Opinion | The Unravelling of Separatist Illusions in Kashmir

‘‘Even those who once preached separatism are now confronting reality: violence leads nowhere, and Kashmir’s future lies within India. Acknowledging this shift is important, but so is confronting the human cost of past rhetoric’’

For years now, Kashmir has been witnessing a transformation that was once unimaginable a period of relative calm and normalcy beyond what anyone could have comprehended. Streets are quiet, academic calendars uninterrupted, stone-pelting incidents history, and businesses operating smoothly. Even more striking is the shift in political discourse: voices that once spoke of Pakistan, so called resistance, and violence are now advocating for integration, democratic alliances, and participation in elections. Collectively, these developments have begun to shape a new state of Kashmir and a new mindset among Kashmiris. Several separatist outfits that once rejected the Indian constitutional framework have openly renounced their past positions. Groups such as the J&K Democratic Political Movement, J&K Peoples Movement, and Tehreek-e-Istiqlal have formally severed ties with the separatism, signalling a clear departure from separatist politics. Even Jamaat-e-Islami, once a hardcore flagbearer of the so-called resistance that preached jihad that delivered nothing but pain, suffering, and turmoil to the Valley, has distanced itself from separatist ideology and participated in recent elections. Their decision to contest elections under the same Constitution they once opposed speaks louder than any statement. Had they won, they would have sworn allegiance to that very Constitution an undeniable acknowledgment of change. The story of Aga Muntazir Mehdi, recently sworn in as an MLA from Budgam in the by-elections, further underlines this transformation. His father once propagated separatist ideas among Kashmiri youth, but now actively participated in campaigning for his son, who fought the election within the same democratic system and constitutional framework he once opposed and refused to accept. This shift reflects a profound change an acknowledgment that the path to representation, relevance, and resolution now runs through democracy, not separatism. This reflects how separatism is fracturing, with those who once vocally advocated it now distancing themselves from the ideology and moving ahead with India and its idea of integration. It signals a Kashmir that is progressing and developing, choosing stability over strife, a Kashmir free from unrest, turmoil, separatism, and violence.

Recently, discussions and debates around this transformation have intensified, with much of the attribution going to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and his evolving political stance. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is a prominent Kashmiri cleric and political leader, long known as the chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. Once a vocal advocate of separatist politics, he has played a central role in shaping the region’s political discourse for decades. In the recent highlights of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, removing the chairman title from his X bio, formerly Twitter, remains the most significant development. With his evolving political stance and the dropping of labels from social media, several questions have emerged, placing significant accountability squarely before him. A voice that once spoke of so-called resistance and separatism asked young people to take to the streets, to pelt stones, and urged shopkeepers to shut their businesses, disrupting the daily life and economy of Kashmir. This politics of disruption plunged the region into darkness for decades, costing countless lives, all from the comfort of a pulpit. A pulpit that was meant, as our beloved Prophet taught, to promote peace and brotherhood, was instead used as a stage for bloodshed and violence, turning a place of guidance into a platform for unrest. Today, with the seemingly simple step of removing a tag from social media, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has placed himself squarely in the realm of questions and accountability. When young lives were lost, it was framed as so-called resistance. When thousands were jailed, it was romanticized as endurance. When families were shattered, it was portrayed as destiny but when the consequences touched personal comfort, access, or safety, the language changed, ideals faded, and obedience was reframed as necessity. In each case, suffering was given a narrative, but the true cost fell on ordinary Kashmiris, while leadership remained distant from the consequences. Who is responsible for all of this? Under whose direction did the youth of Kashmir face the streets, confronted by violence and bloodshed? Who gave provocative and manipulative sermons that pushed the flowers of Kashmir onto the roads and ultimately into graves? The responsibility for decades of turmoil, lost lives, and shattered families cannot be ignored, and it rests with those whose words and influence guided a generation into chaos. Let’s be clear. This is not about limited public space or reduced freedom of speech. At its core, it is self-preservation disguised as principle.

Mirwaiz claims he was pressured to remove the title, but the question is: could he not have defended a title that existed only on social media? The claim of immense pressure is hard to believe, especially given his past sermons, which were far from moderate. If he was really pressured, why only now? Why not years earlier, or immediately after 2019? It seemed inevitable that he would drop all his tags and symbols of separatism and merge into the reality that Kashmir is experiencing today. Kashmiris no longer follow his old script or adhere to his rhetoric. For years, he has been shifting all praise and recognition to the security forces and government for bringing Kashmir back to normalcy and peace. He now acknowledges the genuine intentions of Kashmiris, celebrating a Kashmir free from hartals, heartbreak, and stone-pelting. So, the claim of being pressured is a lie there was no force or coercion; it was entirely driven by Mirwaiz’s own conviction and motivation.

Given his political evolution, I won’t be surprised if Mirwaiz takes part in future elections. His counterparts, those who once believed in his separatist ideology, are now participating in elections, forming alliances, and engaging in democratic processes. This clearly reflects a shift from a separatist and turbulent Kashmir to a peaceful and prosperous one a Kashmir where there is no place for separatism and violence, achieved through the combined efforts of the government, security forces, and the unwavering will of brave ordinary Kashmiris.

It is a welcome step, a significant sign of change, but moving away from something that caused immense pain to the Valley and fractured countless families cannot spare Mirwaiz from questions. Titles can be dropped, bios can be edited or renamed but you cannot rename history. This is not about what you call yourself today; it is about what you asked others to suffer for yesterday. These questions will follow Mirwaiz quietly, relentlessly, everywhere. Is this merely a change of label, or the silent surrender and burial of an ideology once imposed on a generation that bright darkness to valley? No statement can bury it, no drama can distract from it, and no rebranding can absolve it and acquit you from all the questions and accountability that hover over you. Yes, Kashmir deserves peace, but it also deserves truth, a truth that I free from misleading and emotive gaming, a truth that answers past actions and present changes and that truth demands one final, unavoidable question: why did our children have to die on the streets for all that suffering and pain, you never had the courage to live by yourself?

It signals that, at the end of the day, peace is prevailing over violence. Those who once opposed the Idea of India are now increasingly investing their trust in the Indian state and the Constitution, acknowledging the efforts of the government to restore peace and stability in the Valley and to free it from the cycle of violence and bloodshed. However, questions of responsibility and accountability still hang over those who once whose sermon and jihad speeches put our boys in graves, made families suffer and put Kashmir into darkness for decades. Distancing oneself from separatist ideology does not automatically distance one from the questions that history continues to ask.

The writer is a student activist and can be reached at soulofkashmir1@gmail.com