Shortly before India’s mammoth elections began in April, New Delhi did something unprecedented: It banned civilian traffic on the only major highway connecting the heart of disputed Kashmir with the rest of the country. The government cited unspecified security threats for the twice weekly ban, but the move is indicative of the approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist party have taken to the disputed Himalayan region since taking power in 2014. Gone are the carrot-and-stick methods of previous governments that saw at least attempting to win hearts…
Read MoreTo woo Hindu voters, Modi flexing muscles in Kashmir
