Let’s Build A New Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Says Prime Minister Modi

The trademark aggression was missing. Instead Prime Minister Narendra Modi adopted a cajoling and conciliatory tone, promising the restoration of rights and access to development for Jammu & Kashmir after the withdrawal of special status.

All that Article 370 and Article 35A gave J&K were separatism, terrorism, dynastic rule, and systemic corruption, he said in his address to the nation this evening, two days after Parliament voted to amend the Constitution and divided J&K into two union territories—J&K with a legislature and Ladakh without one.

Though he referred to it as a “historic decision”, Modi made very few references to the history of J&K and how it came to be part of the Indian union. Nor did he dwell on the constitutional complexities of overturning the special status. Instead, he focused his almost 40-minute speech entirely on the future of the region—making a soft-toned pitch to the people to accept this decision and treat it as the beginning of a new era.

Here are the arguments he made...

1. That Article 370 Was Deadwood

Sometimes a status quo is created, as was the case with Article 370. There was no discussion around the ill-effects of Article 370 on J&K residents. Most people didn’t even know what benefits, if any, Article 370 offered.

2. Special Or Ignored?

It’s unthinkable that laws designed for all citizens were not applicable in J&K, Modi said. To be clear, it’s the instrument of accession that provided for the centre’s influence to be limited to foreign affairs, defence and telecommunication matters. For all other laws Parliament needed the state government’s ratification.

Modi listed the many central laws that didn’t operate in J&K—from the right to education, women rights, sanitation workers’ rights, laws against atrocities on Dalits, Minimum Wages Act, and reservations, as reasons for abrogating Articles 370 and 35A.

3. Why Union Territory Status

The Prime Minister made no apology for converting the state of J&K into two union territories (Ladakh being the second). He said the decision was well-deliberated and claimed that in the last several months of Governor’s rule, several pending projects and schemes have been implemented, without naming any or sharing any specifics.

He also pointed out that several residents in the state, while eligible to vote in the Lok Sabha elections, were ineligible to vote in the state assembly or local elections.

J&K has been under Governor’s rule, and then President’s rule, for over a year now. A day after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Peoples Democratic Party alliance broke, the President of India imposed Governor’s rule. Even though a few state assembly elections were held alongside the Lok Sabha election this year, President’s rule prevailed in Jammu & Kashmir. Now J&K has been converted into a union territory with a legislature, giving the central government significantly more control over the state.

Yet Modi asserted in his speech on Thursday evening that J&K’s residents will soon get the opportunity to choose their elected representatives. “In time, J&K will have its own MLAs, state assembly, chief minister,” he said, without specifying a timeline. He also made another commitment.

4. Economic Opportunities

The Prime Minister spent several minutes describing potential economic opportunities for J&K and Ladakh. “J&K has the potential to be the world’s largest tourism destination,” he said.

He spoke of the opportunity for the film industry, urged technology companies to reach out to J&K’s youth and said the government will step up support.

“J&K’s kesar, kahwa, apple, khubani, shawls and Ladakh’s organic produce deserve to be supplied across the world.”

5. The Ball’s In Your Court

At the end he put the onus on the residents of J&K and the rest of the country for the progress of their state.

“J&K is the crown of this country, so many of its own citizens have died to protect it. They’ve all dreamt of a peaceful, safe and prosperous J&K, we have to help them achieve it.”

It’s not clear though whether all the residents of J&K were able to receive the Prime Minister’s address. Since Sunday the state has been under lockdown and while some citizen movement is now permitted, there is no news if communication services have been restored.