It is welcome, but are there intrigues we don't know?

In a sudden move the Indian government revoked Articles 370 and 35A on Kashmir and declared it an integral part of the nation. Article 370 gave a special status to Kashmir, partly its own constitution and its own flag and Article 35A banned any Indian not resident in Kashmir from buying or owning property in the state or applying for state government jobs. Special status rights are enjoyed by 10 other hill states, including Assam, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Article 370 was not in the original constitution of India but was apparently forced through by our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to please Sheikh Abdullah. Even at that time many members of the Congress, the BJP did not exist in the 1950s, were against special provisions for Kashmir but accepted it reluctantly. Even today, Congress leaders are against revoking the article, maybe in loyalty to Nehru's memory, but many of the younger leaders have supported the government's stand. For the ruling BJP, scrapping Article 370 is an act of faith because it was opposed by SP Mookerjee, who founded Jana Sangh in 1951, which was the parent of the modern BJP. "There are times in the history of a republic when it reduces itself to jackboot. Nothing more and nothing less. We are witnessing that moment in Kashmir," fulminated PB Mehta. Which is silly, because Kashmir was a festering sore, constantly used by the Pakistan army to justify its support for terrorists and demand 'constructive dialogue' as an equal. "The removal of 'special status' does allow India to say there is no dispute to discuss with Pakistan anymore," wrote S Sirohi. In its statement, Pakistan said it "strongly condemns and rejects the announcements made today by the Indian Government regarding the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir", which is utter rubbish because it has handed a large swathe of Kashmir territory to China to build the economic corridor. The regular bloodshed of Indian soldiers and innocent civilians in Kashmir was unacceptable so this is a welcome, if slightly risky, move. But, why now and why so suddenly? The annual Amarnath Yatra, a Hindu pilgrimage due to end on 15 August, was suddenly stopped and all tourists were told to get out of the valley. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent visit to the US was deemed extremely successful because US President Donald Trump asked for help to end the war in Afghanistan and offered to mediate in the Kashmir dispute, which is a strict no-no for India. India kept the US informed of its move on Article 370. In a blow to Pakistan, the US said that revoking Article 370 is an internal matter for India, prompting an angry Shehbaz Sharif to ask Imran Khan, "Was Trump's offer to mediate his trump card or trap card?" So, has this anything to do with US discussions with the Taliban to get US troops out of Afghanistan? Or, does the US want troops to be safe in Afghanistan if there is war with Iran? Did the US hatch this plan? Such intrigues. Isn't it thrilling?