There is no doubt that the Narendra Modi government’s decision to remove special rights for Jammu and Kashmir’s administration and to convert the state into two Union Territories is ideological and political. The removal of Articles 370 and 35A has been a lynchpin of the BJP’s political agenda since its Jana Sangh days.
The only recent survey to have sought the opinions of residents of Jammu and Kashmir on any change in how their state should be administered was conducted after the 2014 Lok Sabha election in the state. The Lokniti programme at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) asked respondents in a representative sample survey conducted in the state what they believed would be the best solution to the Kashmir issue. Nearly half of the respondents did not answer; among those who did, a larger number favoured more independence than those who sought less powers or autonomy for the state. Just 0.2 per cent wanted Article 370 amended.
If it’s not what the people of the state want, why is bringing Jammu and Kashmir under the central government’s direct rule so important? In his speech in the Rajya Sabha as he introduced the clutch of bills, Home Minister Amit Shah said that people of “the country” wanted to know why Article 370 was still in operation in Jammu and Kashmir, and why “despite getting so much money, its people are still poor”. “Article 370 ensures there is no PPP model, no private investment in the state. 370 ensures the healthcare in Jammu and Kashmir suffers, no doctor wants to go there. 370 ensures there is no right to education for the children of Kashmir,” Shah said.
J&K and Hindi belt states
However, the truth is that while Jammu and Kashmir undoubtedly lags in job creation, investment and growth, the state is not nearly as backward on other development indicators as several Hindi belt states that have had no such exceptional laws, and have in fact been ruled for substantial periods by the BJP itself.
In the latest Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) created by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, using official Indian statistics on health, education and access to assets, Jammu and Kashmir does not perform well, but is still ranked 15th out of 36 states and Union Territories, with all the Hindi belt states performing worse. Jammu and Kashmir does particularly well on education indicators.
Yes, there are undoubtedly disparities between the districts of Kashmir division and those of Jammu division. In the MPI and its sub-components, the 10 districts of Jammu lag behind those in Kashmir division, except Jammu and Samba districts.
Also read: Modi’s Kashmir move is biggest test for Indian democracy – and for the silent liberals
Being a Muslim-majority state, Jammu and Kashmir is often characterised as experiencing a population explosion. The truth could not be further from this mischaracterisation. The state’s total fertility rate – the average number of children that a woman from the state can expect to have in her lifetime – is down to 1.6 as per the latest official data, which is even lower than the rate in Kerala, and lower than those in several developed economies including the United States and the United Kingdom.
Jammu and Kashmir undoubtedly lags behind others in attracting investment, creating jobs, and becoming a manufacturing or services hub. Yet, its poor performance is still better in many aspects than those of the Gangetic belt states. The per capita domestic product of Jammu and Kashmir as of 2016-17 (the year for which all-India data is available) is low, but higher than most other northern states.
Jammu and Kashmir’s unemployment rate was lower than the national average as of 2017-18, when the Periodic Labour Force Survey was conducted by the National Sample Survey Office. It ranked 11th out of 21 states considered for the JustJobs Index created by the Azim Premji University and the JustJobs Network to study the creation of good quality jobs, above several more developed states, including the northern states and Gujarat.
Under-developed, Jammu and Kashmir certainly is. But making the case that these body changes to the state’s administration were needed to develop it is a case that will have to rely on propaganda – because the facts do not support it.
The author is a Chennai-based data journalist. Views are personal.
There so many comments that are just idiotic. The article states that 50% people did not respond in the survey. Hence the numbers do not add up to 100%. People should do the basic job of reading the article before ranting.
It is clear that the journalist has a clear political view. I can evaluate the analysis in that light. But people are accusing the journalist of bad data analysis without giving credible alternative perspectives on the same data set.
Dear writer, Idk what’s your name and address. But i would like to point out something for you. As per your statistics data, the best solution for Kashmir is to give independence. Do you know that Most of the north Indian State River water comes through Kasmhir, idk exactly accurate data but around 6-7 states are depending on it.
Not only me, each and every one can assure you that If Kashmir gets independence it’ll merge with Pakistan. As you guys are funding on Pakistan’s money, you might have no idea what they will do. But I can confidently say that they will stop the water n there are many more factors.
Good to See Now the Anti India Narratives Stand on No Grounds.
When Topic is DATA BASED then the language ” ruled by BJP for the longest time, Hindi belt states ” .. ruled by BJP for the longest time, Hindi belt states … ” should have mentioned the Exact Hind Belt State Names and The Number of Years to project the “Longest Rule”.
The Heading Itself Collapsed on the Article and Killed it plus Spilled loads of Mud n Garbage on the Author
JAIHIND.U
So far thanks to Art 370 Indian Tax payers’ money was poured in Tons down the drain w/ o any accountability to so called “win hearts o K-ppl” and that is why the development level is higher compared to other poorer states but not to the level commensurate with among of money poured into Kashmir.With Art 370 gone the development money will be spent with full accountability and will benefit common kashmiri ppl.Now K is more like elitist n feudal ruled Pakistan with large disparity compared to those in rest of India.b
In the first table, which is mentioned as shared from CSDS lokniti, the numbers do not add up. This place a an deliberate attempt to mislead people with some ulterior motive in mind. Pre drawn conclusions have been matched with twisted datasets.
i agree with you. when something doesnot add up to 100% then it is not math, its something else
Geniuses should read the article. It mentions that 50% people did not respond to the survey. Hence the numbers do not add up to 100%.
cherry picking of data. Why do you compare JK with hindhi belt states ? why not compare with southern states ? The author seems to be biased
There is no cherry picking here, the author says that its the BJP that removed ART370 stating development as a core reason but they have only not been able to bring about the said development in the states they governed for a long time with no pre existing laws or barriers like ART370.
after reading this article I only hope that data analysis is not your primary source of livelihood.
everything else is fine in it though.
Btw, you should also read this India Today report,since data is your ‘thing’. It states that J&K has one of the worst unemployment rates currently and equally bleak other development & economic parameters:
https://www.indiatoday.in/mail-today/story/j-k-among-top-5-states-with-high-monthly-average-unemployment-rate-1577640-2019-08-06
Obfuscating data and writing with an agenda can easily be done both ways. Pray how can J&K have low employment when there is 0 investment?? Does this not sound illogical. How can they earn so much by just selling apples and carpets? On the other hand UP though produces so much the per capita income n development index will get dragged down so much due to the large denominator! Look at the area of J&K to population ratio. 1.3 crores for a third of UP’s area.
You have shown the data where maximum people support independence of Kashmir. However, the total of those percentages add up to less than 50%. What were the other 50% people in that survey thinking? Perhaps ‘Kashmir is a part of India’? Such idiotic data mining sitting in Chennai, having no touch with reality. With systematic wiping out of Hindu population in the 1990s, how can anyone sane suggest a plebiscite will reflect true sentiment of the original residents (including Kashmiri Hindus) and not just the imported Jihadis?
My advice take on more data from hindi belt . saperest/ Terrorsist from Hindi belt or From J&K . I think thats why we are loosing our soldiers.
Another propaganda by CONgress ecosystem. First, they gave half Kashmir to Pakistan, half Ladakh to China. then implemented 370 forcefully going against Indians, then kicked out pandits and given space for jihadi terrorists, and now started crying against the brave step to rectify blunder committed by Nehru. People of Jammu and ladakh celebrating this move. As jihadis kicked out real Kashmiris from Kashmir, we need to wait how real Kashmiris take this step(Kashmiri pandits celebrating this step) for few years. After 6 decades of looting people of Jammu and Ladakh & feed those family and jihadis of kahsmir, time is correct to give justice to all. 90% Indians celebrating. stop propaganda. enough is enough.
Dear Rukmini, great attempt to throw negative light on the centre’s bold move. BJP doesn’t really need to justify and talk much, since even some senior Congress leaders have voiced support to the J&K decision. Like someone else has indicated in the comments section, thousands of data are available and most usually don’t match. Depends on what data you take and what you do with it. Lastly, for a state like J&K, using data to gauge development and progress could be the most amateurish thing to do… It’s a clear exception considering the bloodshed and disputes with our noisy neighbour. So let’s keep data away and look at reality.
Yes This happens when you have no IQ and you start writing reviews…Poor data analysis..Get admission in good college and try to learn.All d best.
I can produce another set of data. This Chennai based journalist have not idea of reality in Kashmir. The problem is not just what the Kashmiris want. Obviously they do not want any interference from central, as once privilege is given, knowngingly or unkowingly, you cannot alter early just by taking option. For certain decision, democracy doesn’t work. The problem of Kashmir is insurgency by Pakistan that need to be curbed.
I liked your first line. Why don’t you produce another set of data?
What absolute garbage in the name of data based journalism . The question to b asked is about the investment per person relative to productive output and the delta for gain in human development. This is a clear case of starting with a conclusion in mind and then finding simplistic statistics to make that argument. As for the decision to get rid of 370, it is clear that this government has chosen a policy with an end goal of integrating kashmir and then gone about finding a legislative route towards that goal. One can disagree with the route or even the goal but this article is pointless both in its target and its substance.
P.S : In retrospect i may have been a bit too harsh on Ms.Rukmini but deliberate misuse of data as conduit to precooked arguments is a pet peeve of mine, so i will leave the comment as is. Hope it is taken in the right spirit and i don’t mean any disrespect..
This was a good read with analysis of valuable data. I wish this much analysis and planning took place before taking massive national decisions. Could you also link to the source for the data? Like link to MPI and Indian official statistics. So, anyone lazy enough to doubt can be pointed to those links.
I think it is wrong to view the opinion of few people. Kashmir is part of India hence majority views of Indians matter and not just few people and disgruntled media men. Now Kashmir will progress when it has cosmopolitan structure and all Indians live in brotherhood atmosphere. Abrogation shall spontaneously wipe out terrorists when they find few supporters. More Central fund shall get utilizes for development programs rather than security issues. I strongly condemn those who oppose the abrogation of article 370 and 35A.
Abrogation would be OK if the goals stated are met. Terror and Art 370’s existence have no connection at all. It is Pakistan’s fomenting of terror that is the cause of insurgency and they will continue with it whether 370 exists or not. NDA is manufacturing causes to explain an effect. There could be other good effects from removing 370, but these are very minimal, since even earlier, almost all of the Indian Constitution applied to J&K. This was achieved by successive Govts passing a series of 46 Presidential orders watering down the original clauses of Art 370.