By
Mriganka M Bhowmick
In the backdrop of heinous terrorist
attack killing 41 CRPF Jawans in Pulwama, the focus of entire nation has come
back to Kashmir. The anger of India has propelled a war like sentiment against
Pakistan. Multiple reactive measures by India have been taken out like withdrawing
security of separatist leaders, taking back Most Favoured Nation (MFN) Status
of Pakistan apart from creating international pressure on Pakistan. Since the
attack was in a nature of its worst kind, the public anger displayed by voicing
the sentiment to cut off all ties with Pakistan including cultural, sports and
social along with an urge to give strong be-fitting reply to Pakistan which is
not-less-than a military revenge. But this kind of sentiments and government
actions are not new.
While talking about Kashmir issue, one
should understand that India should resolve the issues of poor and common
people of Kashmir. Kashmir is essentially a people’s issue. Therefore,
resolving that through fragmented political dialogues by engaging feudal state
leaderships, separatists or Pakistan cannot yield intended outcome. Each one of
these groups has its own vested interests running from power to financial
benefits to geo-political supremacy and common citizens are kept at bay with
their precarious condition. The general public of Kashmir is altogether a
separate constituency than these three segments, but no one is talking to them
directly. India needs to start a dialogue with them. The poor and commoners of
Kashmir are most affected segments in Kashmir’s unrest, but they have hardly
any option express to their anguish and future. Kashmir is all about the future
of its people and one needs to address that.
Kashmir always remains a prisoner of
past. The politics of convenience & vested interests can be played very well
about past as past cannot be changed. The arguments and counter arguments
remain unproductive to resolve the problem of Kashmir as it revolves around the
vicious past cycle with no exit route as there is no future goal for welfare of
its people. It is time to review objectively about the Kashmir’s past and plan
an elaborate future of its people.
“Jammu & Kashmir is an integral
part of India”- This has been solemnly declared not only in First Schedule of
Constitution of India but also in The Constitution of Jammu & Kashmir, 1957
which has been drafted by J & K Assembly and enacted by them on 26th
January, 1957. The territory status thus described in both the constitutions
cannot be superseded by any other mechanism.
Article 370 is perceived as an umbilical
cord which defines the relationship of Kashmir with India. But Article 370 is
itself a child of circumstances which took birth due to “Instrument of
Accession” signed between Maharaja Hari Singh and Union of India. As Maharaja
Hari Singh wanted to have autonomy and sovereign right over his erstwhile ruled
territory, so he crafted the instrument based on his suitability though he
failed to retain his monarchy. As specified in” Instrument of Accession” except
for defence, foreign affairs and communication, all others laws passed by
Indian Parliament need to be passed by the state government before they are
made applicable in the state of J & K. This has also become part of the
Article 370.
Needless to say, it has limited
India’s power to unleash its full potential to act on public welfare for J
& K State. It is noteworthy to mention that “Instrument of Accession” thus
created by the King was focused to create power political fiefdom over the
state but was not taking into account the larger cause that is the welfare of
its people. It is surprising to see that the choice & preference of a
monarch abdicated long back are still deciding the fate of Kashmiris and India
is feeling helpless to integrate Kashmir with its economic well-beings. So the
economic depression looms large in the valley.
Empowered with Instrument of Accession
and safeguarded by Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir State is maintaining a
standalone status to have it own constitution enacted in 1957 and amended few
times thereafter. Evidently the state is governed by its constitution and all
the powers are reposed to the State Government barring few as mentioned in
Article 370. Today it is pertinent to ask why the state’s multiple governments
failed to bring development Kashmir albeit enjoying huge power. The misfortune
of Kashmir is that its politics is not public welfare oriented rather jingoism
to promote its independent stature has become its only political narrative.
Kashmir needs to think beyond its
history of accession and need to embrace it future. Economy being a corner stone
of well-being of its people would be its key concern and people should make
political leaderships accountable for that. The increasing fiscal deficit and
dependency of central support are lead indicators of the fact that state’s
focus on capital expenditure and revenue generation are not in right track.
Lack of basic social amenities and healthcare facilities are creating huge pain
for its people.
The property rights for permanent
resident and job reservation may sound good but these have transformed into a
bottleneck for industrialization and economic growth of the state. Government
jobs are not enough to absorb its unemployed youth and at the same time private
job creation is almost negligible. Private Capital, resources and new
technology should enter into Kashmir at fast pace and usher the new fortune for
Kashmir.
Conducive business environment with
protection for industry needs to be ensured. There is an urgent need for the
state to acquire land to set up industrial parks and also to ensure uninterrupted
power supply to industry. Ease of Doing Business is a key concern for J & K
State due to its cumbersome policy to give licenses and approvals which have
been marred with non-transparency and corruption. The entrepreneurs in Kashmir
are facing hard time due to shortage of working capital as financial
institutions are taking their hands off for the ground situation and loss of
man hours due to political unrest. J& K Industrial Policy 2016 promulgated
that it would try to get RS 2000 Crore investments year after year with a focus
to create 15000-20000 additional new jobs. Who is accountable for that?
When political bosses from both centre
and state will constitute an All Party Committee to revive economic health of
Kashmir or they think that committee needs only to make the past straight?
Kashmir needs economy interlocutor not political interlocutor. Centre and the state need to take multiple
strong measures for that. Let Kashmir be rich & affluent. (IPA Service)
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