For some of those born between our Independence and the middle 80’s, the idea of Jammu and Kashmir was it’s beauty and wonderful locales. But the most important aspect that none could understand was, why was the valley, rich in heritage and beauty and history alienated from the rest of our country, when in truth they share their roots with us?
I remember watching the wonderful mesmerizing locales from the movie Roja while listening to the soulful music of A.R. Rehman as the State of Kashmir was so beautifully and aesthetically captured by the maverick director Mani Ratnam. The movie also showed us the dark underbelly of Terrorism and how Kashmir was so caught up in it. It felt like Kashmir was Bharat and not Bharat at the same time. It begged the question, why was Kashmir so different from the rest of the country?
The answer was, how as kids we weren’t taught to understand the Constitution, the meaning of which was so clearly entrenched in it’s wording, that the constitution of India doesn’t apply for the State of Jammu and Kashmir through a provision inserted by a Presidential order, which again was only meant to be temporary. That is where the root cause of all the troubles besieging the state of Jammu and Kashmir lay. I mean if Bharat as a whole is the body, then Kashmir was its head and here we were saying the head was independent to not follow the rest of the body. What was the then PM thinking when he came up with this ludicrous idea only he can tell but the introduction of Article 370 was the grossest injustice that our former PM has done to this country and more importantly the thousands of people of Kashmir, who have lost their lives and thousands more who were displaced.
It took us 70 long years to undo a glaring wrong and a monumental mistake committed by our leaders of the past but finally that day has come and it isn’t a day too soon. For the people of the valley and the Kashmiri Pandits who were brutally killed, raped and booted out of their own homes and the thousands of others, who have lost their lives due to mindless and politically motivated terrorist killings, today is the day, when they have truly been liberated from the yokels of political dynastic tyranny.
As our Home Minister Shri Amit Shah so rightly pointed out during his reply in the Rajya Sabha yesterday on the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill, the people of the valley have been systematically alienated from the rest of the country and have been deprived of the most basic of needs by three dynasties for close to 70 years and it is time they right that wrong. The moment has indeed come for the State of Jammu and Kashmir to fully embrace democracy and be a part of a United India as they embrace the Indian Constitution.
Yes, there will huge uproar and outcry. Just remember, that lament does not come from the people of the valley but from the corrupt and unscrupulous elements of the valley, whose ways have finally been numbered. The attempt to tear up the constitution of India by some members of the PDP is a case in point. Our Home Minister is a crafty man and he is exactly what our country needs. We all know how he has thrived in political adversity and in tandem with Shri Narendra Modi has scripted the rise of BJP throughout the country. But we should also understand that he is as much a brilliant thinker as he is a master political strategist.
Before introducing the bill, he has ensured that peace is not disturbed in the valley by deploying 40000 additional troops to the valley along with cancelling the yearly piligrimages as there was already a terror threat to disrupt the Yatras. He also has put under house arrest the three leaders from the dynasty to ensure that their voice of provocation for their own political gains does not take the lives of innocents of the valley all in the matter of one week. He knows what he is doing and therefore one has to hail his commitment towards finally putting an end to the disastrous and monstrous Article 370. The valley will have peace at last and Pakistan’s attempt to divide the youth of the state has finally been struck a death blow.
Just imagine what the present administration has done in its second stint so far. They have made two big bang legislations that have held back this country for 70 years. While the Triple Talaq Bill will finally address the issue of gender inequality and the rights of a Muslim women, who were for so long subjugated by an archaic practice, thus empowering them to succeed, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act along with the abrogation of the draconian Article 370 will empower the people of the valley. Finally the head is in sync with the rest of the body and now our Bharat can truly march towards our 75th year of Independence with our heads held high and in the race to be the best in the world.
I have been seeing so many people of our country rejoice with joy and happiness after the news of the abrogation of Article 370 reached them. I am one of them and so was my Akka and many others like us. One can’t truly express in words the joy it felt to be a part of this day. We couldn’t wait to call the people we love to tell them the news, just in case they haven’t heard it. And in case they did hear about it, to share in the joy of being part of something so monumental. And finally the true meaning of it all really hit me. Kids in school will no longer need to be confused when it came to our Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Because now they follow the same constitution as the rest of our country and they are now well and truly a part of us. No more special provisions and no more Article 370.
We as a nation never lacked in moral superiority or intellectual authority. But we have been dragged down due to years of infighting, corruption, discrimination and gender inequality. Today is the day we can finally say we are a whole again. There are still some minor and major kinks that need to be worked out, as every great nation does if we are to be the best. Therefore now is the time we need to work together because my dear brothers and sisters there can never be a better time to be a part of history than now and today.
Blessed are we to have seen this day, for remember the sacrifices of our ancestors who dreamt of this very day, when Bharat is whole again. Jai Hind.
