Opinion: From Lal Chowk To Article 370, Narendra Modi's Long Journey With Jammu And Kashmir

Narendra Modi's journey with Jammu and Kashmir mirrors one of the most transformative chapters in the region's contemporary history.

Pakistan-sponsored terrorism was at its peak in the Kashmir Valley. Carrying the Indian Tricolour was often seen as an act of defiance, and those who openly identified with India frequently became targets of terrorists.

Armed young men carrying assault rifles were a common sight on the streets of Srinagar. Local militants, Pakistani terrorists and Afghan mercenaries operated across the Valley, creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.

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At a time when much of India had little familiarity with firearms, terms such as AK-47s, rocket launchers and hand grenades had become part of everyday vocabulary in Kashmir. People were killed merely for asserting that they were Indians.

Lal Chowk in Srinagar had become synonymous with separatist politics. While India’s Independence Day and Republic Day were often observed as black days by separatist groups, Pakistani national days were celebrated by hoisting Pakistani flags atop the iconic Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk.

It was in this backdrop that a group of BJP leaders decided that enough was enough. They resolved to unfurl the Indian tricolour at Lal Chowk on January 26, 1992. The Ekta Yatra was intended not only to unite the nation but also to reaffirm the authority of the Indian state in Jammu and Kashmir. It was a message to separatists that Kashmir was, is and will always remain an integral part of India.

Among those present was a man in his early forties, dressed in a grey bandhgala overcoat to brave the biting Kashmiri winter. Despite threats from terrorists and repeated attempts to disrupt the yatra, he ensured that the tricolour was unfurled at Lal Chowk. This man kept on holding the tricolour throughout the event. That man was Narendra Modi.

Few remember today how extraordinary the events of January 26, 1992, actually were. At a time when separatist slogans dominated the Valley and terrorist threats were routine, the very idea of hoisting the Indian tricolour at Lal Chowk was considered impossible by many. Yet it happened. The event may have appeared symbolic, but in retrospect it represented the beginning of a political journey that would eventually reshape Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional and political landscape.

Fast forward nearly twenty-two years.

On December 1, 2013, at Jammu’s historic Maulana Azad Stadium, a familiar face, now with greying hair, stood before a sea of supporters. The crowd was so enthusiastic that even temporary failures of the sound system failed to diminish the impact of his speech. It was the famous Lalkar Rally of Narendra Modi, then........

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