Freedom suppressed all over India but most severely in J-K: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday attacked the government over its assertion that the abrogation of Article 370 ushered peace in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that "freedom is suppressed" all over India but it is most severely suppressed in the Union Territory.

On the fourth anniversary of Article 370's abrogation, the government on Saturday highlighted that the "historic" decision ushered in peace and development in Jammu and Kashmir.

The biggest change after the abrogation of the article is that the common people of Jammu and Kashmir are living life according to their own wishes, Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha had said in Srinagar.

In a tweet, Chidambaram said, "The Government and the LG of Jammu & Kashmir celebrate the 'peace' that has descended on the State (now UT) after the abrogation of Article 37."

"I wish to quote President (John) Kennedy who warned against the 'peace of the grave and the silence of the slave'," the former home minister said.

If there is so much peace in Jammu and Kashmir, why has the government put Mehbooba Mufti under house arrest and sealed the offices of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference, Chidambaram asked.

"Freedom is suppressed all over India but it is most severely suppressed in J&K," he alleged.

The BJP on Saturday marked the day with a public meeting in Srinagar and its leaders there said that following the 2019 decision, there has been no shutdowns in the Kashmir Valley, and with the situation getting better, the Union Territory has hosted international events and witnessed record tourist footfall.

The Centre on August 5, 2019 had revoked Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated it into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.