,
7 tweets,
2 min read
Read on Twitter
Kashmir has for decades been at the center of a violent tug-of-war between India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed neighbors partitioned by the British and given independence in 1947. nbcnews.to/2KEgsmN (1/7)
Both countries claim all of Kashmir but each only governs part of it after fighting wars and countless skirmishes over the decades. (2/7)
The part that India controls, the state of Jammu and Kashmir, has grappled with a violent insurgency since the 80s. The separatists in this Muslim-majority region see the control by Hindu-majority India as an illegitimate occupation. nbcnews.to/2KEgsmN (3/7)
Until now, Article 370 of the Indian Constitution gave Kashmir its own flag, constitution and lawmaking powers, affording it some degree of autonomy except over foreign affairs and defense. (4/7)
But on Monday, Modi's government revoked almost all of this clause, downgrading Jammu and Kashmir from statehood to territory and splitting it into two regions more closely controlled by New Delhi. nbcnews.to/2KEgsmN (5/7)
On Sunday, a day before the decision was announced, security forces in Kashmir imposed curfew-like conditions and a telecommunications blackout. India says the crackdown was a precaution to contain any potential violence. nbcnews.to/2KEgsmN (6/7)
Pakistan has reacted angrily to the decision, calling it illegal, suspending bilateral trade, suspending the train line between the two countries and saying it would expel India's ambassador in Islamabad. nbcnews.to/2KEgsmN (7/7) #NBCNewsThreads
