Article 370: What’s all the noise about?
India is a diverse country with different cultures spread across the nation. The diversity does not only stop in it cultures. India is also different in the sense of how one state has different constitutional rights compared to the entire country. December 11, 2023, was a landmark day where the Article 370 was abrogated and this decision formally upheld BJP government’s abrogation of Article 370. This ensures that Jammu & Kashmir is now like any other state or Union Territory in India where the Parliament can enact laws across all domains on Jammu & Kashmir like rest of India.
What was Article 370?
It was a special constitutional provision which used to grant the Jammu & Kashmir and its people special status with Indian Parliament only having purview to enact laws in the field of defense, foreign policy, finance, and communication. This was made as a arrangement post the partition to keep the state in check and ensure that the Muslim majority in the state enjoyed special rights in a nation where they could have been considered a minority
Why is Article 370 suddenly abrogated?
As part of its election manifesto, BJP had promised that it would remove Article 370 and as a result, in 2019 Narendra Modi abrogated the article and bifurcated Jammu & Kashmir in Jammu & Kashmir and a Union Territory of Ladakh. However, owing to multiple public grievances and vehement noise by the opposition it was referred to the Supreme court bench to decide whether the abrogation was just.
There can be varied views owing to the sentiment involved with this abrogation, but a neutral lens will reflect a good picture of how abrogation of Article 370 could end up being a blessing in disguise.
1. It’s been a long time: It has been over 75 years since the independence and Kashmir is a place which is open to everyone. Article 370 was just a temporary arrangement, and the secular India embraces people from all religions and areas. The abrogation was something which was waiting to be called to integrate Kashmir fully into India.
2. The Bharat integration: People of Kashmir have often complained of being left out from the country. The abrogation of the article only brings them closer and at a level ground with the entire nation. They will not feel like a minority but a part of the whole nation while deciding the fate of how the country progresses.
3. Domestic and Foreign Investment is the way forward: Any city that has landed on the commercial map of India owes a lot to investments from migrants and foreigners in the city. Mumbai owes its financial success to Gujaratis and Parsis while Bangalore owes its tech savvy success to people from all parts of India settling in there. Article 370 prohibited anyone who is not a permanent resident of Kashmir to purchase a property on the land. The abrogation opens the door for the heaven like Kashmir to not only be a tourist spot but also be a gateway to business in the hinterland. It will allow businessmen to invest and look at Jammu & Kashmir to ply their trade freely.
All this indicates that the abrogation of Article 370 is a good thing for the country and the people of Kashmir. What one needs to understand that change is always tough, and the concept of self-bias effect becomes even tougher when the people around are pushing against the decision. The people of Kashmir have long been used to the life which is dictated by the state and seeing themselves as having certain accessions as opposed to the country. This new form will take time to adjust. On top of that, the vehement opposition by political parties has only added fuel to fire.
Yes, it will take time to adjust to the new normal (it has already been 4 years), but this will bear fruit in the longer run for India and the people of Kashmir.
