Article 370 is gone, now it’s time to fight the good fight — for rights of Kashmiris as fellow Indians and restoration of commerce & political activity in J&K.
The judiciary has become cocooned while being the supreme force for transparency elsewhere. The complainant against CJI Gogoi has laid bare this hypocrisy.
PAF had outranged and outgunned India’s best, and it’s only because of IAF’s training, awareness and some luck that Pakistan’s 27 February mission failed.
Pakistan and the world will have to keep the redefined red lines in mind. But India can’t be complacent, because Pakistan’s compulsive bad habits return.
Narendra Modi has been wise not to let Pakistan and Pulwama ruin ties with Saudi Arabia. And he's only pursuing a Manmohan Singh initiative energetically.
Priyanka's choice of political challenge & timing underline an audacity rare among risk-averse dynasties. But that won't be enough to revive Congress in eastern UP.
Seeing Hampi might also persuade you to accept the idea of involving good corporates to preserve heritage differently.
The New York Times tells the world...
Recommendations appear in Niti Aayog’s Tax Policy Working Paper Series–II. It says there is a need to shift away from fear-based enforcement to trust-based governance.
In service with the British military since 2019, it is also known as the Martlet missile. Ukrainians have also deployed these missiles against Russian troops.
Education, reservations, govt jobs are meant to bring equality and dignity. That we are a long way from that is evident in the shoe thrown at the CJI and the suicide of Haryana IPS officer. The film Homebound has a lesson too.
Dear Shekhar Gupta, the writer,
Thanks for dropping your article in my email box.
1. In the article, you have mixed right-wing and left-wing views prevalent in Pakistan to offer a hodgepodge for your readers and this mix must confuse them about the approach of Pakistanis towards India and the part of Kashmir lying with India. I was expecting a better analysis than the piece you have produced.
2. Your opinion piece is based on the assumption that the prevalent state of curfew-based silence would continue for ever.
3. Not lifting curfew even after 40 days means much, at least that the Indian government is under stress, as the curfew cannot continue for an indefinite period of time. A reaction is supposed to come from inside the curfew-afflicted area. With each passing day, the case of India on Kashmir is getting weaker internationally at the cost of Pakistan’s.
4. It is quite premature on your part to claim (if not brag about) that Indian PM Modi has finished Pakistan’s unfinished business of Partition. The claim will be evaluated after the curfew is lifted.
QUOTE:
For India, it was the insincere subterfuge of a moral, political and constitutional commitment to Kashmiri autonomy and special status. None of our 13 prime ministers believed this. Not even Jawaharlal Nehru.
UNQUOTE
This is where I must differ with the writer. In my opinion, this was not insincere in the beginning.. It was a reasonably sincere intention to keep Kashmir (and the other special areas) somewhat autonomous as they slowly merge with India. But as time passed, it became increasingly clear that the Kashmiri Muslims were going to remain extremely intransigent about merger, and a substantial portion would remain actively and violently hostile.
I think it now becomes obvious – the root causes of abrogation don’t lie in history. They lie in the present, this chaotic, violent maelstrom that Kashmir has become. And that is also the reason why the autonomy articles for other special regions haven’t been abrogated – there is no active insurgency there!
Best thing about this decision to abrogate 370 was the timing. India’s rise in global stature coupled with Pakistan’s economic woes, FATF conundrum played a part.
As for lockdown in J&K or specifically Kashmir, ain’t something new. People in the valley who remained silent when jihadis were literaly working in the open doing terrorist acts, throwing Kashmiri Pandits out from their homeland are now screaming out loud showing thr hypocrisy.
No matter who says what, in whichever media or country, India shudn’t get bothered. These are the same hypocrites who looked the other way whenever India got affected by pakistani terrorism but cry out loud when 9/11 or similar terror attacks happen emanating from the same source.
It took 70 years for a wrong to be corrected. Even if it takes another 70 to get things normal, NOT AN ISSUE.
What’s important is, What was India’s will remain with India. No one can change or alter it!!!!!
Certainly the Modi haters can’t have monopoly on SC.
Guess it is that same crowd that saw Tiranga on the moon surface when the lander was 2 Km away from the moon. Article 370 is already gone indeed!!!!
Boss, that is called aspiration, sincere feelings towards success by whole of India.If whole of India is crowd so be it. You will never be able to appreciate. So keep blabbering.
I have always appreciated mr.gupta’s clarity of thought
Very well written article
It is difficult to argue with Shekhar Gupta, but my simple take is – – and time will prove me right – – that, with this Kashmir move Narendra Modi has pretty much finished his and his Gujarat buddy Amit Shah’s strangulating rule, which will eventually lead to the cutting-to-size of the BJP and the RSS.
Presently the world body is not reacting to the act of hypnotism, of suddenly converting a bilateral issue into a unilateral issue by India, BECAUSE no body sympathizes with Pakistan. By and by, in fact it has already started happening, the same world body will come out of the spell and realize that the aggrieved party, to whom an injustice has been done, IS NOT PAKISTAN but the INNOCENT PEOPLE OF KASHMIR!!
Ram Gupta ji, does the above sound reasonable? Well, you can guess the line of argument from hereon. The world body will start asking questions to Narendra Modi lead India, and the PM and his HM will find it difficult to give satisfactory answers. That’s what I meant. This will give rise to RIDICULE against the two top leaders of India which, in turn, will lead to weakening of their grip, and eventual fading away.
That’s a naive comment. I live in the west and I am not being bombarded by Indian media and I am not in a Modi trance. The Kashmiri Valley people are no worse off – they need to take a deep breath and once things are calmer, build a better peaceful life for themselves. No country in the world will tolerate what has been happening in Kashmir. Indians should be firm and proud but be kind and fair in the process.
Thank you for providing at least one sane comment. hope you are right.
Mr Shekhar Gupta, please don’t try to show rosy picture about Kashmiri’s post 370. The way 370 has gone and kashmir is reeling under unending military and law enforcement siege for almost a month curtailing many fundamental rights of civilian population, you expect the Govt. will effectively work Kashmiri’s rights with this type of start…?
What is Kashmiri “right”? Driving Pandits out of valley – ethnic cleansing? This “Hitleronic” mindset/ people need tp be punished and crushed if so required.
woa woa woa – I have met pandits who live on in Kashmir and I have met muslims who were forced out of kashmit because militants burnt their houses… the rights of kashmiris is same as that of other indians – to live in peace with dignity and freedom . Baba is right – at the moment that does not exist in kashmir.
As now Kashmir is same as other states, should we do NRC, to eleminate all non indians (read terrorist) 🙂
Let us not prematurely gloat over something whose effects we still don’t understand and might take years to unravel , Kashmir is still in lockdown most of it voluntarily .At this point it’s too early to say that unilaterally deciding the future of 7 million people without any consultation ,forcibly locking them up and decimating all mainstream and non mainstream leadership and is going to produce “patriotic ” citizens and “solve” the issue is too simplistic . The first few years of the Iraq war US won some spectacular victories ,look where we are a decade and half later …
Imran Khan can go to Muzafarabad in POK today and address 70,000 Kashmir’s…Can Modi go to Srinagar today and address even 700 Kashmiris..?….if he does Kashmiris will tear him apart…………. Still author think Pakistan is no longer the main stakeholder in Kashmir !!!!
Changez K: Why don’t you change your name? Aren’t you ashamed of it – one of the cruelest butchers in history of man-kind? In POK you guys have exterminated Hindus/ Sikhs and your mindset people have done similar exercise in Kashmir valley in India. Shame on you.
Sir,
Pakistan seems to have given up hope at least for next couple of years and might come back with same old tactics of inciting people. Actually Pakistan has lost credibility nobody wants to buy or sell its political goods in international political market and it itself is responsible for making country Wahabi islamist.
Anyway
My following couplets are for all ZIA, MUSHARRAF, MODI or whoever are tyrranical:
TERI QUWWAT FIZAAON MEIN, YEH MEINE MAANA E ZAALIM,
DARR MERI SADAAON MEIN, YEH MEINE MAANA E ZAALIM,
WAQT KO PHIR BADALNE MEIN KOI ARSAA NAHIN LAGTA,
ASAR HAI PHIR DUAAON MEIN YEH TU MAANEGA E ZAALIM.
If you are a parent, you may appreciate what I am about to write. Toddlers, usually around the age of two, exhibit a kind of defiant behavior, saying “no” to everything, throwing themselves face down on the ground, and put on a biggest, loudest, and most spectator-attracting temper tantrums. Witnessing temper tantrum in full swing isn’t pleasant, but the less invested and upset you get, the quicker the storm will pass. The more attention the child gets for its bad behavior, the more it becomes a never-ending game. Most times, this developmental phase goes away with age, but some never grew out of it.
Watching the frustrated reactions and angry responses of the Indian media and its liberal intellectuals to the abrogation of the discriminatory article, is akin to witnessing a case of terrible twos. It’s funny and sad at the same time to see them vent their ‘righteous’ rage and ‘virtuous’ fury that are inspired and faithfully modeled along the same lines of foreign media and its think tanks, like BBC, The New York Times, Al Jazeera and so on.
Now that the rest of the world has come to terms with the Indian government decision and quickly made peace with it, no doubt the Shekar Guptas of the media are suddenly finding their sane voice again. They now tell us, hey! it’s OK, there is nothing to worry and there is really no harm done here. What they don’t understand is that the people are much wiser and have a better sense of the ground situation. Like a bored parent, they didn’t engage with the toddler media’s antics, but let the media drama queens put on a self-centered neurotic show. Having come to the realization that its tantrums are not going to eke out an emotional response from the people, media is back to being a good kid.
For Godsakes! Will the Indian media ever grow up? With the rise of the Citizen Journalists and Social media, the Western media has lost all its legitimacy and Trust among its own people, a long time back. Indian media don’t have to be mere extensions of Western thought and ape its disastrous path.
PS: Sorry Shekar, your write-up is about a month too late!
Kashmir is part of India. It should not be treated any differently than any other state or union territory. So Kashmiris should have the same rights and responsibilities of every other Indian. All efforts should be made to revive the economy of Kashmir. That would not only help the population of Kashmir but will also benefit the entire country. Kashmir should draw strength from being a part of India, just like any other state. Likewise India should also draw strength from Kashmir just like it does from the other states under our federal structure..
The author tends to paintpessimistic picture of the situation.
Our expectation that every move should be correct.is uncharitable. The best we should expect is that the residents are able to live in the new dispensation in the same manner as other Indians.
Everybody says 370 is gone. Sir it is only modified removing certain meaningless articles.
The article should have mentioned mention our next project as getting back POK into J& K. Obviously the writer was under pressure not to cross his tabloid’s sworn policies.
Pak must stop bragging once and for all as their state is in pathetic condition economically. Let them not forget that their citizens are more valuable than those terrorists hired by them and harboured by them..
Shekharji has his finger on the keypad, not the button. He does not have the executive authority to create safe conditions for the return of the KPs to their homeland. Nothing has prevented that from happening during the last five years. Difficult to make the case that Article 370 stood in the way. Anyway, now that it is gone, let us see how things unfold.
The most important piece in this jigsaw puzzle are the people of Kashmir. 2. Pakistan has tried everything in its armoury and failed to wrest Kashmir. It can continue to hurt India through acts of terror, although it will have to account for a more savage response, as Balakot showed. 3. For what little it was worth in practical terms, Article 370 gave the people of Kashmir a special sense of identity. By removing that privilege so peremptorily, they have been given an additional grievance. Difficult to understand is the need to convert the state into a union territory. Whatevet else it does, it will not endear us to them. If this decision can be reversed, that would reduce the feeling of pain and resentment. 4. What India will gain from these constitutional changes – as opposed to the ruling party’s political sense of fulfilment of an old dream – would require anothet National Interest column. However, as of now, the people of Kashmir are unlikely to benefit in economic or material terms. No one is going to invest large sums of money in the Valley. The proposal to allow ” outsiders ” to buy land and settle in Kashmir is being opposed by the local unit of the ruling party itself. As a UT, J & K should qualify for fiscal largesse that a stretched Centre canmot provide. 5. The politics of Kashmir will remain troubled. All the mainstream politicians who acted as a bridge have been discarded. The new Panchas will be looked down upon as quislings. There is a vacuum, which could be filled by the wrong sort of people. The suffering to which ordinary Kashmiris have been subjected since 5th August will deepen their sense of angst. 6. The legality of these moves is in challenge before the apex court. Should it return an adverse verdict, that would be an extraordinary situation.
There is no legal case for courts to intervene, this is not changing the basic structure of the constitution, the way the courts constituted the bench and date of hearing …one should get the sense how much courts can interfere in the matters of parliament’s powers
There is a strong legal opinion that there is a strong case for the court to consider! There are legal experts who say the changes mad by Modi govt are unconstitutional. Any change has to be legal. Read here what one such opinion says, “While the Constitution explicitly provides for expansion, “such other territories as may be acquired”, there is no provision for Parliament to reduce the territory of India. Yet that is precisely what the Constitution Order 2019 has done. This in itself is a sufficient ground for it to be struck down by the Supreme Court.”
You picked a line from Haseeb Andrabu’s opinion piece from IE. And how exactly has the territory been reduced? If u r referring to the same opinion piece where he argues about India’s claim on PoK being lost post abrogation of 370, it is a stupid argument.
J&K state has become J&K UT.
PoK was part of J&K State & remains part of J&K UT. So the Indian claim on PoK remains. where exactly is the territory reduced?
It is in the jihadi minds of those Kashmiris who want to continue playing this two sided game, portraying themselves as sufferers, victims. won’t help.
Constitutionaly, there is nothing wrong in the decision. The only thing which the court may have an issue with will be the rights and FoS, FoE etc. for which govt will get a lil bit of flak but court is unlikely to supercede the parliament.
Item No. 3 above is important. Even the US state dept. has insisted that the statehood to J&K should be restored, and elections be held as promised. Elsewhere in India people have died fighting fort the statehood for their region. Pakistan may not matter much. It is the people in the Valley the government has to win over.
“It is the people in the Valley the government has to win over”. These people of the valley consider themselves like proverbial “Jamaairajas”! Why these people want special “rights”? Why rest of the Indian populace keep on funding them while majority of those Indians are in poorer conditions? Do they have any remorse over forcing the Pandits out of the valley? It establishment of Islamic state in Kashmir – which is being supported in disguised as “Kashmiri right”.
Mr. Rohit: please come out of your illussion.
Why can’t India give some autonomy to 4 districts of Kashmir valey? If there is cancer in body, it must be remkved.
Article 370 and Kashmiri special status and autonomy had been whittled down over these decades, as if serendipitously.
In this sentence “serendipitously “ should be replaced by word “surreptitiously “
Now there are two things remaining things that India will work on: 1) Getting part of J & K occupied by Pakistan. 2) Division of Pakistan into three parts. Time of being goody goody with Pakistan such as AMAN KI AASHA is over. Pakistan must be destroyed to destroy terrorism.
At last the ground reality has-been well understood by the media for the first time & projected the facts with good narrative. Yes everyone of us wants all the restrictions to go. But the Kashmir’s unless ensure the upper hand of the Govt. in curbing & totally eliminating the terrorist outfit including local sleeper cells with one up-men ship it is difficult for them to support the Central Govt. decision. Let’s have patience & leave it to our forces & govt. the appropriate action & time to bring in total normalcy by removing restrictions.. Even media should understand this whether they like it or not they should cooperate with the Government.
Of course as some one observed that If all the communication and other restrictions opens up without realizing the consequences they are supporting terrorists & sleeper cells to operate and get killed the innocent civilians in cross fire create a havoc so that they will draw the attention of UNHRC & the western world which is already having a field day with wrong stories & narrations. Which our local media is also thrive to have share & catch eyeballs at the cost of the innocent lives. So the media & opposition fall prey & play in the hands of the Terrorists strategy , without their knowledge.
It is a good move of the Govt. to support the apple growers & farmers to transport their main commodity Apple in a huge quantity & payment.. Such genuine measures will make the locals bit confident & happy. Of course, here also a Terrorists group killed the innocent but it was out & hampered their supporters claim internationally against Human Rights.
Thanks
S N Rao
A good article, Sir. But a bit too, idealistic in the way you end it. If Kashmiri’s are angry with rest of us for failing to improve their lives, we are also angry with Kashmiri’s for not giving us the due credit and respect for leaving no stone un-turned while trying to fight for them, with the little we have had for ourselves. I think, the rest of us could extend a hand of friendship and truce but if its hostility we have to deal with, then i wont be surprised if we are quick to withdraw it back. I sense this becoming a 2 way street from now on – quid pro quo, dont think rest of us are ready to swallow our pride to salvage this relationship.
While most of the Indian right as well as left media has become a laughing stock, Shekhar is the sanest voice left among the center-left niche category. Investigative journalism and matured views are alarmingly rare to find these days and Shekhar endears himself to us hungry readers pained by the atrocious right wing media and insecure Modi hate campaigners among the left. I like the way Shekhar has always nudged his viewers to absorb the larger positive consequences of 370 abrogation rather than focusing on petty politics.
370 is such a revolutionary move in so many ways. Executing it needed a lot of homework and courage to manage the consequences. Abrogation of 370 equals abrogation of ambiguity regarding Kashmir. Just like Pakistan cannot take the Naxal problems in Chhattisgarh to UN, it cannot comment on our integral part called Jammu and Kashmir henceforth. Imran Khan’s childish reactions are resembling Kejriwal’s wails. Just like Kejriwal, Modi has shrewdly left responding to Khan to his deputies, showing that heeding to such nonsensical behavior is beneath the dignity of the Prime Minister of India and rightly so. However, reticence won’t do when it comes to addressing international liberal media, at a time when Imran Khan is resorting to shrill cries and accusations of the lowest level and finding digital media takers. India should be highlighting pathetic living conditions of not just Pakistani minorities but also majority of humans due to its focus on religious extremism, terrorism and corruption.
Sir, you admit that Modi is a politician w/ strong will power and problem solver.
This becomes latent in your point that “None of our 13 prime ministers believed this. Not even Jawaharlal Nehru.”
“Fight for the Kashmiris’ constitutional rights now as equal, fellow Indian citizens. “ That assertion is misleading. Didn’t the Kashmiri Sunnis were enjoying more rights than that of ordinary Indian citizens?
For instance, while a Kashmiri could freely move to any part of India, can secure employment or conduct business and even settle there, but Indians from any other parts could not go to Kashmir for business or settlement purposes.
While the Kashmiri Sunnis have a problem with own countrymen, but have no issues if thousands of illegal Rohingya Muslims move and settle in Jammu. How did Rohingyas manage to get Aadhar, voter IDs and ration cards?
Where were these reporters, when hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits were killed, their women raped and driven out from their homes by islamists in 1990s? What about their rights? Why’s he not asking us to fight for Kashmiri Pandit’s rights? Is their sad story too old for him?
Moreover, the abrogated articles were also a source of gender based discrimination because as per provision, any women who would marry a non-resident/outsider would suo moto be deprived of property rights in the state.
The Sunni Muslims were the real beneficiaries from the provisions of these articles. Hindus, Sikhs, including all indigenous Kashmiri minorities including Shia, Ahmadi and Sufi Muslims, Gujjars, Dalits and Buddhists were discriminated in the state.
The supremacists Sunni muslims, who were enjoying a privileged status have become regular Indian citizens. They now enjoy the same rights as that of millions of other Indians. So, where is the need for fighting for rights, which they already enjoy?
Kashmiri Sunnis need to climb down from their high horses and learn to eat the humble pie and endure the ‘Democracy’ and the rule of baboos like the rest of us.
Very well said. Path to peace lies through Kashmiri Pandits getting their rightful home and honour back. As you said, papmpered Sunni Muslims of Kashmir, need to get off the high horses.
Well put.
Even Modi-haters should admit that this will count as one of his best moves. Shock-treatment. Incision of a cancerous sore.
And I’m sure that normalcy will be restored soon.
Whether Kashmiris keep fighting is another matter. But they should look across the border and see what has happened in Azad Kashmir.
Kashmir is land-locked and it surely isn’t Switzerland. So it doesn’t make sense for them to make enemies of a potential market of 1 billion tourists.
Pakistan should look to solving its own huge problems.
I commended this article and congratulate Mr. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah that is their courage to accomplish the 70 years old problem created by Old Indian leaders. In 1971 Indira Gandhi had great opportunity but she had no courage to abolish article 370.
Can deny any stated facts or point of opinion, but there is one still hiccup and that is normalcy in Kashmir transition .rapid economic Mian streaming is best way to defy opposition
The wire, another print media, hopes Tom and Dick realize that Kashmir is not Nepal and India is not China.
Dear Shekhar Gupta, the writer,
Thanks for dropping your article in my email box.
1. In the article, you have mixed right-wing and left-wing views prevalent in Pakistan to offer a hodgepodge for your readers and this mix must confuse them about the approach of Pakistanis towards India and the part of Kashmir lying with India. I was expecting a better analysis than the piece you have produced.
2. Your opinion piece is based on the assumption that the prevalent state of curfew-based silence would continue for ever.
3. Not lifting curfew even after 40 days means much, at least that the Indian government is under stress, as the curfew cannot continue for an indefinite period of time. A reaction is supposed to come from inside the curfew-afflicted area. With each passing day, the case of India on Kashmir is getting weaker internationally at the cost of Pakistan’s.
4. It is quite premature on your part to claim (if not brag about) that Indian PM Modi has finished Pakistan’s unfinished business of Partition. The claim will be evaluated after the curfew is lifted.
QUOTE:
For India, it was the insincere subterfuge of a moral, political and constitutional commitment to Kashmiri autonomy and special status. None of our 13 prime ministers believed this. Not even Jawaharlal Nehru.
UNQUOTE
This is where I must differ with the writer. In my opinion, this was not insincere in the beginning.. It was a reasonably sincere intention to keep Kashmir (and the other special areas) somewhat autonomous as they slowly merge with India. But as time passed, it became increasingly clear that the Kashmiri Muslims were going to remain extremely intransigent about merger, and a substantial portion would remain actively and violently hostile.
I think it now becomes obvious – the root causes of abrogation don’t lie in history. They lie in the present, this chaotic, violent maelstrom that Kashmir has become. And that is also the reason why the autonomy articles for other special regions haven’t been abrogated – there is no active insurgency there!
Right on!
Best thing about this decision to abrogate 370 was the timing. India’s rise in global stature coupled with Pakistan’s economic woes, FATF conundrum played a part.
As for lockdown in J&K or specifically Kashmir, ain’t something new. People in the valley who remained silent when jihadis were literaly working in the open doing terrorist acts, throwing Kashmiri Pandits out from their homeland are now screaming out loud showing thr hypocrisy.
No matter who says what, in whichever media or country, India shudn’t get bothered. These are the same hypocrites who looked the other way whenever India got affected by pakistani terrorism but cry out loud when 9/11 or similar terror attacks happen emanating from the same source.
It took 70 years for a wrong to be corrected. Even if it takes another 70 to get things normal, NOT AN ISSUE.
What’s important is, What was India’s will remain with India. No one can change or alter it!!!!!
God Bless India. And God bless Modi-Shah goverment.
370 gone??? Gupta ji decided for the SC?? Who will resolve those cases now. Gupta ji the political CJ?????
Certainly the Modi haters can’t have monopoly on SC.
Guess it is that same crowd that saw Tiranga on the moon surface when the lander was 2 Km away from the moon. Article 370 is already gone indeed!!!!
Boss, that is called aspiration, sincere feelings towards success by whole of India.If whole of India is crowd so be it. You will never be able to appreciate. So keep blabbering.
I have always appreciated mr.gupta’s clarity of thought
Very well written article
It is difficult to argue with Shekhar Gupta, but my simple take is – – and time will prove me right – – that, with this Kashmir move Narendra Modi has pretty much finished his and his Gujarat buddy Amit Shah’s strangulating rule, which will eventually lead to the cutting-to-size of the BJP and the RSS.
How? Please clarify.
Presently the world body is not reacting to the act of hypnotism, of suddenly converting a bilateral issue into a unilateral issue by India, BECAUSE no body sympathizes with Pakistan. By and by, in fact it has already started happening, the same world body will come out of the spell and realize that the aggrieved party, to whom an injustice has been done, IS NOT PAKISTAN but the INNOCENT PEOPLE OF KASHMIR!!
Ram Gupta ji, does the above sound reasonable? Well, you can guess the line of argument from hereon. The world body will start asking questions to Narendra Modi lead India, and the PM and his HM will find it difficult to give satisfactory answers. That’s what I meant. This will give rise to RIDICULE against the two top leaders of India which, in turn, will lead to weakening of their grip, and eventual fading away.
That’s a naive comment. I live in the west and I am not being bombarded by Indian media and I am not in a Modi trance. The Kashmiri Valley people are no worse off – they need to take a deep breath and once things are calmer, build a better peaceful life for themselves. No country in the world will tolerate what has been happening in Kashmir. Indians should be firm and proud but be kind and fair in the process.
Thank you for providing at least one sane comment. hope you are right.
Mr Shekhar Gupta, please don’t try to show rosy picture about Kashmiri’s post 370. The way 370 has gone and kashmir is reeling under unending military and law enforcement siege for almost a month curtailing many fundamental rights of civilian population, you expect the Govt. will effectively work Kashmiri’s rights with this type of start…?
What is Kashmiri “right”? Driving Pandits out of valley – ethnic cleansing? This “Hitleronic” mindset/ people need tp be punished and crushed if so required.
woa woa woa – I have met pandits who live on in Kashmir and I have met muslims who were forced out of kashmit because militants burnt their houses… the rights of kashmiris is same as that of other indians – to live in peace with dignity and freedom . Baba is right – at the moment that does not exist in kashmir.
As now Kashmir is same as other states, should we do NRC, to eleminate all non indians (read terrorist) 🙂
Let us not prematurely gloat over something whose effects we still don’t understand and might take years to unravel , Kashmir is still in lockdown most of it voluntarily .At this point it’s too early to say that unilaterally deciding the future of 7 million people without any consultation ,forcibly locking them up and decimating all mainstream and non mainstream leadership and is going to produce “patriotic ” citizens and “solve” the issue is too simplistic . The first few years of the Iraq war US won some spectacular victories ,look where we are a decade and half later …
Imran Khan can go to Muzafarabad in POK today and address 70,000 Kashmir’s…Can Modi go to Srinagar today and address even 700 Kashmiris..?….if he does Kashmiris will tear him apart…………. Still author think Pakistan is no longer the main stakeholder in Kashmir !!!!
Changez K: Why don’t you change your name? Aren’t you ashamed of it – one of the cruelest butchers in history of man-kind? In POK you guys have exterminated Hindus/ Sikhs and your mindset people have done similar exercise in Kashmir valley in India. Shame on you.
Sir,
Pakistan seems to have given up hope at least for next couple of years and might come back with same old tactics of inciting people. Actually Pakistan has lost credibility nobody wants to buy or sell its political goods in international political market and it itself is responsible for making country Wahabi islamist.
Anyway
My following couplets are for all ZIA, MUSHARRAF, MODI or whoever are tyrranical:
TERI QUWWAT FIZAAON MEIN, YEH MEINE MAANA E ZAALIM,
DARR MERI SADAAON MEIN, YEH MEINE MAANA E ZAALIM,
WAQT KO PHIR BADALNE MEIN KOI ARSAA NAHIN LAGTA,
ASAR HAI PHIR DUAAON MEIN YEH TU MAANEGA E ZAALIM.
100% Ethnic cleansing by fully empowered Indian Army with Israeli consultants is achievable. Aform of pest control!
Any plan for getting PoK back, Shekhar while you’re at it.
If you are a parent, you may appreciate what I am about to write. Toddlers, usually around the age of two, exhibit a kind of defiant behavior, saying “no” to everything, throwing themselves face down on the ground, and put on a biggest, loudest, and most spectator-attracting temper tantrums. Witnessing temper tantrum in full swing isn’t pleasant, but the less invested and upset you get, the quicker the storm will pass. The more attention the child gets for its bad behavior, the more it becomes a never-ending game. Most times, this developmental phase goes away with age, but some never grew out of it.
Watching the frustrated reactions and angry responses of the Indian media and its liberal intellectuals to the abrogation of the discriminatory article, is akin to witnessing a case of terrible twos. It’s funny and sad at the same time to see them vent their ‘righteous’ rage and ‘virtuous’ fury that are inspired and faithfully modeled along the same lines of foreign media and its think tanks, like BBC, The New York Times, Al Jazeera and so on.
Now that the rest of the world has come to terms with the Indian government decision and quickly made peace with it, no doubt the Shekar Guptas of the media are suddenly finding their sane voice again. They now tell us, hey! it’s OK, there is nothing to worry and there is really no harm done here. What they don’t understand is that the people are much wiser and have a better sense of the ground situation. Like a bored parent, they didn’t engage with the toddler media’s antics, but let the media drama queens put on a self-centered neurotic show. Having come to the realization that its tantrums are not going to eke out an emotional response from the people, media is back to being a good kid.
For Godsakes! Will the Indian media ever grow up? With the rise of the Citizen Journalists and Social media, the Western media has lost all its legitimacy and Trust among its own people, a long time back. Indian media don’t have to be mere extensions of Western thought and ape its disastrous path.
PS: Sorry Shekar, your write-up is about a month too late!
Another well written article by Shekhar Gupta.
Kashmir is part of India. It should not be treated any differently than any other state or union territory. So Kashmiris should have the same rights and responsibilities of every other Indian. All efforts should be made to revive the economy of Kashmir. That would not only help the population of Kashmir but will also benefit the entire country. Kashmir should draw strength from being a part of India, just like any other state. Likewise India should also draw strength from Kashmir just like it does from the other states under our federal structure..
Modi is the Principal of ‘Indian School of Politics’ where Rahul is attending his nursery class.
The author tends to paintpessimistic picture of the situation.
Our expectation that every move should be correct.is uncharitable. The best we should expect is that the residents are able to live in the new dispensation in the same manner as other Indians.
Everybody says 370 is gone. Sir it is only modified removing certain meaningless articles.
The article should have mentioned mention our next project as getting back POK into J& K. Obviously the writer was under pressure not to cross his tabloid’s sworn policies.
Pak must stop bragging once and for all as their state is in pathetic condition economically. Let them not forget that their citizens are more valuable than those terrorists hired by them and harboured by them..
Stillnot a word for Return of The Pandis, Shekhar
Shekharji has his finger on the keypad, not the button. He does not have the executive authority to create safe conditions for the return of the KPs to their homeland. Nothing has prevented that from happening during the last five years. Difficult to make the case that Article 370 stood in the way. Anyway, now that it is gone, let us see how things unfold.
The most important piece in this jigsaw puzzle are the people of Kashmir. 2. Pakistan has tried everything in its armoury and failed to wrest Kashmir. It can continue to hurt India through acts of terror, although it will have to account for a more savage response, as Balakot showed. 3. For what little it was worth in practical terms, Article 370 gave the people of Kashmir a special sense of identity. By removing that privilege so peremptorily, they have been given an additional grievance. Difficult to understand is the need to convert the state into a union territory. Whatevet else it does, it will not endear us to them. If this decision can be reversed, that would reduce the feeling of pain and resentment. 4. What India will gain from these constitutional changes – as opposed to the ruling party’s political sense of fulfilment of an old dream – would require anothet National Interest column. However, as of now, the people of Kashmir are unlikely to benefit in economic or material terms. No one is going to invest large sums of money in the Valley. The proposal to allow ” outsiders ” to buy land and settle in Kashmir is being opposed by the local unit of the ruling party itself. As a UT, J & K should qualify for fiscal largesse that a stretched Centre canmot provide. 5. The politics of Kashmir will remain troubled. All the mainstream politicians who acted as a bridge have been discarded. The new Panchas will be looked down upon as quislings. There is a vacuum, which could be filled by the wrong sort of people. The suffering to which ordinary Kashmiris have been subjected since 5th August will deepen their sense of angst. 6. The legality of these moves is in challenge before the apex court. Should it return an adverse verdict, that would be an extraordinary situation.
There is no legal case for courts to intervene, this is not changing the basic structure of the constitution, the way the courts constituted the bench and date of hearing …one should get the sense how much courts can interfere in the matters of parliament’s powers
There is a strong legal opinion that there is a strong case for the court to consider! There are legal experts who say the changes mad by Modi govt are unconstitutional. Any change has to be legal. Read here what one such opinion says, “While the Constitution explicitly provides for expansion, “such other territories as may be acquired”, there is no provision for Parliament to reduce the territory of India. Yet that is precisely what the Constitution Order 2019 has done. This in itself is a sufficient ground for it to be struck down by the Supreme Court.”
You picked a line from Haseeb Andrabu’s opinion piece from IE. And how exactly has the territory been reduced? If u r referring to the same opinion piece where he argues about India’s claim on PoK being lost post abrogation of 370, it is a stupid argument.
J&K state has become J&K UT.
PoK was part of J&K State & remains part of J&K UT. So the Indian claim on PoK remains. where exactly is the territory reduced?
It is in the jihadi minds of those Kashmiris who want to continue playing this two sided game, portraying themselves as sufferers, victims. won’t help.
Constitutionaly, there is nothing wrong in the decision. The only thing which the court may have an issue with will be the rights and FoS, FoE etc. for which govt will get a lil bit of flak but court is unlikely to supercede the parliament.
Item No. 3 above is important. Even the US state dept. has insisted that the statehood to J&K should be restored, and elections be held as promised. Elsewhere in India people have died fighting fort the statehood for their region. Pakistan may not matter much. It is the people in the Valley the government has to win over.
“It is the people in the Valley the government has to win over”. These people of the valley consider themselves like proverbial “Jamaairajas”! Why these people want special “rights”? Why rest of the Indian populace keep on funding them while majority of those Indians are in poorer conditions? Do they have any remorse over forcing the Pandits out of the valley? It establishment of Islamic state in Kashmir – which is being supported in disguised as “Kashmiri right”.
Mr. Rohit: please come out of your illussion.
Why can’t India give some autonomy to 4 districts of Kashmir valey? If there is cancer in body, it must be remkved.
but why??
Article 370 and Kashmiri special status and autonomy had been whittled down over these decades, as if serendipitously.
In this sentence “serendipitously “ should be replaced by word “surreptitiously “
Yes.
“scrupulously” is more closer to the Truth, if that’s what you’re looking for.
A political stunt getting support is not surprising. PICTURE ABHI BAAKI HAI
Now there are two things remaining things that India will work on: 1) Getting part of J & K occupied by Pakistan. 2) Division of Pakistan into three parts. Time of being goody goody with Pakistan such as AMAN KI AASHA is over. Pakistan must be destroyed to destroy terrorism.
I agree…we had far too soft policy
At last the ground reality has-been well understood by the media for the first time & projected the facts with good narrative. Yes everyone of us wants all the restrictions to go. But the Kashmir’s unless ensure the upper hand of the Govt. in curbing & totally eliminating the terrorist outfit including local sleeper cells with one up-men ship it is difficult for them to support the Central Govt. decision. Let’s have patience & leave it to our forces & govt. the appropriate action & time to bring in total normalcy by removing restrictions.. Even media should understand this whether they like it or not they should cooperate with the Government.
Of course as some one observed that If all the communication and other restrictions opens up without realizing the consequences they are supporting terrorists & sleeper cells to operate and get killed the innocent civilians in cross fire create a havoc so that they will draw the attention of UNHRC & the western world which is already having a field day with wrong stories & narrations. Which our local media is also thrive to have share & catch eyeballs at the cost of the innocent lives. So the media & opposition fall prey & play in the hands of the Terrorists strategy , without their knowledge.
It is a good move of the Govt. to support the apple growers & farmers to transport their main commodity Apple in a huge quantity & payment.. Such genuine measures will make the locals bit confident & happy. Of course, here also a Terrorists group killed the innocent but it was out & hampered their supporters claim internationally against Human Rights.
Thanks
S N Rao
A good article, Sir. But a bit too, idealistic in the way you end it. If Kashmiri’s are angry with rest of us for failing to improve their lives, we are also angry with Kashmiri’s for not giving us the due credit and respect for leaving no stone un-turned while trying to fight for them, with the little we have had for ourselves. I think, the rest of us could extend a hand of friendship and truce but if its hostility we have to deal with, then i wont be surprised if we are quick to withdraw it back. I sense this becoming a 2 way street from now on – quid pro quo, dont think rest of us are ready to swallow our pride to salvage this relationship.
While most of the Indian right as well as left media has become a laughing stock, Shekhar is the sanest voice left among the center-left niche category. Investigative journalism and matured views are alarmingly rare to find these days and Shekhar endears himself to us hungry readers pained by the atrocious right wing media and insecure Modi hate campaigners among the left. I like the way Shekhar has always nudged his viewers to absorb the larger positive consequences of 370 abrogation rather than focusing on petty politics.
370 is such a revolutionary move in so many ways. Executing it needed a lot of homework and courage to manage the consequences. Abrogation of 370 equals abrogation of ambiguity regarding Kashmir. Just like Pakistan cannot take the Naxal problems in Chhattisgarh to UN, it cannot comment on our integral part called Jammu and Kashmir henceforth. Imran Khan’s childish reactions are resembling Kejriwal’s wails. Just like Kejriwal, Modi has shrewdly left responding to Khan to his deputies, showing that heeding to such nonsensical behavior is beneath the dignity of the Prime Minister of India and rightly so. However, reticence won’t do when it comes to addressing international liberal media, at a time when Imran Khan is resorting to shrill cries and accusations of the lowest level and finding digital media takers. India should be highlighting pathetic living conditions of not just Pakistani minorities but also majority of humans due to its focus on religious extremism, terrorism and corruption.
Sir, you admit that Modi is a politician w/ strong will power and problem solver.
This becomes latent in your point that “None of our 13 prime ministers believed this. Not even Jawaharlal Nehru.”
Shekhar can move from opposing to mildly opposing to supporting, all within a month. Atleast he keeps his ears to the ground.
“Fight for the Kashmiris’ constitutional rights now as equal, fellow Indian citizens. “ That assertion is misleading. Didn’t the Kashmiri Sunnis were enjoying more rights than that of ordinary Indian citizens?
For instance, while a Kashmiri could freely move to any part of India, can secure employment or conduct business and even settle there, but Indians from any other parts could not go to Kashmir for business or settlement purposes.
While the Kashmiri Sunnis have a problem with own countrymen, but have no issues if thousands of illegal Rohingya Muslims move and settle in Jammu. How did Rohingyas manage to get Aadhar, voter IDs and ration cards?
Where were these reporters, when hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits were killed, their women raped and driven out from their homes by islamists in 1990s? What about their rights? Why’s he not asking us to fight for Kashmiri Pandit’s rights? Is their sad story too old for him?
Moreover, the abrogated articles were also a source of gender based discrimination because as per provision, any women who would marry a non-resident/outsider would suo moto be deprived of property rights in the state.
The Sunni Muslims were the real beneficiaries from the provisions of these articles. Hindus, Sikhs, including all indigenous Kashmiri minorities including Shia, Ahmadi and Sufi Muslims, Gujjars, Dalits and Buddhists were discriminated in the state.
The supremacists Sunni muslims, who were enjoying a privileged status have become regular Indian citizens. They now enjoy the same rights as that of millions of other Indians. So, where is the need for fighting for rights, which they already enjoy?
Kashmiri Sunnis need to climb down from their high horses and learn to eat the humble pie and endure the ‘Democracy’ and the rule of baboos like the rest of us.
Very well said. Path to peace lies through Kashmiri Pandits getting their rightful home and honour back. As you said, papmpered Sunni Muslims of Kashmir, need to get off the high horses.
Well put.
Even Modi-haters should admit that this will count as one of his best moves. Shock-treatment. Incision of a cancerous sore.
And I’m sure that normalcy will be restored soon.
Whether Kashmiris keep fighting is another matter. But they should look across the border and see what has happened in Azad Kashmir.
Kashmir is land-locked and it surely isn’t Switzerland. So it doesn’t make sense for them to make enemies of a potential market of 1 billion tourists.
Pakistan should look to solving its own huge problems.
I commended this article and congratulate Mr. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah that is their courage to accomplish the 70 years old problem created by Old Indian leaders. In 1971 Indira Gandhi had great opportunity but she had no courage to abolish article 370.
Can deny any stated facts or point of opinion, but there is one still hiccup and that is normalcy in Kashmir transition .rapid economic Mian streaming is best way to defy opposition