The year 2020 has come to an end leaving behind the memories of chaos and confusion in Jammu & Kashmir where people are virtually in a state of frustration after the enforcement of new domicile and job laws. Not only the new land laws but also mis-governance is the cause of growing frustration and increasing public alienation in Jammu & Kashmir. BJP controlling and commanding the central government and running the affairs of the Jammu & Kashmir government on remote control from Delhi is selling dreams which are yet to come true and unfortunately the intensifying COVID-19 is blamed for the governance mess is Kashmir. Central government talks about deepening corruption at highest places in Jammu & Kashmir but does not dare to touch top helmsmen of the Jammu & Kashmir Government already facing trial in the trial courts in the biggest evera scandals and scams of Jammu & Kashmir. Using investigative agencies against political rivals in election time as witnessed during the recently held DDC elections disputes the tall claims of the central government on war against the corrupt and corruption. Controversial domicile law was enforced but virtually made infructuous by the new land laws. Ironically the Jammu & Kashmir Government recently approached Jammu & Kashmir High Court with an application for review of it’s own move on Roshni Act. Laws enforced in Jammu & Kashmir after implementation of J&K reorganization act 2019 and scrapping of article 370 and article 35 A are either withdrawn or modified in short time and as such a message goes out that government takes key decisions over Jammu & Kashmir without proper application of mind and an extensive process of consultation with the stakeholders particularly the J&K residents. We are promised democracy and development in Jammu & Kashmir but after the recently held DDC elections the defections are allowed to go nonstop without taking serious the growing public demand for implementation of a stringent anti-defection law.
Development in absence of democracy, democratic institutions and popular government won’t end the continuing chaos and confusion unless and until the incumbent central government does not restore statehood to return the powers of legislation to the elected representatives of the people of Jammu & Kashmir
We are told that DDC elections were held just to complete the process of three tier panchayat raj system in Jammu & Kashmir but the process followed in establishing third tier of panchayat raj, i.e., district development councils (DDCs) is entirely different from the one followed in other states and union territories of the country. Now when the DDC elections are over, the newly elected DDC members have virtually been given a license to defect to other parties for their own conveniences and such a precedence is yet to be allowed in states where three tier panchayat raj is functional for the last several decades. Prime Minister saying that DDC elections are a new chapter in India’s democratic history and newly elected DDC members getting an open license to defect to other parties shows that democracy is not nourished rightly in Jammu & Kashmir. Development in absence of democracy, democratic institutions and popular government won’t end the continuing chaos and confusion unless and until the incumbent central government does not restore statehood to return the powers of legislation to the elected representatives of the people of Jammu & Kashmir
