Abdul Majid Khan has fought for workers' rights and communal harmony all his life. He has Bhagat Singh's photograph tucked in his pocket. He remembers when his house was raided by the govt, and his wife's only pair of gold earrings taken away.
The basis of Article 35A and Article 370 is to protect J&K’s demography. But from what? The rest of India? From non-Muslims? 35A is based purely on discrimination. Imagine if such an Act existed in the rest of the country.
Although gruesome incidents of sexual assault shake the Valley, they are downplayed in Kashmir's political and media circles. The only narrative that seems to matter is the “Kashmir cause”. Even incest and rape get buried under that.
The Congress Party’s election manifesto suggests reviewing AFSPA. However, playing politics over this essential security act is only playing into the hands of insurgents who wish to harm India.
Debutante politician Shah Faesal spoke with Rohit E David on why he thinks J&K could have a separate PM, why India should talk to Imran Khan in Pakistan, and how AFSPA has not helped curb militancy.
The Congress in its manifesto has claimed that it will reexamine the AFSPA provision in Kashmir, which human rights activists have called 'draconian' for many years. However, Kashmiris are taking such promises with a fistful of salt.
With Lok Sabha polls nearly here, Congress does not have a stable hand on key states like Bihar, Bengal, J&K, Karnataka, Maharashtra and UP. The BJP's strong electoral management stands out in sharp contrast.
Elections can wait for a couple of months but lives lost cannot be returned.
While the security of outright separatists can go, why endanger those political voices which do tilt towards India and its democratic processes?
The sanctimony around 'the return of the Kashmiri Pandits' is just that: sanctimony. The locals are actually not unhappy they left. And the KPs, who know this, know they cannot return.
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