Editor JK News Today
JK News Today Commentary
It is time for serious reflection on what August 5 means for Jammu and Kashmir, especially for the Kashmir Valley , seven years after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, alongside the bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories ,
There is , and can be no comparison between what how Kashmir looks now and what it was then way seven years ago . There are definite yardsticks through which it can be measured and explained in detail, but largely it is the expression through the day-to-day events , the two contrasting realities can be factored in . The road against terrorism is nearing its completion , few incidents here and there are bound to happen taking into consideration that this was the land where violence dominated the ground and narratives for decades .
The changes in daily life are more pronounced expression of almost terror-free atmosphere in the Valley where children were once caught in stone throwing and also cross-fire. There were explosions in the schools and their buses were stoned , leaving them injured and maimed for the rest of their lives .
There is immeasurable difference the way the Valley people lived and breathed prior to the August 5 phenomenon , and how their life styles have changed . There are political issues , and those will continue to be because the political tools of the Central government in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly, the valley , have neither a strategy nor articulation to convince the people what all benefits the change has brought to them.. The organic narrative on the improved lives has not got traction as it should have . The political narrative that should have spawned across the Valley and brought the people into mainstream more effectively is not up to mark.
The political leaders on the other side of the fence have kept their narrative alive that August 5 was a “ black day.” For the people of Kashmir. They rarely acknowledge the change that it has made to the lives of the people , and when it is done by administration only through its long-winding speeches and advertisements with public connect being absent , it complicates the matters.
This thesis , which draws its resonance and substance from the ground situation, is a never-before-seen phenomenon in the Valley that was in the Center of Pakistan’s proxy war and counter-terrorism operations for almost 30 years . The new generation is seeing a different Kashmir than what their elder siblings or parents had seen or experienced . A certain future beckons them .
This can be understood when we recall what Kashmir looked like on August 5, 2019 and how it unfolded in the Valley.
. A complete undeclared curfew was imposed , leaving people entirely unaware of what was happening next door . All mobile phones were shut down , and for the first time , even landline phones also went dead . With security personnel deployed everywhere , Kashmir was turned into a valley of fear and uncertainty , a scenario made worse by the absolute communication clampdown.
The people knew that the administration had done so to preempt large-scale street protests , and they understood that any demonstration would be met with force . The message was clear : they better stay at home and let events take their course. In truth , the administration itself knew it was dealing with an unprecedented situation in J&K: officials were unsure how things would shape up following the abrogation , which explained their actions on the ground .
An unprecedented simmering tension grew among the people. They felt choked ..They could not comprehend why it was being done to them when they had begun moving decisively toward embracing the idea of India and becoming active partners in it.
It is worth mentioning that when the Pulwama terror attack took place, it rattled the Valley more than anywhere else. It brought the sounds and images of conflict in Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen closer to home – a reality the people never wanted . Terrified that such violence might recur at regular intervals , they desperately wanted to prevent it from ever happening in the land again.
Today, it is clear that the decisions that the Central government made on August 5, 2019 , were aimed at not only preventing the Pulwama like unfortunate incidents- 40 CRPF personnel had died when a suicide bomber rammed an explosive laden van into the CRPF convoy at Lethpora( Pulwama) on February 14, 2019 – but to strike at the roots of terrorism of all scales, big or small.
Yes, there was a big incident in Baisaran area of Pahalgam on April 22, 2025. Twenty-six civilians, 25 of them tourists from other parts of the country were mowed down by Pakistani terrorists . There have been few odd incidents in south Kashmir on July 22, and 31 in south Kashmir- A police official and two migrant labourers were killed by the terrorists .
These incidents represent black spots but these must be analyzed against the pre-2019 backdrop .. There were daily incidents of violence , and no one was certain as to what might happen to them in their home, the street or on the way to work places.. The current terror incidents signal desperation , contrasting sharply with the widespread control and operational capacity of terrorists before August 5, 2019 .
As political groups in Kashmir are seeking to spotlight August 5 in negative light , the stance should be viewed as political theatre driven by a lack of alternative issues
They travel and appreciate the Vande Bharat – train connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country, yet refuse to acknowledge that post August5, 2019 peace made it possible . They relish holding political rallies and making their point before the people without recalling when the tours faced severe threats from terrorists from IEDs and grenade attacks . Now is the time for these parties to unite , build public confidence and view reality clearly for a better long-term vision .
