PIDE-COVID-19 Blog (no. 26) : lockdown within a lockdown : Covid-19 in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Abstract

“Kashmir conflict is stated as one of the most ‘under-reported, misunderstood and longest’ conflicts in South Asia1. In 1947, when the British India and the princely states were partitioned, Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim majority territory, was reined by the Hindu Maharaja Hari Singh. At the time of partition, the majority wanted an independent status in the form of a sovereign democratic state. The partition plan, however, deemed they join either India or Pakistan. While fleeing from the territory the Maharaja acceded to India. This accession was temporary until an UN-mandated plebiscite was held. In the subsequent years, despite multiple proposals of UN-mandated plebiscites, nothing significant could be achieved out of these due to the contending claims of both India and Pakistan on the disputed territory.”