'When people are not allowed to go out of homes, not allowed to protest, where will all the anger go? It will find its way, and it will be violent,” a young Kashmiri in Pulwama tells TRT World.
Ahead of the scrapping of Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian government airlifted 35,000 additional armed forces to the region to thwart any possible mass mobilisation.
However, the region, and especially the restive south Kashmir—which has seen violent protests and the highest militant recruitment in recent years—did not experience any mass protests after the central government’s move, something even Kashmiris find unusual.Mohammad Akram, who hails from south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, said the restrictions imposed by the government this time were unprecedented.
“The government, this time, has taken no chances: they have put in prison all those they deem to have the potential of mobilising people or filling the vacuum left by those leaders who are already in prisons,” said a political observer from the valley who wished to remain anonymous. Shakir Rasool, 28, from Pulwama’s Prichoo village said there is anger among people, but “with a strict curfew in place, it is impossible to give that anger a vent.”“Mark my words, it will give rise to more militant recruitment. When people are not allowed to go out of homes, not allowed to protest, where will all the anger go? It will find its way, and it will be violent,” he said.
Others believe the Indian government’s move on Kashmir does not change much on the ground, except an attempt “to shift the goalposts.” As the news of his death spread, violent protests erupted across the Valley, and the government was caught off-guard. This time around, however, the government has locked down the entire valley to pre-empt any such events.
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