Over a month after Burhan Wani’s killing in an encounter by security forces, the question of whether the ongoing protests are about glorifying a terrorist or whether his death was simply a trigger for simmering rage to boil over is moot. As ‘Azadi’ protests pierce the silence of curfew, and the stillness of strikes brings life to a screeching halt, how will the state and union governments find and end to the impasse? The Prime minister has spoken, the home minister has said the government will open dialogue with all moderate sections of the public, but will these steps be enough to stem the current spike in unrest? And if so, will this agitation be forgotten until the next time? Is the valley rewinding to the militancy it saw 25 years ago, or can Delhi bring it back from the brink? Please watch my ground report from Srinagar here.
And also, here : my article for Hard News Magazine: Autumn in Srinagar
maya mirchandani 