Srinagar, Aug 5 (IANS) Notwithstanding the race to score brownie points among the various political parties, to rake up debate over the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A, the basic question of whether the step benefited the people appears to be no issue for the debating parties.

This day is the 7th anniversary of the historical abrogation of Article 370, and much water has flowed down the Jhelum in the Valley and the Tawi and Chenab in the Jammu region during these long seven years.

The ruling National Conference (NC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the two main rival regional parties of J&K. They don’t agree with each other on anything else, but to remain politically relevant in regional politics, both called for a protest today. It is of no consequence to the two regional parties that while the NC demands restoration of statehood, the PDP wants reinstatement of Articles 370 and 35A.

The PDP has joined the protest call with the NC, but asserted that mere demand for statehood is a narrative to defeat the demand for reinstatement of Article 370.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday that the NC stands to get back whatever was lost by the people of J&K on August 5, 2019. But the question is: did the people of J&K lose or gain by the historic decision taken by the country’s Parliament on August 5, 2019?

Did Article 370 actually protect security, infrastructure, tourism, women’s rights, education, healthcare, cultural preservation, and financial inclusion? The fact is it didn’t, and in fact, it opposed any equality of rights between the citizens of the country by keeping the people of J&K exclusively bound to a hollow trunk, away from the national progressive mainstream.

Abrogation of Article 370 ensured progress across all sectors; it helped restore peace, law and order, rule of law, accountability and respect for human life.

Abrogation of the so-called special status ended decades of violence, nepotism, discrimination, and secessionism. The ‘regular and routine’ shutting down of cities and towns vanished.

There were no prolonged school closures while J&K witnessed stability, economic development, and social welfare. Warnings were given, and fear sought to be created by regional political parties like the PDP, which openly said that if Article 370 is abrogated, the Tricolour “would find no shoulder to hoist it”.

The result has been exactly opposite. Holding and hoisting the tricolour has become a matter of pride for the children and youth of Kashmir. The Tricolour flies high and mighty, and there are no hands to pull it down.

J&K has found emotional integration with the rest of the country.

The positive outcome and success of the abrogation lie in seven years of consistent progress, transformation, and the changing mindset of the people.

The benefits cannot be counted on fingertips; they are numerous and exhaustive.

Panchayat Raj, three-tier electoral system, new offbeat tourist destinations, scholarships, conveyance allowances, entrepreneurship, startups, improved infrastructure, women’s empowerment in social, political, and economic affairs, and implementation of Central schemes, direct funding to local self-governments, hope and aspirations looking beyond dynastic rule are not only openly expressed, but publicly feared by the dynasts in J&K now.

Panchayati Raj Institutions such as Panches, Sarpanches, Block Development Councils, and District Development Councils have strengthened grassroots democracy.

The real question to be answered today, seven years after the abrogation of Article 370, is whether any reversal would derail the entire train of hope, progress and the promise of the real ‘Naya Kashmir’?

It requires no knowledge of rocket science to answer this basic question; the reversal would upset everything that is in favour of the people while reinstating the political, economic and social monopoly that has plagued J&K for decades before August 5, 2019. But the truth today, on the seventh anniversary of the Article 370 abrogation, is that people in Jammu and Kashmir are not on the streets, and they have given their verdict.

–IANS

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