A critical distinction

There is a fundamental difference between doing and overdoing. The former reflects responsible governance; the latter, often unchecked by wisdom, risks undoing what has already been achieved. In the context of Jammu & Kashmir, this distinction becomes critically important.

The current BJP-led government at the Centre has taken bold steps, both with regard to Pakistan and within Jammu & Kashmir. One may disagree with the manner or the motives, but one cannot deny that these moves — particularly the abrogation of Article 370 — yielded a certain kind of stability, at least in the visible sense. The Line of Control is relatively quiet, the streets are calm, and the atmosphere, compared to the past, appears controlled.

This, in the eyes of the government, is a success — and they are entitled to view it as such. Pakistan is not my immediate concern. But Jammu & Kashmir is. It is not just my concern — it is my responsibility, as someone who represents the people and has a stake in their future.

It is precisely because of this responsibility that I raise a note of caution.

The calm that followed Article 370’s abrogation surprised many in Delhi. They expected protests, unrest, and defiance. Instead, what they received was silence — not the silence of submission, but the silence of a people who have learned, through long experience, the cost of being misunderstood.

That silence has been misread.

It has emboldened the Centre to do more, to take further steps — many of them without dialogue, without debate, and without regard for the sentiments of the very people they claim to have “integrated.” This is not just governance; it is overreach. And overreach always carries the risk of unraveling gains.

The BJP is celebrating its success in Kashmir. But in its celebration, it must be asked: Who exactly has been defeated? The claim is that anti-national elements have been curbed. If true, that is a welcome development. But the narrative emerging from many quarters suggests something more insidious — as if the entire Kashmiri Muslim population stood on the other side of the national line and has now been subdued.

This portrayal is not only false — it is unjust. It erases the decades of struggle, sacrifice, and suffering endured by ordinary Kashmiri Muslims who believed in India even when circumstances gave them every reason to walk away. It dismisses their loyalty. It ignores their pain. It sidelines their voices.

A government that truly believes in unity must not alienate the very people it seeks to unite. If the aim was to bring Jammu & Kashmir closer to the national mainstream, then this must be done through trust, dialogue, and dignity — not suspicion and domination.

The youth of Kashmir deserve better than token gestures and tightly controlled narratives. They deserve inclusion, opportunity, and the right to speak, question, and participate in shaping their future — without being branded.

We are at a crucial juncture. The progress achieved — whether politically, economically, or in terms of security — must not be jeopardized by the arrogance of overdoing. Let wisdom prevail over triumphalism, and let engagement replace imposition.

The people of Jammu & Kashmir have shown restraint. Now, it is time for the government to show responsibility.

Javid Hassan Baig

MLA Baramulla