Says don’t let propaganda poison the peace "Street violence has given way to schools, colleges, business" 890 Central Laws now empower every citizen in J&K Welfare budget for tribals sees sixfold growth   Srinagar, Sep 27: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday cautioned against the growing influence of extremist propaganda on social media, warning that narratives pushed by Pakistan-backed groups such as The Resistance Front (TRF) pose a serious threat to peace and public discourse. Addressing a gathering of the Pahari tribal community at Tagore Hall, Srinagar, the LG called on citizens to remain vigilant and united in resisting radical content that echoes the language of terrorist organisations. “If the same language that appears on TRF handles is unknowingly repeated by people here, it becomes dangerous,” Sinha said. “We cannot allow terrorism to resurface in any form.” “We have lost more than 40,000 lives to terrorism. Women widowed, families shattered. We cannot allow this to resurface in any form,” he added. Reflecting on the region’s journey from decades of violence to stability, Sinha said that Pakistan, after failing in direct military confrontations with India, turned to radicalisation and proxy warfare. “After four failed wars, they adopted indirect methods, provoking people and spreading hate. But the situation has changed now,” he said, noting that local recruitment into terror ranks has dropped to just 25 individuals by September this year. Street violence, shutdowns, and school closures, once routine in the Valley, are now “a thing of the past,” the LG said, adding that today’s focus is on education, infrastructure, business, and peace. Calling terrorism one of the three biggest roadblocks to India’s progress, Sinha identified corruption and societal indifference as equally harmful. “One attitude we must change is: Let Bhagat Singh be born in someone else’s house, not mine.We must change the mindset of leaving sacrifice to others. Every citizen must ask: What have I given back to the country that gave me identity and opportunity?” he said.He urged civil society to actively support law enforcement and ensure that no one “unknowingly assists extremist elements.”“The security forces are doing their duty, but citizens must ensure they don’t become part of anything that enables such incidents,” he added. He urged civil society to support the administration and security agencies in preventing “unwitting” assistance to extremist elements. “The security forces are doing their job, but as citizens we must ensure we don’t become party to anything that enables such incidents,” he said. Highlighting the transformative impact of constitutional changes after August 2019, Sinha said over 890 central laws have been made applicable to Jammu and Kashmir, many for the first time since Independence. “The Right to Education Act, the Minimum Wages Act, laws protecting safaikaramcharis, provisions for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities, all came into force only after 2019,” he said. He added that the Forest Rights Act, delayed in J&K for 14 years, was implemented after 2019 and accelerated in 2021. “Water, forest and land, these are the rights of tribal communities and the Government of India has ensured this legally,” he said. Political reservation, he said, has also now been extended. “After a long wait, seats have been reserved and empowerment has begun. No one can now deny you access to jobs, education or political space,” he said. Sinha said the grant of Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste status was rooted in constitutional guarantees. “Our Constitution makers believed that socially and politically weaker groups must get reservation and equal status in society. That is the real strength of this country,” he said. He cited the Tribal Pride Day initiative, recently launched to honour the legacy and culture of India’s indigenous communities. “Your history is rich and distinct. The Prime Minister and the Home Minister are committed to your growth and dignity,” Sinha said. Responding to issues raised by community representatives, Sinha said no benefit granted to any group comes at the cost of another. “No one has been deprived of reservation so that there is no discrimination. But some will continue to provoke for political reasons. My appeal is to maintain brotherhood with every community,” he said. He acknowledged demands related to the Pahari Advisory Board, management rights, hostel facilities and forestry issues, and said these would be taken up in due course. “No right given to you can be diluted. But some things require internal effort too,” he said. On development, Sinha said the administration has shifted away from outdated models of state-driven projects. “Earlier it was believed that building TRCs and government hotels would boost tourism. The country has changed. Where governments stepped back and enabled the private sector, growth accelerated,” he said. He emphasised stronger infrastructure, connectivity and essential services over state-run ventures. Budgetary support for tribal welfare, he said, has risen sixfold in four years. “Scholarships, hostels and employment schemes are being expanded without any discrimination. The Forest Fund Self-Help Groups were set up in 2022 to empower tribal women,” he said, adding that the PM’s AdiAdarsh Gram Yojana and migratory population surveys were underway. Calling for “saturation with honesty,” he said implementation must match intention. “You waited long. Now the rights must reach you in letter and spirit,” he said. He urged communities to organise themselves to maintain communication with officials and monitor progress. Sinha invoked the legacy of BirsaMunda, whose 150th birth anniversary is being commemorated. “The tribal community worships him as a deity. The nation is indebted to his role in the freedom movement,” he said. He credited the Prime Minister with lifting 25 crore Indians out of poverty and transforming India into the world’s fourth-largest economy. “Social justice that was talked about for years is now visible on the ground,” he said. He further said that economic development must be inclusive and corruption-free. “Corruption hollows out a nation. Development must not bypass the poor or rural belts,” he said. Sinha further said that divisive narratives must not be allowed to destabilise societal peace. “Some people try to divide society for their own interest. We must not become part of that. We need brotherhood, not fragmentation,” he said. He appealed for unity, vigilance and a renewed social compact. “We have reached a stage where stone pelting is history. Do not let the poison of propaganda from across the border undo this peace,” he said. “When we meet again, I hope it will be in an even better atmosphere with less fear, more progress and stronger bonds among communities,” Sinha concluded.