Within days after his swearing-in as the Prime Minister for the record third consecutive term, Narendra Modi had an overnight stay in Srinagar where he spoke about peace, progress and change. However, the Yoga session proved a wet blanket, reports Syed Shadab Ali Gillani
For his first Kashmir visit after coming to power for the third consecutive term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose the occasion of International Yoga Day. Yoga apart, he inaugurated or laid the foundation stone of 84 developmental projects worth Rs 1500 crore in Srinagar.
Despite opposition demands that he should visit Jammu, which witnessed a series of militant attacks, chose to lead a Yoga session on the banks of scenic Dal Lake, an occasion that the weather gods disrupted. Srinagar remained under a tight security blanket many days ahead of the high-profile visit.
Soon after landing in Srinagar, Modi drove to SKICC for a floral petal welcome amid the wanwun, the traditional Kashmiri greeting songs by young women, at the SKICC. Flanked by LG, Manoj Sinha, he walked through the exhibition where a series of start-ups by young entrepreneurs had put up their stalls. He interacted with them including a microbiologist who is into apparel manufacture. Appreciating these entrepreneurs, he later said he was excited to listen to the vision and mission of youngsters, who have quit studies mid-way to come up with great innovative ideas.
The exhibition was part of the Empowering Youth, Transforming J&K programme under which the Prime Minister spoke to a huge gathering of youth selected by institutions of higher learning. His main speech was part of this event.
The Speech
Appreciating the breaking of the record of the past 35 years in electoral participation and reposing faith in democracy, Modi said the people deserve to be felicitated for it. “Now the time has come that the people of Jammu and Kashmir chose their local representatives. For that, preparations are being made for holding Assembly elections,” Modi said. “We are witnessing Atal’s vision of Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat aur Kashmiriyat, turning into a reality today.”
Prime Minister assured the people that the day was approaching when Jammu and Kashmir would regain its statehood status. “That day will also come soon when Jammu and Kashmir will once again make its future better as a state,” he said.
On issues of job creation, he talked about 40,000 appointments and said 2000 job letters he distributed. He mentioned projects worth Rs 1500 crore that he inaugurated in addition to Rs 1800 crore in Agriculture and allied sectors related projects. Kashmir, he said, is “progressing at a great speed” as there are Expressways, Highways and rail connectivity. “We have the world’s largest rail bridge over river Chenab,” he said.
On peace, he said efforts are being made to disrupt development. “The enemies of peace and humanity are not happy with the development in Jammu and Kashmir. There were some terror attacks recently,” Modi said. “The Centre has taken the recent terror attacks very seriously. The Home Minister held a meeting and reviewed the entire mechanism. I want to assure you that we will leave no stone unturned to punish the enemies of Jammu and Kashmir.” He said these were “last-ditch efforts to stop the development”.
Prime Minister Modi did not forget to highlight the “elimination of Article 370” and the “implementation of the Constitution”. He talked about the benefits it led to in the last few years including granting voting rights to West Pakistan refugees and Valmiki Samaj in local body elections, boosting tourism and economic opportunities. “I am devoted myself with full dedication and honesty to ensure that a way out of the past generation’s miseries may be found,” he said. “Whether the distance is of the hearts or from Delhi (Dil ya Dilli)”, we are trying our best to erase them.” (LG Sinha, however, said he does not believe there’s a distance between the people of Jammu and Kashmir and PM Modi.)
Without any fault, the Prime Minister mentioned every single thing that fits in the narrative of the new Naya Kashmir that the BJP has been building post-2019 – bustling markets, nightlife in the iconic Lal Chowk area, the G20 Summit, the sports car show held on the banks of Dal Lake, record tourist arrivals and ensuring accountability. “That programme (sports car show in March) stands as a testimony to the progress in the valley,” he said.
Unanswered Questions
Well before the Air India One touched down on an extended Srinagar runway, Congress’s Jairam Ramesh had posted six questions hoping the Prime Minister would respond during his overnight sojourn in Srinagar. These were the questions tackling the main issues that the people ask in Srinagar.
When will full statehood return to Jammu and Kashmir?
Why is the BJP scared of elections in Jammu and Kashmir?
Why has the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir deteriorated under your watch?
Why has the Government failed to support Kashmiri Pandits?
If the Union Government’s actions are popular, why do the BJP and its proxies keep getting rejected by the people of Jammu and Kashmir?
How much investment has Jammu and Kashmir garnered since 2019?
The X post did not carry questions alone. There was a lot of prose accompanying Congress’s Kashmir poetry. By and large, the media skipped the questions, and so did the Prime Minster.
However, two answers did come. One, the efforts are underway for an assembly election. Two, the statehood will be restored “soon”, with no timelines attached.
Yoga Day
On Friday morning, the Prime Minister was supposed to lead the Yoga session and almost 7000 people including students and employees of the Jammu and Kashmir government were to attend. Scheduled to be held on the lawns of the SKICC on the banks of the Dal Lake, the event was shifted indoors due to incessant rain.
“Reports and videos surfaced showing employees forced into walking barefoot in an event organised for Prime Minister. The way this administration has treated the employees shows its disregard for respect and basic rights of the employees.”pic.twitter.com/l7jqVd0DK9
— JKNC (@JKNC_) June 21, 2024
“The world is looking at yoga as a powerful agent of global good. Yoga helps us live in the present moment without the baggage of the past,” the Prime Minister said in his speech. “When we are peaceful within, we can also make a positive impact on the world. Yoga is making new ways of positive change in society.” He added: “The atmosphere, energy and experience from yoga can be felt in Jammu and Kashmir today”.
By the time, the disrupted Yoga session was over, the rain gods were pleased. Prime Minister was seen clicking some selfies with the students who participated in the event. “Post Yoga selfies in Srinagar! Unparalleled vibrancy here, at Dal Lake,” he wrote on X while sharing the photographs.
For the last more than 10 years, the Prime Minister is used to having a “good press”, but the Yoga event gave him a “bad social media”. While the employees did not hiss around, the politicians skipped silence. Even some activists joined the chorus too.
“An occasion for celebration has become one that fills people with dread,” Mehbooba Mufti, the erstwhile Modi ally, said in a post on X. “A day before International Yoga Day, all government employees along with school children have been ordered to show up at different venues at inconvenient hours. Even pregnant employees have not been spared. A pregnant employee was threatened to choose between her job or being present at the event.”
She was supplementing the information that activist, Dr Raza Muzaffar put in the public domain. “In connection with International Yoga Day celebrations, female government employees were asked to reach SP College Srinagar at 4 am yesterday,” he wrote. “They left their homes at 3 am and were asked to change their dress in College and then go to SKICC. Not a fair practice. This is a very odd time and shouldn’t be repeated. Instead, male staff members could have been called.”
An occasion for celebration has become one that fills people with dread. A day before International Yoga day all govt employees along with school children have been ordered to show up at different venues at ungodly hours. Even pregnant employees have not been spared. A pregnant… https://t.co/82l9UEEnTP
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) June 20, 2024
After the rain-drenched event was over, it was the turn of the newly elected Srinagar MP, JKNC leader Agha Ruhullah to talk about the happening. “Reports and videos surfaced showing employees forced into walking barefoot in an event organised for the Prime Minister,” Agha wrote on X. “The way this administration has treated the employees shows its disregard for respect and basic rights of the employees. And this behaviour is unacceptable. If these reports are true, @PMOIndia should apologise for this disrespectful treatment of the employees.”
Political Reactions
Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) welcomed Modi’s announcement, but the main regional forces, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), reacted cautiously.
“We welcome PM Modi’s statement on conducting elections and restoring statehood in Jammu and Kashmir,” DPAP chief spokesperson Salman Nizami said in a statement, insisting the high participation in the Lok Sabha elections indicates the people are “eager for change and are waiting for an elected government.”
JKNC’s Tanvir Sadiq said the Election Commission of India (ECI) must follow the Supreme Court’s timeline for the conduct of the assembly polls. “The ECI must follow the Supreme Court’s timeline for elections, while the government’s sole responsibility is to ensure a peaceful election atmosphere,” Sadiq said in a post on X. SC has set the September 2024 deadline for assembly elections.
On the restoration of the statehood, Sadiq said the people have been hearing it would be restored soon for four years now. “Regarding statehood, we’ve heard it will be restored ‘soon’ over 20 times in four years. Spoiler: ‘Soon’ is still nowhere near,” Sadiq said.
PDP’s Suhail Bukhari said the people have been hearing about the conduct of assembly polls and restoration of statehood for the past few years, but will believe it only when it happens. “We have been hearing this for the past five years. We will believe it when it happens. They talk about elections and statehood in a way as if they are doing a favour to us by granting our democratic rights,” Bukhari said.
