J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik in his Independence day address on Wednesday said the changes brought out by the Union Government are not just historic but have opened a new vista of development for the people of Jammu & Kashmir and the people of Ladakh.
He said for the past 70 years, the common people of the State have been distracted on the core issues of economic development, peace and prosperity. Rather than focus on these, people have been misled about issues which are not material to their lives. It is amazing that whether it is an election or otherwise, the public discourse never focussed on issues of Roti, Kapada and Makan.
He said, "with these changes, the veil has been removed. This will speed up economic growth and prosperity, promote good governance, usher in self sufficiency, provide enhanced job opportunities and more importantly bring a feeling of belonging and oneness amongst the residents of Jammu & Kashmir, with the rest of the country.
Giving an assurance to the people of Jammu & Kashmir, Malik said that their identity is not at stake nor has been tampered with. The Constitution of India allows many regional identities to thrive and prosper. If you travel from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, one will see wide range of languages, cultures, religions and societies. Therefore, no one should get worried that their identity will be lost with the measures taken by the Union Government. In fact this opportunity can be used to promote the traditional cultures, values and languages in the State. Kashmiri, Dogri, Gojri, Pahari, Balti, Sheena and other languages will have opportunity to thrive in the new set up. Various tribes and castes in the State who have not had political representation will find proper representation.
He said, a long pending demand of the people of Ladakh has also been fulfilled with the formation of a Union Territory of Ladakh. This will enable the people of Ladakh to realise their aspirations inspite of the problems they face on account of the large and difficult terrain.