Dr. Jitendra Singh Credits Modi for Mainstreaming Democracy in J&K, Ending Decades of Exploitation
JAMMU, Oct 1: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has accused the Congress and National Conference (NC) of manipulating the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly’s term to six years under the pretext of Article 370. Speaking to the media after casting his vote in the third phase of assembly elections in Trikuta Nagar, Jammu, Dr. Singh highlighted that, for the first time in nearly 50 years, the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly will have a five-year term, aligning it with the rest of the country.
Dr. Singh explained that during the Emergency in 1975, then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi extended the tenure of the Parliament and state assemblies to six years. The NC, ruling Jammu & Kashmir with Congress support at the time, quickly adopted the six-year term. However, when the Janata Party government later reversed this amendment, the NC-Congress coalition continued with the six-year term by exploiting Article 370. “This is how Article 370 was being abused by political dynasties for their own advantage, with no benefit to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he remarked.
Dr. Singh emphasized that the enthusiastic voter turnout in the ongoing Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections reflects the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies and the true mainstreaming of democracy in the region. He credited Modi for holding key elections such as urban local bodies, panchayats, and the first-ever District Development Council (DDC) elections, as well as implementing the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Panchayati Raj Act to empower local governance.
He further accused past regimes, particularly the NC and Congress, of misusing Article 370 to deny citizenship and voting rights to marginalized communities like the West Pakistani refugees, the Valmiki Samaj, and the Gorkha community. “These communities were deprived of their basic rights under the guise of Article 370 and Article 35A, even though two Indian prime ministers—Manmohan Singh and I.K. Gujral—belonged to the same refugee community,” he said. Dr. Singh criticized the injustice faced by these groups, noting that in most countries, citizenship rights are granted within a decade, yet these communities were denied the same for over 70 years.
Referring to the current elections as a celebration of democracy, Dr. Singh observed that, for the first time in decades, there has been no strike call from Pakistan, no low voter turnout as seen in the past, and no separatist-led boycott campaigns. He hailed this election as a significant milestone in the region’s democratic evolution and termed it a “true mainstreaming of democracy.”
In closing, Dr. Singh reiterated that Article 370 was never in the interest of the common people, whether in Jammu or Srinagar, and that its abrogation has been quietly welcomed by many in the Valley. He expressed confidence that democracy in Jammu and Kashmir will continue to flourish under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and the “double-engine” government.
