Is the Amarnath land row the real reason behind the present crisis in Jammu and Kashmir?
The land row is just a trigger. The real reason is the deeper resentments in the state, in the valley and in Jammu which have been simmering just below the surface. It was not noticed and there was a perception that all was well when it was not. I had conveyed this to the people involved. Have not the elections in 1996 and in 2002 enabled the state and its people to return to the democratic mainstream? The elections have been helpful. But the people felt that they were not involved in making decisions which affected them. They felt that the decisions were being made by those at the top. Democratisation, devolution and local self-government were not effective enough. The panchayati raj institutions are there but not strong enough. The Right To Information (RTI) Act is on the anvil. Once it is there, people will feel empowered because then they will be able to raise questions about the decisions being taken by the government. That will give the people a sense of being in control of their
Related Questions
- Does the Government have any reservation policy for people from Jammu and Kashmir? Is there a national policy in any state?
- Are Land Use Improvements and Regulatory Reforms Necessary to Address California’s Housing Crisis?
- Might a domestic crisis in either country make them play the Kashmir card again?
