However, major parties in J&K like NC and the PDP have made it known that Article 370 is not a closed chapter for them. Both Omar and Mehbooba have said that although they are disappointed by the judgment, they will continue the political struggle for its restoration. A report by Riyaz Wani
The tense anticipation and fear of upheaval in Kashmir preceding the revocation of Article 370 by Parliament on August 5, 2019, sharply contrasted with the muted response in the region following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the decision. However, the reason for this was not that people were indifferent, just that they weren’t allowed to express their opinion publicly. Three days before the judgment, the administration beefed up the security checks on the roads. Police launched a campaign against the alleged misuse of social media. Several people were booked for either uploading ‘hateful content’ or spreading rumours. On the day, judgment was announced, leading political figures like former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were put under house arrest, a throwback to the day when Parliament revoked the constitutional provision.
However, now that the apex court has validated the abrogation of Article 370, a decision that was along expected lines, Jammu and Kashmir has formally entered the new era of ‘Naya Kashmir’ – a term coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for post-Article 370 period in the region. The judgment has, however, not brought any closure or sought to address the situation as it has existed since the outbreak of separatist movement in 1989.
It is true that the situation in Kashmir has visibly improved over the past four years, but it is also true that this has not been an organic process. On the face of it, the union territory looks like any other normal place. Kashmir Valley is no longer a witness to frequent protests, stone-pelting and shutdowns. Separatist politics has all but disappeared. Tourism is booming, with over one crore tourists having visited the union territory up to November. Tourists are also visiting the hitherto no-go zones near the border with Pakistan.
Does this constitute normalcy? Apparently yes. But look deeper, and the situation appears contrary to its outward appearance. While mass protests may have vanished, the overall sense of uncertainty hasn’t. And if there has to be real peace in the Valley, the government will need to reach out to people to make them a part of the ongoing process rather than go about doing things without taking them into confidence.
