India’s crackdown on Kashmir: What’s at stake?

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Activists cover their mouth during a demonstration to condemn the scrapping of Article 370 that granted a special status to Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian government, in New Delhi on August 9, 2019. (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP)

On August 5th, India announced it was revoking special status and autonomy for the Muslim majority state of Jammu and Kashmir. They also poured in thousands of troops, creating a tight security lockdown and a total communications blackout.

Jammu and Kashmir state have been one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints, with both India and Pakistan claiming rights to the region. India’s sudden move threatens to further inflame tensions between the two countries, threatening to engulf the two countries in armed conflict – dragging other major players in the region into it, as well.

Understanding the history of Kashmir is a complex task. But the main question everyone is asking about India’s recent moves has been ‘why now?’

To help us understand the crisis in Kashmir, we were joined by Sadanand Dhume. He’s a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a columnist for The Wall Street Journal.