External and internal disputes

The politics of Jammu and Kashmir has remained deeply controversial and conflict-ridden since 1947, driven by two distinct sets of forces: external disputes with Pakistan and internal disputes about the state’s status within the Indian Union.

External disputes: the Pakistan factor

From the very beginning, Pakistan has claimed that the Kashmir valley should be part of its territory. This claim was backed by action in 1947, when Pakistan sponsored a tribal invasion of the state. As a result, one part of Jammu and Kashmir came under Pakistani control. India, however, considers this territory to be under illegal occupation and refers to it as Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK).

Since 1947, Kashmir has remained a major and unresolved issue of conflict between India and Pakistan. The external dimension is thus a persistent source of tension, rooted in competing territorial claims.

Internal disputes: the status of Kashmir within India

Internally, the central question has been about the status of Jammu and Kashmir within the Indian union. The special provisions granted to the state under Articles 370 and 371 of the Indian Constitution have provoked two opposite reactions.

One section — mostly people outside Jammu and Kashmir — believes that the special status conferred by Article 370 did not allow the full integration of the state with India. This group has argued that Article 370 should be revoked and that Jammu and Kashmir should be treated like any other state of the Indian Union.

Another section — mostly Kashmiris — holds the opposite view: that the autonomy conferred by Article 370 is not enough. This group has raised at least three major grievances:

1. The unfulfilled promise of a plebiscite. The original understanding was that after the situation created by the tribal invasion was normalised, the question of accession would be referred to the people of the state. This promise has not been fulfilled, generating a persistent demand for a plebiscite.

2. Erosion of special federal status. There is a widespread feeling that the special federal status guaranteed by Article 370 has been eroded in practice over the years. This has led to demands for the restoration of autonomy, often called ‘Greater State Autonomy’.

3. Incomplete institutionalisation of democracy. It is felt that democracy, as practised in the rest of India, has not been similarly institutionalised in Jammu and Kashmir. This has contributed to a sense of political alienation.