Kashmiris’ decades old saga of world’s neglect

Islamabad:As world conscience drowns deep in obliviousness, innocent Kashmiris continue to daring unending Indian hegemony and tyranny rendering valuable sacrifices over the past seven and half decades with no immediate solution visible around.

August 05, 2019 was another example of Indian thraldom in Illegally Indian Occupied Kashmir (IIOJ&K) when Narendra Modi led fascist regime abrogated Article 370 and 35A in utter neglect to inalienable rights of Kashmiris to self-determination as assured in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. Not only this but it is also height of Indian arrogance that its occupational forces killed over 900 Kashmiris, injured more than 2,430, arrested and tortured around 24,688 citizens, destroyed 1,119 structures, widowed 68 and gang raping or molesting 133 women since 2019 to quell the freedom struggle and uprising against the unlawful act of Modi’s regime.

According to Freedom in the World report 2023, tens of thousands of additional Indian troops have been deployed to the region since August 2019, to quash public expressions or opposition to the Reorganization Act. There is lack of political participation as repressive policies have been imposed to promote censorship and human rights violation.

Under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), several journalists, freedom fighters and human rights activists were detained after raiding their houses. Additionally, they were declared terrorists and compelled to spend their lives in incarnation without being found guilty.

Secondly, the introduction of Sedition Law (Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code) has clamped freedom of speech while other acts like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and Public Safety Act (PSA) were also used as tools for continued subjugation. After abrogation of article 370 and 35A, demographic changes are also in pipeline involving new domicile rules, with millions of so-called domicile certificates issued to non-Kashmiri outsiders, who became eligible after abrogation of these articles, stated Chairman Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) Altaf Hussain Wani.

Voting rights were also given to non-residents, he informed saying that properties were confiscated and Newland laws introduced to enable land to be seized from locals and transferred to outsiders as the BJP authorities seized the J&K Waqf Board in 2022. This marked a drive to take control of all prominent places of religious significance for Muslims in the occupied territory, including shrines. Religious leaders and Islamic scholars were also arrested and prayers were barred in many mosques across Kashmir.

As the world nations remain oblivious to Kashmiris calls for right to self-determination, India carried forward its agenda of out numbering local people by issuing domiciles and allotting land to outsiders in negation of the UNSC resolutions. “Delimitation plan announced by the Indian government handed over six more seats to Jammu in the J&K Assembly holding the capacity of 90 seats,” remarked Qirat Mirza, a student of International Islamic University.

Consequently, the representation of Jammu increased to 43 percent while representation of Kashmir remained at 47 percent. However, according to the 2011 census, Kashmir Valley’s population was seven million and Jammu’s 5.3m.

She said even after such blatant violations of international laws, the BJP regime had attempted to hold G20 summit in 2023 to legitimize its brutal control over the disputed territory that met disproportionate opposition from the local people. She said even the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Fernand de Varennes, raising concerns on human rights violation in IIOJK had asserted, the government of India is seeking to normalize what some have described as a military occupation by instrumentalising a G-20 meeting and portraying an international seal of approval.

Even the Indian apex court, being under pressure of Modi’s regime faded away the aspirations of Kashmiri people who thought would get justice from the court of law. On Dec 11, 2023, Indian Supreme court upheld the abrogation of Article 370 granting a status of autonomous territory to Kashmir. “It was a painful decision for Kashmiri people, said former Caretaker Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Mushaal Hussain Mulick.

She said the petition was signed by sundry parties particularly challenging the constitutionality of the Presidential order and the segregation of J&K into two union territories and Kashmiris were waiting that Supreme Court would set aside the Presidential order of 2019. But, the situation took an unexpected turn. The Supreme Court not only declared the processes for abrogation as constitutional but also stated, there are no constraints on powers of the President in abrogating special status of Kashmir, she said. Therefore, Mushaal said, India’s claim of normalcy in Kashmir is baseless in the face of political, religious and human rights violations and the people of Kashmir are disenchanted with the Indian government for turning the valley into hotbed for militancy.

The feelings of doom and gloom are pervasive as people grapple with marginalization and alienation as the Indian government responds to every gesture by deploying more security personnel in the valley. It depicts abrogation of Article 370 as an attempt to bring integration while it is nothing more than a step towards subjugation and cultural erosion.