Building in the Shadow of Pseudo-Activism

A viral video in Jammu opens a window into how self-styled activism is slowing infrastructure work in Jammu and Kashmir, raising costs and testing public trust.

- Peerzada Mohsin Shafi

One morning, a video appeared on a local digital portal in Jammu.

Shot outside a well-known hotel, it suggested wrongdoing but offered no evidence.

Within hours, messages arrived demanding the video be removed in exchange for payment.

Police intervened soon after, registering a case of extortion and harassment.

The clip vanished, but the episode stayed as a signal of a wider pattern taking shape across Jammu and Kashmir.

Infrastructure work in the region has gained pace in recent years. Highways are being widened to cut travel time through difficult terrain. Hydropower projects are rising in river valleys rich with potential. Rural roads under national schemes are reaching villages that once depended on seasonal access.

These projects shape daily life by linking markets, improving services, and opening paths to work. They represent a long-awaited shift from isolation to connection for many communities.

Each new project, though, seems to attract a familiar set of visitors.

They arrive as concerned citizens, activists, or community voices. Public good frames their message, but private interest often drives their action.

Contractors describe early visits that begin with questions and end with demands. Money, jobs, or special treatment is sought in return for cooperation. Refusal brings threats of protests, complaints, or online campaigns designed to cause trouble.

Environmental care, labour rights, and cultural protection form the language of these claims.