Srinagar, Aug. 18 -- By Raqif Makhdoomi

There is a growing belief in Kashmir that the political weather will change once Congress returns to power in New Delhi.

The argument usually rests on a simple contrast: the BJP dismantled Kashmir's special status, weakened its political institutions and imposed a new constitutional order, while Congress presents itself as the party that can repair the damage.

Kashmiris have reason to examine that promise closely. Their history with Congress reaches much further back than August 2019, and it contains episodes that complicate the comforting idea of Congress as Kashmir's natural political ally.

The first lesson comes from 1947.

When tribal forces entered Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh sou...