POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

There has been a lot of talk about much awaited political activities in Jammu and Kashmir as during the clampdown of August 5, last year such activities were suspended and most of the leaders were arrested.

Former chief ministers, ministers, lawmakers and all prominent political activists of mainstream political parties were detained by authorities after they downgraded the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories. Post August 5, 2019, till date these union territories are directly controlled by the central government.

Without any assembly in UT of J&K, Union Home Ministry is directly taking all decisions and it has resulted in emergence of a power bureaucracy here.

As one year is coming to an end, many political leaders including former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and several ministers are still under detention while Farooq Abdullah and his son have been set free along with many political activists.

There is a lot of talk about resumption of political activities in Jammu and Kashmir from many media circles. Most of the political parties including newly created JK Apni Party have demanded statehood back before the election.

It becomes more curious and strange as during the debate in parliament on the abrogation of article 370, on August 5, last year when Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on the floor of the house that statehood would be given back to Jammu and Kashmir with due course of time.

But it is the decision of the central government and they alone will have to decide when the time is right to restore Jammu and Kashmir as a state. The timing would be decided by them as most of the political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are feeling irrelevant in the current political scenario.