Return Of The 'For the First Time' In Lal Chowk

Since August 5, 2019, every Kashmiri story has carried the weight of "for the first time." Every event has become "for the first time in the Kashmir Valley." And in Hindi, "Ghati mein pehli baar." If you don’t believe me, just Google “for the first time in the Valley,” and you'll see. If you search intensively for "For the first time in the Lal Chowk," you'll be surprised by the results for the first time in your life. Even events reported earlier by the same papers as "for the first time" have the tagline of "for the first time" again.

However, on April 24, the reverse of "for the first time" happened. A local newspaper, Kashmir Life, reported an event at Lal Chowk and perhaps ensured the "first" in the headline. The headline reads, "Lal Chowk Sees First Native Politician Rally After 2019."

So, what exactly happened on April 24? That day, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) organized a rally for their Srinagar constituency candidate, Waheed-ur-Rehman Para. When candidates submit their nomination papers, they usually show their strength. Para’s convoy travelled from Pulwama to Srinagar. Afterwards, Para stopped at the clock tower in Lal Chowk and shouted slogans with the green flags flying high.

Later, one of the PDP banners’ read, "Lal Chowk Reclaimed." It seems the party forgot about “for the first time.” The next day, National Conference convoys also moved from Lal Chowk with their workers carrying their red flags and booing Apni Party supporters.

Until now, headlines would read like this: "People Gathered for the First Time at Historic Lal Chowk to Celebrate New Year's Eve." Even last year, headlines were similar: "People Gathered for the First Time at Historic Lal Chowk to Celebrate New Year's Eve." One national newspaper tried to change it up to avoid repetition of "First Time": “Srinagar Welcomes New Year with 'Never Seen Before' Celebration at Lal Chowk.”

On June 26, 2022, during the 73rd Republic Day celebrations, a national news channel's headline was: "For the First Time, Tricolor Unfurled on Top of the Clock Tower in Srinagar's Historic Lal Chowk."

After the latest “for the first time at the Clock Tower in Lal Chowk” following the PDP rallies at the clock tower in Lal Chowk and the National Conference (NC) taking rallies from there, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) decided to join the debate on May 25 evening.

The party’s spokesman said the BJP initiative transformed the Clock Tower from a "secessionist spot" into a bustling political hub. "Before July 2019, the Clock Tower in Lal Chowk was known for anti-national activities, secessionist rallies, and slogans against the nation. However, things changed after August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was removed," the BJP’s statement reads.

"Since then, the Clock Tower in Lal Chowk has become a popular spot for selfies, for both locals and tourists. And now, as elections are happening, it has become a focal point for political activities, with leaders from the NC, PDP, and Congress gathering here," the BJP statement says. "Rahul Gandhi even unfurled the tricolour at the same spot, which was unimaginable before,” the BJP adds.

The focus has shifted back to Lal Chowk for “the first time” since August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated amid a siege, communication blockade, and the arrest of thousands of people. With due respect to all "for the first time events" August 5, 2019, was the real "for the first time" event in the history of Kashmir after 1947.