Truth vs Hype: Kashmir - Economics of Azadi
The turmoil in the streets of Kashmir has receded and it should be the time to focus on Kashmir's economy. In many ways the political and economic are closely intertwined - Kashmir is more dependent on New Delhi for its funds, more than any state in India, which calls into question demands for autonomy or even azaadi. But raising economic autonomy unsettles all the key Kashmir players - for the state government and New Delhi, it means confronting an unhealthy equation of dependence and control, and for the separatists, talking about anything other than secession is seen as a government conspiracy - a great pity since there is transformation unfolding in the Valley's economy.
