As the country is rushing for general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew to Jammu and Kashmir for the second time in less than three weeks. In Srinagar, he spoke to a huge gathering but the political class remained unimpressed
When the Manoj Sinha administration started preparations for welcoming the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi for his first post-2019 Kashmir visit the political class started feeling re-energised. They hoped that after five long years, there might be some interventions that would help Jammu and Kashmir get back its state status. The reading down of Article 370 of the Constitution of India and subsequently bifurcating one of the oldest states of the union into two federally run union territories has been the key concern of the political class.
The Supreme Court has set a deadline for assembly polls by September 2024, while upholding the undoing of the so-called ‘article of faith’. The statehood was promised to be restored at the appropriate time and many times that moment has come. Even the BJP circles were indicating that it might happen before the party goes to the hustings this spring.
Nothing of that sort happened. It was a huge gathering at the Bakhshi Stadium and the Prime Minister insisted he is trying harder to win the hearts of the people. The focus, however, remained on the “corrupt” dynasts, development and the right-wing party’s historic connection with the Vale with Kamal Kakdi in focus.
Naya Jammu Kashmir
Highlighting his government’s development efforts in Jammu and Kashmir, an “elated and indebted” Prime Minister said the Congress and its allies have “misled the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the name of (Article) 370”. It’s reading down, he said removed the shackle and freed people to get equal opportunities and rights that people across the country are enjoying.
Insisting that “we had been waiting” for decades for this “naya Jammu Kashmir” for which “Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerji had sacrificed” his life, the premier said that things have changed a lot. “Jammu and Kashmir is breathing freely today, and hence achieving new heights,” he said. “Refugees from Pakistan, the Valmiki community and sanitation workers getting voting rights, fulfilling the demand of the Valmiki community for SC category, reservation of seats in the Assembly for Scheduled Tribes, Paddari tribe, and the inclusion of Paddari tribe, Pahari ethnic group, Gadda Brahmin and Koli communities in the Scheduled Tribes”. In Naya Jammu Kashmir, the premier said “every class is being returned its rights.”
Kashmir Tourism
Prime Minister spoke at length on the potential and possibilities in Jammu Kashmir’s hospitality sector. Of the half a dozen country-wide schemes, at least three pertained to tourism – Swadesh Darshan scheme; the Dekho Apna Desh People’s Choice campaign envisaging investing in the best of the 40 destinations going by peoples’ choice and the Chalo India campaign aimed at encouraging NRIs to come to India.
“There was a time when people questioned who would visit Jammu and Kashmir for tourism,” Modi said. “Today, Jammu and Kashmir are breaking all tourism records. In 2023 alone, Jammu and Kashmir welcomed over two crore tourists, surpassing previous records. Over the past 10 years, the Amarnath Yatra has witnessed the highest number of pilgrims participating, and Vaishno Devi also recorded a significant increase in devotee footfall.”
Highlighting the surge in foreign tourist arrivals and the growing attraction for celebrities and international guests, the Prime Minister stated, “Now, even prominent celebrities and foreign guests visit the valleys of Jammu and Kashmir to explore and create videos and reels.”
Modi appealed to the tourists that they should spend part of their budget at the destinations they visit. Besides, he said the people must explore Jammu and Kashmir for wedding ceremonies. There is no need to fly out for weddings, these can be done here and four a few days they must spend on these ceremonies, he said.
Focus on Development
As has been the case in the past, the recent being his Jammu visit, the Prime Minister retained his focus on developmental activities. “Jammu Kashmir is not just a place; Jammu Kashmir is the head of India,” he said. “And a head held high is a symbol of development and respect. Therefore, Viksit Jammu and Kashmir is the priority of Viksit Bharat”. He formally inaugurated a chain of projects including the Rs 5000-crore Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), Integrated Development of Hazratbal Shrine.
Noting the rapid pace of development in Jammu and Kashmir, Modi mentioned two AIIMS; seven new medical colleges, two cancer hospitals and institutes like IIT and IIM in the region. Besides, he said that two Vande Bharat trains are running in Jammu and Kashmir and rail services from Srinagar to Sangaldan have started. “In the coming times, the success story of Jammu and Kashmir will become an example for the whole world.”
Highlighting the efforts of the government for the development of the youth, the Prime Minister said multi-purpose indoor sports halls were built in 17 districts. “Now Jammu and Kashmir is emerging as the winter sports capital of the country,” he said. “Nearly 1000 players have participated in the recently held Khelo India Winter Games.”
Pointing out that Jammu and Kashmir has been the biggest victim of “dynastic politics” since independence, Modi said the development campaign will not stop at any cost and the region will develop more rapidly in the next five years.
JK Bank
While it has been normal for Prime Ministers to talk about the banking sector, the key regulator or the allied issues, the Prime Minister created history by talking about the Jammu and Kashmir Bank. He said the bank, perhaps the only old-generation bank that any state owned, was mismanaged and had become a victim of dynasty politics and corruption. He said the “sinking bank” was reformed and resurrected as pushed up with Rs 1000 crore assistance and a pro-active approach towards “wrongful appointments”, which the Anti Corruption Bureau is looking into.
These interventions, he said, resulted in Rs 1700 crore profit, Rs 2.25 lakh crore business turnover, Rs 1.25 lakh crore deposits and the NPA nose-diving from 11 to 5 per cent in five years. This all appreciated the shares leading to a 12-fold increase. “When there is sincerity in purpose, then the people can be brought out of every difficulty”, he asserted.
Controversy
Almost 24 hours before the arrival of the Prime Minister, lists started circulating on social media offering details of the government employees who had been mandatorily asked to attend the event at Bakshi Stadium. This triggered a huge controversy.
Omar Abdullah was the first to bell the cat. “The dictatorial JK Govt has pulled out all stops to give the PM a crowd because the BJP can’t manage anything in JK without the administration,” Abdullah wrote on X, implying that the administration’s move aims to fabricate support for the Prime Minister. He said the private schools were instructed to provide their buses to ferry employees to the rally. “Tomorrow the godi media & agencies will be gushing about the “historic crowd” gathered to hear PM Modi in Srinagar. What they will conveniently forget to mention is that almost none of the people there will be attending of their own free will.”
Mehbooba Mufti responded the next morning by uploading a video clip showing the employees being ferried in buses during the wee hours. “Disheartening to see employees being forcibly mobilised to paint a pretty picture that all is well post-2019 & that people here are celebrating their own collective disempowerment & humiliation,” she wrote on Twitter. “Stands contrary to earlier visits by previous PMs like Vajpayee ji and Dr Manmohan Singh ji at the peak of insurgency. Common people then thronged to the venues with great enthusiasm & returned with hope in their hearts.”
“The administration, at all levels, is operating akin to BJP Parachraks,” Communist leader, Yousuf Tarigmai wrote on X. “The forced mobilisation of employees and other sections of the society, including the beneficiaries of various schemes, for the PM’s rally is bound to contribute to both Dilli ki doori and Dil Ki doori. Moreover, this approach is poised to subvert the democratic and legitimate rights of the people further.”
Though the BJP denied the allegations, they insisted that government employees have a right to listen to the Prime Minister.
On Politics
This controversy emerged so big that the political class skipped reacting in the backdrop of their “expectations”. Politically, JKNC leader Nasir Sogmai told reporters on the eve of the visit. “We expect that politically he speaks something that goes with his own saying that Dil Ki Doori and Dili Say Doori will be reduced,” Sogami said. “This is what our party expects and the same is the expectation of the people.”
Barring his assertions of the undoing of Article 370, the Prime Minister skipped talking about any of the issues related to elections and statehood, which infuriated the political class. “It’s the same worn-out rhetoric that Jammu and Kashmir has been hearing for the past five years, yet there’s still a lack of confidence in holding elections,” JKNC’s “disappointed,” Ali Muhammad Sagar said. His unmet expectations included hopes for announcements regarding statehood, the promise of a democratically elected government by September, job packages for the unemployed, relief from the power crisis, and major development projects. “Unfortunately, none of these expectations were met. Instead, they were presented with recycled projects,” he lamented. The speech, he said, “mainly consisted of juggling numbers and rebranding old projects, offering nothing substantial for the people.” He was also disappointed over the absence of any mention of the return of Kashmir pundits.
Mehbooba, the erstwhile BJP ally insisted: “Kashmiris know that everything spoken at Bakshi stadium will be to showcase the so-called benefits of illegal abrogation of Article 370 akin to putting salt to their wounds. This visit is only meant to address & drum support amongst BJP’s core constituency in the rest of India for the upcoming parliament elections.”
