Mil gayi azaadi! SC decision on Article 370 bulldozes the aspirations of prominent Kashmir-based political parties, Modi government was right on 370: SC

Mil gayi azaadi!  SC decision on Article 370 bulldozes the aspirations of prominent Kashmir-based political parties, Modi government was right on 370: SC

SALIL RAINA

(POONCH TODAY NEWS)

POONCH: “Ham kya chahte hai azaadi,” “Lee kee rahenge azaadi,” “Indian forces go back,” and likewise anti-national slogans, including glorifying terrorists by all, remained very active in the Kashmir valley for years, thanks to the brazen misuse of Article 370 and hidden support of the major Kashmir-based political parties to almost dead Hurriyat forces, which were working on directions from the enemy nation to disturb peace in J&K.

But now, that is history, as the August 5, 2019 decision of the Union government to abrogate Article 370 was right, as said by the Supreme Court. In a historic judgment, the Hon’ble Supreme Court said the other day that Article 370 was a temporary provision and the government of India took the right decision to abrogate it. SC categorically said that J&K does not retain any element of sovereignty after the instrument of accession was signed. In a long historic judgment, SC brought into the public domain each and every aspect of the case and said that the claims of the petitioner were not right. The complete detail of the case shows that Kashmir-based political parties befooled the entire nation for decades, but it’s shocking that no government at the centre mustered the guts to expose the false claims of Kashmiri leaders, which might be under an appeasement policy. However, giving a big relief to the people of J&K, SC, the Union government directed the government to hold fresh assembly elections by September 2024 in addition to restoring statehood. This decision is seen as a victory for the nationalist forces across the spectrum and for the Modi government. However, after this decision, PDP supreme Mehbooba Mufti and NC vice president Omar Abdullah were seen as completely upset, as they both tried to play an emotional card to rake in the sentiments of the people of the valley, but to their utter surprise, nobody was ready to take them seriously. Omar, while speaking to a news channel in favour of Article 370, said that the rigging of elections in 1987 was the sole reason for terrorism in the valley and not Article 370, and his statement has created a big controversy in the valley. It is important to mention here that before the abrogation of Article 370, when the erstwhile state of J&K had popular governments, no solid efforts were made to eliminate the signs of separatism and terrorism as there was close proximity of valley-based parties with Hurriyat forces. Major political parties in the valley were seen time and again advocating talks with Pakistan, and this led to an assumption in the minds of the people that these parties seemed to be working on the directions of Pakistani stooges in the valley. Due to Article 370, separatist forces remained powerful and were treated like VIPs by successive governments at the center, but the Modi government at the center showed them their true and much more deserving place. Due to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the valley, Kashmiri pandits were looted, raped, murdered, and thrown out of the valley, but at that time, Kashmir-based political leaders remained silent and internally supported the agenda of separatist forces and Pakistan. These political parties misused terrorism for their political interests, but successive governments at the centre failed to understand their game plan, and as a result, the centre remained dancing to the tunes of the prominent valley-based leadership. Stone-pelting on the security forces and anti-national slogans remained a regular routine in Kashmir, but at that time, no efforts were made by any state government to curb the anti-national voices in the valley. Article 370 gave full freedom to anti-national sentiments in the valley, but state governments mostly led by Kashmir-based parties never thought of curbing the anti-national sentiments because all the major political parties in J&K reported having internal relations with the Hurriyat forces, and this fact was proved time and again. When the late Mufti Mohd Sayeed became Chief Minister for the second time, he, in the presence of PM Modi, during an oath-taking ceremony, thanked Pakistan for the peaceful conduct of assembly elections in J&K, and that very statement shook the entire nation that the former CM gave importance to Pakistan for peace during assembly elections and that it had shown the ideology of valley-based parties. Due to Article 370, a strong anti-national ecosystem was working in J&K, and it was very difficult for the Union government to break it. Even separatist forces tried their best to spread their tentacles in the Rajouri-Poonch and Chenab valley regions, and to some extent, they remained successful as these two sensitive regions known for peace and communal harmony also faced the brunt of militancy and separatist sentiments during crucial hours. After the hectic efforts of the J&K police and army, terrorism was wiped out in these two regions. However, with the remarkable performance of the union government, J&K has started witnessing an era of peace because Article 370, which acted like fuel for separatist sentiments, is buried now. However, the concern of people in J&K related to land and job rights is genuine, and the union government needs to protect these two rights, according to prominent intellectuals. On the one hand, the nationalist forces have welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court, but on the other hand, this decision has given a big setback to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and NC vice president Omar Abdullah, as political observers believe that it will be very difficult for them to find their lost political glory again. There is a famous universal law that is taught in religious books that says, “As you sow, so shall you reap,” and going by this, those forces that blackmailed New Delhi for decades and for their anti-national acts due to the presence of temporary Article 370 at their back are now facing the result of their old deeds. Even the traditional self-styled champions of human rights in J&K and candlelight gangs, which always supported anti-nationals by working against the national interest, have shut down their shops, sensing trouble ahead. The people of J&K in large have accepted the decision as they want to join the developmental era, which was denied to them for decades due to separatist sentiments and the cheap political games of valley-based prominent leaders. A Kashmiri pandit of Jammu city, while talking to “POONCH TODAY” on the decision of SC, in a lighter vein, said, “Loo ji, Mil gyi azaadi.”