Among other positive changes, the abrogation of Article 370 has led to a drop in terror in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), say former top cops who served in the region and played a key role in the process. Experts added that the elections will bring in more positive developments in the Union Territory. The officers said that the youth is more vocal like now and acceptance of other cultures of India is no more a taboo.
Then President Ram Nath Kovind on August 5, 2019, declared abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. This meant the separate Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir ceased to be in operation and the Central government got the power to redraw the map of the erstwhile state, which thereafter became a Union Territory (UT). The Governor of Jammu and Kashmir became Lieutenant Governor.
‘NEUTRALISED TERROR ECOSYSTEM’
News18 Spoke to AP Maheshwari, who was the Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), when the government abrogated Article 370. Later, in January 2020, he was appointed as the Director-General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). “Besides controlling cross border intrusions, authorities have gone a long way in neutralising the terror ecosystem as well as containing the terror funding and their local networking. As an observer now, I can say that various schemes of the government have not only mitigated the varied forms of radicalization, but also created a collective space for social as well as cultural assimilation," Maheshwari said.
He also said that local governance has seen a massive change. “Democratic decentralisation, including empowerment of marginalised segments at the grass root level, is the key to success. We have made substantive progress given the historical haze, and it is a constant process. Tourism has also witnessed a multiplier effect as people feel safer now," he said.
‘30,000 new young leaders’
Another officer, who saw terror in Kashmir closely and handled the top cop post in J&K, SP Vaid said that after the abrogation, the government has choked terror by investigation of cases against terrorists, sympathisers, separatists by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Jammu and Kashmir State Investigation Agency (SIA) and J&K Police and other central agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), etc. “Identifying terror sympathisers in the government, academia and their removal from public-funded government service and choking terror funding channels helped," the officer said.
Vaid also told News18, “Socially, people who were scared of talking freely about the positivity of Bharat and democracy are openly coming out in favour of their nation. Youth is more vocal. The acceptance of other cultures of India is no more a taboo for young girls /boys," said the officer, who served in J&K for a long period.
Vaid said the local government and Panchayat Raj system generated 30,000 new young leaders with funds flowing from Delhi directly. “There is renewed vigour in their three-tier Panchayat leadership and meaningful contribution," he said, adding, “Most of the central laws and schemes are in operation in J&K, particularly after imposing direct central rule. But early assembly elections will bring in total democracy and involvement of people at all levels. Rule by bureaucracy has its pitfalls," the former top cop said.
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