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Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 20
Amid expected criticism and resistance from the Valley for blunting Article 370 of the Constitution and redrawing the map of the troubled border state, the ruling BJP is planning a “massive awareness andoutreach programme” in Jammu and Kashmir to highlight benefits of the moves once “normalcy returns’ to the state.
The outreach will include highlighting various programmes undertaken by the Centre to uplift financially and socially the weaker sections of society, farmers and women through various mediums, including personal contact and other methods, say sources
“The Narendra Modi government has undertaken historical efforts to uplift 50 crore poor people of the country. It is also working on a major outreach to minorities through a slew of programmes like building educational infrastructure, girls’ education and scholarship scheme. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is working on this outreach programmes based on education, employment, self-employment and empowerment of minorities throughout the country all of which needs to be told to the people of Kashmir.
“That Article 370 was a curse for the state is also something the people there need to know. The Centre’s move will not just bring them to the mainstream but also help the state, ravaged by terrorism, to flourish. The special status was actually an impediment to its development,” a BJP leader said. The Centre will also launch and fast-track development programmes to attract investment and people from other states.
However, all of this will only be possible after “normalcy returns” to the Valley which continues to face telephone and internet blackout and several other restrictions for more than a fortnight now. There have been reports of “stray incidents of clashes and stone-throwing, thin attendance in schools that have been opened, an uneasy calm and deserted streets”, though the government claims restrictions have been eased out from 50 per cent areas of Kashmir’.
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