‘More moves should have followed Article 370 repeal’

NEW DELHI: Usanas Foundation organised a webinar on “Assessing India’s Abrogation of Article 370 and The Journey Ahead” on Tuesday. The speakers were: Michael Kugelman, Asia Program Deputy Director and Senior Associate for South Asia Woodrow Wilson International Center, Washington DC; Bashir Assad,senior journalist; and Abhinav Pandya,counter-terrorism expert and founder-CEO, Usanas Foundation. Joyeeta Basu, Editor, The Sunday Guardian, moderated it. Michael Kugelman said there was a fair amount of reaction in the international fraternity and media after the abrogation of Article 370. “What happened after that was a bit partial, reflecting a somewhat biased perspective. Also, Pakistan has tried to mobilise global support since then. Even if there was criticism about the Kashmir issue, it has not fetched much for Pakistan. Even expected countries like those in the Middle East did not come forward to criticise India.” Kugelman said that Pakistan spent much of last year capitalising on the international attention on Kashmir to bring institutions and subsequently policies to its favours. However, it has largely been unsuccessful. Pakistan got some help from its friend China and has been able to fetch a few meetings at the UN, alongwith some statements. “India has been arguing that it revoked Article 370 to check terrorism and cross-border infiltration. However, I think that this hasn’t proved to be true as data suggests that there have been cases of terrorism after the revocation as well,” Kugelman said. Abhinav Pandya said that even institutions have become a part of the terror nexus in J&K. “New politicians coming up in J&K following the abrogation should be in NIA interrogation rooms. Article 370 abrogation was just a beginning that should have been followed by many auxiliary moves.” Bashir Assad argued that the Government of India was forced by the actions of Kashmir and terrorism in Kashmir to abrogate Article 370. The decision was also taken because it had its ideological commitment. He said, “The issue was on the BJP’s agenda for the last 70 years.”—Correspondent