Jammu and Kashmir will not go back in time and people who try to create issues will be taken care of by the law, said lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha in an exclusive interview with CNN-News18. “It will be three years to my appointment. The people of Jammu and Kashmir will be able to tell you how the region is doing, better than me," he said.
Street violence in the union territory has been stopped and the common people can live their lives now, said Sinha.
“Kids go to markets, the Jhelum sees people at night too. Jammu and Kashmir is living again," he said.
The administration is trying to maintain harmony in Jammu and Kashmir, said the L-G. Speaking about the Muharram procession being allowed this time at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, he said, “The Muslim community was trying for the juloos for a long time; I helped them. This has sent out a good message. Not even Muharram, even when Eid was being celebrated, I was there. I oversaw the Amarnath Yatra too."
Since the last 10 years, the most number of people came for the yatra, he added.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration takes accountability for all religious gatherings, said Sinha. This is J&K’s beauty that all religions come together, he added.
Elections will take place in Jammu and Kashmir, the L-G told CNN-News18. “The home minister has assured us all. He had said in Parliament that delimitation first, elections second, and statehood sometime after that," Sinha said. The Election Commission is a constitutional body and it has to take a call on elections but the J&k administration is ready, he added.
Attempts by Pakistan-backed former militants to enter the electoral process in a bid to push separatism will be checked, said the L-G. “Obviously we can’t interfere with anyone’s constitutional rights. But the people of J&K have understood the game of such elements," he said.
The current Jammu and Kashmir administration got a system in legacy and is trying to correct it, Sinha said. “That’s why about 50 people had to lose their jobs," he added.
Sinha spoke about the 2009 incident, when a false narrative ran about two girls having been raped. “The Valley burned. Two doctors had fabricated evidence. When the CBI conducted investigations and AIIMS did a post-mortem, it was found that there was no rape. Lawyers and doctors were involved…The degrees of the doctors should be snatched away…Several other such cases are being probed. Whoever is caught will be taken to task by the law," he said.
The L-G said that being on a constitutional post, he wouldn’t want to speak on the Supreme Court hearing the issue of the abrogation of Article 370 sections in J&K. However, he said, “This is the first time that the people have been empowered in Jammu and Kashmir. Whatever they want is happening. Panchayats and local bodies are receiving lots of funds…Kashmiris can check details of whatever work is happening on mobile apps."
J&K is the no. 1 union territory in terms of e-governance, said Sinha. Over 450 services have been put online, he added.
Land reforms have seen a lot of work, said Sinha. Land records in Hindi, Urdu and English have been made available to 98% people. “There used to be a joke that if Lord Krishna had access to digitised land records, the war of Mahabharata would not have taken place," he said.
Developmental work in Jammu and Kashmir has picked up pace, Sinha observed. “Highway and tunnel projects of Rs 1.5 lakh crore are ongoing because of the Prime Minister’s efforts. Two AIIMS, two cancer institutes, 7 medical colleges, IIT, IIM have all been set up by the Centre. Last year 7 lakh youths participated in sports activities…International-level stadiums have been built," he said.
With Self-Help Groups getting a boost, more than 7 lakh women are now contributing to the progress of J&K, Sinha said. A holistic agriculture development plan has been drafted in conjunction with experts, and 13 lakh families here engaged in agriculture and allied activities will see a big transformation because of this, he said. From a milk-deficit state, J&K is becoming milk surplus.
Network18 should conduct a survey in J&K to find out how satisfied the people are with the administration, he quipped.
There have been efforts to escalate terrorism in the region, particularly Jammu, after the security forces cracked down in Kashmir, and the number of foreign terrorists has gone up, said Sinha. “But the security forces are working in full coordination. There is a whole-of-government approach, and these elements will be defeated," he said.
Last year, 1.88 crore tourists came to J&K, which was unprecedented, the L-G pointed out, adding that this year 1.27 crore have already arrived and the figure is expected to go over 2 crore.
The G20 event was a great success and has been discussed across the globe, Sinha said. Some elements made efforts to derail the programme, but they failed as the administration and the people of J&K came together to make sure it was a success, he observed.
There is no discrimination between Jammu and Kashmir by the administration, said the L-G. “Of course, the people of Jammu have this complaint that the neglect shown towards them for the past 70 years should have been corrected in 2-3 years," he said.
The Sharada script is tied to the identity of Kashmir and, without imposing anything, the government would like to encourage research into it so that the ancient knowledge from the region could be shared with the world, said the L-G.
Regarding speculation of his possible transfer, Sinha said, “Those who sent me here will decide. What others say doesn’t matter."
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