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This is very common in India, for the government to take bizarre actions and then retreat shamefully when they figure they're exposed. The porn ban is just one

This is very common in India, for the government to take bizarre actions and then retreat shamefully when they figure they're exposed. The porn ban is just one example — for those of you who don't follow, the Indian government tried to ban porn and did it, albeit half-heartedly, and then were forced to undo and lift the ban. Even the story in reference here isn't an uncommon sight. In Jammu & Kashmir (A state which has a disputed status, yet is claimed to be an "integral part" of India by the ruling political party) it is very common for the government to shut down mobile internet and all mobile facilities on 14th and 15t h August (Which are the countries independence day) Heck they had even banned text messaging here until 2013. Some "freedom of speech", eh?

starving_coder 11y ago
J&K is an integral part of India, get used to it. > Heck they had even banned text messaging here until 2013. Looks like you've earned it.
- selimthegrim 11y ago
  Do you really think you sound any less dumb than Pakistanis going on about their 'jugular vein'?
prapam2 11y ago
A state which has a disputed status, yet is claimed to be an "integral part" of India by the ruling political party - Its considered integral part of India by its citizens does not matter which political party is at power.
- arsalanb 11y ago
  This is a factually incorrect statement, as a citizen of the place myself.
  - eklavya 11y ago
    Sure it is a factually incorrect statement. J&K is special in that it has been given special powers of autonomy etc. But I wonder what you mean when you say disputed, just because someone starts to dispute that something of mine belongs to them doesn't make it disputed. The agreement of accession into India should make it pretty clear.
    - sid6376 11y ago
      The agreement of accession was basically signed under duress by a Hindu ruler of a primarily Muslim state in 1947 when he was being attacked by Pakistani tribal lords. Our prime minister basically said - "Sign the agreement of accession or I am not protecting you". I don't think that agreement means anything. You might disagree but lets present facts as they were. The story of Kashmir is full of broken promises by the Indian government and people. So before we call it an integral part of India, lets at least own our mistakes. Lets remove AFSPA in Kashmir. Lets hold the bloody referendum. Lets at least grant them more autonomy. But thats not gonna happen. Any government which grants more autonomy to Kashmir will be voted out and hence they will not do it.
      - _jgdh 11y ago
        In my opinion, residents of J&K already get a number of privileges that other states don't. For example, laws passed by Parliament don't apply there until they're ratified by the State Assembly. Granting them additional autonomy and privileges isn't simple, because it doesn't square with the Constitution's tenet that all citizens are equal and deserve equal protection of laws. For example, Kashmiris can own property in the rest of India but other Indians can't own property in Kashmir. You correctly call into question the agreement signed by the Maharaja of Kashmir, but I could just as easily ask about every other territory that's a part of the Union of India. Why should the writ of New Delhi run to places where the people are ethnically, linguistically and culturally different, such as Tamil Nadu? After all, at no point did Tamils accede to the Union and they have suffered discrimination before - such as when Delhi tried to impose Hindi on a Tamil-speaking population in 1965. Do Tamils deserve special privileges then? No, that's absurd. To clarify, I think Article 370 that grants Kashmir special status should be scrapped, because they don't deserve special treatment. Apart from that, I think a referendum should be held there. I don't think it will bury the issue (look at Scotland), but it will mollify most people who live there for some time.
arsalanb 11y ago
Update — I expected a lot of downvotes, and I have not been disappointed! :D "You cannot change the truth, but the truth can change you"
- selimthegrim 11y ago
  Look, as a Pakistani descent person, I am sympathetic to you, but this issue of the Pandits is a bleeding wound on international credibility that pretty much destroys any chance of Kashmir seceding. Maybe you were around in 1989, what the hell was going on? Why did you allow your Hindu neighbors to be driven out? All the expatriate Muslim Kashmiris start calling me a boot licking traitor when I ask this (and all the Pannu Kashmir people look like they are about to kill me)
  - arsalanb 11y ago
    So you're saying, since the Hindu neighbors felt unsafe and left it is justified to oppress the people who stayed?
    - selimthegrim 11y ago
      No, of course not, but is the only way they're going to feel safe by oppressing you? When these masjids broadcast threats why were they allowed to be used as an arena in the conflict? Why give the Indian Army an excuse to turn those into a battleground too ( a la Golden Temple)
      - arsalanb 11y ago
        There are never threats broadcasted from mosques here.
        selimthegrim 11y ago
        No, I know that, but there were in 1989 (hence the "were allowed" as opposed to "are allowed")
jammu107 11y ago
> shut down mobile internet and all mobile facilities on 14th and 15th August That is not correct, I stay in Jammu & Kashmir and have been able to use mobile services on 14th and 15th without any issues. It might be true from some region (not that i know off) but it is certainly not true for the entire state.
- arsalanb 11y ago
  As your username suggests, you're from Jammu. I think it's a completely different story there. Although I agree, I didn't make that clear in my original comment.
eklavya 11y ago
I would really like to hear your solution to the problem. When millions have to relocate to avoid being murdered/raped. When thousands are killed/raped and a lot of people take up guns and start killing innocents. I would love to see your solution to protect freedom of speech and contain the situation. However I must say, winds of change are arriving and the situation has improved a lot despite continuous and desperate attempts by ISI fringe groups to portray otherwise.
- kang 11y ago
  The solution is justice, but mobs are not tried against in India.
  - eklavya 11y ago
    I am talking about preventing the fire in an explosive situation. You are talking about dealing with the ashes.

starving_coder 11y ago

J&K is an integral part of India, get used to it. > Heck they had even banned text messaging here until 2013. Looks like you've earned it.

selimthegrim 11y ago
Do you really think you sound any less dumb than Pakistanis going on about their 'jugular vein'?

prapam2 11y ago

A state which has a disputed status, yet is claimed to be an "integral part" of India by the ruling political party - Its considered integral part of India by its citizens does not matter which political party is at power.

arsalanb 11y ago
This is a factually incorrect statement, as a citizen of the place myself.
- eklavya 11y ago
  Sure it is a factually incorrect statement. J&K is special in that it has been given special powers of autonomy etc. But I wonder what you mean when you say disputed, just because someone starts to dispute that something of mine belongs to them doesn't make it disputed. The agreement of accession into India should make it pretty clear.
  - sid6376 11y ago
    The agreement of accession was basically signed under duress by a Hindu ruler of a primarily Muslim state in 1947 when he was being attacked by Pakistani tribal lords. Our prime minister basically said - "Sign the agreement of accession or I am not protecting you". I don't think that agreement means anything. You might disagree but lets present facts as they were. The story of Kashmir is full of broken promises by the Indian government and people. So before we call it an integral part of India, lets at least own our mistakes. Lets remove AFSPA in Kashmir. Lets hold the bloody referendum. Lets at least grant them more autonomy. But thats not gonna happen. Any government which grants more autonomy to Kashmir will be voted out and hence they will not do it.
    - _jgdh 11y ago
      In my opinion, residents of J&K already get a number of privileges that other states don't. For example, laws passed by Parliament don't apply there until they're ratified by the State Assembly. Granting them additional autonomy and privileges isn't simple, because it doesn't square with the Constitution's tenet that all citizens are equal and deserve equal protection of laws. For example, Kashmiris can own property in the rest of India but other Indians can't own property in Kashmir. You correctly call into question the agreement signed by the Maharaja of Kashmir, but I could just as easily ask about every other territory that's a part of the Union of India. Why should the writ of New Delhi run to places where the people are ethnically, linguistically and culturally different, such as Tamil Nadu? After all, at no point did Tamils accede to the Union and they have suffered discrimination before - such as when Delhi tried to impose Hindi on a Tamil-speaking population in 1965. Do Tamils deserve special privileges then? No, that's absurd. To clarify, I think Article 370 that grants Kashmir special status should be scrapped, because they don't deserve special treatment. Apart from that, I think a referendum should be held there. I don't think it will bury the issue (look at Scotland), but it will mollify most people who live there for some time.

arsalanb 11y ago

Update — I expected a lot of downvotes, and I have not been disappointed! :D "You cannot change the truth, but the truth can change you"

selimthegrim 11y ago
Look, as a Pakistani descent person, I am sympathetic to you, but this issue of the Pandits is a bleeding wound on international credibility that pretty much destroys any chance of Kashmir seceding. Maybe you were around in 1989, what the hell was going on? Why did you allow your Hindu neighbors to be driven out? All the expatriate Muslim Kashmiris start calling me a boot licking traitor when I ask this (and all the Pannu Kashmir people look like they are about to kill me)
- arsalanb 11y ago
  So you're saying, since the Hindu neighbors felt unsafe and left it is justified to oppress the people who stayed?
  - selimthegrim 11y ago
    No, of course not, but is the only way they're going to feel safe by oppressing you? When these masjids broadcast threats why were they allowed to be used as an arena in the conflict? Why give the Indian Army an excuse to turn those into a battleground too ( a la Golden Temple)
    - arsalanb 11y ago
      There are never threats broadcasted from mosques here.
      - selimthegrim 11y ago
        No, I know that, but there were in 1989 (hence the "were allowed" as opposed to "are allowed")

jammu107 11y ago

> shut down mobile internet and all mobile facilities on 14th and 15th August That is not correct, I stay in Jammu & Kashmir and have been able to use mobile services on 14th and 15th without any issues. It might be true from some region (not that i know off) but it is certainly not true for the entire state.

arsalanb 11y ago
As your username suggests, you're from Jammu. I think it's a completely different story there. Although I agree, I didn't make that clear in my original comment.

eklavya 11y ago

I would really like to hear your solution to the problem. When millions have to relocate to avoid being murdered/raped. When thousands are killed/raped and a lot of people take up guns and start killing innocents. I would love to see your solution to protect freedom of speech and contain the situation. However I must say, winds of change are arriving and the situation has improved a lot despite continuous and desperate attempts by ISI fringe groups to portray otherwise.

kang 11y ago
The solution is justice, but mobs are not tried against in India.
- eklavya 11y ago
  I am talking about preventing the fire in an explosive situation. You are talking about dealing with the ashes.