Jammu Suffered Most with Article 370 Removal: Mehbooba Mufti’s Call for Unity and Justice
By: Javid Amin | 02 Aug 2025
The Speech That Shifted a Narrative
At the 26th Foundation Day of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in August 2025, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti made a startling and deeply political statement:
“Jammu has suffered the most after the abrogation of Article 370.”
Her remarks, delivered in Jammu, struck a sharp contrast to mainstream narratives that primarily portray the Kashmir Valley as the only region impacted. Mehbooba’s speech highlighted economic suffering, drug addiction, social marginalization, and political betrayal in the Jammu region—issues that she claimed have been deliberately ignored by the Centre and state-level political elites.
Let’s break down this pivotal political moment and its implications for Jammu and Kashmir’s future.
Her Core Assertions: What Mehbooba Said and Why It Matters
01. Farmers Are Struggling with Water Scarcity
According to Mehbooba, farmers in Jammu face increasing drought-like conditions, especially in Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, and Akhnoor. She blamed mismanagement of water resources and absence of canal maintenance post-2019.
“They have not just taken away our rights—they’ve taken our water, our land, our contracts, and our youth’s futures.”
In a region where agriculture still sustains over 65% of the population, water scarcity translates directly into food insecurity, farmer debt, and rural unemployment.
02. Drug Addiction Is Rising Across Jammu’s Youth
Jammu, especially border areas like Poonch, Rajouri, and RS Pura, has seen a disturbing rise in narcotic usage since 2020. Police records reveal:
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Seizures of heroin and synthetic opioids have tripled.
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Drug addiction-related deaths have increased by 28% over three years.
Mufti tied this to post-370 disillusionment and lack of jobs, accusing the BJP of failing to provide social safeguards and meaningful engagement for the youth.
03. Livelihoods Are Shrinking as Outsiders Dominate
Mehbooba strongly criticized the allocation of local jobs and contracts to non-residents:
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Auto-rickshaw permits have reportedly been granted to outside drivers.
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Sand and mineral contracts for rivers in Jammu are now auctioned online, often going to bidders from Delhi, Haryana, or Punjab.
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Contractual jobs in power, construction, and telecom sectors are being bagged by corporate players, with few benefits trickling down to Jammu’s skilled workers.
This “economic invasion,” as some have labeled it, is what Mehbooba warned was eroding Jammu’s autonomy, identity, and dignity.
Critique of Political Players: BJP and NC in the Crosshairs
Accusing the BJP of “Betrayal”
Mehbooba directly challenged the BJP’s narrative of “national integration” through Article 370’s abrogation:
“They promised jobs, development, peace—but delivered only land loss, contracts to outsiders, and rising drug abuse.”
She noted that Jammu’s deep trust in the BJP had been abused, and its promises—especially those made before the 2014 and 2019 elections—have gone unfulfilled.
National Conference Also Targeted
Uncharacteristically, she also held the National Conference (NC) responsible:
“What did Omar Abdullah do for Jammu in his tenure? Just as much as the BJP—nothing.”
This double-edged attack sought to position PDP as the only party speaking for Jammu and Kashmir jointly, rather than pandering to regional majoritarianism.
A Strategic Reframing: Jammu and Kashmir, Not Jammu versus Kashmir
Rather than turning Jammu’s pain into anti-Kashmir sentiment, Mehbooba did something politically significant: she called for unity.
Quoting her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, she stated:
“The solution to Jammu and Kashmir must come from within the region—not from Delhi. Peace, not war, is the foundation for dignity.”
This strategic language places PDP as a unifying force between communities, pushing back against the divisive Hindu-Muslim or Jammu-Kashmir binaries that other parties often leverage.
Ground Data Supports Her Claims
Youth Unemployment
Recent reports show Jammu youth unemployment has surged to 18–20%, especially among:
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Arts and commerce graduates.
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Technical diploma holders in rural areas.
Job applications for even constable and guard roles attract over 50,000 applicants for less than 1,000 posts.
Sand Mining & Outsider Contracts
As per an RTI filed in 2024:
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Over 64% of mining contracts in Jammu are held by firms outside J&K.
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Locals have been repeatedly denied licenses due to centralized online bidding systems favoring capital-rich companies.
Drug Addiction Trends
Jammu’s Drug De-addiction Centers have reported a quadrupling of admissions since 2020. Doctors attribute this to:
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Proximity to Punjab’s drug trade.
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Border smuggling routes near Poonch and Samba.
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Lack of counseling and community rehab facilities.
Political Messaging and Electoral Implications
Mufti’s speech was not just criticism—it was a strategic attempt to reclaim ground in Jammu, where PDP has traditionally been weak. By focusing on economic suffering, youth frustration, and cultural dislocation, she reframes Article 370’s removal not as a “Kashmir issue” but a Jammu betrayal.
This could:
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Challenge BJP’s dominance in Hindu-majority Jammu areas.
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Break NC’s grip on Muslim voters in Chenab and Pir Panjal.
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Open space for PDP alliances with new players like Ghulam Nabi Azad’s DPAP.
PDP’s Emerging Narrative Post-2025
The PDP under Mehbooba Mufti now promotes:
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Peace with dignity, not war or communal polarization.
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Grassroots governance, empowering Panchayats and local bodies.
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Protecting land and jobs for locals, including restoring residency protections.
Her speech signals a return to soft separatist, yet democratic regionalism, emphasizing:
“Jammu and Kashmir must speak as one voice—against looting, against unemployment, against cultural dilution.”
Media and Public Response
Her speech trended across:
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Local Jammu news portals like Jammu Samachar and Kashmir Times.
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National coverage by NDTV, The Tribune, and The Wire, highlighting the political twist of placing Jammu as the “biggest loser.”
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Social media buzz, especially on Reddit, Twitter, and WhatsApp groups, where youth voices resonated with her core theme: “We got sold.”
Bottom-Line: A Silent Suffering Finally Voiced?
By asserting that Jammu suffered most post-370, Mehbooba Mufti gave political voice to an economically wounded but electorally powerful population. Whether her speech translates into votes or policy change is uncertain—but it certainly forces both the BJP and NC to respond with clarity.
Her message is clear:
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Development without dignity is disaster.
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Unification does not mean uniformity.
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Ignoring Jammu’s pain is a political gamble no party can afford anymore.
Key Takeaways
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Mehbooba Mufti declared Jammu as the worst affected region after Article 370’s removal.
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Water scarcity, drug addiction, outsider job takeovers were major concerns.
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She criticized BJP and NC alike for neglecting Jammu’s economic needs.
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Advocated unity between Jammu & Kashmir, echoing her father’s vision of self-resolution.
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Her remarks could reshape political discourse and party alliances in J&K.
