Social Media and Mental Health | The Great Depression

Designed: Abey James

Blog written by: Kartik Nair

Note: The views posted by the author are strictly personal.

As humans, socialising comes to us naturally. It is, in the present day, a part of both life and culture, and forms the basis of how an individual is perceived and treated within a given society. Since time immemorial, humans have been interacting and socialising with others in various environments. With the advent of technology and communication, things have surely changed. There are no longer geographical distances to be scaled to communicate something. This very idea, along with cultural trends forms the basis of my blog on social media and health and how social media can be linked with depression.

Yes, yes. A large number of us use social media, in various forms in our daily lives. But before I dive into my topic, I would like to narrate Jack's story. Jack is a person, an entity, living somewhere on this planet. He has a group of friends, and like other many, engages in activities most people do. But that's not all! He loves being famous, he wants to be noticed. Well, who doesn't? He frequently uses various social media to keep a sense of his 'image' maintained. He receives tons of likes and is popular among people, but he doesn't seem to be okay. Something is wrong. Read this essay on social media and depression till the very end to find out what happens with him.

It doesn't matter what you already did or are planning to do today. I hate telling this to you, but chances are you've probably used some form of social media by the time you would have read this message. (And no, it's not magic!) We, Indians, are the second most prominent users of social media in the world, having around 580 Mn users. It is, therefore, not tough to infer that we might have used some or the other form of social media. (Maybe you will be reading this blog via social media). We are social animals. We pride upon the strength of our connections. We need the companionship of people around us to survive and be happy - both mentally and physically. A social context is, therefore, a powerful tool, as it can de-stress, remove depression, provide comfort and happiness and prevent loneliness. These are just a few of a good number of things it can do. Younger users can now create good bonds with friends, thanks to easy access to their information and interests.

Enter the digital age, technology, cheap and affordable internet, enhanced web infrastructure and social media and lo and behold - geographical distances have been eliminated. We can now reach anyone, anywhere on this planet. We have digital spaces to interact and share things. Physical distance and space is no longer an issue. We can share whatever we want with our peers and contacts, and it is not just messaging. Photos, videos, real-time locations and other media keep you and users connected, in one room at a point of time. The problem is that the connection does not end there. And no - It is not a scene out of a horror movie; it is just what this 'new media' brings to the table along with its numerous benefits. This leads us to our next question:

So, what is Social Media? Why do we use Social Media?

This largely depends on the people. In general, they would choose various media depending on multiple social platforms. If it is pictured, one will choose Instagram. Whenever one has little text bits, they would go to Twitter. When one has an excellent story to share, nothing beats it like good, old Facebook. There is no exact reason for people posting things on social media. However, if you were to analyse a particular post and its 'expected behaviour or reaction', you would probably get a few reasons:

·   Sense of Belonging: This is usually seen when someone wants to be accepted by a specific group of people or a particular person.

·   Being 'Me-centric': This is also seen in a good number of people who share every little thing or event in their life with others. This gives them a sense of gratification.

·   Personal Events: People share their successes, in all forms to let people and friends know of their accomplishments.

·   Physiological Needs: People could sometimes post things which could benefit their social circles and families as a whole.

Generally, adolescents and adults use social media like traditional communication medium - to get to know each other, socialise, stay in touch, make plans, etc. One significant benefit of social media is that people can reach out to, and connect with large groups of people with similar interests, anywhere across the world. This benefits all sorts of people, ranging from smaller communities to citizens from major economies. This very rise of social media sites and its use has changed the world we live in forever. People are connected than ever before and have a 'digital persona'.

Social media allows its users to express their personalities in various and unique ways. With more social media coming in, a user can have more accounts, and by curating the content on their platform, can develop a different persona altogether. This results in the formation of new identities, expanding social connections, altering perceptions, etc. More often than not, the real identity of an individual is often masked by this virtual one. This self-image is under a microscope when users continuously compare themselves or their situations with others, and this increases with continued engagement. Therefore, on the face of it, social media looks like an innocent time-waster or a tool for connection. However, as this weaves into our daily lives, the silent comparison with others is ever increasing. There are inspirational quotes, photos, memes, etc. But at the end of the day, all that is just fictional reality.

Models, influencers, famous figures, etc. tend to present the coolest part of their lives on social media (in perfect conditions). The problem, when ordinary people view them, is comparison. Social media has brought us close, and we can see other people's lives whenever we want to. Still, we start to compare them with our lives, and the never-ending game of social media and depression begins. People begin seeing flaws in themselves and their appearances, and suddenly, the world falls apart for them.

To understand this better, let me make you aware of the active and passive use of social media:

·   Passive Use of Social Media: This refers to the common practice of observing others' lives quietly. Many users portray their lives in an unrealistic, sanitised manner with popular filters of reality. This, however, becomes the norm and more often than not, the struggle and negative part of life are not shown. Viewers often tend to make social comparisons and conclude that their lives are less fulfilling, exciting than others. This makes them feel inferior, inadequate and increases anxiety. In the end, it only creates envy and resentment.

·   Active Use of Social Media: This is referred to as the standard practice where you regularly post status updates, pictures, videos, posts, etc. for others to notice. This seeks the approval and admiration of others. This can have an enormous psychological cost, if a person posts something about their 'happening life' and if the desired inputs aren't coming, this leads to major self-doubt.

This quest for likes or follows on social media heavily influences why people post or share things on social media. A few users may receive intended results, but that leads to a large number of people engaging in social shares. When people generally post something, they naturally seek a response. Since the foundation stone of social media is communication, the primary motive for posting things comes from an intent to connect with others. This can, again, have both positive and negative consequences.

Positive Consequences of using Social Media:

·   It allows us to communicate with our family, friends and contacts in the world.

·   It enables us to find new friends or groups having similar interests or even network with like-minded people.

·   It keeps us informed of worldwide events and happenings which we might consider worthwhile.

·   It gives us open access to extensive information and learning and provides us with a space to express ourselves openly and creatively.

Negative Consequences of using Social Media: (You've waited for this from the start, haven't you?)

·   Various studies conducted on users of social media find a strong link between heavy use of social media and increased risk of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and in some cases, even suicidal thoughts.

·   Although a large number of us know that the images circulated on social media are fake or are manipulated, it still makes us feel insecure about what goes on with our life. People tend to share the highlights of their lives, and that fuels our envy and dissatisfaction.

·   High usage of social media apps tends to increase (read-not decrease) the feeling of loneliness. On the contrary, reducing the use of social media makes one feel less lonely and isolated.

·   Social media has reduced, if not killed offline (regular) social interaction. One continually feels the need to check for social media, driven by feelings of checking what others are doing at the moment.

·   One may tend to use social media platforms late at night, thereby disturbing sleep patterns which may, in turn, decrease the overall efficiency of the person during the day. Also, while at work, the person keeps checking their social media accounts regularly, thereby being distracted at work.

Now that we have a good idea of a few possible positive and negative consequences arising out of social media use, it is time we ask ourselves – What drives it? This social media use? A large number of people access social media sites through portable devices – cellphones or tabs. While keeping it next to us is possible, social media tends to become much more accessible. We often check out phone for updates, and when something favourable is found, it releases a dopamine rush in our brain giving us a sense of instant happiness. And as stated earlier, this fuels the never-ending sleep disorder patterns, decreasing focus and productivity, etc.

But, if intended results are not found, how detrimental can using social media be? To make you understand this, let me show you an image. I'm sure you will interpret it correctly. I'm inclined to call it "The Spiral of Social Media".

Design: Abey James

Loneliness and anxiety lead us to find ways to use social media as a medium to connect to others to beat boredom. But, users are now faced with a Catch-22 situation. The viewing of social media increases levels of isolation and makes us feel worse. This, in turn, ends up worsening the mood again, leading to an increased level of stress. This eventually causes us to use social media, even more, keeping the spiral continued. I believe this can probably be looked into by social media psychologists. This field of psychology is only as old as social media and research is still in its early stages. The down part is that there are limitations of studies, relevant literature not being available, etc.

Social Media and Depression in Teenagers and Young Adults

In modern times, it is not uncommon to find teens without a smartphone in their hand and more often than not, they are often 'connected' with their friends at all times. Although it appears to be a tool of social connection on the face of it, the demerits outweigh the merits.

·   Teenagers are well under peer pressure and often want to show things off when posting things online. Again, only the best parts are highlighted. When they view stuff on social media, they think of their classmates as perfect and of themselves as inferior, and it makes them left out.

·   Social skills are often not developed, thanks to the overuse of social media. As they rely on social media to stay in touch with others, essential life skills such as learning and application of soft skills are often missed out.

·   A significant reason for linking social media and depression among teenagers and young adults is cyber-bullying. With social media, people are connected (although virtually) – and therefore, escaping from bullying is just not possible. Children can be harassed at any point in the day by whosoever has a motive. This results in low attendance and marks, substance abuse, low self-esteem, increasing mental health issues, etc.

·   Fear of Missing out (FOMO), an extension of inclusion and social standing is something that frequently happens when they compare their lives with 'online lives'. In media which emphasises on sharing of images, visual play comes in, and the FOMO-feel aggravates.

Social Media seems to be all around us. (Yes it truly is, and I've just discussed a particular part of it in this essay on social media and depression-There's more to it). So, how can we come out of this spiral or at least try to be better while consuming social media? First and foremost, one cannot quit from social media totally, in these modern times. The moves have to be rational and have to be justified and controlled. (Again, there are just a few steps):

·   Reduce time online: One can start with using an app to track social media usage, and by using social media only during certain times of the day. We could also, with practice, not carry it to our bedrooms. Once a normal stance is developed, disable social media notifications. Most importantly, learn to use social media mindfully. Sometimes, a digital detox may also do us some good.

·   Spend more time with real people: There is nothing like meeting a person face-to-face. The interaction has to be happy and healthy, and time should be best utilised with real people instead of virtual people. You could also reach out to older friends or catch someone every weekend and hang out with them. If you are a hobbyist, join a club or an activity where like-minded people will surround you.

·   Exercises and mindfulness: Working out, doing exercises or yoga can help you live in the present and can help you calm your mind by channelising all your energy. It can help you build focus which can be beneficial for your daily activities. This will also help you improve your psychological well-being.

·   Children and teenagers: In the case of teenagers and children, parents should sit, talk to them about their lives and how social media is not an actual yardstick for comparing lifestyles. They should answer questions of their children honestly, and not shy away from specific questions, leaving the child to find out things by its own. Educate them about the dangers of social media.

·   Last but not least, if situation aggravates, do not hesitate to seek professional help or advice from a counsellor, rather than having the University of Whatsapp, or for that matter, social media solve your problems.

I am writing this during the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic. The use of social media is more important and significant than ever before, and all of our interactions are being channelled through it. We must know that we are only in mid-stages of the lockdown period and that improper use of social media during these dark times will only exacerbate this issue. (We've seen that previously with fake news). This journey can indeed leave us exhausted, but adequate steps must be taken so that the negative impact arising out of social media (especially during this period) is controlled. If social media is used correctly and is channelised well during this 'Great Depression', we can come out as winners. With the help of social media and owing to access to a large amount of available information, social media can if not appropriately used, prove to be a double-edged sword in these times.

Are we thinking about Jack? Well, Jack is not a particular individual. 'Jack' is us, all of us. How we use social media will determine how we perceive things inside and around us. Probably, our actions will shape the generations to come.

I would like to thank Ms Sonali Medhekar for her suggestions and insights into this topic. Her ideas helped me get more thoughts and clarity on certain sections of this blog. She is a counselling psychologist who works mainly with children and parents.

NOTE: DO NOT COPY ANY CONTENT OF THIS ESSAY/ARTICLE FOR ANY PURPOSE/S WITHOUT THE AUTHOR'S PERMISSION. PEOPLE WILLING TO USE THIS ARTICLE FOR ACADEMIC/RESEARCH PURPOSES NEED TO CITE THE AUTHOR AND THIS WEB PAGE. NOT DOING SO SHALL RESULT IN AN ACT OF PLAGIARISM.

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Women's Participation in Indian Sports | The Gender Divide

Designed: Abey James

Blog posted by: Kartik Nair

Note: The views of the author are strictly personal.

My initial thought of writing a blog on women’s participation in sports in India, perhaps initiated on the 25th of July 2017, a day after Indian women lost to their England counterparts in the finals of the ICC women’s cricket world cup. It started with an editorial in a popular English daily wherein it spoke about a difference between winning hearts and winning the world cup. 

What drew my attention was the stark contrast of expectations that we, as Indians collectively had when it came to performances related to their male counterparts. For the Indian women to make it to the final, was in itself considered equivalent to winning the World Cup. For men, this was not so. For some godforsaken reason, the words of Aamir Khan from the Bollywood movie ‘Dangal’ (2016) echoed in my head “Gold to gold hota hai, chora laave ya chori.” (A medal is a medal, no matter who gets it, a boy or a girl)

What got me to sit down, do tons of research and write this blog on women and sports was a good amount of discussion and dialogue with my female sportswomen friends, the recent dominant performances of Indian women in the global sporting scenario and a few things from the past I’ve learnt, heard and seen during my days as a sportsperson. Back in my sporting days, when I used to be a national level road cyclist, and as I’ve witnessed in a couple of cyclothons (cycling races) and pro-races, I could not ignore this difference in the prize money being paid to the winners of both men and women, in the same distances. One look at the competition then, and I thought that it was just, given the low participant numbers and overall performances put in, maybe, that justified this difference. Little did I realise that the same thought was a toxic one and that this very thought would be one of the triggering factors that would get me to write and publish a blog on women’s participation in Indian sports.

Women’s sports throughout the world has existed for a long time, and the participation numbers have risen dramatically in the last century, perhaps mirroring changes in developing societies which created and emphasised gender equality. Although widely accepted in the world today, there is a significant skew when it comes to participation and performance on a country-to-country basis. 

Background

Before I delve into this topic, let’s understand a bit about the origins of women’s sport, esp. during the ancient Olympic Games (796 BC-339 AD). Before these games began, before any ancient Olympics, there was a separate women’s athletic event at the Olympia Stadium, then called the Heraean Games, dedicated to the Greek Goddess Hera. Women in Sparta practised similar exercises as men, exhibiting similar qualities as those of Spartan soldiers. The Greek scholar, Plato, advocated women in sports by promoting running and sword fighting for women.

Coming back to the modern era, ~22 women made their first appearance at the Paris Olympics (1900) in events such as tennis, croquet, equestrian, golf, etc. In the years to come, there were questions asked about the physical strength and stamina of women compared to men, and this led to discouragement of female participation in physically intensive sports, but, in some cases, it led to the creation of less demanding female versions of male sports. (E.g. Netball from basketball, softball from baseball, etc.) However, due to lack of support of women’s sporting at the international arena, ‘Federation Sportive Feminine Internationale’ led by the pioneer of women’s sport, Alice Milliat organised the women’s Olympiad and Women’s world games in the second decade of the twentieth century. These events led to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) taking notice and thus, began greater participation of women across various sports at the Olympics and the international arena.

From ~65 women participants in the 1920 Belgium Olympics to ~4700 at Rio 2016, women’s participation has undoubtedly improved, with 45% of the overall participant pool being women. However, it was at the 2012 London Olympics that women competed in every sport as their male counterparts. The number was expected to be close to ~48% in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (Postponed to 2021). It is safe to say that the participation of women athletes is approaching 50%. The IOC has mandated since 1991 that for new sport seeking to be included in the Olympic program that it should have women-specific events as well. The IOC also strives to encourage national Olympic committees and various international federations to increase the participation of women in decision-making roles. 

Source: Olympics. org 

 Leading the way, the IOC Exec. Board saw an increase in female members from 21.4% in 2017 to ~31% in 2019. Gender equality and diversity are two critical topics that are part of the IOC’s People Management 2020 programme. The IOC also recognises gender equality as an integral component of effective sports administration and continues to support the promotion of women and girls in all levels and structures. The Olympic Agenda 2020 re-affirmed the commitment and priority of gender balance. 

Although my essay on women’s participation in Indian sports, is, as the name suggests, inclined towards my country, India; however, the issue of gender bias in sport is not India–specific. For many sportswomen, the journey to fame and/or success has been a steep climb, one with many hurdles, often having more thorns than flowers. Traditionally, sports has been dominated by men and gender continues to be a variable that determines the treatment of a woman in sport. A stereotypical notion that ‘Sports is for men’ is still popular in society and more often than not, gender and societal based characteristics prove to be the deciding factors for women to play sports. Looking at the broader picture, let’s try and understand the wage difference and media coverage that both male and female-specific events get. Again, the difference is widely skewed at the global level.

If we look at the most popular sport in India, Cricket-the players of the national team are divided into four categories, based on contracts – A+, A, B and C with annual salaries of INR 7 Crore, 5 Crore, 3 Crore and 1 Crore respectively. For women’s cricketers, there is no A+ category. For women cricketers, the contracts are settled across-A, B and C with annual payments of INR 50 Lakhs, 30 Lakhs and 10 Lakhs respectively. Basic percentage calculations show that women in the top tiers earn less than 10% than their male counterparts. In some cases, domestic players or IPL contracts make much more than the Indian national women cricket team does. If you look at football, an average Indian national player gets between INR 60-70 Lakhs whereas a female footballer earns between INR 5-10 Lakhs. Indian Women Football Team is globally ranked at 55 out of 159 countries, whereas the Indian Football Men’s team ranks at 108 out of 210 nations. Well, this is some problem, don’t you think? 

If you look at the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) – the highest-paid women’s league in the world; you might notice a stark difference too. The women players were given a max pay of ~$1,10,000, and the average male player had a salary of ~$5,25,000. In PGA (Golf), the prize money set up was $340 Mn for men’s tournaments, compared to $62 Mn for LPGA (women’s golf tournaments). 

There are few positive instances, where changes can be noticed as well. Cricket Australia announced that equal prize money would be given to both men and women in the 2020 T20 World Cup. Norway sliced 5,50,000 Kronor from the men’s team budget and raised the budget for its women’s team by 3.1 Mn Kronor. In 2018, the World Surf League announced equal pay for both male and female athletes for all events.

Participation of women in sports

The Indian culture looks up to a woman as a ‘mother of a race’ – but the very Indian society is bound into this belief that women are naturally inferior to men as they must birth a child and take care of her family.

In his book, “Education, Intellectual, Moral and Physical” (1894), Herbert Spencer describes the way physical education was looked at in his times – in both girls’ and boys’ schools. The boys’ playgrounds were described as an “open gravelled space with ample room for sports and exercises”.” In contrast, the girls’ playgrounds were described as “grassplots, gravel walk, shrubs and flowers, with absolutely no chance for any physical recreation”. This reason, as Spencer explains, is the way the society defines the role of a woman and how sports was considered to ‘diminish feminine exterior’. 

In the first-ever Olympics that we played as an Independent nation (1948, London) – There was not a single female athlete in the Indian contingent. In 2012, it stood at 28%, and in 2016, it was ~45%. There is some progress. But then, what are the other hampering factors?

In India, it is a different story altogether, and besides finances and interest, there are other ‘elements’ which hamper the growth of women’s participation in sports in India. In India, sports were considered a patriarchal element of the society and frequent myths regarding societal norms and biology-related issues often hindered the participation of women in sports in our country. If you are a sportswoman, or a gym-goer or a sportsman in India, you’ve likely either thought or said or listened to any one of the following phrases, “She has developed muscles like a man” or “There is nothing so feminine about her” or “Nobody would want to marry her” or even “How can you let her go to places to play?” Well, this is the reason, this is why we fail collectively. In a good number of researches conducted, there is one common thing which shows up, time and again. Studies find that the respondents want to play or engage in a sporting activity, but often, lose the battle to their families, peers or society. What I’ve seen in my days as a young teenager was that my female friends were allowed to come, play with us, once they were done with their household chores. There are more likely chances of getting a family’s support if you would want to make your careers in Engineering or Medicine or Business Administration. Sports, well, is not anywhere in the picture. You also have these common myths of how sports affects a woman’s reproductive ability, menstrual cycles, sometimes even pregnancy, etc. Safety, security, access to facilities and infrastructure, etc. are other impeding factors. 

If you look at the Olympics – Only five women till date have brought home medals so far – Karnam Malleshwari, Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik. There have been media-worthy and world-class performances by Hima Das (Athletics), Dutee Chand (Athletics), Manu Bhaker (Shooting) and a lot of others. In a vast pool of available players, what is the problem then?

The problem starts at the grass-root level – Absence of support to female sportspersons compared to boys, economic reasons, societal reasons and social taboos, security issues and sexual harassment, domestic reasons, marriage, in-laws, etc. You might observe that a lot of schools have a boys’ team, but not a girls’ team. Women are viewed with raised eyebrows when they try to learn an ‘unsuitable sport’ – some of which includes, wrestling, boxing, weightlifting, etc. The good and the sad part is Indian women have shined in all 3 of those aspects.

The one thing that you subconsciously relate to sports comes next – Politics and favouritism. They somehow go hand in hand. Unlike individual sports, a lot of players, especially in team sports allege selectors of bias. There have also been frequent sexual allegations by women against coaches and players in government facilities such as the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and various federations. In 2010, 31 members of the national women’s hockey team filed sexual harassment cases against their coach. Again, women are subject to harassment and sexual jibes.

The National Commission for Youth, in 2004 analysed the participation of women in sports and observed that sports had become an ‘elite activity’. They stated that government campaigns such as ‘National Sports Festival for Women (1975)’ were reduced to mere ad-hoc award sessions. Again, various state and national institutes do not take the issue of women sports seriously, and there is no serious backing or support system. For example, gymnast Dipa Karmakar’s request for her physiotherapist before her vault finals at the Rio Olympics was also conveniently ignored.

Also, various athletes and experts have commentated on the coaching programs of the SAI and its impact on the sports budget. More coaches in more programs may not result in efficient results. More often than not, athletes who’ve won medals at the higher levels were trained by individual coaches. Lack of infrastructural facilities is also a possible reason. There is a lack of media coverage in women’s sport, both in terms of presentation and attendance. While covering women’s events, broadcasters, instead of being analytical, tend to show the ‘fluffy’ side of women sports instead of critiquing. A significant reason for the divide, as I see it, is lack of women representation on national selection boards of various sporting federations as decision-makers.

So, these are the problems. So, what can be done to improve the participation of women in sports in India?

• To start with, a higher representation of women in the selection, decision making and national sporting boards will bring significant change, not just to maintain gender parity, but to engage in open dialogues and other mechanisms. 
• Sports should be engaged as a compulsory activity right from schooling days to break women-specific societal sporting taboos gradually. Regular talent hunts can be organised to scout prospects.
• The pay scales should be kept at part with their male counterparts (wrt. various sports) – To bring in more participation. The government should also provide security in terms of jobs so that finances, etc. are not a hindrance to sports. This should also apply to competitions.
• Capable administrators (Canadian Sporting Model) should be appointed to oversee the performance of athletes across various domains. More tournaments should be organised at multiple levels, and there should be more representation of athletes across all levels. This should start right from the school level.
• Infrastructure and logistics-related decisions must be appropriately planned to ensure the safety and security of all participants involved.
• Financial assistance, depending on the level of athletes and sports, should be given. (This also includes bonuses to athletes winning at various levels.)
• Efforts should be made to make sports a ‘gender-free’ activity and should be used as a medium to bring all sections of the society together. More efforts should be put in to bring broadcasters and viewership to various sporting events.

Well, although a lot of the things I’ve stated above can maybe, help women come up in sports, and can perhaps, make a difference. However – The final challenge lies in creating a conducive environment in which they can progress. How far is that day when a parent and society is open to a woman accepting sports as a professional career?

The answer is an open-ended one. Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section below.

Lastly, before ending this blog, I would like to thank my friends and fellow athletes-Pragnya Mohan (World Championships, Triathlon), Krishna Patel (National Level, Hockey) and Merlyn Martin (National Level, Athletics) for their willingness to share their experiences, stories. I wish them all the best.

NOTE: DO NOT COPY ANY CONTENT OF THIS ESSAY/ARTICLE FOR ANY PURPOSE/S WITHOUT THE AUTHOR'S PERMISSION. PEOPLE WILLING TO USE THIS ARTICLE FOR ACADEMIC/RESEARCH PURPOSES NEED TO CITE THE AUTHOR AND THIS WEB PAGE. NOT DOING SO SHALL RESULT IN AN ACT OF PLAGIARISM.

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Proxy War: The State of Silence | Kashmir

Created and designed: Abey James

Blog posted by: Kartik Nair

Note: The views provided by the author are strictly personal.

Although I wanted to write a blog on the proxy war in Kashmir for a long time, the triggering moment came more recently, after the encounter between the Indian security forces and militants in Handwara and Kupwara (both in Kashmir). These cowardly attacks by militants left eight soldiers of various security forces dead, including the Indian Army, state police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). These are just two examples of situations (out of the lot many) where militants clashed time and again with our security forces. Note that this comes at a time of a global pandemic when there is a full-scale bio – scare and restriction of movement or any kinds of human activities.

A lot of ‘attempts to overthrow’ have been thwarted by these men in uniform, sometimes with their own lives. Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, Major Anuj Sood, Lance Naik Dinesh Singh, Naik Rajesh Kumar and Police Sub – Inspector Sageer Pathan are few brave men in a long list of brave officers and jawans who were immortalized in such incidents in Kashmir.

The tensions are growing. A possibility of war cannot be ruled out. Hostile neighbours surround us (in almost all sides of our borders), some of who, more often than not, engage in questionable practices to weaken our security, well – being and our economy. And when I talk about neighbours and unscrupulous practices, there is one nation we subconsciously think about. Yes, I will be trying to provide a detailed overview on this silent war in Kashmir and how both state and non – state actors contribute to this ever-growing tensions and events that occur in this valley once called “paradise on Earth”. 

I’m sure you might have read, heard or possibly, even seen what a conventional war might be like. When I talk of war, every Indian perhaps goes back into the past, into a point when they saw the movie ‘Border’ before coming back into the present and thinking if times have changed. Technically, these are peace times. But the geopolitical situation and ever-growing tensions don’t seem to do anything to keep the war – reactor in check. It is being fuelled by a lot of events in both the internal and external scenario. Again, you may equate war with a big artillery weapons, tanks, a large battalion of soldiers moving in various formations together, a group of people taking heavy fire and casualties, etc. – That, is conventional warfare. We have fought a couple of wars over the years, especially with Pakistan in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999; and have emerged victorious in all of them (I do not know about the Pak version though). This made one thing probably clear to our neighbour: They would never be able to win over India in the event of a full-scale war. Therefore, a new technique of low-intensity war, proxy war or sub – war was adopted as a means to fight India regularly.  

Going by the definition, a proxy war is an armed conflict between at least two ‘external-state’ (when a government indulges in the act of terrorism against its people or people of another country) or ‘non-state’ (when an individual or a group doesn’t have a direct link with a government while pursuing malicious agenda; however there could be indirect linkages) actors who act on behalf of other parties that are not directly involved in these acts of warfare. There must be a direct, long-term relationship between these various elements of war, in the form of funding, arms supply, training, etc. for the situation to become a proxy war.

In typical cases, as we commonly witness, proxy warfare includes external support for a terrorist group, a faction engaged in acts of civil war, terrorism, insurgency, etc. The term was developed and popularized in the ‘Cold War’ era – The Soviets funded and supported parties that were against the tenets or enemies of the ideology of the United States, and the Americans reciprocated with the same – supplying arms to the mujahideen during the Afghan-Soviet War. And again, this has a significant impact on the local battleground on which it is fought. Take the case of Vietnam or even Korea, for example. The war in Vietnam had an everlasting impact in the neighbouring countries of Laos and Cambodia as well. This Soviet-Afghan War, along with the Chernobyl incident, is regarded by many as the possible reasons for the downfall of the Soviet Union. The proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran resulted in the formation of the Syrian Civil War and the establishment of the (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) ISIL. I leave to you the imagination of lives lost, the economic and cultural loss, political change, a shift in the geopolitical scenario, etc. after the proxy war.

The context of terrorism is a broad one and in a 2003 ruling (the State of Bihar vs Madan Singh), by the Supreme Court; Alex Schmid’s definition of terrorism was adopted, and terrorism was now seen as a ‘peacetime equivalent of war crimes.’ Terrorism could have various motives ranging from ideological, religious, political or even historic. Perhaps, a large part of global terrorism, as you might have identified; is based on the concept of ideological or in most cases, religious terrorism. But what if I were to tell you that the situation in Kashmir, or if I were to call it, the state of silence, although primarily based on ideological and religious terrorism, had its roots in history – thus making it a unique and a complicated one.

Before independence, India had a total of 565 princely states. However, in 1947, when the British were scheduled to leave India, three options were provided to these states: Sign the instrument of accession and join with the Indian Union, accede to Pakistan or stay independent. After a lot of convincing, strategy and mild use of politics and power, the political brass, esp. the then Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (often regarded as the Iron Man of India) was successful in getting a significant number of these states to sign the instrument. One of the last remaining princely states that were not open to signing the instrument was Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). 

J&K was the largest princely state in 1947, and despite having a Hindu King, despite having almost 80% of Muslim population, it was a culturally diverse society. Although this seems like a small statement, this went on to become one of the influential agenda that Pakistan would later use in not recognizing Kashmir as part of the Indian Union. The then Maharaja, Hari Singh refused to accede to both the nations and preferred to stay independent. However, the situation of a standstill agreement deteriorated, and Pakistani and Afghan tribals along with Pakistan army marched into Kashmir and began invading it – invading one step at a time, moving towards the capital city of Srinagar. It was only after the signing of the instrument of accession that the Indian Army was finally deployed in Kashmir and the attackers were being moved out, pushed to where they came from. However, before the attackers could be entirely driven back, a ceasefire agreement was arrived at, and that came to known as the LoC – The line of control. The ‘occupied’ area is known as ‘Pakistan occupied Kashmir’ today. (Called ‘Azad Kashmir’ in Pakistan) In 1951, the UN passed a resolution providing for a referendum after Pakistan withdrew its troops from PoK, but till date, PoK happens to be occupied by ‘Pakistani aggressors. Also, a plebiscite never really took place.

Referendum – A general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision.  

Plebicite – The direct vote of all the members of an electorate on an important public question such as a change in the constitution.

The events that had conspired and the prevailing internal conflict made Kashmir a playground of low-intensity warfare. Since 1947, there have been numerous armed revolts, attempts at various political revolutions, wars to declare independence and prolonged usage of guerilla warfare. There have been multiple infiltrations across the border and regular ceasefire violations, supporting extremist and separatist movements in the state, attacking the once secular foundations of the state, amp up terror activities in the valley and lastly, to paint Kashmir as a place by creating an issue at various national-international levels to show how Muslims are tortured and oppressed; thereby justifying the so-called ‘wars of independence’.

Before Articles 370 and 35 (A) were revoked in 2019, and before J&K lost its independent status, Central government mandates (only wrt.) defence, communications, external affairs and finance applied to the state of J&K. The state could formulate other laws by its own – The residents lived under a separate set of laws altogether, be it citizenship, property ownership, fundamental rights, marriage, etc. This would again make a considerable shift of how the government and its machinery would be perceived in J&K.

Role of Pakistan and the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI)

Pakistan has been regarded as a ‘terror state’ by India, the US, the UK, Israel, etc. primarily due to its policy of harbouring terrorists and due to its activities in India and Afghanistan. In 2009, Pakistan President Asif Zardari admitted that the Pakistan Government had ‘created and nurtured’ various terrorist groups to achieve its short – term foreign policy goals. Its army and its intelligence agency were blamed time and again for their involvement in training terrorists, extremists, separatists, etc. Not only this, but these groups were also fully supplied with arms, ammunition and logistical support (in addition to training) to carry out various attacks on the government machinery, primarily targeting the uniformed forces and local population to depict a failed state of safety and security among the people. Their strategy since long has been, ‘Bleed India through a thousand cuts’.

Pakistan has often been hailed as a ‘deep state’ by various security experts. A deep state is seen as a state within a state, which indicate a style of governance made of multiple networks of power operating independently of a state’s political leadership, to pursue their agenda and goals. Generally, the elements of a deep state include intelligence agencies, armed forces, secret establishments, administrative agencies, etc. Here is a perfect example of a ‘state-as-venue’ process, as the view reflects the state as a stage on which these actors act. Pakistan has been directly or indirectly involved in significant terror operations in Kashmir and the Indian hinterland, by supporting various terrorist outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), Hizbul Mujahideen, Al-Qaeda, Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI) and the Indian Mujahideen (IM) to name a few. 

All these groups have been involved with globally listed and wanted terrorists, in one way or the other. A large part of them are linked to various parts of PoK and Pakistan and are responsible for what I would call cowardly acts of violence towards the ordinary citizens, government machinery and the uniformed forces. They are trained by their handlers and ISI operators and have taken credit for various attacks in India, including the Parliament attacks, 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Mumbai train bombings, Hyderabad bombings, etc.

Source: Internet, Wikipedia

The silent war, as I would like to call it, between various terror outfits and the security forces have been a cause of major concern for the establishment. In the 80s’ after the start of the insurgency, various Indian troops were called in to curb the movement. The number of soldiers in the valley and the movement restrictions, in addition to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) being in implementation, the low chances of economic prosperity, and oppression from negative media; all lead to a perfect breeding ground for these perpetrators for using locals as weapons of terror. (Probably shields would be a better word!) Off late, young, unemployed youngsters of the Kashmir valley have started pelting stones on security forces to express their aggression. The troops sometimes, react with pellets, rubber bullets and tear gas shells – and thus, rise a new wave of people who want to stand against the government using ‘any means possible to attain freedom’. This is precisely what various people want. Both action and inaction are now plausible tools for the handlers in Pakistan of PoK to use against the establishment.

Former Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharaff admitted in 2016 that Pakistan supported terrorist groups, like the LeT in the 90s to carry out militancy in Kashmir and that its forces trained various groups to fight India in PoK. He also admitted that the then Pakistan government turned a ‘blind eye’ to these events as it wanted to force India into negotiations. He also added that the ISI cultivated the Taliban post-2001 as then Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s government was dominated by non – Pashtuns who were thought to favour India.

Pakistan’s tribal region along its border with Afghanistan has been described as a safe haven for terrorists by the western media. Although not relevant in the Kashmir context, Pakistan was also responsible to the ‘Aircraft of Evil’ incident – where several Pakistani Air Force pilots airlifted about 5000 top leadership of the Taliban and AL – Qaeda when they were encircled by the NATO forces in 2001. Also, when Osama was killed in 2011 in Abbottabad, Pakistan, by the US Seal Team Six (A Special Forces Unit) in Operation Neptune Spear; he was living in a ‘safe house’ less than 2 kilometres away from the Pakistan Military Academy. Pakistan was also accused of harbouring support to the Punjab Sikh insurgency movement (for the creation of Khalistan). 

However, I would now like to talk about a shift of warfare that seems to have taken place off late – Cyber Warfare. It was observed on a lot of occasions, especially after Article 370 and 35A were withdrawn; that the Pakistani agencies were trying to mar the image of both India, its government and the Prime Minister using fake news and anti – India narratives. The messages created were flooded across social media using lots of accounts to instigate an ‘anti – India’ sentiment, especially in the Middle East and Gulf countries. Clips, being shot in the Middle East, were being dubbed in Hindi and were being circulated on various platforms and in Kashmir to ‘showcase the oppression of the government and its machinery’. There is a massive wave, an attempt to spread false propaganda on Islamophobia in India. Also, as findings have indicated, a lot of tweets sent from these accounts were created in the past weeks. Cyber warfare has also turned towards intensive intelligence gathering, and various online watchdogs have witnessed a spike in online espionage attacks. But cyber warfare, as I see it, is a potential tool for Pakistan to shape its anti – India narrative. 

With Pakistan often showcasing its nuclear might of ‘offensive defence’ against India, how long is it till the issue becomes a grave cause of concern? What do you think?

Click here to read my blog on fake news and propaganda.

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