PM Modi visits Kashmir after 5 years. What has changed during these years

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's will address a rally in Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Srinagar on March 7 for his first visit to the Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 that gave special status to the border area.

He last visited the Valley on February 3, 2019, which, too, was ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Jammu and Kashmir was still a state and Ladakh  a part of it.

Modi will address a rally at Srinagar’s famous Bakshi Stadium, where, according to party workers, 2 lakh people are expected to gather. He will inaugurate various developmental projects, including one for the Hazratbal shrine, as he drums up support for the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

A lot has changed from Modi's February 3, 2019 visit to the one on March 7. Here are five major decisions taken by the Modi government during these five years.

Abrogation of Article 370

The Centre abrogated Article 370 and 35A on August 5, 2019, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The abrogation was a poll promise of the BJP ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The special status allowed Jammu and Kashmir a separate constitution, a state flag, and control over internal administration except in matters of defence, foreign affairs, finance, and communications.

Re-organisation of J&K

After the abrogation of Article 370, the Centre re-organised the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which  was spilt into two Union Territories — Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Ladakh was carved out as a UT without a legislature, while Jammu and Kashmir was granted an assembly.

Both the UTs are being administered by Centre-appointed lieutenant governors. The Supreme Court has set September 30, 2024 as the deadline for holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Delimitation of constituencies

The delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir was one of the many items on the to-do list of the BJP and and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), for a long time. The idea was to create more seats in the Jammu division, to bring the region at par with the Muslim-dominated Kashmir region.

The delimitation commission finalised suggestions in May 2022 after which the total number of seats in the Union Territory were increased to 90 from 83. The Jammu division now has 43 assembly seats, up from 37, while the Kashmir Valley now 47 seats, one more than earlier.

The Lok Sabha seat count remained unchanged at five but their boundaries were redrawn. Kashmir has three and Jammu has two seats. Ladakh has one.

Voting, citizenship rights to West Pakistani refugees

For the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, West Pakistani Refugees will be able to vote when assembly elections are held.

In the absence of citizenship rights, the refugees did not have the right to own property, be employed by the state government and to vote in assembly and Lok Sabha elections. However, they could only apply for central government jobs and services and vote in the Lok Sabha elections.

After striking down Article 370 and Article 35A, both the J&K Constitution and the Permanent Resident Certificate eligibility rules were nullified. This paved the way for West Pakistani Refugees to become residents of the Union Territory.

West Pakistan Refugees are members of Hindu and Sikh communities who migrated from Sialkot in Pakistan’s West Punjab after Partition in 1947.

Banning Tehreek-E-Hurriyat

The Centre also banned pro-Pakistan separatist umbrella organisation Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) Jammu and Kashmir for allegedly fomenting terrorism and fuelling anti-India propaganda.

Home minister Amit Shah had said the group was found spreading anti-India propaganda and continuing terror activities to fuel secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The outfit is involved in forbidden activities to separate J&K from India and establish Islamic rule. The group is found spreading anti-India propaganda and continuing terror activities to fuel secessionism in J&K,” Shah said.