The recent spate of tragedies in Jammu & Kashmir, including the death of high-ranking Army and police officers in an encounter with terrorists in Anantnag district, came as a grim reminder of the fragile security situation and exposed the hollowness of the claims of restoration of normalcy in the trouble-torn region. While it is a fact that the overall number of terror-related incidents has come down significantly over the last few years, the sudden spurt in violent attacks must prompt the Centre to introspect about its Kashmir policy. Even four years after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir, ending its special status, the promised restoration of electoral democracy continues to elude the blood-soaked region.
There can be no two opinions about the need for tough security measures to crush militancy and thwart the designs of its sponsors from across the border, but genuine empowerment of people alone can help restoration of peace and normalcy in the valley. It is a long and arduous task that involves handling the situation with sensitivity and fairness. The gains from the nullification of Article 370 cannot fully materialise unless the Kashmiris are made stakeholders in their own development. And that can only happen if J&K is able to elect its own politicians to manage its affairs. Once the grassroots democracy is strengthened and J&K gets an elected government, development projects can take off at a great speed. While bifurcating the state into two union territories in August 2019, the Centre had promised corruption-free governance, strong grassroots democracy, employment opportunities for the local youths, and a massive development package. Time to deliver the promises made to the people of J&K.