Narendra Modi arrived in Kashmir to tell the people how “fortunate” they were to live under New Delhi’s administration, nearly five years after his government destroyed the region’s minimal autonomy. Srinagar was placed under lockdown to quell protests, and government personnel were allegedly told to show up while rent-a-crowds were bussed in to hear Modi speak at a stadium. It would be interesting to watch how committed the new Indian government is to finding a solution to the Kashmir issue once the election dust settles. Although proponents of the “closed Kashmir file” in New Delhi would argue otherwise, Pakistan, the UN, and the Kashmiris themselves disagree. Will India’s new administration exercise statesmanship in handling the Kashmir issue and make a daring decision?
