On 5 August 2019, six years from today, the Parliament abrogated Article 370, a decision that was also upheld by the Supreme Court in 2023. Just a day before the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, which revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status, the Union Territory’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “nothing bad will happen” on the date. His comments came amid anxiety in the air and a series of high-level meeting in Delhi.
“I’ve heard every possible permutation and combination about what to expect in J&K tomorrow. So let me stick my neck out and say nothing will happen tomorrow. Fortunately, nothing bad will happen, but unfortunately, nothing positive will happen either. I’m still optimistic about something positive for Jammu and Kashmir in this monsoon session of Parliament, but not now,” stated Omar in a post on social media platform X.
The CM also said this was his gut feeling: “and I haven’t had any meeting or conversation with people in Delhi. This is just a gut feeling. Let’s see this time tomorrow,” he added.
What Former CM Says
However, former CM and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said she expects something worse might happen. “I have my apprehensions. You know, something like what they did in 2019. They broke up, dismembered the state. They broke it into parts. You know, dispossessed us. Their main target was Muslims, especially Kashmiris. So I feel something worse may be in the offing—to disempower us further, dismember us,” said Mufti to the national media when asked if she expects Jammu and Kashmir to get back its statehood.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah met the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, and Home Secretary Govind Mohan in his office in Parliament House on Monday. This happened a day after both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister met President Droupadi Murmu.
PM and Home Minister Meet
Speculation about August 5 further escalated as the government suspended the annual Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage on August 1, citing “maintenance works of urgent nature” on both routes to the cave shrine in South Kashmir due to heavy rain.
Prime Minister Modi is expected to address the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting on Tuesday, just a couple of days before the window to nominate a candidate for the Vice Presidential election opens. The NDA candidate’s election is a near certainty because of the alliance’s majority in the electoral college.
The last day to file nominations is 21 August, also the day when the monsoon session of Parliament will conclude. The Prime Minister is expected to counter the opposition on various issues, including the Election Commission’s alleged partisan role and the ongoing electoral roll verification in Bihar.
