Why Women in Kashmir are Out on the Streets

Srinagar: On 15th of April this year security forces raided Government Degree College in South Kashmir’s Pulwama town sparking student protests there. Around 50 students were injured in the subsequent clashes. Next day students took to streets across Kashmir to protest the crackdown on the Pulwama College.

By evening that day media across the world was flashing unprecedented visuals, uniformed female students battling heavily armed security forces on the streets of Srinagar and other major towns.

Many girls were injured and some were even taken into custody. The call for Azadi in the streets was no longer restricted to masculine voice alone. Although women have often been part of Azadi demonstrations in Kashmir, they picking up stones and clashing with the police and paramilitary forces in the streets was unprecedented.

“Women have always been part of the movement. Even in the 90s when a militant died and other militants came to pay their respects, women of the village would often form a circle around them and protect the men from the forces.”

Heeba Din a research student at Kashmir University said, “Women have always been part of the movement. Even in the 90s when a militant died and other militants came to pay their respects, women of the village would often form a circle around them and protect the men from the forces.”

It is in fact true that women have always been an inalienable part of the separatist struggle in Kashmir, so why is the Pulwama incident described as watershed movement in Kashmir?

Uzrat Nizam, a journalism student at the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) claims that the world is desensitised to seeing images of Kashmiri men pelt stones. “I consider this a major achievement, especially because Kashmir is a male dominant society. For the first time women have come out without fearing bullet or pellet. The world was shaken to see the women taking on the might of the state. I believe more women should come out like this.”

“Today, most women of the Valley have access to education. You can’t expect us women who study, who have an opinion, who participate in debates to sit at home and not raise our voice” said Najwa Shabir, a Bio-Science student at Kashmir University.

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Nevertheless, Nayeema Ahmad Mehjoor, chairperson of the government controlled State Commission for Women begs to differ. “This is not the first time and this should not be encouraged. What happened in Pulwama was a spontaneous uprising. If you push them to wall of course there won’t be any other option. As people in power, we must not hype this event. We must encourage kids to study and ensure a safe environment for them.”

According to Birjis Zahra, a research scholar at the Kashmir University, what happened at Pulwama was the eruption of years of frustration which had reached a tipping point.

Heeba Din believes that technology has a major role to play as well. “The ability to document and circulate is new. Who knows, maybe this wasn’t the first time it happened.”

All the young girls of Kashmir University unanimously agreed on two things – One, the Pulwama incident certainly encouraged more women to come out in protest. Two, violence is not the best form of protest.

Toyeba Pandit, also a student at the Kashmir University, believes that she doesn’t need to be standing on the street with a stone in hand to include herself in the movement. “It is equally or more valuable for me sit here with my pen or talk to my Indian friends about what is happening. I would still be doing my part”

Najwa Shaibr supports this by saying, “I’d rather write than pelt stones at the cost of hurting someone, even if that someone is an Indian security man. Nevertheless, if something ever happened to my family, I can’t say  how I would react. That is why although I don’t support this violent women’s protest, I can understand it”

For Nida Nazir, a law student at the Vitasta School of Law and Humanities, what happened at Pulwama was more of a rescue operation. “The girls saw their male friends getting beaten and came forward to help them. This shouldn’t be taken as an ideal form of protest.”

On the other hand, for Heeba, the entire idea of gendering the Kashmir conflict is flawed. “The problem is that when women become the face of a resistance movement, emphasis is placed on the word ‘women’ and not ‘resistance’. We are Kashmiris and we are fighting an occupation. That is what it is.”

“Women’s aspirations have been choked for a very long time. Violence towards women often comes from within our own community. I don’t know if women pelting stones is an effective form of protest but it is definitely an impactful one. One thing for sure is that, this coming out not just marks a political change but also a social one.”

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Prof Mushtaq Sidiqui, the Vice Chancellor of the IUST says he understands why the women are out in the streets. “Women’s aspirations have been choked for a very long time. Violence towards women often comes from within our own community. I don’t know if women pelting stones is an effective form of protest but it is definitely an impactful one. One thing for sure is that, this coming out not just marks a political change but also a social one.”

Najwa Shabir strongly believes that women stepping out of the shadows of their men and finding their own voice is going to usher in a whole new dynamic to the ‘freedom movement’ in Kashmir.  “This is a revolution. Once it has begun, it’s hard to go back indoors.”

Prof Sidiqui of IUST also believes this to be a revolution of sorts. “There is a strong movement happening for women from homes to the street. The momentum is only bound to increase”

We tried to solicit views of the KU Vice Chancellor Prof Kurshid Andrabi but he was unavailable. His Public Relations Officer refused to comment on the issue.

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