Mobiles out, watches in

As mobile and Internet services continue to remain shut for the past three weeks in the wake of Centre’s decision to scrap Article 370, most of the locals in the Kashmir Valley have now stopped carrying cellphones with them. Initially, they would carry their mobiles along with a hope that services might be restored. However, the people now seem to have given up on the hope of restoration of mobile and iInternet services in the near future. At the same time, many have started wearing wrist watches as they had stopped wearing the same after the advent of mobiles. 

Deserted Civil Secretariat

The main entrance to the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar continues to give a deserted look as restrictions are in place for the past three weeks. The entrance to the main road opposite the exhibition gates used to remain abuzz with activities, exit of official vehicles and long queues of people waiting from different areas of the state. Now, it is dotted by fewer vehicles and lesser presence of people waiting to enter the Secretariat. Thanks to the restrictions outside and little presence of the employees within the offices, things have changed a lot in and around the highest seat of governance in the summer capital. This week, the attendance of employees has increased, but the people continue to stay away with no hope of redressal of their issues. 

Wifi in high demand

As the mobile Internet services continue to be shutdown as preventive measures by the Centre since August 5, 2019, there is high demand for wifi broadband installation. Almost all exchanges of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) are loaded with customer applications for the installation of wifi broadband at their homes. Even  small exchange like the one at Bari Brahmana is witnessing unprecedented rush of people who comes to submit their applications. Despite knowing that the Internet speed of the BSNL wifi is very slow as compared to private telecom operators,people  are still preferring to install the BSNL broadband. 

Festivals under unprecedented security 

Even as normalcy has been restored in Jammu province, comprising 10 districts, festival of Shri Krishan Janamasthami was celebrated with unprecedented security this time. First-time there was deployment of Central forces in the markets during the festival. Although there was heavy rush in temples, a sense of fear was visible on the faces of devotees due to the huge deployment of forces in the markets. 

Politics high in sky!

The revocation of J&K’s special status gave kite makers in the walled city of Jammu innovative ideas of designing kites for the auspicious occasions of Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtmi. Both festivals came immediately after the Centre took the decision “to completely integrate Jammu and Kashmir with the Indian Union”. Kites having photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with title ‘Mahabharat’ or special kites with title ‘370 gone’ and “J&K integration” marked the celebration of abrogation of Article 370. The Prime Minister was depicted as “super hero” on kites flying high in Jammu sky.