The debate over Article 35-A has developed a consensus among Kashmir based mainstream politicians that this Article is a strong link between the union of India and Jammu and Kashmir.
If this Article is revoked it would put the Kashmiri mainstream politicians in a tight spot. This Article has been at place for the past so many decades and it has in no way affected the J&K’s merger with the union of India. People who have challenged the legal validity of the Article 35A, need to bear in mind that J&K is a sensitive state and its status cannot be fiddled with.
Many people are of the opinion that if this Article is scrapped it would help in realizing the dream of India becoming one. Someone needs to ask these people isn’t India still one? Isn’t J&K with or without Article 35-A a part of the country?
This Article has saved J&K from getting over populated during all these years. Kashmir is still considered to be a paradise on earth. Had this Article not been there, J&K by now would have been over crowded like other states of the country.
Everyone is aware about the fact that J&K has been witnessing turmoil for the past 30 years and many permanent residents of Kashmir have migrated to other states. They know it very well that it’s no feasible to do any business in the Valley due to the prevailing circumstances.
Even if the Article 35-A is scrapped no outsider would dare to come to Kashmir and buy property here as no one would like to invest in a place which is conflict ridden. No one knows when the situation would improve in Kashmir. For the past thirty years we have been hearing that normalcy is not that far away but the events have time and again proved that normalcy is still a distant dream.
Kashmir observed a complete shutdown on August 5 and August 6 against the attempts being made to tinker with the Article 35-A. The people didn’t observe the shutdown for Azadi or for Pakistan. They observed the strike to drive home a point that they support the Indian Constitution and don’t want anyone to fiddle with the special status provide to them by the Indian Constitution.
Detractors of Article 35-A need to think logically rather than getting emotional about the issue. The people who are propagating that scrapping this Article would provide a chance to people from other states to settle in Kashmir need to be reminded that Valley is not like other states. It’s a small place which is surrounded by the mountains from all the sides. Here winters are harsh and summer season is short. Who would like to settle in a place where working season is just confined to a few months in a year? If the Article 35-A is scrapped it would hit the people of Jammu directly and within a few years one would have to look for the people from Dogra community. Jammu is close to big cities and is easily accessible for the people of Punjab, Delhi and other states. The scrapping of this Article would pave the way for big shots from other states to buy land and other major properties in the Jammu region. These people would take lot of time to arrive in Kashmir due to its topography and the climatic conditions.
It’s strange that despite the people of Jammu being aware about the consequences they could face they are supporting the moves which are aimed at getting this Article revoked. Mainstream Kashmiri politicians, who despite facing all the odds, have represented New Delhi in J&K would find it very difficult to put their act together if the special privileges enjoyed by the people of J&K are snatched.
India is a big country and issues like Article 35-A can be put on the back burner for the larger interests of the country. People who believe that it’s a prestige issue for them and would help them in winning the forthcoming parliamentary elections need to do their homework properly. Common citizens of the country are least bothered about whether the Article 35-A would remain or go. Most of them are not even aware about what Article 35-A is all about. India is a fast growing country and people are too busy in their own lives. Results of the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls won’t depend upon whether the Article 35-A would go or stay. These will depend upon the performance of the people who have been handling the country.
(The writer is member of JK Youth Alliance)