What’s Really Happening In Indian Kashmir- The Things You Need To Know

This state of India is a scenic beauty with enthralling freshness but it is one of the most tension creating places on earth. Since the creation of republic of India and Pakistan both countries claiming over this place and led into two major wars with huge fatalities. People in Kashmir always tolerating the attacks from local militants, separatist movements and the tormenting surveillance of Indian army. They are fed up with this relentless outrages and triggered conflicts in the region. A distressed group of poor civilians stuck in between the political and military tensions since their births. The world won’t know much about what’s really going on in this state. They are treated with fear and only fear. The Indian government imposed armed forces special powers Act (AFSPA) in Kashmir since 1990. It gives the army an immense power they can arrest, fire up on anyone and destroy hideouts without any warrants. Government says they need a rule like this to bring peace in this region but the truth was different. Since 90’s there were thousands of “missing” civilians who were secretly arrested by the army or killed by them. We can see thousands of half-widows and orphan children in the street who don’t know still where are their loved ones and many unreported rape victims by the army men. Such direct human rights violation took place in that dark era. On the other side local militants who ‘allegedly’ gets support from Pakistan infiltrating into the country, killing people and making chaos in the region. You could see hundreds of army men continuously watching everybody on the streets or any neighborhood because they say they don’t have any other option.

This is the ongoing scenario in Kashmir since long back. After India won Independence from British Empire Kashmir ruler Maharaja Hari Sing chose to be part of the Indian republic instead of Pakistan and Indian government granted special status for Kashmir under article 370 and 35A of Indian constitution. Under 370 they being allowed to stay on a locally legislated constitution as well as under Indian ruling with a different flag because it’s a region with majority of Muslims and tribal people who follow a different type of ruling since years back. Another special status was under article 35A which refuses to own a place or to settle down in Kashmir for outsiders of state. And by this status their culture and soil remained fresh and tranquilest for years but recently ruling Hindu nationalist right wing party (BJP) and their home minister Mr. Amit Shah revoked this article 370 and 35A under the consent of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and their President Ram Nath Kovind. For people in the outside world can’t see anything irrelevant in this deal. But in deep as BJP’s last election manifesto says- A Hindu majority nation can’t bear or bent to a Muslim majority state. To diminish this majority they promised to revoke the special status and they will make this Muslims majority into a minority by residing more outside people in the state.

Normally this article can revoke only under the consent of state legislative assembly but the right wing party played it differently by deploying more army troops in the region and house arrested all ministers, Announced a curfew and disconnected all communication facilities mobile phone networks, internet, landlines, fax you name it- a complete shutdown. Then imposed a presidential ruling, divided the state into two part and army people themselves put banners on the streets which welcoming the revoking of article 370 to show the world the people are welcoming new face of Kashmir while all public were forcefully stuck in their homes. After almost one month government says they withheld the curfews, shutdowns and reconnected the phone facilities but after 58 days still, there are people in outside world who can’t call or connect with their relatives, parents, children because phones are not working. Some part of state says communication facilities are under maintenance work. Seriously?

These poor people had enough fatalities in their lives. Deaths and missing cases of loved ones, fake encounters and raids at mid nights, being arrested without knowing the false crimes they have committed and now this. Former three time Kashmir chief Minister Mr. Farooq Abdulla who remains under detention since august 5 and regional leaders screamed at the medias in outside “This is not the India which I believed in; This is not the India which I know. I know the India is a democratic and secular country whatever the religion you are follows whatever the color you are. But now it’s different”.

This isn’t about any particular religion that news world blaming, it’s the dirty politics in the name of religion with same old fascist agendas of Mussolini and Hitler. No religion will tell people to discriminate or to spread injustice among people. But the BJP government and its fascist right wing RSS with same mentality of Nazis creating chaos by scattering venomous motto like India for only Hindus, No Christians, Muslims or any other religions are not meant to be live in India. They killed backward people “Dalits- the untouchable” in the name of eating beef or selling them. Many villages of northern India still having “untouchable” custom, People in upper cast won’t touch the lower cast or drink, eat from the homes or shops of Dalit community. As the Kathua Rape homicide case the followers of BJP party kidnapped eight year old girl from a Muslim bakrawala tribe and held in a temple then raped for days and murdered that little soul to intimidate the tribal community into moving out of the area because it’s a Hindu majority area. And for their suspects BJP followers and their two ministers held a public protest on street like we stand with the suspects. In today India minority people are in fear, journalist can’t fully express their public view or Medias can’t be a whistle blower. The democracy fading away into a complete dictatorship policy. We are talking about the modern India here - the upcoming super power. You see the irony don’t you?

The radical militant groups in Kashmir exploiting this situation at maximum among youths and recruiting them to the dirty politics, we can see the “India Go Back” banners in several parts of Kashmir. The majority families in Kashmir scared of both the radical militants and the government who could harm their children. And the revoking of Article 370 and 35A will create a huge consequence in the region. Some people lost the belief in Indian government and the radical militant groups were waiting for a golden chance like this to spread their venom. The funny part is no major super powers or United Nations doesn’t talk about this or never butt in to solve this issue.

The world doesn't need hatred or violence we need peace and justice for everyone no matter what their race, country or religion. Kashmir siege is a disaster move of Indian ruling government. Trump in US, Modi in India both are two sides of one dilapidated coin of hatred. We hope one day humanity will return, compassion and love will outrun the hate and injustice.