Jaishankar: Kashmir was in mess before abrogation of Article 370

Kashmir was in a "mess" before August 5, day when India revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, asserting that decision was taken to "try something very different" to change ecomic and social landscape in region. During an interactive session at think-tank Council on Foreign Relations here on Wednesday, minister said when Modi government was voted back to power in May, it did a Kashmir review and realised that re were two choices before it.  "One was you h a set of policies, which were on books for 70 years, but for last 40 years y were visibly t working," he said, ding that or was to abrogate Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

"Please remember that pre-August 5, Kashmir was in a mess. I mean, difficulties in Kashmir have t started on August 5. August 5 is supposed to be a way of dealing with those difficulties. So choices were eir you continue what was clearly t working, or you tried something very different. And decision was to try something very different," he said. "w we realise (that) it's t an easy exercise, because re are deep vested interests which will resist. And so when we did this transition, our first concern was that re would be violence, that re would be demonstrations and terrorists would use those demonstrations," he said.

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Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after New Delhi abrogated Article 370. action evoked strong reactions from Islamab, which downgred ties and expelled Indian ambassor. Pakistan has been trying to internationalise Kashmir issue, but India has asserted that it was country's "internal matter". Jaishankar said government's expectation is that by doing away with what was a temporary condition, "what was meant as a bridge but became a barrier", it will be able to push investments, ecomic activities into Kashmir that will help to change ecomic and social landscape in region. minister said restrictions, including snapping of communication modes, put in place in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370 were intended to prevent loss of life and as situation stabilises, "a lot of those restrictions would be rolled back". 

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Alrey landlines are reconnected, mobile towers have started to be switched on, schools are open and ecomic activity has picked up, he said. Referring to killing of Burhan Wani, "a self-vertised terrorist cult figure" in 2016 that h led to a spike in violence in Valley, Jaishankar said, " intention (of putting restrictions) was to man this transition situation without loss of life."  After Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist was neutralised in 2016 by security forces, unrest followed for about five months in and around Kashmir Valley. Several people were killed and many teenrs received grievous pellets and bullet injuries sparking outr. Police force also reported casualties and faced threats from terrorists."For us, primary concern would be to prevent loss of life. And if I were to put temporary suspension of internet on one side of scale, and permanent loss of life on or, I kw which side I would go," Jaishankar said.

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ecomic and social consequences of Article 370 led to a political consequence as "a narrow elite" arbitr constitutional provision to "mopolise political power to create a sort of a close-loop politics, and y h a vested interest in keeping alive separatist sentiment", he said. "So you h actually a situation where separatist political parties were openly allied with terrorist groups operating out of Pakistan," Jaishankar ded. level of intimidation h reached a height where senior police officers were lynched on streets of Srinagar, journalists who wrote against separatism were assassinated and military personnel were kidnapped and killed, he said. 

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