Article 370 abrogation: 5 years later, J&K awaits new beginning

When home minister Amit Shah rose in Parliament to speak on the morning of August 5, 2019, few had clues about the changes his speech would bring.

Five years ago when Union home minister Amit Shah rose in Parliament to speak on the morning of August 5, few had any clue about the tectonic changes his speech would bring. Over the course of the next few hours, the Union government stripped the contentious region of its special status by effectively abrogating Article 370, revoked its statehood, and bifurcated it into two Union territories. Internet and phone services were suspended in the Valley and curfew-like conditions were imposed for months even as activists and Opposition members approached the Supreme Court, which finally upheld the move last year.

The Clock Tower at Lal Chowk in Srinagar illuminated with the Tricolour on August 14, 2023. )Waseem Andrabi /HT Archive)