With Eid-ul-Azha around the corner, it has been over seven days since residents of Kashmir have been able to speak to their loved ones living outside the state. Amid a blanket communication blockade and lockdown Kashmiris living across the world are as clueless about their loved ones as those living in the valley.
The Muslim majority region is known for its celebratory fervour on the day of Eid. However, this time Kashmir has a somber and a grave atmosphere as the festival trickles in.Students, professionals, businessmen, traders and locals settled out of the state especially plan for this big day much in advance to celebrate with their families and friends. Some who were unable to visit during Ramzan Eid aim to make it during Eid-ul-Zuha which is also called the "choti (small) eid" in Kashmir.
ALSO READ| Curbs relaxed but Eid loses sheen in Kashmir
State of helplessness
Mohsen Mustafa, who works in Khobar, Saudi Arabia had planned to celebrate this Eid with his family three months in advance. "I had applied for leave around six months ago because during this period everyone is planning for holidays. Also, this would have been my first Eid with family after around five years, Mustafa told The Sunday Standard.
"I had booked my tickets two months back. Unfortunately, the news about scrapping of Article 370 reached me on 5 August and I was confused whether I should go ahead or not. Finally, my cousin who lives in Hyderabad asked me to divert my plan and reach there. So, instead of taking a flight for Srinagar from Delhi on 6 August, I booked a flight to Hyderabad," he added, hoping for restoration of communication at least on the occasion of Eid.
What has made things worse for Kashmiris since the abrogation of Article 370 which guaranteed a special status to Jammu and Kashmir is the "confusion and chaos" created since midnight of August 5, when all the communication lines were snapped across the valley.
This is not the first time that communication channels have been blocked in the valley. Whenever security forces or the government felt a situation getting out of hand, the cellular connectivity was snapped. However, this time even the broadband connections of BSNL and its landline phones are also not working. The administration has started two helplines from which locals in Kashmir are gathering outside the District Collector’s office to call their children living outside the state.
The evening of August 4 was the last time Numan Zahir spoke to his mother. Zahir who is working with an IT company in Pune, Maharashtra has tried everything to get in touch with his family who live in uppertown, near the airport but "all in vain". "It feels like our arms and legs are tied," he shared."The removal of the special status came as a shock to me. As things unfolded with extra security forces being sent to the state, everyone was thrown into chaos with no clue. Our fate was decided without us having a slightest idea about it. I have never felt this helpless and restless," he added.
Cancellations
The travel agents also suggested that there was a sharp rise in cancellations to Kashmir after August 5. "We have observed a sharp rise in the cancellation of flight bookings for J&K especially for the upcoming Independence Day long weekend," said Nishant Pitti, Co-Founder and CEO, EaseMyTrip.
However, he said that they have not noticed much impact on the future bookings. Many people who could not speak to their loved ones still continued with their journey. "We don't care about how bad the situation is. Earlier I was in a dilemma whether to go or not but we can't let our families suffer alone on this Eid. At least, we will hear them," said Dawood, a doctor.
Anger and frustration
Kashmiris outside the state are venting their feelings of anger, depression and frustration out on social media. Daniya Shah, a student from Bangalore, took to Facebook to vent her feelings. It was her mother's birthday on 10 August and to express her agony, she resorted to poetry. "Leaving my eyes questioning in which corner should I seek her. It’s your birthday and for the first time, Mother you seem so far," Shah, a student of Mount Carmel College wrote on Facebook.
As a mark of protest, several Kashmiris and non-Kashmiris in solidarity with the people of Kashmir amid the blockade have turned their social media profile pictures into red colours flashing #RedforKashmir and #StandwithKashmir.A senior journalist based in Delhi said the current situation was like "oppression at its peak. Nobody treats its people this way."
The morning after the Jammu and Kashmir Restoration Bill (2019) was passed in the Rajya Sabha. "I woke up with a lump in my throat and an ache in my heart. I have no idea about my parents, my in-laws, who are struggling with multiple ailments. I have no idea about how my husband is. My tickets are booked for Eid. My children want to go home, I am struggling to make them understand that even if we land in Srinagar there is no way we can make it home," she shared on Facebook.
She further said, "Since most of the people were insisting that the decision was for the good of people of Kashmir. Please open the barricades, get the eight lakh security men back in their barracks and let me come out on the roads to celebrate. Why are you fearing my celebrations."
Harassment amid distress
The All India Council of Technical Education directed all the college principals and coordinators appointed for the Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS) to “take special care” of students hailing from Jammu and Kashmir studying in their college.Some Kashmiris also tried to connect to each other through social media amid the ongoing tensions and mainly due to the information blockade.
Nyla (name changed) was all set to meet her brother who works in Jammu and buy a surprise gift for their mother's retirement on August 11."I had a lot of plans. My mom’s retirement function was on August 11 but now everything has changed. This is not really going to be a happy Eid. I spoke last with my 18-year-old brother on August 4, he was terrified with apprehensions that something big was going to befell Kashmir," Nyla said.
As she sobbed, she shared her plight of how her colleagues came up to her with a packet of sweets to celebrate as "she had now become an Indian like them.""My boss is a Kashmiri Pandit, she also harassed me. When I was offered sweets, I looked back and cried that they should realise five of my family members are in a warzone in south Kashmir's Anantnag. I am only questioned what about Kashmiri Pandits? I was not even born when they had to leave Kashmir which was bad. It feels suffocating," Nyla added further.
The basic information that has come out from the valley so far is from selective parts of Srinagar. South Kashmir which had become a hot bed of local militancy and North Kashmir remained completed blocked.