'Why does govt need certificate from abroad?': Congress flays J&K visit of foreign envoys

On Thursday, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury slammed the Centre for arranging a two-day visit of foreign envoys to Jammu and Kashmir. According to him, this strategy showed that the Union government itself believes that all is not well in the Union Territory. Questioning the Centre on why it needs a certificate from foreign diplomats, he stressed that there cannot be any compromise on the country's sovereignty. 

Chowdhury contended that the government must feel satisfied only after receiving praise from the people of J&K. Writing on Twitter, he added, "Else it will be a futile exercise and certainly diminish our status of an independent sovereign entity, you are at liberty to host a feast of those consummate diplomats but for God's sake do not indulge in fomenting fantasy". During the course of their visit, envoys from EU, France, Malaysia, Brazil, Italy, Finland, Bangladesh, Cuba, Chile, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Senegal, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Ireland, Ghana, Estonia, Bolivia, Malawi, Eritrea and Ivory Coast are assessing the developmental work and the security situation in the region. 

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Read: Law And Order In Kashmir Improved A Lot Since Abrogation Of Article 370 Provisions: CRPF Officer

Political situation in J&K

In August 2019, a presidential notification along with the passage of requisite legislation in both Houses of Parliament resulted in Article 370 becoming virtually redundant. Furthermore, the state was bifurcated into the Union Territory of J&K and Union Territory of Ladakh. Subsequently, several restrictions on the movement of people, communication, and internet services were imposed in the region. Multiple leaders including former Chief Ministers Farooq and Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti were detained.

While the Public Safety Act charges against the Abdullah father-son duo were withdrawn in March 2020, Mufti was shifted to her Gupkar Road residence in Srinagar which was designated as a subsidiary jail by the J&K administration. In April, her detention under the PSA was extended on May 5 and July 31. Though her daughter Iltija Mufti had moved the Supreme Court in February 2020 seeking the PDP chief's release, the matter was not listed for many months owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, Mufti was released on October 13, 2020, barely a few weeks after the apex court commenced hearing the habeas corpus case. 

Meanwhile, restrictions were gradually removed in the Union Territory. Signalling normalcy in the region, the District Development Council polls - the first big election held after the revocation of J&K's special status was conducted in 8 phases between November 28 and December 19, 2020, with a voter turnout of 51.42 percent. Most importantly, the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration which is fighting for the restoration of Article 370 also participated in this election and emerged as the single-largest coalition with 110 seats. In another welcome development, 4G mobile internet services were restored in all districts of J&K on February 5, 2021. 

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