In losing the 'Special Status' J&K has gained hope, peace and future

On this day in 1931, Jammu and Kashmir had witnessed barbarism and atrocities but today, as a union territory, the face of the Valley is slowly and definitely changing.

Those who have a sense of history may recall it is as a black day today for the minorities of Jammu and Kashmir. It was on this day, July 13, that way back in 1931, radical Islamists attacked Hindu traders of Maharajganj in Srinagar and raided Hindu shops from Bohri Kadal to Ali Kadal . It was on this day that Vicharnag - situated just five miles from Srinagar-witnessed barbarism and rapes of Kashmiri Pandit women.

The good news, however, is that no such barbarism reigns in the region today. It is a much better place for the minorities to live in. On August 5, 2019, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government at the Centre abrogated Article 370 of the Indian Constitution-a provision that had given 'special status' to the then state of Jammu and Kashmir and which was used by the successive governments in the region to benefit the few elites at the cost of the masses, especially minorities. His government declared Jammu and Kashmir to be a union territory of India. This has proved to be a boon for the people of the region.

Observers say the government fund for development of the region no longer goes astray as it used to when the territory had a 'Special Status.' The Centre has launched multiple initiatives for the development of the entire . All its schemes are being rapidly implemented. In a recent address, Prime Minister Modi said, "Be it democracy or development, today Jammu and Kashmir, is setting a new example. New dimensions of development have been created in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two-three years."

Recently, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone of Ratle and Kwar hydroelectric projects. The 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project is to be constructed on Chenab river in Kishtwar District. The 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric Project will also be built on the same river.

The observers assert the development of the region is increasingly being visible. Its rural landscape is changing fast. In April this year, nondescript Palli in Jammu and Kashmir's border district of Samba emerged as the first "carbon neutral panchayat." Prime Minister Modi himself went over there and inaugurated a 500 KV solar plant. In all 1,500 solar panels would now provide clean electricity to 340 houses in the model panchayat under the central government's Gram Urja Swaraj' programme. The government has given the villagers solar Chulhas' (stoves).

Such development in the region is all-inclusive. The Jammu and Kashmir population, according to the census 2011, stands at 1.25 crore. Out of that, around 85 lakh (68.31%) are followers of Islam, 36 lakh (28.44%) of Hinduism, 2.34 lakh (1.87%) of Sikhism and 1.12 lakh (0.90%) of Buddhism. Genuine development does not discriminate against any section of the population anywhere. All-inclusive development is sure to be beneficial especially to those sections of the population which had previously been subject to all kinds of caste and racial discrimination.

(Jagdish N. Singh is a senior journalist based in New Delhi. He is also Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Gatestone Institute, New York)

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