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In my ongoing conversations with the common people of Kashmir about the changes they have experienced firsthand following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, I recently decided to explore the differences in the celebration of Independence Day before and after 2019. During my time spent in Central Kashmir, North Kashmir, and South Kashmir, I engaged with many individuals who, despite having no involvement in politics, shared their perceptions of the changes they have observed. In this piece, I aim to focus solely on their perspectives regarding the topic at hand.
While in the serene ambiance of Anantnag, I had the opportunity to speak with a YouTuber named Firdous Beigh. When I asked him how he felt about the prevalence of the Tricolour around him, he responded, “Israar, the place we are at right now is called Sirigufwara, once a hotbed of terrorism and stone-pelting. I recall that back in 2016, this main chowk had a cement water channel in the middle, and a Pakistani flag was painted on it. But comparing that time with today, you can see the Tricolour around this village, and no one is chanting ‘Aadhi Roti Khayenge, Pakistan Jayenge.’ Today, we’re witnessing rehearsals for the upcoming Independence Day in every school, with everyone putting in their best efforts to attain the first position, Israar this was unimaginable before 2019,” said Firdous.
Since I couldn’t visit the now peaceful Pulwama in person, I connected with an old friend from Tumulhalla, Pulwama, named Abrar Ul Haq. He was so delighted to answer my questions, and I could hear the excitement in his voice. I began by asking, “Abrar, can you notice any difference on the ground before and after the abrogation of Article 370?” “Israar Bhai, you don’t know what we’ve been through in Pulwama, especially over the past 10 years. Every young mind was radicalized, motivated either by money or muscle power to throw stones. Terrorists used to enter homes whenever they wanted, and those who opposed their ideology were killed. Schools were always closed because of their activities. But today, I can see that everything is running smoothly, from business to academics,” Abrar replied. I then asked, “How do you see today’s Pulwama preparing to celebrate Independence Day compared to the past when it was a hotspot of terrorism? “I’ll just tell you a short anecdote, Israar. There’s a place in Pulwama named Mitrigam, where on August 14, 2017, terrorists dragged little boys to the Chowk and forced them to parade for Pakistan’s Independence Day, handing them Pakistani flags. But today, those same boys, now grown, are holding Indian flags, fixing them everywhere in the streets, and doing full-dress rehearsals to make this day a special one in their lives. That’s what has changed, Israar. The challenge wasn’t just to build roads or develop infrastructure, the biggest and hardest challenge was to change the ideology and mindset. And that has changed, Israar. Now, I can proudly say, Pulwama is peaceful,” said Abrar with a sigh.
In the bustling heart of Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, I encountered a schoolboy in uniform who introduced himself as Faisal. I first asked Faisal where he studied, to which he replied, “SP Higher Secondary.” I then directly asked him how he felt about seeing the Tricolor waving on the Ghanta Ghar today and if he had any memories of this historic tower before 2019. “Sir, I have a lot to say, but I’ll be quick since I’m late for school, where I’m participating in a patriotic poetry recital for the Independence Day celebration. On this same Ghanta Ghar, where you see the Tricolor today, there was a Pakistani flag raised in 2016 by Aasiya Andrabi-led Dukhtaran-e-Millat. Every year, a grenade attack was almost certain to happen around this place on either January 26th or August 15th. But today, as you can see, tourists and locals are around it without fear. That’s the difference I’ve noticed. Besides, I now attend school six days a week, unlike before 2019, when I either stayed home or had to return by 11 AM because of an encounter, an attack on the school, a grenade blast, or some other disruption,” Faisal told me.
As someone who hails from North Kashmir, I tried to connect over the phone with my friend Momin Mir from Bandipora after returning to the region. After some casual catching up, I asked Momin how the preparations for the upcoming Independence Day were going in his district and whether he noticed any differences compared to the period before 2019. Momin replied, “I live in the Hajin town of Bandipora, which has been a safe haven for terrorists since the 1990s. I remember two boys, Mudasir Rashid, aged 14, and Saqib Bilal, merely 17, from Bandipora, who were radicalized and eventually joined LeT. My father is a businessman, and every year, we would receive notices in advance to keep our shop closed on January 26th and August 15th. In fact, our shop used to remain closed most of the time before 2019. But now, comparing it to today’s bustling Bandipora, with every street filled with parade rehearsals for Independence Day, children practicing the National Anthem, and school-going kids chanting ‘Teen Qoumi Naarey, Bharat Mata Ki Jai,’ and the Tricolor on every household, this is a dream come true for me. I even heard that one of our local Darul-Ul-Looms is preparing to unfurl the Tricolor on August 15th. Israar, have you seen X (formerly Twitter) lately? Kashmiris are posting about the Independence Day celebrations. That’s what I see has changed, along with the tremendous developmental work in these past three years,” Momin added.
I conclude with the thought that “The mind is not the problem, but the mindset is.” Kashmiris have now come to realize the devastating impact that terrorism has had on their lives, keeping the region backward both educationally and financially. The mindset has changed, and the radical ideology has been buried by Kashmiris themselves. May this country continue to prosper and progress. Wishing everyone a Happy Independence Day.
The Writer is a peace activist and can be reached at soulofkashmir1@gmail.com
