Kashmir

RD99
RD99
Sep 1, 2018 · 2 min read

Recently, I was acquainted with someone belonging to the Kashmir Valley. We struck a conversation about the current socio-political status of the people currently residing in this heavily militarised part of Kashmir. She brought to light that even the very basic humanitarian rights are denied to the citizens of what we so shamelessly call “the largest democracy in the world”. People are not allowed to move around freely inside their own localities due to the curfew lasting for the better part of a year. There is a 24/7 monitoring of the activity of all citizens and tracking of all forms of communication. They are denied of the rights to freedom of expression, education and peaceful protest among others, that are the very pillars of our constitution. The authorities can arrest anyone without a warrant.

Image Credits: Crescent Inernational

Isn’t this a throwback to the Rowlatt Act of the British India? How is this any different from this act that we all shun? Is denying people their basic rights and privacy in the facade of national security justified? Isn’t the way they lead their life inhuman? I would request you all to read “KASHMIR towards demilitarization” by BR Raina for a more descriptive representation of these issues. The moment we stop seeing Kashmir as a territory but as the numerous fellow human beings that are a part of our collective society is the day that we can even begin to tackle this issue. I urge all my readers to introspect about this.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade