OdishaPlus Bureau
For Jammu and Kashmir, 2019 was a year of massive changes with defining firsts and lasts and unprecedented curbs. On October 31, Jammu and Kashmir transitioned from a state into two Union territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. This was the first time a state was downsized into union territories.
The move was in accordance with the Centre’s August 5 announcement withdrawing the state’s special status under Article 370 and bifurcating the state into union territories.
The erstwhile state also saw its worst-ever terror attack on February 14. Forty CRPF personnel were killed when a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama.
The Pulwama incident led to widespread outrage and the Centre vowed to avenge the deaths. On February 26, IAF jets carried out an attack on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp at Balakot in Pakistan. It was the first time India carried out any attack inside Pakistani territory since 1971. Pakistan Air Force reacted the next day by carrying out strikes inside J&K but the IAF reacted swiftly, leading to an aerial dogfight.
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, flying a vintage MiG 21 Bison, shot down a much superior F-16 of the Pakistan Air Force before he was brought down and captured by the Pakistan army. He was, however, handed back to India two days later.
While there was jubilation across the country over the upper hand gained in the aerial dogfight, IAF lost six officers who was traveling in a helicopter on Feb 27 when it was brought down by their own colleagues in a case of mistaken identity. The chopper crashed outside a village in Budgam district, resulting in the death of a young civilians as well.
The Centre’s Aug 5 move to abrogate provisions of Article 370 was unprecedented and aimed at ending the decades-old separatist movement. To ensure there was no violence, particularly in Kashmir, over the decision, the Centre implemented stringent curbs on people’s movement and communication systems.
Just ahead of Home Minister Amit Shah’s landmark announcement in Rajya Sabha, J&K, except Leh, was turned into a garrison with security forces and police deployed in every nook and corner with the army also assisting in securing the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.
Hundreds of political leaders from both mainstream and separatists camps including three former chief ministers — Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti — were taken into preventive custody.
There were hundreds of incidents of stone-pelting in the wake of the Centre’s move but strict implementation of curfew meant that large gatherings were avoided and security forces had to deal with protests which were largely localized.
While the Centre maintained a veil of secrecy around its intentions, the state government headed by Governor Satya Pal Malik canceled the Amarnath Yatra midway and issued an advisory for all non locals — tourists, laborers, etc — to leave the valley as soon as possible, sparking off a panic among the local residents who feared for the worst.
The government’s apprehensions of widespread violence were not unfounded as Kashmir had witnessed four summer agitations between 2008 and 2016 due to varied reasons that left nearly 300 people dead.
However, the people of Kashmir this time opted for a largely non-violent and silent protest.
