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India’s Jammu-Kashmir mulls lifting ban on cinemas

The state government is reviewing the long-standing ban, after Saudi Arabia announced it would permit movie theaters
India’s Jammu-Kashmir mulls lifting ban on cinemas

Indian Paramilitary troops guard the Neelam movie theater in Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, in this April 1999 file photo. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP)

Published: December 19, 2017 08:15 AM GMT
Updated: December 19, 2017 08:20 AM GMT

Debate has been ignited in India’s only Muslim-majority state of Jammu-Kashmir over re-opening cinemas after Saudi Arabia lifted its longtime ban on them.

Liberal crown prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that movie theaters would again be allowed in the conservative Islamic Middle East nation.

This led to re-examination of the issue by the Jammu-Kashmir government.

Cinemas were shut down in the northwestern Indian state three decades ago after secessionist Islamic militants bombed them.

Re-opening of cinemas in 1999 was aborted in the face of more violence.

But the state government coalition led by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has suggested that people should no longer continue to be denied this form of entertainment.

"It is high time that movie theatres re-opened in Kashmir," BJP general secretary Ashok Koul told ucanews.com Dec. 17. 

The debate began after chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Dec. 12 wrote on social media site Twitter that she welcomed the decision by Saudi Arabia.

"Introspection and self reform are marks of a progressive society," she said.

The BJP’s coalition partner, the Jammu-Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP), backed the proposal.

"When Saudi Arabia can open cinemas then why can’t Kashmir," PDP vice-president Sartaj Madani said.

However, separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani, who seeks Kashmir’s merger with neighboring Pakistan, termed the Saudi crown prince’s move as "un-Islamic".

"The rulers in Saudi Arabia, being the custodian of holy places like Madeena and Mecca, need to take care," Geelani said.

"It is quite unfortunate that the present ruling elite (in Saudi Arabia) is allowing and promoting obscene culture, which Islam has prohibited."

University students such as Sheikh Aamir told ucanews.com that even if cinemas were re-opened in Jammu- Kashmir, people would be too afraid to go into them.

"Why would I risk my life?" he asked rhetorically.

"Militants can attack any time."

All nine single-screen cinemas in Srinagar, capital of the Muslim dominated Kashmir region, have been converted into business premises or occupied by army personnel fighting secessionist groups.

A cinema hall owner told ucanews.com on condition of anonymity that Kashmir could not have a successful theatre business until its internal conflict was resolved.

If cinemas began to operate legally, they would become soft targets for militants, he said.

Many people in Jammu-Kashmir download the latest Bollywood and other movies via the Internet soon after they are publicly released.

The violent secessionist movement, and Indian army action to contain it, have killed an estimated 100,000 people, including civilians.

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