Complexity of Political Aspirations Following Recent Protests
An opinion piece titled Beyond Statehood, authored by Zuhaib Yousf Mir and published on the website Greater Kashmir on July 21, 2026 at 05:57 IST, challenges assertions regarding public sentiment in Jammu and Kashmir. The author notes that a previous article presented statehood as an overwhelming aspiration for the people of the region. Zuhaib Yousf Mir argues that this specific claim requires closer scrutiny.
The text suggests that identifying contradictions within others is often easier than recognizing them within one's own political landscape. According to the source, the reality on the ground appears more complex than a unified front for statehood alone. The author writes that many individuals are emotionally exhausted after years of political upheaval and constitutional change.
Instead of being overwhelmingly united behind a single demand regarding the restoration of state status, the article suggests that many people simply do not know what to expect anymore. This sentiment was articulated in an op-ed discussing questions left unanswered by recent demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.
Nature and Definition of Statehood Models
The author poses a series of specific questions regarding whether statehood should be restored, suggesting that the inquiry must go beyond mere restoration to define what kind of statehood is actually being sought. The text references the July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar as the backdrop for these inquiries.
During the election campaign in 2024, according to Zuhaib Yousf Mir, the National Conference's principal commitments extended well beyond a singular focus on statehood restoration. The party sought a mandate to pursue specific political objectives including the restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A.
The author lists constitutional safeguards as part of these commitments alongside the restoration of statehood for the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. This scope included regions that now form the Union Territory of Ladakh. Zuhaib Yousf Mir states that those promises together constituted the political programme on which the party secured its mandate.
The article notes a shift in focus today, where goalposts appear to have changed. Statehood is increasingly presented as the principal objective rather than one element of a broader constitutional agenda. This raises questions about the specific models being considered for implementation.
Comparative Models and Administrative Control
The op-ed asks whether the demand implies a model comparable to Himachal Pradesh, where domicile protections exist as a feature of statehood. It contrasts this with Madhya Pradesh, which is cited as having no comparable constitutional safeguards available under its current arrangement.
Further comparisons are drawn with Arunachal Pradesh or Mizoram. The author notes that these regions continue to be part of the AGMUT cadre. In these instances, higher civil and police administration remains under central control rather than state jurisdiction.
The text asserts that these distinctions regarding administrative structure and constitutional safeguards define the substance of the demand itself. Zuhaib Yousf Mir suggests that suggesting consultation would merely create unnecessary complications without resolving these definitional issues.
Constitutional Commitments and Accountability
A separate opinion piece titled Democracy Behind Barricades, written by Adv Shriya Handoo for Greater Kashmir on July 21, 2026 at 05:58 IST, addresses the response to citizen demands. The article states that there are moments in politics that expose far more than a disagreement over policy.
Adv Shriya Handoo writes that these political events reveal how power responds when citizens demand what they believe is rightfully theirs. She characterizes the recent events in New Delhi as one such moment illustrating this dynamic between citizen demands and state response.
The author describes a peaceful march demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood which was met not with dialogue but with barricades, restrictions and tear gas. The text states that images from these events spoke for themselves regarding the nature of the confrontation.
Adv Shriya Handoo notes that an elected Chief Minister, Members of Parliament, legislators, senior political leaders and ordinary citizens assembled to press a constitutional and democratic demand. She writes that they found themselves being treated as though seeking the restoration of democratic rights was an act of defiance rather than an exercise of democracy itself.
The article argues that statehood is not a concession to be granted at convenience but is viewed as a constitutional commitment repeatedly acknowledged by the Union Government itself. According to Adv Shriya Handoo, demanding its restoration cannot be portrayed as unreasonable when even those in power have publicly stated that statehood would eventually return.
If such a promise exists, then asking for its fulfilment according to the author is not confrontation but accountability. The text highlights what made today's events particularly striking was not merely the police response but the contrast it created between democratic rights and restrictive measures.