Sharda Lal
April 2024 has been felicitated with a bouquet of festivals like Baisakhi, Chetra Navratri and Ram Navmi, Eid ul Fitr, Mahavir Jayanti, Good Friday and Easter. And add to it the celebration of Ambedkar Jayanti on 14th April
Dr Ambedkar was of a strong belief that incorporation of provisions like the Article 370 in Indian Constitution would be damaging to the Idea of India; and he didn’t ever agree to it. How the Article became a part of Indian Constitution, though temporarily, is a different matter. It is, none the less an undisputable fact that in the words of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, “…in Jammu and Kashmir, under the garb of Article 370, which was a catalyst for separatist ideology, the youth were pushed down the path of terrorism and were misused by Pakistan”.
The system of electing people’s representatives to Parliament and the state/ UT Assemblies through adult franchise is the product of the sacred Constitution drafted under the chairmanship of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar. The Constitution has provisions for suitable amendments over a period of time, without altering the basic essence of the Constitution by passing of relevant Bills in the Parliament. April and May this season will be a witness to the mega festival of Indian Democracy once again.
Outcome of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 will decide largely, the future courses which the polity, social order and development process will take in the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, in times to come. Going by the pattern of narratives being set and propagated by all political parties, Elections 2024 are not going to be an ordinary poll, but an exercise that may have a very long lasting impact in Indian history.
Unlike in the past, the Indian Security Forces under the present regime, are effectively repulsing every kind of aggression from the hostile neighbours.
After the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian constitution and carving out of the two Union Territories from the state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, terrorism is being dealt by the current government with a very heavy hand. The culture of stone-pelting in Kashmir, which prevailed prior to August 2019, has become a thing of the past and peace has been restored to a very significant extent.
The wasteful tradition of the biannual ‘Darbar Move, which caused significant reduction in official working days in the highest corridors of power and administration besides loss to the state exchequer, has been abolished.
An anti-corruption bureau has been formed to crack down on corruption. The money of the public is reaching out to them through various schemes in digital and direct benefit transfer mode.
Government is making all out efforts to create a conducive environment for promoting Culture and languages of the UT through fairs, festivals, education policy, cinema, theatre, etc.
Tourism sector, the main industry of Jammu and Kashmir, is showing an unprecedented boom, not only in the Kashmir division, but also in various parts of Jammu region. Restoration and development of historical and heritage structures, monuments, temples, shrines, water bodies has been taken up on a massive scale and the pace of construction and maintenance of national highways, Ring Road, Flyovers and roads under the Prime Minister Grameen Sadak Yojana etc is to be seen to be believed. Rail connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir and necessary infrastructure along the borders and Lines of Control/Actual Control with Pakistan and China are being expanded and strengthened as effective strategic and defence measures against any kind of aggression from the hostile neighbours, while ensuring safety and security of the residents in the areas.
Construction of Shahpur Kandi Canal, which had been shelved for decades, is in the final stages of completion now to irrigate about 32,000 hectare of additional agricultural land in Kathua-Samba districts. Cultivation of crops across the border fence has been resumed. Farmers are receiving benefits of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and various other schemes in a transparent and time bound manner.
Health and education infrastructure has received special focus during these 5 years and new medical colleges, IIM, IIT AIIMS, model schools are Jewels in the Crown of India that is Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir.
The long awaited Tawi Lake Project coming up along the river Tawi in Jammu City will soon add to the beauty of this region.
All the above outlined measures will definitely bring additional jobs and income to the people, while improving everyone’s quality of life. An early restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and early holding of elections for the State Assembly have already been assured by the Union Government and the same has been recently reiterated by the Prime Minister of the country.
Thus, during the Lok Sabha elections this season, there will be the ruling political party with its allies on the one side which are making all these things happen quickly and showing strong political will to confront all challenges, ranging from elevating people’s living standards to ensuring peace within and security from external threats, and on the other side are the parties whose performance in the past has been already seen by the people.
It is now for the voters to ultimately decide, as to whom they will trust and vote to form the next government at the centre that will steer their generation and upcoming generations on the path of peace, progress and prosperity by strengthening the foundations of the country during the next five years.
It is therefore, the time to make an earnest appeal to all eligible voters, to come out of their homes on the respective polling dates and cast their invaluable vote, at the pre designated Polling Booth, to the best candidate of the most reliable party, as per their choice, to the best of their wisdom and conscience – and in full consciousness.
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