate Ashok Bhat as he filed his nomination papers.
The Minister emphasized that democracy is now flourishing in Kashmir, saying: “In every Kashmiris heart, the desire for democracy has risen once again.”
While the natural beauty of the region remains unchanged, he noted that people have liberated themselves from an era where MLAs and MPs with only 8-10 percent of the vote represented them, transforming the political atmosphere.
“I am confident that future historians will question how MPs and MLAs with such low voter support managed to form Governments and continue for generations,” he added.
Singh recalled his earlier suggestion in Parliament for a law setting a minimum vote threshold for election candidates, questioning how 8-10 percent of voters could play a leading role in a democracy. However, he praised the people of Kashmir for changing this dynamic, pointing to the high voter turnout in recent elections.
“In the Lok Sabha elections, 60 percent of votes were cast in Kashmir, and during some Phases, voter turnout was equal to the national average,” he said.
He declared a new era for Kashmir democracy and called on people to continue their trust in the recent electoral gains and sustained leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Singh pointed at a sharp increase in voter turnout in elections recently, breaking the long-standing pattern of low participation and political alienation in the region.
The surge was a sure indicator that the public had restored their faith in the democratic process and was in endorsement of BJP reforms.
The Minister said the BJP leadership has brought a breath of fresh air into Kashmir’s political environment and ensured truer representation.
“The days of obsolete, dislocated leadership are over. Today, democracy in Kashmir flourishes as the BJP restores actual democratic involvement and good governance,” he added.
Taking a dig at the PDP, he questioned the promise of self-rule, suggesting it was not truly grounded in the local context. “What is self-rule? What is its purpose? Self-rule should be a democracy that arises from the land. Democracy not rooted in the land cannot be considered self-rule,” he said.
He further criticized those who spoke of autonomy, asking, “How many of our ancestors and generations have suffered in the name of autonomy? Our rights have been stolen under the guise of autonomy. They did not allow Panchayats to be established for their own benefit. Under the pretext of autonomy, they enslaved us to a family. This so-called self-rule and autonomy only led to slavery,” he said.
The Minister also highlighted the progress India has made under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership and questioned why anyone would want to sacrifice their children for freedom when the benefits of development are within reach.
He accused some leaders of hypocrisy, sending their own children abroad while encouraging others to sacrifice for the cause of freedom. “Today, those who once advocated separatism are now knocking on the doors of courts, asking to be part of this democratic process,” he concluded.
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