On 15th August, every one of us need to ask ourselves if we have truly met the ideals of our national flag? Has every citizen of India truly got freedom from the complex social and economic injustice prevalent across the length and breadth of our motherland?
Let’s try to look at it from the context of Jammu and Kashmir. Since the revocation of Article 370, J&K is being ruled by bureaucrats. We must take into account that bureaucratisation leads to growth inhibitors rather than growth accelerators. Governments come and go but bureaucrats stay and become merely process-focused machines rather than result-oriented resources.
Life in a democracy is more than a vote but elections are definitely a substantial parameter to build a democratic and consensus-based society. In fact, elections provide a site of protest, dissent as well as a plank to promote an egalitarian society with all virtues of welfarism and progressive ideals. Any state that has tasted the electoral culture and diversity in local government feels it bizarre to be governed just by a handful of bureaucrats.
In fact, as the subjects of this political entity, it seems that we are going into a pre-political “state of nature”. All developmental efforts in this part of the world, be it revamping Jammu and Kashmir’s medical infrastructure, sports Infrastructure, tourism infrastructure or else, all falls flat if the government isn’t there. The Honorable LG alone cannot run a state with a population size of one crore. There is no representation from all the quarters and various other sections will hardly get a say.
Immediate restoration of state hood and conducting elections as soon as possible seems to be the best choice. If circumstances are becoming conducive for such an exercise, the major benefactor of government formation will be the common citizen. The Valley of Kashmir can develop into the valley of hope.
In this regard, central government should gauge more than normalcy parameters and expedite the process of elections which will result in government formation and the rule of people by themselves. This will be a best tribute to our freedom fighters that will fulfill the vision of our Constitution makers as well.

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  Kashmir 370

Masroora Jan