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Kashmir: Hearts can't be won by betrayals

The whole visit of Modi is a song and dance event to manifest the world that people of Kashmir have accepted the abrogation of Article 370. Read More

Thursday March 7, 2024 6:28 PM, Raqif Makhdoomi

[Image shared by PM Modi via X @narendramodi]

Narendra Modi makes his first visit to watertight Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370 Thursday March 07, 2024. The BJP Kashmir unit affirmed the presence of about 100,000 people but didn’t tell that 7,000 of them will be government employees.

The whole visit of Modi is a song and dance event to manifest the world that people of Kashmir have accepted the abrogation of Article 370. The world, however, knows that people of Kashmir have never given any legitimacy to any of his government’s decision in respect to Kashmir.

Narendra Modi isn’t the only PM, as projected, to visit Kashmir. Besides other prime ministers, Atal Bihar Vajpayee of his own party visited Kashmir and was from the bottom of the heart welcomed by the people of the Valley. A massive and tremendous number of onlookers turned up to welcome him but none was “arranged” to add to the crowd.

Modi during his first tenure as Prime Minister also visited Kashmir. But during that time happenings were different, people were happy and saw him as a shadow of Vajpayee. On this visit, things are not same as before. Vajpayee's statement “Samvidhaan ki baat kaun karta hai, Insaniyat ke dayre mai baat hogi” (Humanity will be the merit and not the Constitution for talks to hold) still rings in the ears of people of Kashmir.

Modi in his speech affirmed that he’s winning the hearts of people since 2014. But his words and actins don’t match. What he didn’t on 5th of August 2019 says everything about his intention towards Kashmir.

The videos showing people moving towards the stadium in large numbers are doing the rounds on the social media and a BJP fan-boy, who once was in a party he now calls anti-national, is circulating these clips as success of the BJP and Modi rally in Kashmir.

The ‘innocent’ fan-boy is either paid well enough or doesn’t know the reality. The people aren’t there by their will. They are arranged or are government employees but who would tell this to that blinded fan boy.

Another BJP leader, whose roots goes down to the Congress, depicted the huge presence of people as love for PM Modi. But the things that are true and well known aren’t told.

In a video people are leaving the stadium in anger saying that they were promised lunch but weren’t even given a bottle of water. In another incident, Anganwadi workers were angry because they weren’t given the promised refreshment. They had come from very far flung areas and left without breakfast.

The fact is that the whole crowd was arranged. The paid crowd can do everything but change the reality on ground. Moreover, if everything in Kashmir is well what was the need of such tight security arrangements?

The deployment of Marine Commandos (MARCOS), CRPF, J&K Police, and snipers. What was the need to place these security arrangements? In some areas drones were also banned. One wonders why such tight arrangements?

The fake promises that Modi makes everywhere he goes has become a routine. Modi in Kashmir gave his so called “guarantee” which never worked.

Many anti-BJP politicians, who now have turned pro-BJP, in a series of tweets welcomed Modi and praised his contribution towards Kashmir. I have never seen him doing anything worth appreciating.

Well, everything comes and goes. This too won’t remain as did the other things.

[The writer, Raqif Makhdoomi, is a student of law and is a Rights Activist. Views are personal.]

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