August 5 Redefines J&K’s Future
Peerzada Masarat Shah
On August 5, 2025, Jammu and Kashmir pulsed with a renewed rhythm of hope, compassion, and justice. Marking the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, this day was far more than a milestone—it was a sacred moment of healing for a land long wounded by terror. At Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, embodying the resolute vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, handed over government job appointment letters to 158 next of kin of terror victims. This was no mere ceremony—it was a lifeline, a vow that the silent tears of grieving families would finally be seen and soothed. This was the dawn of *Naya Jammu and Kashmir*, a land where the pain of martyrs’ families is held with reverence and their sacrifices honored with steadfast commitment.
Six years earlier, on August 5, 2019, a historic decision led by PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah reshaped J&K’s destiny. The abrogation of Article 370 dismantled the barriers that had long nurtured a brutal ecosystem of terror and separatism. LG Sinha, his voice laden with empathy, spoke of the anguish inflicted not only by Pakistan but by those within J&K who perpetuated this cycle of violence. For decades, fear haunted these valleys, stealing lives, breaking families, and dimming dreams. Now, the power to forge J&K’s future lies with its people—ordinary Kashmiris yearning for peace, not the peddlers of despair.
The SKICC event was a tapestry of raw emotion, where families, once forgotten, stood bathed in compassion’s light. Each story shared was a wound reopened, yet also a testament to unyielding resilience. Abdul Majid Mir of Sheikhpura, Baramulla, was ripped from his family by terrorists in 2004, leaving them with a paltry Rs 1 lakh and years of heartbreak. On this day, his son Mudasir Majid held a government job letter, his eyes shining with pride and relief—a moment of dignity restored after two decades of struggle. Suhail Majeed Wani of Anantnag, whose father was taken in 1994, spoke with a quivering voice: “For 31 years, we were shadows. Today, we are seen, heard, and cherished.”
These stories broke the heart. Soliha Javed, only 16, was a toddler in UKG when her father fell to a terror attack. Her mother, a solitary warrior, raised her through grief and hardship. Clutching her appointment letter, Soliha’s voice cracked: “This isn’t just a job—it’s my mother’s tears, my father’s sacrifice, finally honored.” Samena from Anantnag, her family shattered in the 1990s, stood with newfound hope in her eyes. “For 29 years, we bore our pain alone. Today, LG Sinha met us with compassion, not pity. He gave us justice.” These once-silenced voices now sing of a future where their suffering is acknowledged, and their dreams are nurtured.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri called these appointment letters “beacons of hope,” and they are exactly that—symbols of a government that sees, hears, and heals. LG Sinha’s administration has flung open its arms, launching a dedicated portal to deliver jobs, financial aid, and legal support to terror victims’ families with urgency and care. Parvez Ahmad Dar, who lost his father and brother to terror in 1996 and 2004, held his job letter like a lifeline. “Our nightmare is over,” he whispered, his voice thick with gratitude. After 29 years, his family’s pain was finally seen, their wounds tenderly addressed.
This is the soul of *Naya J&K*—a land where martyrs’ children wield pens, not stones; where vibrant event calendars replace forced shutdowns; where the Tiranga soars in places like Pulwama, once cloaked in fear. LG Sinha’s words rang with the weight of a promise: “In Naya J&K, we don’t glorify terrorists with jobs; we empower the families of martyrs.” The transformation is vivid—schools and colleges buzz with life, and the youth dare to dream anew.
Yet, shadows linger. The grief of recent losses, like the 26 lives stolen in the April 2025 Pahalgam attack, still stings. The Congress has voiced concerns over security lapses, noting 90 deaths in J&K this year. These wounds demand attention, but they must not eclipse the light of progress. The abrogation of Article 370 has doubled J&K’s economy, drawn 2.3 crore tourists in 2024, and sparked hope in young hearts. LG Sinha’s initiatives—from infrastructure to women-led agricultural revolutions—weave a vision of a flourishing future.
India’s fight against terror burns fiercer than ever. LG Sinha spoke of a new redline under PM Modi’s leadership: terrorism is an act of war, and its perpetrators will face unrelenting justice. The swift neutralization of three terrorists behind the Pahalgam attack and the destruction of nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK in May sent a powerful message. Operation Sindoor, born from this tragedy, carries PM Modi’s pledge to chase terrorists “to the ends of the Earth.”
At the SKICC, the families’ gratitude was a symphony of hope. Junaid Ahmad, orphaned at two, and Bisma, raised by a lone mother, called LG Sinha an “angel in our pain.” Muzaffar Ahmad Sheikh from Anantnag, his voice trembling, said, “We were forsaken for years. Today, this job letter is our hope, our recognition.” These words carry the weight of countless tears, now met with the warm embrace of justice.
August 5, 2019, marked the dawn of a new Jammu and Kashmir—a land daring to dream of peace and equality. August 5, 2025, reaffirmed that sacred promise. Under PM Modi and LG Sinha, J&K is not just healing; it is soaring. These job letters are more than paper—they are a pledge to honor every sacrifice, to dry every tear, and to build a future where no family walks alone. This is *Naya J&K*—a land reborn, where compassion triumphs over terror, and hope shines brighter than ever.
