370 abrogation anniversary: ‘New J&K’ for LG, ‘Black Day’ for others | India News

SRINAGAR/JAMMU: The sixth anniversary of Article 370’s abrogation drew contrasting responses Tuesday with J&K lieutenant-governor Manoj Sinha asserting the move heralded the “birth of a new Jammu and Kashmir” and most parties, barring BJP, protesting the “Black Day”.“On Aug 5, 2019, dismantling of the terror ecosystem began. The new J&K is one where tears are not shed on deaths of terrorists but tears of common Kashmiris are wiped away,” Sinha said at Srinagar’s Sheri Kashmir Convention Centre, handing over 158 job letters to kin of civilians killed by terrorists over the years.The Centre-appointed LG painted a picture of robust security and responsive administration after the abrogation of J&K’s special status and statehood as well as the region’s conversion into a Union Territory, saying the long wait for justice and healing was over for families of terror victims. “They (job recipients) have come out to reveal the role of Pakistani terrorists and the terror ecosystem in J&K.”Barely 10km from the convention centre where Sinha spoke, the mood was not as bright as the governing National Conference (NC) and opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) decried the abrogation. While the two parties were not permitted to hold public marches, both held protests in their offices.“This day is a Black Day for us. There should be a restoration of statehood and democratic rights. Even BJP knows it was not a good decision and that’s the reason they keep us locked up on this day,” senior NC functionary Salman Sagar said.PDP president and former CM Mehbooba Mufti, also barred from leading a march, echoed the “Black Day” condemnation. “J&K has been turned into a laboratory. They subverted the Constitution here and later started similar experiments in other states. You are now seeing the SIR (voter roll revision) exercise in Bihar. I want to tell the people of India their situation could become worse than ours. No one will come to their aid, just like no one is helping us,” Mehbooba said.Peoples Conference chief and MLA Sajad Gani Lone described “Aug 5 as a brutal reminder of undermining of democracy, an ugly example of selective targeting”.In Jammu, NC, PDP and Congress workers hit the streets. Congress leaders garlanded a statue of the last J&K Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh. Party workers sported black ribbons and raised slogans against the Centre and BJP for delay in restoration of statehood.“Today’s protest is part of our intensified campaign to seek restoration of pride and glory of this historic Dogra state, which was destroyed by BJP on Aug 5, 2019,” J&K Congress working president Raman Bhalla said. Chief party spokesperson Ravinder Sharma accused BJP of undermining the elected NC govt and running the administration through LG Sinha as “remote control” .If the opposition staged demonstrations, BJP organised celebrations, hailing Aug 5 as a day of “collective achievement”. J&K BJP chief Sat Sharma told a gathering in Jammu’s Akhnoor the abrogation had brought constitutional unity and equal rights. “This day led to the welfare of neglected and oppressed communities of J&K,” Sharma said.