Scroll, Speak, Spin: The Transformation of Political Spokespersons in Kashmir

By: Javid Amin | 04 October 2025

A New Era of Voice and Visibility

In Kashmir’s charged political atmosphere, where every word carries weight and every silence breeds speculation, a new breed of communicators has emerged — the political spokespersons.

They are the faces behind the microphones, the fingers behind the tweets, and the minds behind the message. Once confined to reading sterile statements at press clubs, today’s spokespersons are content creators, crisis managers, and narrative engineers.

In the post-2019 era — after the abrogation of Article 370 — politics in Kashmir has moved from closed rooms to open screens. And leading that transition are those who scroll, speak, and spin the storylines of the Valley.

“Earlier, spokespersons were stenographers of the party. Now, they’re strategists,” says a senior journalist in Srinagar. “They don’t just deliver the message — they design it.”

From Stenography to Strategy: The Historical Arc

During the 1990s and early 2000s — an era dominated by curfews, insurgency, and limited media freedom — the spokesperson’s role was strictly functional. They issued clarifications, responded to allegations, and occasionally read handwritten statements at the Kashmir Press Club.

Information was tightly controlled; narrative management was more about survival than persuasion.

But with the rise of 24×7 news channels, citizen journalism, and social media platforms, the communication landscape changed dramatically. By the 2010s, Kashmir’s political actors had realized that whoever controls the story, controls the sentiment.

And the spokesperson became the storyteller.

“Today, a spokesperson isn’t just a mouthpiece—they’re a brand,” explains a media advisor affiliated with a regional party. “They must be fluent in three languages — policy, emotion, and optics.”

Scroll: The Digital Battlefield

The smartphone has become the new stage of political theatre.

Twitter (now X), Facebook, Instagram reels, and even Telegram channels have replaced traditional press notes. Each post, each hashtag, each caption is calibrated to capture attention and shape opinion.

Political spokespersons now begin their mornings not with newspapers, but with trend dashboards. They track hashtags, respond to viral controversies, and upload video statements within minutes of breaking news.

The Tools of Modern Political Speech

• Hashtag Wars: Campaigns such as #KashmirForPeace vs. #Restore370 often trend simultaneously — revealing ideological divides and emotional undercurrents.

• Reel Diplomacy: 60-second explainer videos simplify complex issues for younger audiences.

• Influencer Collaborations: Politicians increasingly work with content creators to blend message with emotion.

The result is a fast-paced ecosystem where digital agility is political capital.

Yet, this digital democratization has a downside. A single wrong phrase can trigger outrage; a single misinterpreted emoji can become a headline. “You’re always one screenshot away from a crisis,” quips a media handler.

Speak: The Age of Soundbite Politics

If social media gave spokespersons a stage, television and YouTube debates turned them into performers.

Debates today are not about persuasion but performance — tone, timing, and tenacity often matter more than substance.

“Spokespersons are expected to be both assertive and empathetic,” says a former anchor from a Srinagar-based channel. “They must defend policy without sounding heartless, and critique governance without sounding hostile.”

What Makes an Effective Spokesperson Now?

1. Clarity: Translating policy into relatable language.

2. Composure: Maintaining calm under provocation.

3. Credibility: Speaking truth without diluting loyalty.

4. Charisma: Turning facts into feeling.

The best spokespersons craft memorable one-liners that travel across platforms. As one observer puts it: “The message is the melody, but the spokesperson is the musician.”

Spin: Managing Perception in a Polarized Landscape

In Kashmir’s emotionally charged political sphere, spin isn’t about deception — it’s about narrative management.

Every event — from a protest to a power project — carries layered meanings. Spokespersons are trained to anticipate interpretations and steer discourse.

Common Spin Strategies in Kashmir’s Political Playbook

• Reframing Policy: Turning contentious decisions (like domicile laws or delimitation) into “development narratives.”

• Symbolic Communication: Using cultural imagery — the Chinar tree, pheran, or wazwan — to evoke identity and belonging.

• Damage Control: Rapid response units counter misinformation before it spreads.

• Emotional Calibration: Matching tone to public sentiment — grief during tragedy, pride during achievement.

“Spin here is survival,” says a communications researcher at the University of Kashmir. “In a place where every word is political, managing meaning becomes a profession.”

The Four Archetypes of Kashmir’s Spokespersons

Political spokespersons in Kashmir can now be broadly categorized into four archetypes — each with distinct styles, strengths, and risks.

Most parties now consciously decide which archetype best fits their audience. For instance, urban audiences prefer data-driven reasoning; rural audiences respond to emotional storytelling.

Inside the Media Schools: Training the Voice

Gone are the days of ad hoc briefings. Several major political parties in Jammu and Kashmir — from the National Conference to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and BJP’s local unit — have introduced media training workshops for their spokespersons.

These internal “media schools” conduct:

• Mock debates and rebuttal sessions

• Crisis management simulations

• Tone and timing workshops

• Courses in storytelling, Urdu diction, and Kashmiri idioms

One trainer explains: “We even use poetry to teach persuasion. Quoting Iqbal or Mehjoor gives depth — it shows emotion, not just argument.”

Some parties have also hired Delhi-based PR consultancies to help manage online image and speech consistency — a trend once reserved for national-level politics.

The Public’s Complicated Relationship with the Spokesperson

For the public, the spokesperson is both messenger and mirror — reflecting the mood of the state and the mood of the people.

But trust remains fragile. Many citizens feel that while spokespersons have become more visible, they have not necessarily become more accountable.

“There’s a difference between speaking for people and speaking at them,” says Javid Amin, editor of Kashmir InFocus. “The best spokespersons listen before they speak.”

Social media, meanwhile, has amplified polarization. While some spokespersons are admired for courage and clarity, others are dismissed as “spin doctors” detached from the Valley’s realities.

Between the Line and the Lens: Ethics of Political Speech

The rise of digital politics has blurred the boundary between truth and theatrics. Spokespersons often walk a fine line between defending policy and manipulating perception.

Experts warn that excessive spin can desensitize audiences and erode public faith.

“When every statement feels rehearsed, people stop believing even genuine emotion,” notes a political analyst in Anantnag. “The challenge for Kashmir’s spokespersons is not just to speak — but to mean what they say.”

Women Spokespersons: Voices of Inclusion

In recent years, women spokespersons have emerged as powerful communicators in Kashmir’s male-dominated political ecosystem.

Their rise has brought a softer, more inclusive tone to discourse — emphasizing issues like education, healthcare, and employment alongside identity and autonomy.

“Women spokespersons humanize the conversation,” says a senior journalist. “They remind people that politics isn’t only about power — it’s also about care.”

Parties are increasingly recognizing this. The PDP and Apni Party, in particular, have encouraged more women to take on public communication roles.

Post-370 Politics: Narrative as Resistance, Narrative as Reform

Since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, spokespersons have had to navigate one of the most volatile narrative environments in India.

For mainstream parties, the challenge has been articulating dissent within constitutional boundaries. For national parties, it’s been about presenting change as progress.

Every speech, every press note, and every tweet is dissected for subtext — does it resist, reconcile, or reframe?

“Kashmir’s spokespersons are operating in a post-truth environment,” says a political communication scholar. “They aren’t just competing for votes, but for versions of reality.”

Media, Manipulation, and the Art of Persuasion

The interplay between media houses and political parties in Kashmir is symbiotic yet strained.

While spokespersons depend on local media for visibility, many complain of selective editing or hostile framing. Conversely, journalists argue that spokespersons often trade transparency for theatrics.

The result is a delicate dance — one where control of the camera often determines control of the narrative.

In response, many spokespersons have built direct digital audiences, bypassing traditional news outlets altogether. Their YouTube channels and X spaces attract thousands of viewers, reflecting a growing public appetite for unmediated political speech.

The Future: From Speaking for Power to Speaking for People

The transformation of Kashmir’s spokespersons is not just technological — it’s philosophical.

The most effective communicators of tomorrow will not be those who shout the loudest, but those who connect the deepest.

The future spokesperson must blend intellect with empathy, digital literacy with moral clarity, and strategy with sincerity.

“Kashmir doesn’t need spin,” says a young political science student at the University of Kashmir. “It needs speech that heals, not hardens.”

Final Word: The New Architects of Meaning

In Kashmir’s ongoing story — where words can wound, heal, or ignite — the spokesperson has become a cultural archetype.

They scroll through sentiment, speak with strategy, and spin with purpose.

They are no longer the echo — they are the amplifier.
No longer just the message — but the medium.

And as the Valley continues to navigate its uncertain political future, one truth remains: the voice that can both inform and inspire will always outlast the noise.