Courtesy Nina Rawal (Twitter)
“I’ve just returned from Kashmir & three things to note, particularly for those outside fed on stories of normalcy by embedded journalists. [Even if you support Modi, and think this might work, surely you’d want to know what’s really going on].
(1) Total Shutdown: 3 weeks in, complete nonsense to suggest life is normal or that Kashmiris accept any of it. Valley remains in total paralysis; no shops, no internet, no schools, no phones. Nothing is open, nothing to do, nowhere to go. Large parts of Srinagar totally empty.
(2) Saturated Military Presence: I’ve visited many violence affected areas – but this is the most claustrophobic security force presence I’ve ever seen in a large urban area. It’s absolutely maddeningly oppressive. Soldiers, paramilitaries and police are literally everywhere.
(3) Politically Transformative: There’s absolute fury & anger everywhere, & it’s not going away. This amounts to collective punishment, humiliation and imprisonment and that’s the way it’s seen. It is definitely a historic tipping point but not in the direction Amit Shah wants.
(4) Let me add – locking up leadership hasn’t stopped the bandh. The present shutdown in Kashmir is voluntarily observed, and total – not called by any party or leader (entire political leadership is anyway in custody, incommunicado). That’s quite significant in itself.
(5) Finally-absolutely critical Indians open their minds to what is going on & challenge disinformation & bigoted triumphalism. Switch off your TV, read a book & maybe go visit Kashmir & see what govt is doing in your name. People are as ever, exceptionally warm and hospitable.”
Sad, people still think kashmiri have it good, get special privileges, how would you like to be under seige, and, most of all, they deserve everything bad! Like a six year old likes to pick up a stone, is she going to O hurl it, it sickens me this attitude!
by Nina Rawal on Twitter.
“I’ve just returned from Kashmir & three things to note, particularly for those outside fed on stories of normalcy by embedded journalists. [Even if you support Modi, and think this might work, surely you’d want to know what’s really going on].
(1) Total Shutdown: 3 weeks in, complete nonsense to suggest life is normal or that Kashmiris accept any of it. Valley remains in total paralysis; no shops, no internet, no schools, no phones. Nothing is open, nothing to do, nowhere to go. Large parts of Srinagar totally empty.
(2) Saturated Military Presence: I’ve visited many violence affected areas – but this is the most claustrophobic security force presence I’ve ever seen in a large urban area. It’s absolutely maddeningly oppressive. Soldiers, paramilitaries and police are literally everywhere.
(3) Politically Transformative: There’s absolute fury & anger everywhere, & it’s not going away. This amounts to collective punishment, humiliation and imprisonment and that’s the way it’s seen. It is definitely a historic tipping point but not in the direction Amit Shah wants.
(4) Let me add – locking up leadership hasn’t stopped the bandh. The present shutdown in Kashmir is voluntarily observed, and total – not called by any party or leader (entire political leadership is anyway in custody, incommunicado). That’s quite significant in itself.
(5) Finally-absolutely critical Indians open their minds to what is going on & challenge disinformation & bigoted triumphalism. Switch off your TV, read a book & maybe go visit Kashmir & see what govt is doing in your name. People are as ever, exceptionally warm and hospitable.”
Sad, people still think kashmiri have it good, get special privileges, how would you like to be under seige, and, most of all, they deserve everything bad! Like a six year old likes to pick up a stone, is she going to O hurl it, it sickens me this attitude!