With clarity and determination

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has emerged as the ‘Iron Man’ of contemporary India — a man who not only took a solemn pledge to resolve the long-standing Kashmir problem but delivered on it with clarity, courage, and compassion.

In the annals of nation’s political history, leaders have left as profound an imprint on Jammu and Kashmir as Union Home Minister Amit Shah. His approach is firm yet inclusive, bold yet thoughtful — a rare blend of governance and grit that changed the course of J&K’s destiny.

For over seven decades, successive home ministers in India grappled with Kashmir. Most of them, despite their stature and intentions, found themselves outmanoeuvred by the regional political elites who projected themselves as the sole custodians of Jammu and Kashmir.

These leaders, often played the double game of appeasement and opportunism, thrived in the grey zones of governance, using the sentiment of alienation to further their own ambitions. They weaved a web of deception, promising loyalty to the Union of India while nurturing a narrative of victimhood and secessionism on the ground.

However, when Amit Shah took charge as the Home Minister, the game changed. This time, the regional power brokers couldn't deceive the “Iron Man” of PM Modi’s era. With clarity of vision and unflinching determination, Amit Shah took the challenge head-on — to end decades of duplicity, resolve the Kashmir conundrum, and bring the region into the mainstream of the country’s progress.

Amit Shah didn’t merely administer Jammu and Kashmir — he owned it, heart and soul. He won over the people of Kashmir with respect, love, and a healing touch that had been missing for decades.

Simultaneously, those responsible for sowing seeds of secessionism were firmly taken to task. Under his leadership, the bluff of the self-styled leaders, who thrived on divisiveness and drama, was called out in no uncertain terms.

The entire security grid, operating with precision under the strategic leadership of PM Modi and Amit Shah, was recalibrated to ensure peace with dignity.

The separatist ecosystem, which had thrived during the past regimes, was dismantled brick by brick. The message was clear: no more double standards, no more tolerance for betrayal in the guise of political discourse.

What unfolded in the years that followed abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019 is nothing short of extraordinary.

For the first time in decades, no mother wept for her son killed in senseless terror, no civilian casualties marred the daily lives of ordinary Kashmiris. No schools were shut or set ablaze in the name of protest. No hartals (strikes) or violent demonstrations paralysed Kashmir.

Shops opened regularly, schools functioned without fear, and tourism flourished as it never had before. The iron-fisted security approach was complemented by genuine socio-economic outreach.
Corrupt elements, who had looted the state's coffers in the name of development and nationalism, were exposed and brought to justice. The establishment of the Anti-Corruption Bureau was a decisive step in cracking down on the decades-long loot by surplus and corrupt individuals embedded within the system.

The false shops of “fake nationalism” — built on the pretence of representing Kashmiri aspirations while bleeding the state of resources and morality — were shut down for good. For the first time, the nationalism of the common Kashmiri was given the highest regard. No longer were brokers and intermediaries allowed to manipulate the narrative. The story of Kashmir began to be written by the people themselves — doctors, teachers, students, entrepreneurs, and the youth — not by those who made a career out of chaos.
The portrayal of Jammu and Kashmir as a perpetually troubled and anti-national region, crafted carefully by some political actors and perpetuated by certain narratives, was decisively challenged.
Under Amit Shah’s stewardship, a new narrative took root — one that celebrated Kashmir as an integral and proud part of India, not a problem to be managed.

Foreign powers and vested interests, who had long instigated violence and nurtured terror networks with the help of shadowy elements within the system, were finally exposed. The crackdown on terror funding — whether routed through hawala, NGOs, or overseas sympathisers — was both deep and extensive. The results? Nothing short of unbelievable.

The very same Jammu and Kashmir, once considered a hotbed of terrorism, now echoes with the sounds of children playing, tourists clicking pictures, and businesses booming. And the most incredible part — all this was achieved with the same number of security personnel. The difference was not in numbers, but in leadership, strategy, and sincerity.
“Sau Sunaar Ki, Ek Luhaar Ki”, this old Hindi proverb — a hundred blows from a goldsmith equal one from a blacksmith — perfectly sums up Amit Shah’s Kashmir doctrine.
For 75 years, countless committees, reports, and hollow peace processes yielded nothing but disillusionment. But one determined blow, delivered with precision and resolve by the Iron Man of India, changed the trajectory of Kashmir forever.
Amit Shah’s Kashmir policy is not merely about law and order; it is about restoring dignity and hope to the people. It is about making the ordinary Kashmiri feel seen, heard, and safe. And above all, it is about ensuring that no anti-national element, no matter how influential, could sabotage the dreams of millions for personal gain.

Amit Shah will be remembered not just as a Home Minister, but as a statesman who dared to confront history and correct its course. With the unwavering support of Prime Minister Modi, he turned a troubled region into a story of transformation.

In doing so, he didn’t just resolve a political issue — he healed a nation’s wound.
In every school that now stays open, in every tourist smiling on the banks of Dal Lake, in every mother who sleeps without fear — echoes the legacy of a man who didn’t just govern Jammu and Kashmir, but truly owned it.
The “Iron Man” of PM Modi proved that with courage, clarity, and compassion, even the most complex of challenges can be turned into triumphs.

Sheikh Khalid writes on Politics, Terrorism, Education & Strategic Affairs and is presently heading International Centre for Peace Studies.