The ruling Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre has recently scrapped Article 370 from the State of Jammu & Kashmir (which gave special status and disallowed outsiders from buying any plots/properties in the said State until recently since the last 70 years) and has bifurcated the same State into two Union Territories i.e. Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, without even holding any discussions or consultations with leaders of other opposition rival political parties. Now, who knows, tomorrow the same government might also turn other States too (including Goa to finally merge it with neighbouring Maharashtra) into Union Territories giving its own justifications and without even taking the people of these States into confidence. Looks like the Modi government wants to bring its so-called ‘prosperity’ cum development in the former State of Jammu & Kashmir by keeping thousands of soldiers camping there unnecessarily just to terrorise/silence, especially the voices of Kashmiris who are still fighting for freedom/justice and by showing them machine-guns to scare them.
Today, the poor Kashmiris are forced to live like prisoners in their own land in complete fear with no much freedom at all as the security forces are not allowing them to go out or move around freely. Though, the network services are reportedly been partially restored and schools reopened, parents are still not sending and refusing to send their children in schools due to security reasons.
Of course, the present government is trying to tell the whole world by showing that “All is well” in the Kashmir region using its own paid media but on a quiet is practically still seen not giving any entry even for journalists of genuine media houses or allowing them from showing any clippings of the actual inside ground situation or story of this former State.
Well, I personally believe that the issue of Kashmir in particular historically has, and will always remain a disputed one (whether some ignorant blind pseudo-nationalists supporters like it or not) and it needs to be resolved taking the help of third party mediation.
Unfortunately, the reason why world leaders are still refusing to intervene in the Kashmir issue is because they want to see leaders of both India and Pakistan simply wasting their precious time fighting amongst themselves over this same old issue and in the bargain keeping their countries backward forever from development.
I think that our Indian leaders should give the Kashmiris alone the right to decide their own fate by holding an open opinion poll over the Kashmir issue keeping religion aside instead of distracting the world by forever blaming the Pakistani leaders for supporting/promoting cross-border terrorism in the region to honestly show their seriousness in solving this vexed issue once and for all.
Are the Indian leaders ready to take up such a daring challenge?
