“What happens after delimitation, whether polls first or statehood, is a million-dollar question”
Situated atop a hill in Srinagar, the Raj Bhavan commands a spectacular view of the Dal Lake and the surrounding mountain ranges. But given the constant state of turbulence afflicting Jammu and Kashmir, its occupants rarely get time to soak in the view. Manoj Sinha is no exception. Appointed as Lieutenant Governor last August, the second after the reorganisation of J&K into a Union territory on August 5, 2019, Sinha has had his hands full from the get-go. The appointment of the 62-year-old veteran BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh, who was a former Union minister of state for railways and telecommunication, was a signal that the Narendra Modi government was keen on restoring the political process that had been breached after the abrogation of Article 370. Since then, Sinha can take part of the credit for kickstarting the political dialogue when the prime minister invited Kashmiri leaders—many of whom had been detained and vilified by the ruling dispensation—for a heart-to-heart chat on June 24 and to involve them in what seems to be a long march towards restoration of statehood in J&K.
Now comes the tough task of successfully conducting a delimitation exercise and then an assembly election. Meanwhile, J&K needs urgent development and employment for its restless youth. Despite the big promises of transforming the Union territory into an industrial hub, there is not much to show. In a detailed interview with Group Editorial Director (Publishing)
Raj Chengappa, Lieutenant Governor Sinha discusses the contentious issues and his commitments to bring rapid progress and peace to the Valley. Excerpts:
Q. after Prime minister Narendra modi’s June 24 meeting with leaders of J&K, the political process has started. What has been the outcome? a. The political process shouldn’t be linked to the prime minister’s meeting alone. It had been in the works. When I was given this responsibility and I went to meet the PM, he told me a few important things. First, that dialogue should continue and second, urgent steps should be taken to strengthen grassroots democracy in J&K. So, we had already started that process. Three-tier panchayati raj institutions were set up here after a long time, and free, fair, transparent and violencefree elections were held. In districts that used to see 5-7 per cent voting, the youth and women
participated with a lot of enthusiasm. Then, district development councils (DDCs) were formed in 20 districts. The all-party meeting with the prime minister was held in a cordial atmosphere. Well begun is half done.
Q. Opposition leaders are asking why delimitation is being held first, then elections and then statehood? a. In his Independence Day speech last year, the PM had been categorical that assembly elections will be held in J&K after the Delimitation Commission completes its work. This was reiterated by the home minister in Parliament. You know the significance of anything said in Parliament—it has to happen. That process is now progressing slowly. Once the delimitation process is over, the Election Commission is the constitutional body to decide when and how elections will be held. If you read the J&K Reorganisation Act, after the formation of the Union territory, the number of seats in the assembly increased. So, elections cannot happen without delimitation, though many people are questioning the need for delimitation by arguing that it wasn’t done at other places, such as Assam. That argument does not hold here. The Delimitation
“jammu and kashmir is on the path of peace and development, moving towards the mainstream. the allparty meeting with the prime minister was cordial. well begun is half done”
Commission was constituted by an Act of Parliament. And, the world has a good opinion about the Election Commission of India. We should have faith in the Election Commission and the Delimitation Commission.
Q. Opposition leaders wonder why statehood cannot be restored first?
A. Nobody is saying that the state will not be formed. Both the prime minister and home minister have said that statehood will be restored at an appropriate time. How can elections be held without delimitation? Let delimitation happen. What follows next—elections or statehood—is a million-dollar question.
Q. Kashmir’s parties are challenging the abrogation of Article 370 and have gone with an appeal to the Supreme Court.
A. One should wait for the final judgment of the Supreme Court. You will find several rulings of the Supreme Court, that if a matter is sub judice, it is unconstitutional and illegal to create an atmosphere in favour or against it among the public.
Q. The prime minister has said a committee will be formed to examine and release politicians who are still under arrest. Has this committee been formed? A. Broadly speaking, no political person is in detention now. There are two categories of detention. Category A: political persons. Category B: those booked under certain laws like the CrPC, IPC, for terror funding or militancy. How can Category B people be released? Despite this, we formed a committee on the instructions of the home minister. The principal secretary (home) is heading the committee and will examine the matter on a case-by-case basis.
Q. It has been almost two years since J&K was made a Union territory and lot of promises had been made about development. What has been achieved?
A. Look at it from two perspectives—what happened in the past 70 years and what has happened in the past two years. Two AIIMS were sanctioned in two years. Work has commenced in Awantipora for the Srinagar AIIMS. The second one will come up in Jammu. Seven new medical colleges, two cancer institutes, seven nursing colleges, a bone institute and paediatrics facilities have been sanctioned. Two tunnels were laid open in June, one near Banihal and the Z-Morh tunnel. Look at the speed with which highways are being built. Work on creating a rail link to Srinagar has been on for a long time. By the end of 2022, Srinagar will be connected to Kanyakumari. A Rs 1.08 lakh crore budget for J&K this year has been passed by Parliament. Looking at budget allocation vis-à-vis population, J&K’s budget is over 7 or 8 times that of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. It’s an achievement.
Q. But leaders say things like power cuts continue in Srinagar.
A. Compare the availability of power two years ago and now. Expecting everything to get done in two years in spite of two waves of Covid is hoping for the impossible. How much electricity did you generate in 70 years? Just 3,450 MW. In the next four-five years, we will be getting more power—3,500 MW. There is potential for 16,00020,000 MW. A project in Sialkot could not be completed in 35 years—that’s the achievement of those talking about development. We have completed over 1,100 languishing projects. We have introduced such transparency that no project can proceed without administrative approval, technical sanction, financial approval and e-tendering. We have put an end to that racket. Now, all work is geo-tagged, physically verified and put in the public domain to let the people decide whether or not work is getting done properly.
Q. Has corruption reduced? A. It has not only reduced, we have stopped it. This has become a problem for a lot of people.
Q. But people say petty corruption still exists?
A. I am not saying it is completely over. But we have changed the system. Above all, no one can say there is corruption in the top echelons. Many of those who are corrupt have gone to jail. We have attached properties of people. We are not merely talking of ‘zero tolerance’ towards corruption, we are acting on it.
Q. What about incentives for industry?
A. We are giving incentives worth Rs 28,400 crore to industry. We are giving 300 per cent incentive on GST. With the proposals that are coming forward, I have no doubt that the coming two years will see investment worth Rs 30,00035,000 crore, with job opportunities for 500,000-600,000 people. We already have proposals worth Rs 20,000 crore. Our industries secretary has gone to Jammu. The date for the meeting on proposals for Jammu is also fixed.
Q. There is worry that while the funds and industrial policy are good, everything is still on paper.
A. The industrial policy came only
“We are giving incentives Worth rs 28,400 crore to industry. i have no doubt that the coming tWo years Will see investment Worth rs 30,000-35,000 crore, With massive job opportunities”
three or four months ago. Since then, we have been engaged in managing the Covid situation. Let us meet again three months down the line, and I will show you investment and projects worth at least Rs 20,000 crore. I’ll show you that work has started on the ground.
Q. On J&K, Prime Minister Modi has said that he wants to remove ‘Dilli ki doori’ (distance from Delhi) as well as ‘Dil ki doori’ (distance between hearts). How does the government propose to end this disconnect?
A. J&K is very close to the prime minister’s heart. I have been regularly meeting him on J&K matters. Whenever I meet him, the prime minister asks whether a certain highway has been built, whether a certain tunnel is ready, whether funds meant for the DDCs have been transferred. About the District Capex Budget, the budget of districts has not been done anywhere else in the country. It was done here on the instructions of the prime minister. Wide-ranging consultations were held at the panchayat, block and DDC levels, after which the budgets were passed. Last year, the District Capex Budget was Rs 5,136 crore; this year it has more than doubled to Rs 12,600 crore. We have launched a whole range of development schemes that are functioning well.
Q. There have been apprehensions about people from outside J&K coming and owning land and taking away local jobs.
A. There is no such fear in the minds of the people here, barring a few. You can enquire around if anyone from outside J&K got an inch of land here. As far as industry is concerned, if anyone wants to build a hotel, we will provide them land. If anyone wants to build a hospital, we will give land. If Fortis, Medanta or any good super-specialty hospital comes here, we will provide them land. Besides, the land laws here mandate a J&K domicile. Broadly, 90 per cent of the land is agricultural, where no outsider can come. The remaining 10 per cent is government land and even a resident of J&K cannot get it.
Q. What about reservations in jobs and educational institutions for local citizens as in Haryana and Maharashtra? Is something similar being contemplated for J&K as well?
A. Only those holding J&K domicile can get jobs here. Outsiders cannot. Now, you cannot have reservations in the IAS cadre. Rumour-mongering and inciting emotions should stop. J&K is moving towards the mainstream of the country. The people here want development and employment. But some people do not want peace and prosperity because of vested interests.
Q. How is the security situation?
A. The security position is very good. As compared to the past several years, more than thrice the number of tourists have come. The security forces have an upper hand. We have made a strategy that we will take tough action against militancy and create an opinion on this in the country. The coordination between our security forces, be it the J&K police, Indian Army or paramilitary forces, is very good. A new challenge has emerged in the form of drones and necessary arrangements have been made at all our installations to deal with this.
Q. People in the Valley are afraid of speaking their mind and they complain about not being treated with respect. A. I say this very responsibly: there are no restrictions of speech for the common man or any political person in J&K. Meetings are being held every day. There are no restrictions on political activity, holding dialogue or strengthening democracy, but antinational activity will not be allowed. The honour and dignity of the common people were never attacked. Nor will it ever happen. The dignity of every citizen will be protected.
“there are no restrictions on political activity, holding dialogue or strengthening democracy, but antinational activity Will not be alloWed. the dignity of every citizen Will be protected”