J&K: A new journey of hope and prosperity

Author of this article, Colonel Sushil Tanwar, VSM is a serving officer of the Indian Army. The officer has a rich experience of counter-terrorism operations & has served extensively in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also been on a UN  peace keeping mission in Sudan  He is presently a senior fellow with Centre for Air Power studies (CAPS), New Delhi.

In the long and chequered history of Jammu and Kashmir, 5th August is probably one of the most significant dates. Two years ago, the abrogation of Article 370 on this day added yet another tumultuous chapter to its fractured relationship with the Union of India.

The ideological underpinnings of the decision, strict restrictions imposed during the course of implementation and the turbulence it caused in the strategic calculus of adversarial mindsets have contributed towards making this landmark decision a much controversial one.

Dilemma Across the Border

For a long time, Pakistan believed that when it comes to Kashmir, India is a status quoist nation that is unwilling to take any meaningful measures towards its resolution. Caught by surprise on 05 Aug with the sudden abrogation, Pakistan struggled to conjure up a cogent response and ultimately it settled for doing what it knows best. However, the fervent appeals of intervention to the international community while simultaneously continuing to sponsor terror didn't cut much ice in the diplomatic circles. The Indian move has also created an uncomfortable decision dilemma for the Pakistani establishment in regards to the constitutional status of Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir ( PoJK).

The battle of Narratives

With the decline in militancy over the years, the battle in Jammu and Kashmir has primarily been about "narratives and perceptions''. The abrogation of article 370 has escalated the information war to another level. Vested interests tried to instill fear in gullible minds about the damaging impact of this move on local society & culture. Doomsday scenarios of threats to ethnic & religious identity have been painted. The usual litany of lies about human rights violations too followed. It is to the credit of the government agencies that they have also upped their game. A relentless counter offensive in the cyber domain including legal regulatory mechanisms has neutralised the propaganda campaign to a large extent. However, this battle is far from over and more initiatives need to be undertaken to highlight the positive impact of government efforts.

Security - A Paradigm Shift

At the time of abrogation, there were some genuine fears about the possibility of large-scale agitation and mass protests, especially in Kashmir Valley. Although the preventive detentions & strict restrictions caused a lot of hardships to the people & somewhat dented our liberal democratic credentials, they, more importantly, ensured that there was no eruption of violence.

Since then, security forces have strengthened their dominance over terrorist outfits by killing more than 250 terrorists. While this kind of attrition in terrorist ranks is not unprecedented, what is more, significant is the renewed focus on neutralising their support structure and overground network. The proactive approach especially by NIA to effectively disrupt the funding mechanism has been instrumental in combating militancy. The ceasefire on the Line of Control has also held on despite attempts by Pakistan-based Terrorist organisations to infiltrate their cadres & supply war-like stores.

Other initiatives like the dismissal of government employees involved in subversive activities & further enhancement of the excellent synergy between various stakeholders have further improved the overall situation.

It would be naive though to assume that the terrorist outfits have been completely marginalized. Their ideological appeal still attracts a large number of youth. Moreover, the targeted killings of civilians especially political workers & innovative use of technology like drones by terrorists have shown that there is still a lot that needs to be done by security forces.

Political Landscape & the Cusp of Change

The abrogation of Article 370 was unfortunately accompanied by bitter political acrimony. Although most of the regional political leaders were detained to prevent any social mobilisation, there was little public sympathy shown by the locals for the politicians. Even the separatist outfits like the Hurriyat conference have lost the connection with the masses & are now struggling to stay relevant. The successful conduct of elections under Panchayati Raj for district development council ( DDC ) led to the initiation of the political process but it needs to be further reinvigorated. The political landscape has been transformed as a new generation of the political class is raring to challenge the traditional regional political players.

For many people, the bifurcation of state & Loss of statehood is an emotive issue. The public assurances by the national leadership about the eventual grant of the Statehood in the future should assuage their feelings & help in bridging the sharp political divide.

A new dawn of development awaits the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Apart from the Rupees 80000 crores special development package announced for the region, schemes like "Back to Village' and "My Town My Pride" are designed to usher in rapid & equitable progress. A lot of focus is also being laid on infrastructure and capacity-building projects. There are some apprehensions that these projects announced with much fanfare will not benefit the common man. In a society like Jammu & Kashmir which is ridden with corruption, internal bickering & rumour mongering, this impression can disrupt the entire trajectory of progress. The administration will have to make a conscious effort to deliver the fruits of good governance. And this must be done at the earliest.

The Journey Ahead

The abrogation of Article 370 & 35A has brought to the fore a unique set of opportunities and challenges. An effective security grid, rejuvenation of political activities, efficient & people friendly administration, development initiatives and a genuine engagement with all sections of society will go a long way in ensuring the success of this monumental step by the government.

However, a greater responsibility lies with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Society must stand together for peace and reject the proponents of " violence and anarchy". Social evils like drug abuse, religious intolerance, and gender disparity deserve greater attention of people so that corrective steps can be undertaken.

Each one of us wants to live with dignity and development. There was never a better time to strive for that goal.

Or else, we will have nobody but ourselves to blame.

Author of this article, Colonel Sushil Tanwar, VSM is a serving officer of the Indian Army. The officer has a rich experience of counter-terrorism operations & has served extensively in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also been on a UN  peace keeping mission in Sudan  He is presently a senior fellow with Centre for Air Power studies (CAPS), New Delhi