J&K clampdown: Fear and anger run deep
The common perception that J K is a ‘backward’ region, and that Article 370 is responsible for it, bears no relation to reality.
In the din of comments on Kashmir that have flooded the Indian media in the past three weeks, the views and feelings of the people of Kashmir have counted for very little. Indeed, they have been tightly muzzled. On 5 August 2019, when Article 370 of the Indian Constitution was effectively abrogated, all means of communication were disabled in Kashmir. Curfew-like conditions were imposed across the Valley, making it very difficult to move about. Kashmir became a kind of black hole for days on end.
It was to see the situation for ourselves and listen to people's views that four of us (Kavita Krishnan, Maimoona Mollah, Vimalbhai and myself) left for Kashmir on 9 August and stayed there for five days. We first spent two days in
