M Y Tarigami
MASSIVE protests in Leh over statehood, legislature and Sixth Schedule left some dead, dozens injured and number of people arrested including widely known environmentalist, Sonam Wangchuk
The reorganization of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 was pushed forward as a move, ‘to strengthen integration, elimination of terrorism, and ushering in development’. Five years on, however, the discontent that began in Kashmir has spread to Jammu and lately to Ladakh, raising uncomfortable questions about the path chosen by New Delhi. Instead of bringing stability, the changes appear to have eroded the diversity and unity that once defined the region.
Jammu and Kashmir, before its division, was a multi-layered landscape of religions, languages, and cultures, bound together despite differences. Jammu’s pluralist character had Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and other communities living side by side, deeply interwoven in daily life. Kashmir too reflected such mosaic where Muslims, Pandits, Sikhs, Shias, Sunnis, and others were integral to its shared story. Ladakh, with Buddhists, Muslims, and smaller groups, formed another vital thread of that diversity. It was this diversity rather than uniformity that gave strength to the unity of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
History records that opposition from some quarters to Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India was not just about borders, but about resistance to secularism and diversity. On one extreme were Islamist groups rejecting coexistence, and on the other, Hindu communalists such as the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha, who sought religious homogeneity and thereby joined those who advocated two nation theory. In between, ordinary people of different faiths lived and identified with the plural spirit of the region. This remains a historical bond of the relationship of people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh with union of India who were assured a dignified life with constitutional guarantees to protect their identity and rights of land and job. The successive governments in Delhi, however, failed to nurture this democratic spirit by progressively weakening Article 370 and eroding autonomy. What was promised as special status gradually shrank into a hollow framework, leaving little of the original intent except symbolic phrases.
The CPI(M) and other secular democratic forces have long been demanding restoration of Article 370 in its original form which guarantees maximum autonomy to the state. And also demanded devolution of powers to all the three regions, Kashmir, Jammu and Ladkah, so as to enable and empower the people in these regions to decide their developmental priorities and preserve their identities.
In the years since abrogation and bifurcation, the myth that Delhi’s direct rule would bring peace and progress has got eroded. The fact remains that neither has militancy been eliminated nor has dissatisfaction, disillusionment and alienation disappeared. Rather using brute force, indiscriminate arrests have only aggravated alienation adding to the mistrust among the people of Kashmir.
In Jammu, despite apparent calm, the simmering discontent among unemployed educated youth, suffering peasants, small traders and other sections of the population is increasing. The only weapon the BJP has to keep this region under control is the poisonous propaganda of polarising society using Hindutva.
Unlike the Jammu and Kashmir regions, Ladakh, which is almost two and a half times in area than the combined area of the other two regions and racially different, has been grossly ignored. There were two separate district Hill councils i.e. Leh and Kargil. But people’s demand for regional autonomy for Ladakh remained unfulfilled. In majority Buddhist populated area Leh, the demand for union territory got wider support and that is why initially when abrogation of Article 370 took place, some sections of the population celebrated it.
The people in Kargil opposed this demand. But this situation underwent a big change following non-fulfilment of promises made by the central government during the Parliamentary elections and other meetings held with the leaders of the Leh and Kargil regarding granting of Sixth Schedule status i.e. protection of land and jobs, separate statehood and constitution of separate public service commission, etc.
Despite assurances and promises made during the negotiations with the representatives of Ladakh and Kargil Hill Development Councils, Government of India representatives were only making one excuse or the other and adopting dilly-dallying tactics. When nothing concrete emerged out of these talks, wide spread dissatisfaction and disillusionment started emerging cutting across the political divide. Sonam Wangchuk, the prominent voice of this movement was put in prison under notorious so-called National Security Act. By such brute acts, the entire Leh was put on fire. The Government of India shamelessly invited other leaders for dialogue. Rightly, the offer has been rejected by both Leh and Kargil Development Councils. They have demanded unconditional release of all leaders and removal of restrictions before any such offer is considered. People through their own experiences, are drawing lessons that this government is mostly interested in making false promises and cannot be trusted for anything good for the people. People in entire erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir are realising that it is only through their united peaceful struggles that this BJP government can be forced to listen to the voices of the people. People in the rest of the country will realise, we hope that it was in this region i.e. Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh that Indian federalism and democracy were tested the most strongly. The time has come that all the secular shades of public opinion in the country must raise their voice in defence of the legitimate rights of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Scrapping the notorious Jammu and Kashmir Re-organisation Act, and restoration of full statehood as existed before August, 2019 is the way forward.
