By Mashal Khan 

Three years ago Indians pursuing their extremist agenda revoked the autonomy of people in Kashmir by abrogating articles 35A and 370. The removal of 35A is aimed at affecting a demographic change, which BJP considers prescriptive for controlling the territory. Kashmiris fear what they call BJP’s “Israeli model” to establish settler colonies that will favor Indian rule in the disputed region. Since 1991, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has become pivotal in controlling the region with 900,000 Indian troops. Today the soldier-civilian ratio is 1:8 making the IIOJ&K region one of the most militarized regions in the world. After Article 35A, things are getting even worse for Kashmiris.

The fear of an Indian settler influx that would alter demography of the region in India’s favor is real for Kashmiris. In the election manifesto for Kashmir’s state assembly, BJP has promised to provide land at cheap rates for establishment of colonies for retired soldiers. Besides, New Delhi has been involved in issuance of fake domiciles to change the demographic nature of IIJO&K. Credible reports have emerged in influential international publications that India has issued more than 4.2 million illegal domicile certificates to non-Kashmiri settlers to obliterate the Kashmiri identity.

India’s atrocities in IIOJ&K and mainland India reflect the systematic cleansing of Muslims to achieve RSS’s long-cherished objective to establish a “Brahminical State’ purported by Sadhvi Saraswati that India would be a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ by 2030. The renewed Kashmiri intifada in 2008 was triggered by fear of “land grab” and “demographic terrorism.” That year, the IIOJ&K government agreed to transfer 40 hectares of forest land to Amarnath Shrine (A Hindu pilgrimage site in the Himalayas). The proposal included setting up new housing facilities for pilgrims. Kashmiris took to streets fearing the establishment of separate Hindu settlements. The resistance leaders called the move “establishing a state within a state.” Parallel were drawn with Israel Land Authority’s news constructions in Har Homa, East Jerusalem in 2005. The same is being done today through the issuance of new domicile law by India.

Abrogation of Article 370 / 35A opens floodgates to Indian settlers. In this context, RSS-BJP duo is also planning to undertake a massive delimitation exercise on the basis of geography rather than population that will allocate more seats to Hindu areas of Jammu in order to politically disempower the already oppressed Muslim majority population of IIOJ&K. Amid the political crackdown, India formed a new pro-government party called Apni Party using breakaway factions of National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP). This party publically supported Indian government’s August 5 action to abrogate Article 370. However, despite all the malicious tricks, the aforementioned party failed to get any traction in the region’s political arena. The obtaining environment in IIOJ&K has pushed all political parties to take a hardline stance vis-à-vis Indian actions in IIOJ&K. India is closely following Israeli model and implementing the same strategies in IIOJ&K. The recent political engagements are aimed at enticing IIOJ&K leadership to support the delimitation process as a prequel to restoration of statehood to IIOJ&K. The International community must support the Kashmiri people in their legitimate freedom struggle and UN must take strict actions against illegal Indian actions.