Renewing the Call for Restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s Special Status
A turnoff in the political and constitutional history of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) took place on August 5, 2019, when the Indian government cancelled Articles 370 and 35A. This action was passed out without the approval of the Kashmiri people or their political agent’s run-down the area of its long-standing special status. Six years later, the political establishment in the area, led by Mehbooba Mufti, is still persistent in reproachful the presiding and still working to have it overturned and J&K granted full statehood again. Mehbooba Mufti most recently called for a 15-minute blackout, a peaceful protest that highlighted the injuries still present throughout the Valley and proved constant opposition to what many in the area view as a “unilateral and unconstitutional” action.
A Legacy of Protest and Resistance
Since the illegal revoke of Article 370, Kashmiri political leaders and parties have largely agreed that New Delhi’s actions are not genuine. August 5, 2025, that blackout, which was scheduled for the sixth anniversary of the decision is one of the efforts that have been made in the last six years to preserve the protest spirit.
A front-runner of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Prime Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, encouraged Kashmiris to switch off their lights for 15 minutes at 9:00 PM as a symbolic gesture of both the grief and resistance.
In her own words,
August 4, 2019 we were silenced.
August 5 our voice, our rights, our Constitution taken without our consent.
What was ours by birth and by belonging was stripped away overnight. Not a whisper of warning. Not a shred of justice.
Today, we remember. We resist.
As a mark of protest and collective mourning, I urge all who carry this wound to join in a 15-minute blackout tonight at 9 PM.
Turn off the lights.
Let the silence speak.
Let the darkness remind the world of what was lost and what still lives in us.
Political Sentiments, Calls for Reversal and Restoration
All other mainstream political groups and Mehbooba Mufti had continued to demand the same thing: that Article 370 be cancelled and that Jammu and Kashmir be granted full statehood again. Additionally, being a political setback, Kashmiri leaders saw the harm of special status as an existential blow to the region’s legal protections and historical identity. So, this blackout protest aids as a reminder of the “collective wound” as well as ongoing hopes for independence to be restored. Also, the government authorities are controlling the scope of the protests through curfews and detentions, protests which have included street marches, sit-ins, and now symbolic blackouts have become a regular feature of the struggle since 2019.
Mehbooba Mufti and her colleague’s stresses that their movement is a peaceful, democratic expression, not in violence, as Mehbooba Mufti has posted on X. Let the silence speak. Let the darkness remind the world of what was lost and what still lives in us. Political legislature opposes constitutional changes, which will be implemented under cruel military crackdown and communication blackouts, violating democratic standards and the region’s right to self-determination.
Divisions and Repressions
Since the abrogation according to Kashmiri leaders, the situation in J&K has only gotten worse. Mehbooba Mufti, who point out the daily arrests, a stifling environment of fear, and a deteriorating security situation, has often criticized the BJP-led central government’s policies. In Kashmir many people describe a condition where basic civil rights are restricted and the dissent is routinely silenced, regardless of the government promises of peace and development. In this setting of enlarged surveillance, the authentic blackouts were carried out as a silent, nonviolent, nonaggressive and peaceful protest widespread bans on public gatherings and demonstrations.
J&K’s constitutional and demographic landscapes have also been deeply changed by the cancelation. Many see the extension of central laws and the permittance of non-locals to buy land and settle in the area as an attempt to weaken its distinctive identity and deny the indigenous population their rights. This has increased people’s doubts about the central government and fueled calls for the return of the rights and protection that the people of Kashmir once enjoyed.
Regional and International Ramification
The recurring demonstrations and demands for blackout are felt outside of J&K. In addition to India-administered Kashmir, other areas administered by Pakistan and the Kashmiri dispersion around the world is now observe August 5 as a day of protest and sorrow. Many international mediums have criticized the lack of all-encompassing dialogue and the suppression of democratic progressions, human rights organizations, and parts of the Indian political opposition since 2019. The Indian National Congress Leaders, Communist Party (Marxist) of India, and even Nobel prize winner like Amartya Sen have criticized the way in which Article 370 were cancelled, appealing that it was unconstitutional and undemocratic.
Kashmir is still at a junction six years after Article 370 was individually cancelled. A peaceful and non-violent, constant resistance that ambitious for justice, restoration, and appreciation is represented by Mehbooba Mufti’s 15-minute blackout. Also, the Indian government assert about economic growth and incorporation, and the ongoing protests show how the people of J&K continue to feel a sense of loss, estrangement, and democratic shortfall. Addressing the root causes through open communication and constitutional restoration, rather than stifling dissent, is the way forward. The craving for justice in Kashmir is still present; it is just waiting to move from darkness into light.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are exclusively those of the author and do not reflect the official stance, policies, or perspectives of the Platform.
