The Supreme Court last week upheld the abrogation of Article 370, ruling that the president had the power to do so even without recourse to Parliament. It also upheld the downgrading and division of the erstwhile state into two union territories.
The verdict hammered the final nail into the coffin of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Kashmir’s public responded with the enforced silence that has been the hallmark of the valley since 2019 – a heavy silence steeped in the anger and bitterness that comes with humiliation. The “record” tourism this year is not the most reliable indicator of Gross Kashmiri Happiness.
