Chidambaram asserts that freedom is repressed across India, but more severely in J-K

P Chidambaram, a senior member of the Congress, criticised the government on Sunday for claiming that the repeal of Article 370 brought about peace in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that although “freedom is suppressed” across India, it is most severely oppressed in the Union Territory.

The administration emphasized on Saturday that the “historic” move brought about peace and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir on the fourth anniversary of Article 370’s repeal.

According to Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha, the largest difference since the article’s repeal is that the ordinary people of Jammu and Kashmir are now living their lives as they like. This was said in Srinagar.

 

Chidambaram said in a tweet: “The Government and the LG of Jammu & Kashmir celebrate the ‘peace’ that has descended on the State (now UT) after the abrogation of Article 37.”

 

The former home minister stated, “I would like to paraphrase President (John) Kennedy who cautioned about the “quiet of the cemetery and the silent of the slave.” Chidambaram questioned why Mehbooba Mufti had been placed under house arrest and why the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) offices had been shut if Jammu and Kashmir was so peaceful.

 

“Freedom is suppressed all over India, but it is suppressed most severely in J&K,” he said. At a public gathering held by the BJP in Srinagar on Saturday to commemorate the occasion, its leaders claimed that since the 2019 decision, there have been no shutdowns in the Kashmir Valley, and that as the situation has improved, the Union Territory has played host to international events and seen record-breaking tourist numbers.

 

On August 5, 2019, the Centre repealed Article 370, which had granted the former state of Jammu and Kashmir special status, and divided it into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.