JK News Today Commentary
Jammu, December 29:
The newspaper columns, discussions on TV channels and digital platforms were full with the narration and commentary about the District Development Council polls, their outcome and the analysis. It is absolutely immaterial who won and who lost in the elections, and what all they represent; the most important point is that democracy got revived with a bang in the union territory. Now the paths are wide open for the much-awaited Assembly polls, and possibly also for the restoration of the statehood.
Three things have made all this possible. One, the bold initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha who all wanted to embrace the people of J&K as part of the Indian democracy.
Secondly, soon after taking over office on August 7, L G Sinha, had promised that he would reach out to the people and hold dialogue with them politically.
As part of his pledge, he visited all the places and met the people, and thereafter got the DDC polls conducted – setting up platforms where the people could talk about their real-time issues, concerning their lives and seek redressal through developmental mechanism.
Third, rather most important of all, the faith the people of Jammu and Kashmir reposed in democracy, negating all those forces those had painted doomsday scenario for democracy in the aftermath of the removal of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.
The people participated in the electoral process. It would not be fair to deliver a judgment on their participation in terms of the voting percentage alone. The voter turns out does matter, but what matters most is the spirit that took them to the polling stations. Their gait and smiles at the polling booths said it all.
LG Sinha has described these elections as a continuation of the process of the “ dialogue with the people”. He had made it clear on the day one of his innings that,” the dialogue would be through the people “. It was the spirit of the dialogue that he had captured in words.
The political groups that participated in the polls made it political, and at the same time became part of the dialogue. And, the fact is that all big and small political groups took part in this democratic exercise, besides there were a large number of independents who joined the political nominees of the parties in the contest.
Looked at from any angle or prism, it has come out is J&K has started looking at future with hope and promise. It is a liberation from despair and hopelessness caused by the virus in 2020.
The man who changed the narrative, by all counts, is Lt. Governor Sinha.
