OPINIONS

Bashir Ahmed With the Central Government split the erstwhile State of Jammu Kashmir after revoking the special status of Article 370 and 35A, the year 2019 brought a lot of unexpected and unprepared surprise for the Ladakh region. From the first day of the decision, the twin districts Leh and Kargil are contradicting with one another. With the passing of each day, this decision becomes a more complex issue within Ladakh. The people of Leh district have started agitating for the constitutional safeguard of the region under Sixth Schedule to protect the fragile and sensitive ecosystem and to shield the natural resources, land, and job from the expected outsiders. Whereas in Kargil districts people become a mute spectator on the issue and not showing any support and oppose the Leh...

Advocate Syed Mujeeb u Rehman Precedence of preference to the propriety of the court verdict on being slashed down by the state herself, not understanding the possibilities of political misadventures and ignoring the unique history of Jammu Kashmir, repealing of about 12 land laws in one go is no more any a daredevil act as same is needful to be understood in terms of strength of absolute majority in parliament with no voice of dissent, a meaningful or a potential one. ALSO READ: 11 MORE CENTRAL LAWS IN JAMMU KASHMIR- CENTRE ISSUES 136-PAGE NOTIFICATION A particular mindset translating the society observes either "conscience of the people of the land or "the National interest" and within such expressions, there is no longer anything to be misunderstood as why and how drastic repea...

Nayeema Ahmed Mehjoor Ever since Pakistan has signalled its wish to make Gilgit-Baltistan fifth province, not only have Pakistan's own political outfits been in a state of disarray, but it has reportedly become a major 'issue of concern' in India's military and political leadership. Various aspects of adopting a new military strategy are being deliberated upon. In the border region of Ladakh, where India and China have been seen amassing their latest combat technology after recent engagements of hot pursuit policy, the intensity of international diplomatic activities and people's movements to stop the recent border confrontation has considerably increased. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are silently mourning the loss and fragmentation of their land that once used to be called the 'K...

It has been over one year since Jammu Kashmir lost its special status, but politically all the three regions continue to be a jigsaw puzzle whose pieces do not seem to fall in place sometime soon. Having ruled the state for over 70 years harping on the special status protected by Articles 370 and 35A, both of which were abrogated on August 5, 2019, regional political parties and even the mainstream political parties, are still undecided about the way forward. The largest regional political party, the National Conference (NC), headed by Dr. Farooq Abdullah, wants the Pre-August 5, 2019 status restored before a genuine political process can be restated in Jammu Kashmir. Joining chorus with the NC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Mehbooba Mufti, Peoples Conference (PC) head...

On 17th September, early in the morning, I received two emails from my professor, one a link to our Google class meeting, and the second was an article in The Print composed by Yogendra Yadav, “Umar Khalid’s arrest shuts a democratic option for a generation of Indian Muslims”. This piece brings a varied form of Islamophobia prevalent in India right now. On the one hand, there is a government that does not even bother to hide its anti-Muslim stance. In 1939, even before the formation of  Pakistan—the very presence of which is utilized to target Indian Muslims—Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, one of the unmistakable ideologues of Hindutva, commented, “If we Hindus in India grow stronger, in time these Muslim friends of the League type will have to play the part of German-Jews instead”.  Sava...

Vallala Sravya The idea of home has got complicated time and again during this lockdown. It has been longed for by the migrant population who have walked thousands of kilo meters in hopes of getting a home. On the other hand a huge spike in domestic violence has exposed those who desperately needed escape from home. For many who lost jobs and hostel spaces the only option has been to return to familial homes. The situation has been extremely trying on women and queer youth who have been removed from their spaces and have been forced to move in with non-supportive families. Although physical violence within marital homes receives insufficient but existent recognition, other forms of violence such as excessive control, restriction of movement, absolute domestic burden, and constrain...