Prime Minister Narendra Modi doubling down, defending India’s decision to strip Kashmir of its special status.

Hailing the controversial move as a “major achievement” Modi was speaking from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in New Delhi as India celebrated Independence Day.

On Wednesday, Pakistan celebrated its independence, with Prime Minister Imran Khan going on the diplomatic offensive. Speaking from Pakistan administered Kashmir, he said India had committed a “strategic blunder” and would “pay a heavy price” for scrapping Kashmiri autonomy.

The valley remains under a security lockdown and a communications blackout with hundreds detained.

To discuss all of this:

• Ather Zia is an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Northern Colorado Greeley.
• Dr. Sreeram Chaulia is a professor and dean of the Jindal School of International Affairs.
• Mosharraf Zaidi is the former principal adviser to Pakistan’s Foreign Minister.
• Jonathan Wachtel served as the director of Communications for the US Mission to the UN.

For more:

I always ask- can we not remove the excess influence of Governments on people's lives: PM @narendramodi

LIVE updates: https://t.co/3ctIgoYbZm#IndiaIndependenceDay#IndependenceDay2019#IndependenceDayIndia

— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) August 15, 2019

Opinion: Kashmir and Article 370: how to cut a knot instead of struggling to untie it #CGTNOpinion https://t.co/rwhvNv5cin pic.twitter.com/LscoIpGnI5

— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) August 15, 2019

Pakistani and Kashmiri community of France is holding an unprecedented demonstration under the iconic Eiffel Tower of Paris France today to observe Independence day of India as a black day in solidarity with 15 million Kashmiris of Indian Held Kashmir.#15AugustBlackDay pic.twitter.com/hnzWuFZzMS

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 15, 2019

By removing a constitutionally enshrined special status for Jammu and Kashmir, Narendra Modi’s government has destabilized India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, all at once, @JonahBlank writes: https://t.co/2Z8K2itqXK

— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) August 8, 2019