I have changed my demeanour after the abrogation of Article 370, and my bio now reads: ‘A subjugated Kashmiri who has been hegemonised–politically, socially and emotionally.’
Before the abrogation of Article 370 and nullification of Article 35A, I was unequivocally Indian. I carry Voter ID, PAN Card, Aadhaar Card, and a passport bearing the seal of the Republic of India, just like all other Indians. But something changed on August 5, 2019. The widespread celebrations following the government’s decision has made me face the uncomfortable dilemma that we are not Indians or accepted as Indians, regardless of the documents we carry. The Home Minister’s speech describing the abrogation as legitimate, imperative, and momentous, saw the birth of quasi-intellectual discussions on Kashmir. These blank, new-born philosophers who lecture us about nationalism now are unaware of how Kashmir and Kashmiris stood for nationalism in the 90s, when there were no takers of India’s sovereignty, integrity, and flag. For the benefit of these freshly-minted Kashmiri experts, here is a slice of history.
