October 19 will mark the 75th day of Kashmir lockdown and even if there has been a partial dilution of it through restoration of postpaid mobile services, ground realities suggest that real return of normalcy is still a long way to go. Unfortunately, even in this virtual fortress called Kashmir where men in uniform are the de facto deciders of the way life should flow, certain events have just started that have little parallel even during the various phases of heightened troubles the erstwhile state had witnessed. Non-locals have now been chosen as soft targets by militants and it is feared that this sentiment of non-tolerance will deepen further in coming days, overflowing and invading the minds of common Kashmiris, thus making the task of managing the affairs far too painstaking than expected. If this comes out to be true sooner or later, then an important aim of dismantling Article 370, which is to integrate Kashmir with rest of India, will fall apart.
Since the announcement of revocation of Articles 370 & 35A, it has been the ceaseless clampdown with disruptions of all communication channels that has become an international issue. Despite severe criticisms both from within and outside the country, there had been no signs of lifting of the ‘iron curtain’ and it’s only a few days before that postpaid cellular services have been restored with no definite information when the prepaid and internet services will finally return. Reported detention of political leaders and even minors and severe disruptions of almost all forms of civil liberties have already vitiated the atmosphere in J&K and had perceptibly added to the widening of the ‘gap’ of its people with the rest of the nation. There is also a growing suspicion now that killings of apple traders is perhaps a precursor to militancy returning to the place in full scale. Nothing can be more regrettable than this as Article 370 has been projected as the most apt answer to terrorism. There are also reports that a segment of the paramilitary forces have been instructed to stock up non-lethal ammunition anticipating that street protests and demonstrations are very much in the offing and are going to prolong.
A 75-day period is not that a lengthy tenure to come to any logical conclusion on the final fate of Kashmir since it has undergone a complete reshaping. That the ‘uncanny calm’ was of an ephemeral nature is gradually becoming evident. And with ‘force’ gradually proving not a right choice, winning popular support of the Kashmiris for the changes they have been subjected to, might be a sensible choice. But at the moment, it’s very difficult to predict when will normalcy actually return. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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