TEHRAN – The revocation of Kashmir’s special status by the nationalistgovernment of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — which placed theMuslim-majority region under New Delhi’s control — is deemed as a tragicirony.
Modi claimed Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which had guaranteedautonomy to the India-controlled part of Kashmir, was what held backdevelopment in the region.
“There must be investment and job opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir.Article 35A, 370 have been standing in the way of development. No one goesthere to invest,” Modi said in a recent interview to a TV channel.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Photo by AFP)
New Delhi’s move has fueled tensions in the disputed Himalayan region.
Many students are still boycotting classes, shopkeepers are not opening upshops, and public and private sector employees are not turning up for workdue to the uncertainty caused by this change.
Press TV’s Economic Divide program has analyzed the development andinterviewed experts to examine the impacts of New Delhi’s controversialmove on Kashmir’s economic situation.
Sanjay Kumar Singh, an expert of Constitutional Law, believes the arbitraryrevocation of Kashmir’s special status was an illegal move.
He asked whether it was legal to grant a nation special status in theConstitution and then revoke that right, arbitrarily. “This is a veryfundamental question which I think the courts will answer in the negative,”he said.
Experts believe that the development will not only have no economic gainfor the people of the region, but also destroy its beautiful and uniqueenvironment.
Kashmiri activist Rafiq Kathwari also says the move aims to pave the wayfor India to exploit Kashmir and make its businessmen richer.
“When Modi was addressing the nation on TV about Kashmir and about thispromise of development that will now happen, and about millions of dollarswhich will pour in, the irony is the people, for whom this supposeddevelopment is going to happen, did not listen to Modi. They had no meansto listen to Modi. The means of communication had been snapped” due to thecrackdown, Kathwari said.
Kathwari said that Modi was addressing his own base of supporters, tellingthem to go plunder Kashmir’s resources and take advantage of its people.
New Delhi had promised special status to Kashmir when the region waspartitioned between India and Pakistan seven decades ago.
However, Modi and his nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have longopposed Kashmir’s autonomy.
After gaining a larger mandate from his Hindu power base in electionsearlier this year, Modi’s government wasted no time in implementing theirmanifesto of creating a Hindu-first nation, where Muslim opposition anddissent has no say and will be silenced.