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jammu & Kashmir

n an interview to a tel- added to these fears by
evision channel as part making it clear that Article
of his ongoing election 370 will be withdrawn from
campaign Prime Minis- Jammu and Kashmir, if the
I ter Narendra Modi had saffron party is voted back to
once again said that only the power again.
former Prime Minister Atal “We will remove Article
Bihari Vajpayee’s formula of 370 if you make Narendra
“<Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat and Modi the prime minister
Jamhooriyat>” would work in again,” Shah said at a public
Jammu and Kashmir. But at rally in Palamau district in
the same time, the PM made Jharkhand. “We cannot com-
a case for the removal of the promise with the security of
Article 370 and 35A which the nation. Pakistan wants to
give special Constitutional separate Kashmir from India.
status to Kashmir. Accord- We will not allow it”.
ing to him, the articles have If anything, the BJP’s Kash-
done “maximum damage” mir policy is thus destined
to Kashmir as no investors to add to the deep sense of
wanted to go to the state as grievance and alienation
they couldn’t buy land. that fuels the militancy in the
Both these approaches Mention of Modi sparks state. In recent years Kashmir
are inherently contradictory has already witnessed much
in nature. Vajpayee’s call for turmoil over the attempts to
resolution of Kashmir “within hope and fear in kashMir withdraw the state’s spe-
the ambit of Insaniyat” was cial position under Indian
about working for a consen- Constitution.
sus-based resolution of Kash- But as Pakistan Prime
mir with Pakistan on board. It Though Modi says that only Vajpayee’s formula of Minister Imran Khan too
was also about willingness to Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat and Jamhooriyat will work mentioned in a recent inter-
talk to separatists in Kashmir view, it is the PM Modi too
outside the framework of the in J&K, the BJP-led government at the Centre has who is seen as the best hope
Constitution. But whenever so far desisted from engaging with separatists or for a Kashmir resolution.
Modi has spoken about In- Pakistan except on its terms, writes riyaz wani And Khan is not alone in this
saniyat, it hasn’t meant much opinion, a significant section
beyond iteration of a slogan. of public opinion in Kashmir
In its five years in power, the with the supposed need to do graphic change in the state. also shares it. And there is a
BJP-led government at the away with the Article 370 and Article 35A defines reason for it. The previous BJP
centre has desisted from 35A kills the otherwise good- permanent residents of the government under Vajpayee
engaging with Kashmiri will and consideration inher- state, restricts employment is credited with initiating
separatists or Pakistan except ent in the former. In Kashmir, to permanent residents and one of the most promising
on its terms. the attack on the articles in grants state legislature power dialogue processes with
Similarly, when the PM the name of development is with regards to settlements Pakistan. And such talks
speaks of Jamhooriyat, it seen as a disguised attempt in the state. Now if the Article happened despite Kargil
is generally about a large to change the demography of goes, it means the protec- war and nuclear explosions
turnout in the Assembly the state. In fact, the BJP’s ac- tion available to permanent by the two countries. But
polls in J&K. Overall, the PM’s cent is now more on removal residents will go and this pro- would Modi adopt Vajpayee’s
repeated use of Vajpayee of the Article 35A than Article tection will also go in case of Kashmir mantra both in let-
statement has divested the 370. For the party, it is the employment and acquisition ter and spirit once he returns
terms of ‘Insaniyat, Kashmiri- Article 35A and not Article of property and scholarships. to power? There’s no telling
yat and Jamhooriyat’ of their 370 which comes in the way This has only deepened this would happen. But if it
profound political import of settling citizens from other the anxiety in Kashmir about does, it would certainly make
when understood in the light parts of the country in J&K. the BJP’s policy on the state a redeeming difference to the
of Kashmir. They believe that the only should it return to power at situation in the troubled state.
At the same time juxta- way to resolve Kashmir issue the centre. The BJP president
posing Vajpayee’s statement is through a sweeping demo- Amit Shah has only further letters@tehelka.com

Tehelka / 15 may 2019 31 www.Tehelka.com