Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed during his visit to the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage photo gallery of Rural Heritage, in Samba district, Sunday, April 24, 2022.
New Delhi: On Sunday , Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first trip to Jammu and Kashmir after Article 370 was read down in August 2019 and the erstwhile state was divided into two union territories.
“Notwithstanding the recent uptick in economic activity after the prolonged turmoil post-August 2019, there is no indication that the resultant discontent has diminished; security risks continue to remain preponderant as the spurt of terrorist violence shows including the killing of two “fidayeen” militants barely 14 km from Palli village, where the Prime Minister made his address on National Panchayati Raj Day.
All of this sets the stage for what should be the government’s next big step in J&K — an even more concerted effort to push development; a focus on making the region safe and secure, including for migrant workers who are, unfortunately, soft targets; and an accelerated effort towards electoral democracy in the region.
Towards that end, assembly elections in J&K and eventual restoration of statehood are vital to ensure residents have a say in their own development.
“The panchayats are a small cog in the wheel of the administration, and their members, elected in a process marred by violence and living under the threat of militants, know it.
“In his outreach to the youth in the Valley, the prime minister said, “You will never suffer the way your parents, grandparents did in the past.” This welcome message of hope can be realised on the ground only if the youth become stakeholders in the building of the state.