New Delhi:In a significant development for Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Tuesday that two constituents of the Hurriyat Conference have severed all ties with separatism. This move marks a pivotal moment in the region’s history, potentially reshaping the narrative of Kashmir’s relationship with the central government.
Shah welcomed this decision, framing it as a strengthening of India’s unity. He attributed this shift to the Modi government’s unifying policies, which he claims have effectively eliminated separatism from Jammu and Kashmir. “Two organizations associated with the Hurriyat have announced the severing of all ties with separatism. I welcome this step towards strengthening Bharat’s unity,” Shah stated on social media platform X.
The Home Minister urged other groups to follow suit, encouraging them to “come forward and shed separatism once and for all”. He characterized this development as a significant victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed, peaceful, and unified India.
The Hurriyat Conference, an amalgamation of separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir, has long been a contentious entity in the region’s politics. Many of its constituent organizations have been banned by the government over the years. This latest announcement suggests a potential weakening of the separatist movement’s influence in the Kashmir Valley.
Shah’s statements reflect the central government’s ongoing efforts to integrate Jammu and Kashmir more closely with the rest of India, particularly following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The government’s approach has included a combination of political, economic, and security measures aimed at countering separatist ideologies and promoting national unity.
While the specific Hurriyat-linked groups that have distanced themselves from separatism were not named in Shah’s announcement, the move is likely to have significant implications for the political dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir. It remains to be seen how this development will impact the broader separatist movement and the region’s relationship with the central government in the coming months.
