Historical Move: Scrapping of Article 370

Historical Move: Scrapping   of   Article   370

~   By   Ana   S.   Thomas

For   almost   the   past   two   days   now,   we ’ ve been talking at length   about Kashmir everywhere.  

Starting   from   the   newspaper   headlines,   to   classroom   discussions,   people   talking   about   it   on  

the   metro   or   at   home   and   even   the   rampant   sharing   of   memes;   yes ,   we ’ ve   been   talking   about  

it,   but   I’m   not   sure   if   the   gravity   of   it,   has   hit   us   all.   The   thing   being,   that   as   simple   as   it   may  

seem   to   a   lot   of   us   on   paper,   this   one   single   decision   is   going   to   change   the   lives   of   real,   living,  

breathing   humans,   from   all   sections   of   society ,   overnight.

Being   the   sensitive   issue   that   it   is,   we   all   need   to   look   at   this   matter   from   various   different  

perspectives,   before   we   can ,   if   at   all,   draw   any   conclusions .   The   government   had   announced  

yesterday ,   on   5th   August   2019   that   Article   370   will   now   be   abrogated,   implying   that   Jammu  

and Kashmir will no longer have certain special provisions applicable to it.   The state has   now  

been   lowered   to   the   status   of   a   Union   Territory   and has subsequently been   bifurcated   into   two  

Union   Territories,   first   being   Jammu   and   Kashmir   and   the   second   being   Ladakh .   While   this  

move   has   raised   a   huge   debate,   a   point   to   be   noted,   is   that   the   passing   of   legislation   as   far-

reaching   as   dismembering   a   State   without   prior   consultation ,   has   made   people   question   the  

very   idea   of   the   democracy   that   we   live   in   today.  

Now   while   this   move   has   been   sudden ,   the   government   has   tried   to   reassure   everyone   that   it  

has   been   planned   carefully   with   an   aim   to   ensure   further   development   in   these   regions.  

Economically   speaking ,   this   move   might   have   certain   positive   impacts,   such   as   by   allowing  

Indians   to   be   able   to   buy   land   in   this   area,   is   likely   to   help   combat   problems   of   unemployment  

&   poverty   and   ensure   greater   economic   growth   and   development   in   the   future.   But   in   the  

backdrop   of   Emergency-like   conditions   being   imposed   on   this   region,   internet   &  

communication   blackouts,   calling   off   the   Amarnath   Yatra,   imposition   of   the   Governor ’s   rule,  

calling   in   a   massive   number   of   troops   and   the   house-arrest   of   major   political   party   leaders;   this  

decision   is   likely   to   be   taken   cynically .   Yes,   granted   that   Article   370   and   the   special   status   that  

it   bestowed   upon   Jammu   and   Kashmir   had   to   be   brought   to   an   end   someday ,   but   this   could  

have   been   done   even   by   including   the   people,   who ’s   lives   are   going   to   be   affected,   for   the   very  

least,   considering   the   democratic   setup   within   which   we   function.   The   thing   is,   Jammu   and  

Kashmir   as   a   state   with   its   Muslim   majority,   stands   out   as   a   spectacle   of   secularism ,   in   a   nation  

which   is   predominantly   Hindu .   Divisive   politics,   has   and   will   always   continue   to   be   a   threat,   not  

only   for   this   region,   but   also   for   our   country   as   a   whole .   While   the   integration   of   Jammu   and  

Kashmir   with   India ,   may   be   one   way   to   look   at   this   issue,   the   outcome   of   such   a   decision   may  

signal   drastic   impending   consequences .   Let   us   hope,   that   through   it   all,   we   may   move   towards  

the   nation,   that   our   forefathers   dreamed   of!