The Union Home Minister, Mr. Amit Shah, is visiting Jammu & Kashmir at a time when the democratically elected Legislative Assembly is in session. Legislators from different political parties have responded to his visit in varied ways. The Chief Minister stated that he “will take up the matter of reopening new tourist destinations” with the Home Minister. A PDP legislator urged the Chief Minister to use his mandate to seek meaningful dialogue with the Home Minister. The Leader of the Opposition described the visit as a routine engagement, while the President of the Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir argued that the frequency of the Home Minister’s visits itself indicates that normalcy has not yet been achieved.

As a member of civil society, I place following issues for the consideration of the Home Minister during his visit, in order to help normalize the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Restoration of the Political

India’s strategic thinking has historically been guided by a distinctive conception of power. The foundational source of India’s influence in the world lies in the power of its example, rooted in political democracy and a broadly liberal constitutional order. In the twenty-first century, self-reliance will emerge from internal unity and social trust. In Jammu and Kashmir, there is an urgent need to move towards the........

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