On August 5, India revoked the special status accorded to Jammu & Kashmir by abrogating Constitution’s Article 370. While the Valley remains under lockdown with many phone and internet connections snapped and restrictions on the movement of people in place, several musicians have taken the situation as an opportunity to release songs and music videos celebrating the decision.

Several of the songs relate to the Modi government’s decision on scrapping Jammu & Kashmir’s special status – referring to, for instance, how men from other states can now have Kashmiri women as their wives. Most of these songs are either in Bhojpuri or in Haryanvi dialects.

On August 11, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said, “Now some people are saying we can bring girls from Kashmir also.” A Haryanvi song that anticipates this view was posted on YouTube on August 8, although it carries a disclaimer that it is “for fun and does not intend to hurt anyone”.

Here is an example of a song celebrating the permission to buy land in Kashmir

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