5 years abrogation of Article 370 : ‘Paradigm shift in J&K, BJP ideology getting acceptance’

THE TRIBUNE INTERVIEW: Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science & Tech

Criticising the previous governments of Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister and Udhampur MP Jitendra Singh said the unfurling of Tricolour was once vehemently opposed in the Valley, but not since the abrogation of Article 370 five years ago. Interacting with Arjun Sharma, the minister talked about development works and administrative reforms introduced by the Union Government after J&K became a UT in 2019. Excerpts:

What steps were taken after the abrogation of Article 370 to streamline the J&K administration?

Broadly, there is a change at three levels — administration and governance; developmental; and psychological. Administratively, a number of laws and practices that were applicable to the rest of the country, but not to J&K, were implemented in the UT too. For example, soon after PM Modi-led NDA came to power, a decision was taken to abolish the practice of holding interviews for junior-level government jobs in J&K. But this could be implemented only after the abrogation of Article 370. A grievance redressal mechanism was also formed after 2019.
Several other practices, which were in the interests of the common man, but were not implemented in J&K as these didn’t suit its political dispensation, were adopted only after the abrogation of Article 370.

What kind of governance reforms were introduced in the past five years?

To start with, the rights of refugees from west Pakistan were restored. India has many top leaders who migrated from this region. Dr Manmohan Singh, Inder Kumar Gujral and LK Advani are among them. But migrants who chose to settle in J&K did not have the right to vote or contest Assembly elections since it did not suit the political dispensation.
Secondly, all of India, barring J&K, had district development councils (DDCs). J&K got these only after 70 years. The political parties there always talked about autonomy and self-rule. In our view, self-rule has to come from the grass-roots. If you don’t have the DDCs, you can’t give the benefit of the 72nd and 73rd Amendments to the masses.
Through these amendments, the central grants go directly to the elected representatives of local bodies. This rule was brought by the then Congress government led by Rajiv Gandhi, but it was not fully implemented in J&K.

BJP based on nationalist culture
The BJP’s ideology was considered offensive in many areas of J&K before the abrogation of Article 370. If the BJP called for the unfurling of Tricolour, it was vehemently opposed by the then government, which even instigated the public against it. This is no longer the case. You can see Tricolour flying all over Lal Chowk in Srinagar. The BJP is a party based on nationalist culture and its ideology is gradually getting acceptance.

Did the Modi government take steps to remove regional imbalances in J&K?

There was always a grievance that there was a regional imbalance in the distribution of resources. In the past five years, the Centre has been successful in resolving it. Many projects which were simultaneously granted in Kashmir and Jammu have progressed equally. Some projects, however, get delayed in Kashmir due to unfavourable and unavoidable circumstances. For example, AIIMS-Jammu is ready, but the work on the one in Kashmir is going at a snail’s pace. The ring road is ready in Jammu, but in Srinagar, it is still at the nascent stage. Now, people have realised that there is an equitable distribution of works. There is more transparency and equality between the two regions in terms of recruitments too.

Has the abrogation of Article 370 strengthened the integration of J&K with the rest of the country?
The psychological change is visible. Earlier when J&K residents moved out of India, they considered themselves as different beings (as the ones who came from a troubled area and not as Indians) and the people outside too had a differed view about them. Now, there is a sense of belongingness among the J&K residents. They see themselves as part of the nation and the mental barrier has gone.
Those who opposed the abrogation of Article 370 were the ones who were misusing it the most. For example, the then PM Indira Gandhi had extended the term of state Assemblies during the Emergency as she wanted to delay the elections and most states were ruled by the Congress. J&K was then ruled by the NC, which too extended the Assembly’s term. After the Janta Party came to power at the Centre, the state Assemblies reverted to five-year tenure, but the then J&K Government headed by Sheikh Abdullah did not reverse it in the garb of Article 370 because it suited them. So, they selectively used Article 370.