Key Takeaways
- The abrogation of Article 370 has led to a noticeable increase in public freedom across Jammu & Kashmir.
- According to Manoj Sinha, street violence has ended, allowing daily life to normalize.
- Schools and colleges are fully operational, ending years of intermittent closures.
- Commercial hubs like Polo View Market stay open late, and youth enjoy leisure activities on the riverfront.
Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Saturday that the biggest change after the abrogation of Article 370 has been that people in Jammu and Kashmir are living freely.
He said not only has the street violence ended, but the schools, colleges, and business establishments remain open.
“Street violence has ended. The schools and colleges that used to shut for 150 days a year on the directions of Pakistan, terrorists, and separatists have ended,” Sinha told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar.
August 5 marks the fourth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which resulted in the withdrawal of the special status granted to J&K, which was also downgraded from a state to two Union Territories.
Sinha said people, especially youth, used to return home before sunset in Kashmir, but now things have changed.
“Today, shops are open in Polo View Market till late at night. Youth spend quality time holding a guitar and enjoying ice cream on the riverfront. This is the biggest change that has happened after long time,” he said, adding that people in Jammu and Kashmir are living freely now.
LG Sinha said the youth in J&K have got wings to fly in the last four years.
