While world looking away, Narendra Modi government continues to take steps impose more fraudulent activities on occupied Jammu and Kashmir. After the illegal annexation of J&K, separation and integration into the Indian union three years ago Delhi used force and fraud to keep his illegal hold over in region.
August 5, 2019 opened new chapter in tortured history of occupied territory exacerbates the plight of Kashmiri people. A long, brutal quarantine was introduced and communications were cut off, military The siege intensified, the press was muzzled, and Kashmiri leaders were imprisoned to prevent a popular uprising. against in move what took almost all rights of Kashmiri people. International human rights organizations report widespread torture and arbitrary arrests. with thousands have chosen up from them homes as well as children blinded use of machine guns. latest report of India Forum of Human rights in J&K found that human rights violations continue. These include “arbitrary detention” on public assembly and mass imprisonment. it also noted the “brutal suppression on press” and that sedition laws continue to apply against political leaders and journalists.
From August 2019 Modi government used sweeping and repressive measures to consolidate his control and take steps in order to eventually hold elections there in order to “legitimize” their illegal actions. These efforts included using an electoral fraud scheme to disempower Muslims. in occupied territory. His latest move earlier this month up real storm in Kashmir. announcement head of the electoral commission in The occupied valley, to grant the right to vote to any citizen of India, even temporarily residing there, marks another attempt to change the region’s demographics. This is a gross violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Kashmir, like action in August 2019. There are 11 UN resolutions. on Kashmir. In particular, move contrary to UNSCR 38, paragraph 2 of which clearly states that neither party dispute may lead to material change in situation in Kashmir.
The action is aimed at add almost 2.5 million additional voters, including non-locals, on the voter lists. This is an increase of 30 percent more voters to the electorate. announcement aroused anger and outrage in in valley. Leaders of The Hurriyat All Party Conference (APHC) condemned new election measure. It was also rejected by traditionally pro-Indian political leaders. Mehbuba Mufti, head of The People’s Democratic Party called him “last nail in coffin of electoral democracy. She blamed the BJP of trying to execute “Nazi Germany or Israeli policy” in Kashmir. former boss minister Farooq Abdullah’s National Conference argued that “the inclusion of non-native” was “clear- cut ploy to disenfranchise people of J&K”.
India’s actions were aimed at disenfranchising and disenfranchising Kashmiri Muslims.
Pakistan strongly condemned move. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called it ” clear manifestation of insidious Indian design influence the result of so-called elections. in occupied by J&K. it also called on Indian government refrain from actions that violate international law, the UN Charter and the Fourth Geneva Convention. Kashmiri journalist, who not want to be named, told me that “the announcement that certificates of residence are not needed for inclusion of 2.5 m new voters in voter lists complete the process of transformation of a numerical majority into a political minority. It’s him added”I’ll go down in history of how to deprive the majority of power and force them to obey the minority. In fact, this and earlier measures are reminiscent of Israel’s illegal settlement policy and are typical of Methods used by the occupiers.
Trajectory of Indian actions over in past three years shows India’s patent intention to disenfranchise Kashmiri Muslims and impose BJP government on occupied territory after fraudulent polls. To this end, Delhi sought to achieve administrative and demographic changes and change the electoral map to give Jammu greater representation and reduce Muslim representation in to tip the political balance in favor of the Hindus. In May this year the Indian Delimitation Commission is carved out new constituencies in J&K that depower Muslims population.
Muslims make up over 68 pcs. of J&K’s population while Hindus make up about 28%, according to the 2011 census. Modi aims to turn this Muslim majority into a minority. Delimitation handed over to Jammu six more places in J&K Assembly of 90 while Kashmir was only given one more. According to this plan, Jammu was to total of 43 places leaving Kashmir with 47. Despite fact that, according to the 2011 census, the Kashmir Valley population had seven million and Jammu had 5.3 million. estimates of the present population of Kashmir of well higher.
move was categorically rejected in Kashmir. APH leaders, who remain in detention denounced it and rigged the election in in future. Pro-Delhi Kashmiri politicians called the plan unacceptable as it aims to change the demographics of Kashmir. Prominent Indian intellectuals also condemned the delimitation, saying it was a violation of principle of one human one vote. Forum of Human rights in J&K requested that the delimitation plan be shelved.
The question is, can such a blatant machination with the ruling India party can achieve its political goal in Kashmir. Given strong opposition and overwhelming condemnation of this is plans Kashmiris people, the short answer is no. Per over 70 years India tried in vainly impose a regime on Kashmir, which has always been rejected by the majority of people. He imprisoned Kashmiri leaders, but failed “imprison” popular aspiration for liberation from Indian occupation. Delhi politics of oppression and subterfuge were failure in Kashmir and only increased the alienation of this is people. If and when the so-called elections are held, they will be a sham event boycotted by most Kashmiris. like previous. The only one way dark age in Kashmir could end if issue resolved in conformity with wishes of Kashmiri people and UN resolutions. Until then, her tragedy will continue, and South Asia will be exposed. of world.
Writer former Ambassador to the US, UK and UN.
Published in Dawn, August 29, 2022
