| The view from India. See the view from Pakistan in the next article, below. |
[TimesOfIndia] NEW DELHI: At the stroke of midnight, Jammu & Kashmir ceased to be a state of the Union, making way for two new Union territories of J&K and Ladakh. This marks an important milestone in the history of J&K and, especially, Kashmir Valley’s tense ties with the rest of the country, and culminates the process which started on August 5 with the landmark announcement for emasculation of Article 370 as well as end of statehood for J&K.
| Note that the Kashmir region accounts for 15.8% of the area and 54.9% of the population while the Jammu region accounts for 25.9% of the area and 42.9% of the population. The Ladakh region has 2.2% of the population but 58.3% of the area. (Figures from Census of 2011). If Hindu dominated Jammu region begins to agitate for freedom from Kashmir, only 15.8% of the erstwhile J+K state will be left. |
This also put to an end to J&K’s flag and constitution, symbols of the state’s special status. With October 31 fixed as the appointed day for reorganisation of J&K, the new lieutenant governors of the two UTs — G C Murmu in J&K and R K Mathur in Ladakh — will be sworn in at separate ceremonies in Srinagar and Leh, respectively.
The creation of the UTs of J&K and Ladakh coincides with the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, credited with the merger of over 560 states with the Indian Union and who has been promoted by the Modi government as the embodiment of national unity and muscular nationalism.
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