Investor Presentaiton
Raising the Stakes in Jammu and Kashmir
Crisis Group Asia Report N°310, 5 August 2020
Page 12
gation or continued detention of political leaders, losing further legitimacy among
Kashmiris in the process.59
On 29 June 2020, Kashmir's separatist politics suffered another setback when Syed
Ali Shah Geelani unexpectedly stepped down as head of Hurriyat's hardline faction.
Ninety-one-year-old Geelani, who had been under house arrest quasi-continuously
since 2010, had quit electoral politics after the 1987 elections and earned tremendous
respect among Kashmiris over the years as one of the most prominent separatist
voices in the Valley, though not all agreed with his pro-Pakistan stand. His resigna-
tion, which signalled a rift among separatists as he blamed his own faction for "not
guiding the people of Kashmir” in the post-August 2019 crisis, is largely seen as a
victory for the BJP's hardline policy toward separatists.60
Licking their wounds, mainstream parties have avoided confrontation with New
Delhi so far, but their legitimacy among Kashmiris now lies in how they address the
post-5 August scenario. Rifts have started to appear within the National Conference:
on 29 July, the party's spokesperson and ex-minister Ruhullah Mehdi resigned over
disagreement within the leadership on how the party should position itself in this
regard.¹ Although the PDP president's continued detention hinders its capacity to
articulate a clear position, party leader Waheed ur Rehman Para has hinted that it
will face hard decisions once she is released. "Politics is not just coming and fighting
elections. Politics is also about the sentiments of people", he said.6
62
Beyond political actors, the government has stifled dissent among civil society,
including by arresting civilians for expressing opinions on social media platforms.
Security forces have also harassed, beaten and arrested journalists, including under
the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, a draconian anti-terror law. 63 "Having an
opinion has been criminalised in Kashmir”, commented a senior journalist. 64 A sen-
ior police officer admitted that "there is pressure from top officials to stop negative
reporting of the government in press", adding that "journalists themselves have to
find a middle ground to deal with this situation".6
65
59 "Post abrogation of Art 370, Hurriyat unable to regain feet", The Tribune, 9 February 2020.
60 "Modi govt has been on a mission to finish Hurriyat. Geelani's exit shows it's succeeding", The
Print, 1 July 2020.
61
"Rift in NC over Omar Abdullah stand, influential Shia leader quits", Times of India, 29 July 2020.
62 Crisis Group interview, Srinagar, June 2020.
63 In April 2020, local journalist and TV commentator Gowhar Geelani and photojournalist Masrat
Zahra were charged under this Act for social media posts critical of the government. “Journalists,
free press silenced by Indian government in Kashmir - UN rapporteurs", Eurasian Times, 17 July
2020.
64 Crisis Group interview, Srinagar, July 2020.
65
Crisis Group interview, Srinagar, July 2020. In May 2020, the Jammu and Kashmir administra-
tion fashioned a new media policy "to thwart misinformation [and] fake news and develop a mech-
anism that will raise alarm against any attempt to use media to vitiate public peace, sovereignty and
integrity of the country". Reporters without Borders said with this "Orwellian regulation, the Jam-
mu and Kashmir administration becomes plaintiff against the free press, judge and executioner all
in one". "RSF appalled by Orwellian press policy in Indian-held Kashmir", Reporters without Borders,
19 June 2020.View entire presentation