Seven years after Article 370: How J&K changed as separatism faded, terror receded

Seven years after Article 370 was abrogated, Jammu and Kashmir has seen changes in security, governance, women's rights, tourism, and investments. While officials cite reduced separatist influence and stronger law enforcement, challenges from Pakistan-backed militant groups and cross-border terrorism continue

New Delhi: This day marks seven years since the abrogation of Article 370, a historic decision made in 2019 that abolished the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Following this decision, Jammu and Kashmir is now fully governed by the same set of penal laws as the rest of the country. Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir was governed by a separate set of provisions in the Constitution and the Ranbir Penal Code.

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Positive changes have been witnessed since the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K, where separatists and terror reigned before this historic decision. Declaring J&K a Union Territory was a much-needed step, as this meant that law and order would be governed by the Union Home Ministry and not the government in Jammu and Kashmir.

Experts argue that to beat both separatism and terrorism in J&K, the security had to be handled by the Union Home Ministry. It is a well-known fact that this is a sensitive issue considering the history and that it shares a border with Pakistan.

Before this decision, J&K was virtually governed by the separatists who would shelter terrorists, both local and those coming in from Pakistan. Further, there was never a Friday when these separatists would not instigate the youth to pelt stones after prayers.

With the Union government completely in control of law and order, agencies such as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) were given a free hand to investigate. Several NIA and ED probes traced the money trail of these separatists.

Investigations proved that these persons were receiving large sums of money from Pakistan that were routed through multiple channels. While a portion of it was meant to instigate violence and also push Pakistan’s agenda, a large part was used to fund their luxuries.

Many separatists had sent their children abroad to study, and these probes exposed all these angles in pubic. With public opinion fast changing, separatism died a natural death in the Valley. The death of separatism had a direct bearing on terror activities. They had no voice in the Valley. Their acts being investigated were no longer portrayed as human rights abuses by separatist groups.

Eventually, groups such as the Hizbul Mujahideen have lost relevance in the Valley. Although there have been terror attacks post 2019, the volumes are lower. The biggest attack that J&K witnessed post the abrogation of Article 370 was the Pahalgam attack.

An official explained that with no interference from the local government and separatist elements, it was easier for the Central agencies to fight terror and also investigate cases without any fear or pressure. More importantly, intelligence sharing between the Central and state agencies was smooth.

The local police too faced no political pressure and worked seamlessly with the Central agencies, and this went a long way in breaking both terror modules and also the massive overground worker (OWG) network, the official added.

In addition to security, there have been several other benefits post August 2019. The permanent framework under Article 35A was abolished. Women no longer would lose their residency or property-related rights if they married non-residents. Moreover, the Central laws that protect women, including the ones relating to domestic violence and child abuse, became fully applicable to J&K. The decision did a lot of good for women’s empowerment.

There has been increased political participation through reservation in local bodies and bigger representation in the District Development Council elections. Thanks to better security in J&K, women’s mobility and participation in public life have improved. Thanks to common laws and a Constitution governing J&K, the National Education Policy (NEP) has been implemented across schools and universities.

Schools function normally and are not closed most of the time due to terror attacks and violence. For the locals, the biggest boon was that a better security situation automatically meant a boost for tourism. This industry, which was literally dead before 2019, witnessed huge growth, and this automatically improved the job scenario, but also the financial condition of the people.

Investments also poured into industries, horticulture, handicrafts and services. The political developments in J&K too have witnessed a change. In 2024, after years of Central rule, elections were held, restoring an elected government. While there has been an overall improvement in J&K post the abrogation of Article 370, some challenges do remain.

For instance, the biggest challenge for the security agencies remains the Lashkar-e-Taiba and its proxy, The Resistence Front (TRF). Attempts are constantly made by Pakistan to revive terrorism in J&K. There are scores of terrorists waiting at the launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to enter India. This remains a constant challenge for the security agencies.

An official said that the long-term success of the post-Article 370 reforms would largely depend on containing terrorism backed by Pakistan. The killing of a head constable in Anantnag and a terror attack which claimed the lives of two migrants were both claimed by TRF. This remains a major challenge, and the process to contain such groups would need to be a constant process, the official added.