On August 5, Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced a resolution in the Rajya Sabha to revoke Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. He added that Jammu and Kashmir will be reorganised geographically. 

Article 370 of the Indian Constitution grants autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir. 

This comes at a time when the Indian government has been incrementally deploying troops in Kashmir over the last week. This has been accompanied by internet shutdown and curfew in parts of Kashmir, house arrest of political leaders and the departure of students, tourists and Amarnath Yatra pilgrims from the region.

The central government has not provided any explanation for these developments, save a “threat” from Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. 

Here’s a lowdown on how English dailies in the state have reported on the developments on Monday, August 5. 

Rising Kashmir

The front-page of the Srinagar-based Rising Kashmir carries two PTI copies on the security beef up and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s meeting with the “top security brass” to discuss the “prevailing situation in the state”. 

There are reports on a similar meeting summoned by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Pakistani army’s denial of Indian claims of cross-LOC incursion by Pak-sponsored terrorists. Another clipping informs the reader about the state of high alert among the troops on the LOC.

Special emphasis is given to a piece in the middle of the page on Kashmir’s political leadership: “Kashmir parties unanimous on JK’s special status: APM [All Party Meeting] says modification of Art 35-A, Art 370 will be aggression on JK residents”.

Greater Kashmir

Like Rising Kashmir, Greater Kashmir gave substantial front-page space to troop deployment, Amit Shah’s meeting and the All Party Meet. It adds that the leadership in Kashmir is also opposed to the state’s trifurcation.

A small space has been dedicated to National Conference leader Omar Abdullah’s tweet on his house arrest.

A tiny piece in pink on the front-page is headlined “‘Fear of unknown’ giving sleepless nights to Jammu border residents”. 

Kashmir Times

The Kashmir Times front page has more to offer. It includes articles on the All Party Meet and the Amit Shah meeting at the top but also reports a flag march by the security forces in Rajouri town about 155 km from Srinagar.

An article in the corner also notes that postponement of the U-16 and U-19 cricket trials in Srinagar. It claims that cricketer Irfan Pathan, who was in Kashmir to oversee the trials, has been asked to return home. “The people in the town appeared to be scared of the huge presence of police and paramilitary forces in Rajouri,” says the report.

The article “Imran Khan revives US offer to mediate on Kashmir” at the bottom of the page calls Khan’s attempts to pull the US into the frame “nefarious attempts” and accuses Pakistan of resorting to “typically false narratives of Indian atrocities”.

Daily Excelsior

The text on the top of the Jammu-based Daily Excelsior reads “Curfew like restrictions in Valley, Sec 144 in Jammu; internet shut”. An article below informs readers that the Rapid Action Force (RAF) staged a route march in Poonch in on August 4. 

One headline reads: “Two former CMs among several under house arrest”. The report says: “Authorities tonight imposed indefinite curfew like restrictions in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir and mainstream leaders including former Chief Ministers have been put under house arrest amid speculations that Centre may scrap special status of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Another report claims that a person was killed in a blast took place in Northern Kashmir’s Kupwara district. “Security forces later recovered 15 grenades from the shop during searches.”