JAMMU: An irreversible movement for a genuine sharing of power and self-governance is the only means to put together the state of Jammu and Kashmir, considered to be a variant of sub-continental diversities, with its multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-cultural polity. This requires a new mindset and a new culture of governance. The state, as a political entity, owes its growth to various historical and political factors. Undoubtedly, its historical unity, integrity or cohesion cannot be negotiated or compromised, except at the cost of its social and political stability. At the same time the existence of diverse ethnicities in different regions of the state, which constitutes its strength, rather than weakness, need to be recognized. It means carving out a political structure that recognizes the need to preserve the unity of the state, while fulfilling aspirations of its diverse regions.
The twin commitment to the unity of the state and to its diverse aspirations is not a mere pious wish or a fashionable cliché but a social, political and historical necessity, carrying with it a long unifying process, which has gone into the welding together of the distinct and diverse regions and the ultimate formation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, along with the bitter experiences of its people, in the aftermath of the end of dynastic rule, extending over a period of seven decades, now. In this scenario, any break in the unity of the state will have disastrous consequences in the whole South Asian region, apart from causing a permanent disruption in the social fabric of the state itself. At the same time the unity of the state will remain a mere pipe dream in absence of the recognition and fulfillment of the aspirations of its diverse regions.
Such a commitment must necessarily lead to the evolving of a composite and harmonious personality of the state. This means a federal structure, not only at the state level but in each region itself. The objective has to be the preservation of unity and integrity of the state, while recognizing the fact that such a unity can thrive in an atmosphere, in which each region is allowed to grow according to its own peculiarities. Thus, the preservation of state’s unity and fulfillment of the diverse urges of its regions are complimentary to each other. Such a course implies better involvement and participation of people in different regions for a balanced political, economic, educational, social and cultural development and evolving of instrumentalities like local organs of power, at all levels, from the state to the regions, the district, the block and the village panchayat on a democratic basis.
The least that GOI could do is to grant real autonomy by restoring Article 370 of Constitution of India to its original position.
The politics of communalization is now a fact of life in J&K but it is something that has been smuggled into it by the dominant forces of our country and Pakistan.
