Pictures from Around India - After the Semi-Final Against Pakistan (NDTV)

[mehwish92]

 

[mehwish92]

Faultline in Kashmir makes people root for Afridi and vote in polls

SRINAGAR: Like rest of the subcontinent, Srinagar shut down for the semifinal clash between India and Pakistan. But, the team they cheered for wasn't the Men in Blue. In hotels and homes, at roadside stalls and in Srinagar's downtown sprawl, in villages and small mohallas, Kashmir was rooting for Shahid Afridi and his team.

This support for Pakistan appeared to cut across caste and class, united mainstream politicians and separatists, and brought together prosperous businessmen who live half the year in Delhi and the shikarawalas who ceaselessly circle the Dal Lake.

On the day of the semifinal, children took a day off from school. India batted first and every Indian wicket prompted a blaze of firecrackers. When Pakistan started batting, every run was cheered. What does this tell us? Widespread support for Pakistan in the Valley? Not quite.

Most people who cheered for Afridi's team have no love lost for Pakistan with its failing economy and daily violence. The reality of Pakistan has done what the Indian state could not for years: made "Kashmir banega Pakistan" vanish from all protests. All that the Kashmiris have done is separate the reality of Pakistan from the idea of Pakistan.

Thus, the murder and mayhem in Lahore and Karachi represent the reality of Pakistan; Shahid Afridi's team in Mohali represent the idea of Pakistan. It is the best example of the mix of history, emotion, resentment and pragmatism that Kashmir is today. The generation applauding Pakistan today grew up fixated on the idea of Pakistan before the spiral of insurgency in the 90s.

"There is a connectedness, in the emotional sense, in the hearts of Kashmiris. We don't bleed blue, we bleed green," said Abid Hussein, a young professional.

It was at battleground Sharjah that India was humiliated. A young man spoke about how a television remote was hurled at him for cheering India in a match. And it was his grandfather who did so. The generation today is older. They have become politicians and businessmen firm in their knowledge that India is the way forward for Kashmir. They shake their heads at every blast in Pakistan. But once it comes to anything that represents the idea of Pakistan, like the Pakistani cricket team, they remember their love for it.

"In spite of my saying I'll never support Pakistan after they lose, I end up watching them play. Ath wanan (it means) true love. We curse them, we abuse them, we hate them but also always love them. Kashmiris have a deep emotion with Pakistan, and not only because of religion," said Farhan Faisal, a businessman.

Kashmiris are provincial in their actions, but Kashmiri nationalists in their mindset. This faultline makes them turn out and vote for bijli, sadak, pani in elections, scrutinise the increase in Central grants in the state budget, makes thousands vie for posts in the police. It also makes them throw stones and spray "Go Back India" on the walls. It makes them kit out in Pakistani colours and also makes them compliment the administration for imposing section 144 to prevent violence that would hurt business.

It makes them admire India, its plurality, its progress and its strength; and resent it for these very reasons. As Naveed Tariq described it, "I think today two matches were telecast. One which the whole world saw was played between Indian cricket team and Pakistan cricket team and was played in the spirit of the game. The other which some Kashmiris saw was played between the Indian Army team and Kashmiris."

 

[venkat]

Mehwish !!Founding memeber!!! gosh!! never heard of you...what's your idea of posting the above "Faultline in Kashmir makes people root for Afridi and vote in polls"?

 

[mehwish92]

Mehwish !!Founding memeber!!! gosh!! never heard of you...what's your idea of posting the above "Faultline in Kashmir makes people root for Afridi and vote in polls"?

this picture:

got me wondering: are these people cheering because India won the match, or because India lost a wicket? After all, it is Kashmir.

This article simply proved my doubts to be true. These people are cheering for Pakistan, despite being Indians.

 

[The Messiah]

this picture:

got me wondering: are these people cheering because India won the match, or because India lost a wicket? After all, it is Kashmir.

This article simply proved my doubts to be true. These people are cheering for Pakistan, despite being Indians.

there is no way to tell as far as that picture is concerned.

 

[venkat]

Like stone throwing ,the cheering in favour of pakistan can also be stage managed by separatists. cant rule out this. so let's not go by pictures!!!

 

[mayfair]

this picture:

got me wondering: are these people cheering because India won the match, or because India lost a wicket? After all, it is Kashmir.

Cannot be India winning since it was a day night match and if they were celebrating Indian win it would have been night and it would have showed in the pic. Well they can stuff those pink chairs up their poowan

 

[mehwish92]

Cannot be India winning since it was a day night match and if they were celebrating Indian win it would have been night and it would have showed in the pic. Well they can stuff those pink chairs up their poowan

still doesnt rule out the possibility of them cheering on India. However, even I find that to be unlikely.

 

[Virendra]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6suVAv-kBrU

Here, chew this for a while before you guys on both sides jump on the conspiracy triggers again !!


Regards,
Virendra

 

[warriorextreme]

lol guys nobody supports india in srinagar..in jammu there are Indian supporters everywhere but not in srinagar...but i am so happy that these traitors supported pakistan
we dont need support of such traitors

 

[mayfair]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6suVAv-kBrU

Here, chew this for a while before you guys on both sides jump on the conspiracy triggers again !!


Regards,
Virendra

There's lot more to chew where that came from, Sample this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmtV2Ow2XRg&feature=related

 

[mayfair]

still doesnt rule out the possibility of them cheering on India. However, even I find that to be unlikely.

For all I know they may be cheering a Kashmiri dancing to Munni badnaam hui.

 

[The Messiah]

still doesnt rule out the possibility of them cheering on India. However, even I find that to be unlikely.

Sun is out and India was ahead even when sri lanka was batting that is until the last 5 overs! and during the last 10 overs let alone 5 overs the sun wouldn't be that bright that too in srinagar and there was hardly anything worth cheering for sri lanka for 40 overs or so.

We should not make judgments without proof...because only pakistanis do that.

 

[Blackwater]

For all I know they may be cheering a Kashmiri dancing to Munni badnaam hui.

Munni ka pata nahi but u people are quite badnaame in this world..

 

[mayfair]

Munni ka pata nahi but u people are quite badnaame in this world..

Care to elaborate on that?

 

[humpakistani]

Congratulations to India by winning against the Pakistan they played very well and also congratulate them by winning the 10th ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and i hope they will continue their performance after the World cup is well .