It has been a year of expectations as the National Conference (NC) completes its first year in office in J&K. The region has endured immense suffering, particularly after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which stripped the state of its special status. This decision marked a significant turning point, as the months and years following saw a series of new laws and policies that further disempowered the people of Jammu and Kashmir, leaving them disillusioned and disenfranchised.
As the BJP led central government pushed forward with these drastic measures, the people of J&K looked for change. They voted with the hope of punishing the BJP for its actions and bringing in a government that would restore dignity and safeguard their rights.
However, one year into NC’s tenure, the ground reality is far from what was expected. Despite the rhetoric of change and justice during the election campaign, the decisions perceived as anti people and abnormal have not only persisted but have been normalized. The silence of the government on crucial political issues is troubling, as key promises remain unaddressed.
Since the abrogation of Article 370, speaking publicly on political issues has been criminalized, and the present government has silently endorsed this diktat by following it without resistance. The BJP’s effort to reduce the Kashmir issue including the question of Article 370 to a mere narrative of statehood is being pursued vigorously by the NC. The mere mention of Article 370, let alone its restoration, continues to remain a taboo for the present government.
The issue of political prisoners, the banning of parties, the seizing of properties (even those of the deceased), and the dismissal of employees without due process continue to remain off limits. These issues, once central to the NC’s election campaign, have been completely sidelined. One of the most distressing issues has been the dispossession of land from poor families who have lived on it for decades. The threat of bulldozers looms large, with many fearing eviction without proper compensation or relocation.
Playgrounds, often the only accessible spaces where the youth can engage in recreational and sporting activities are increasingly being taken over under various pretexts, depriving communities of vital public spaces and further alienating the younger generation.
Even hotel leases are being violated without any resistance from the government, paving the way for takeovers by large corporate houses from outside Kashmir .
Rather than challenging these actions, the present government has allowed them to be normalized through its silence. Policies that many in the Valley see as demographic engineering have gone unchallenged.
In the past year of popular governance, little has changed on the ground. The government’s passive acceptance of policies it once criticized has led to a loss of trust among the people. The NC has seemingly surrendered to the status quo, with no strong stand taken on issues that were central to its election platform and has failed miserably to step in to defend its people or protect their rights.
Even on governance related promises, the government has failed to deliver. The promises made during the election campaign that were supposed to bring relief to the people such as providing 200 units of free power, free gas cylinders, enhanced social welfare, 10 kg of free ration, regularisation of daily wagers, rationalisation of the reservation policy, and one lakh government jobs have not seen even a start in that direction.
Governance and welfare are not contingent on the restoration of statehood. A start could have easily been made in the direction of fulfilling these commitments, provided the government had the sincerity to do so.
Jammu & Kashmir is facing unprecedented challenges, and silence from the government is not an option. In a region where politics and identity are inseparable, the failure to defend the rights of the people is deeply concerning. A popular government should be markedly different from Governor’s Rule, but unfortunately, the current NC government appears indistinguishable from the latter.
“We are not going to join the NDA… but we have to work with the government at the Centre for the interests of Jammu and Kashmir. It’s about being practical, cooperating on development and statehood without compromising our core principles. We’ve seen how other states navigate this: some fight every step (like in Bengal), others find a working relationship (like in Odisha). We’ll chart our own path, but it won’t be blind opposition or blind loyalty.”
These were the words of Omar Abdullah immediately after he assumed office as Chief Minister. But first of all, with the NC winning 42 Assembly segments and its tally crossing 50 along with its allies, where was the need to align with the BJP?
Secondly, while mentioning the Mamata Banerjee and Naveen Patnaik models, it is obvious which model he ultimately chose. He completely ignored the Arvind Kejriwal model, who, as the CM of Delhi, brought about a mind boggling transformation in governance with LG breathing down his neck all the time. He provided free power and water, a turnaround in education and healthcare, and so many other initiatives that today, Delhiites are regretting having voted him out. Using the absence of statehood as an excuse for every failure is, frankly, deceiving the people.
Speaking up for the people, challenging unjust policies, and defending the rights of citizens does not equate to confrontation. It is a moral and political responsibility. If the government does not start honouring the aspirations of the people, it will have disastrous consequences for the future of Jammu and Kashmir.
The people did not vote for silence or submission. They voted for a government that would stand for their rights, defend their identity, and challenge injustice.
If the NC government continues to normalize the very actions it once opposed, it will fail to meet the expectations of the people ultimately leading to further alienation and disillusionment. Pragmatism should not become an excuse for passivity, and cordiality with the central government should not justify capitulation. The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve better.
Mehbooba Mufti, Former Chief Minister of J&K
