Normal Times In Kashmir !

By Manuwant Choudhary

One of my favourite images of my visit to Kashmir is this...a man enjoying his shave, his friend looks on and the barber could be a surgeon.

If everyone is arrested in Kashmir and they all start growing beards then what will the Kashmiri barber do?

I am not sure about investments pouring into Kashmir but what I am sure about is how difficult it must be for the ordinary Kashmiri to make ends meet in these `normal' times.


What we hear is that there is a Civil Disobedience in Kashmir. Shops open for only an hour, petrol pumps for only two hours daily. Its become the norm.

The Hindu pilgrims have been sent packing....Amarnath abandoned and the tourists dare not...the best hotel Centaur has been fortified into a prison for those who supported India over decades.


But a majority of Indians actually cheer whats happening in Kashmir..tv channels are Modi's cheering squad.

This worries me how baser human jealousies when exploited by a political party can turn a whole country into a lynch mob.

In all his who cares for the Indian constitution - or the principles of fraternity and brotherhood. Federalism is long dead.

In Kashmir they call it Revolving Door Arrests, but in India if you are in the opposition your time will come. The prisons are all reserved.

So everyone feels its simpler to join the BJP and Amit Shah claims every other day that the whole of India is joining the BJP, except Rahul Gandhi.

What we see happening is actually a gross violation of our constitution. Someone needs to go to court on this....why has Modi not declared a National Emergency? Undeclared Emergency is unconstitutional.

Makes sense.

At least Indira Gandhi used an article from the Indian constitution to impose the Emergency.

And except for one IAS officer no one has even resigned. 

But the Congress govt. did not have morals and this government has sent a Chandrayan 2 to look for morals on the moon.

I don't believe in giving free advice but when things reach a nadir even a person like Dr. Manmohan Singh chose to speak up about our economy.

Yes, India actually needs this guy who bathes in a Duckback raincoat.

At least Modi's left hand Amit Shah should hold an umbrella for Dr. Singh when he steps out of this bath in these normal times of India.