It was never thought that restoration of statehood to J&K would evolve into a narrative of the people of this territory versus “ outsiders” as the masses had not anticipated that post-abrogation of Article 370 that scrapped special status and the privileges inherent to them since the times of rule of Maharaja Hari Singh who acceded the state to India and made it an integral part of the country would become an issue for which they would have to agitate on streets .
The fears are widespread that the current status of the Union Territory accorded to J&K, after carving out Ladakh as a separate UT, the announcement of which was made on August 5, 2019, when the Article 370 was abrogated. The process of Ladakh and J&K assuming their functions as UT was completed in October 2019 – to be precise on October 31, 2019.
It is not political slugfest anymore .. It is morphing into a people’s movement , some are saying it through their silence and others have become quite vocal . They don’t want this status for them anymore. They wanted the Centre to restore the statehood earlier than the declaration of Assembly polls . One of the groups based in Jammu has served an ultimatum to the Centre that it should do so within a fortnight if it doesn’t want to see disruptions in Jammu region . Yuva Rajput Sabha , who see Maharaja Hari Singh as the role model of the state and pride of Dogra community , have declared that they don’t want to live in a system in which the “ outsiders” take over their resources , jobs and dilute their ethnic and linguistic identity .
The delay in the announcement of the restoration of statehood to J&K has evoked serious concerns among the people across this territory which was once the most empowered state in the country, because of its special status and the privileges that were conferred to it by ( now revoked) Article 370 The fear that has gripped a majority of population of 13 million in the UT is that if the continuation of the current status would render them as stateless people .
Until recently this demand was heard from the political groups in the Kashmir Valley , especially from National Conference and Apni Party, but now it has become a swan song of the groups in Jammu region , it is more pronounced among the groups that had supported abrogation of Article 370 with distribution of sweets and frenzied dancing in the streets to exhibit their jubilation . Though they were dismayed by the UT status for J&K , but they tended to believe that Centre would honour its promise of restoring statehood sooner tan expected . They had not expected that the promise would stay as it was five years ago.
Now their patience is running out . It is true that Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party led by Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari , born on March 8, 2020 , had listed this on top of its agenda list . While denouncing the scrapping of Article 370 as a grave injustice to the people of J&K and calling August 5, 2019 as a “ black day,” Apni Party chief had made it plain to the Central leadership , including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister that statehood was must for the territory and its people , as there can be no compromise on this issue , which is deeply connected to the people’s sentiments and a reflection of their identity . There were voices that mocked Apni Party for raising a “non-issue “ aa in any case the statehood had to be restored as the Government had made this promise on the floor of the Parliament .
But now it has turned out that the things were not as easy as these were thought to be. What has added to their fears is the recent announcement by the Centre to vest almost all powers of governance to the Lieutenant Governor. This announcement has come ahead of the prospects of the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. A full team of the Election Commission of India is visiting J&K from August 8 and it is understood that all decks have been cleared for the much awaited polls.
The political parties, barring BJP, are fearing that their elected representatives in the Assembly would be powerless as all the powers will be exercised by the LG and bureaucrats. They find that statehood is the only way out to avert such a scenario.
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