Kashmir resists

The Modi regime’s authoritarian grip over Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) has tightened further with the banning of two more Kashmiri political organisations: the Awami Action Committee (AAC) led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM). Pakistan has denounced this move as yet another manifestation of India’s iron-fisted approach to the region, aimed at suppressing political activity and silencing dissent. With this latest action, the number of Kashmiri political groups banned by India has risen to 16 -- 10 of them outlawed since New Delhi imposed direct rule over IIOJK in 2019. It is by now well understood that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government thrives on banning anything that does not align with its Hindu nationalist vision. Whether it is dissenting voices in politics, critical media outlets or civil society organisations, the Modi regime sees any form of opposition as an existential threat to its hegemonic rule. Nowhere is this clearer than in IIOJK, where New Delhi’s draconian policies have systematically dismantled the political and social fabric of the region. The abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 was the first step in this broader plan -- stripping Kashmir of its special status and laying the groundwork for demographic changes intended to dilute its Muslim-majority identity.

The banning of Kashmiri political groups is part of the BJP government’s broader strategy to ensure that no legitimate representation of Kashmiri aspirations exists. By silencing voices that advocate for Kashmiri rights, India wants to erase the region’s history of resistance and its demand for self-determination. These actions fly in the face of democratic norms and international human rights principles, yet the world remains largely silent. Economic and geopolitical interests continue to take precedence over the rights of Kashmiris, as India’s strategic importance to the West -- particularly as a counterweight to China -- allows it to evade accountability.

The Modi government has not only escalated its oppression in IIOJK but has also expanded its aggressive policies beyond its borders. The assassination of a Sikh leader in Canada and reports of India’s involvement in similar plots in the US and Pakistan showing New Delhi’s growing brazenness in international affairs in its belief that its economic and geopolitical clout will shield it from repercussions. History, however, suggests that rogue states that act without restraint ultimately face consequences. The question is whether the world will act before further damage is done. For Pakistan, the Kashmir issue remains non-negotiable. Any dialogue with India must include a discussion on the abrogation of Article 370 and the restoration of Kashmiri rights. However, as long as the BJP remains in power, meaningful negotiations seem unlikely. Modi’s government is determined to crush Kashmiri resistance, and its rigid stance has made even the prospect of talks seem futile. India may believe that it can silence an entire people through bans, arrests and demographic engineering, but oppression breeds resistance. The Kashmiri struggle for self-determination will persist, regardless of how many political groups India tries to erase.