Situation in Kashmir Post July 2016: An Analysis

Abstract

Kashmir has been in turmoil for almost three decades now primarily due to active support of Pakistan who has been funding and supporting Pakistan based jihadi groups like Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), Hizbul Mujaheedin(HM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba(LeT). There have been numerous bouts of unrest, but the unrests of 2016, post the death of Burhan Wani on 8 July, 2016, a local HM terrorist, was different. In these unrests, Burhan Wani became the rallying point and the protests including stone pelting became a norm. For next four months the Kashmir valley was in turmoil. It is important to understand that Burhan Wani’s death was only the initiator, the ongoing radicalization and finance from Pakistan and other sources were the primary drivers both for ideology and for mobilization of masses. This became a major national security issue for the government which it had to tackle at the earliest. This paper is based on the on ground experience of the authors, and their interviews and interactions with local kashmiri politicians representing both sides, academicians, youth, security forces personnel’s and media inputs coming out of Kashmir. It has clearly emerged that the dissatisfaction and distrust with the ruling dispensation in Kashmir was simmering for a long time. Moreover successive governments in J&K, were all along were treating the symptoms and not the cause. It also emerges that today the unrest and militancy is confined to six or seven districts of Kashmir valley, while the remaining state remains relatively calm. Lastly the compulsion of the common kashmiri to participate in protests is driven by the fact that he wants to be the part of the group and not stand out as a sore thumb.