Jammu and Kashmir — the elusive quest for Statehood

August 5 marks seven years since Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)’s special status (Article 370) was revoked by the Narendra Modi administration; a few days hence, August 9 will mark seven years of J&K’s loss of Statehood . Both actions were accompanied by the most dubious lockdown in India’s history. Thousands of troops were flown in, over 5,000 political leaders and cadre were detained, and curfew was imposed together with a communications blockade.

These were emergency measures, yet no emergency was either visible or declared. The Modi administration argued that its measures were temporary and would lead to a violence-free region in which economic growth would be unleashed. Instead, and predictably, violence has continued, as last year’s terrorist attacks in Kashmir’s Pahalgam (April) and Delhi’s Red Fort (November) attest; indeed, it has spread to areas that were relatively dormant, such as Poonch-Rajouri, and from there to adjoining districts of J&K.