Iqbal Khan

From annexation of Jammu and Kashmir on August 05 last year to commencement of Ram Mander construction on the site of Babri Mosque on August 05 this year, marks Narendra Modi’s yearlong “Hate Muslim spree”; denoting “Istehsal” [exploitation] of Indian Muslims— according to a Kashmiri politician something akin to “martial rape”.

However, just within one year, India stands isolated on Kashmir issue. China has emerged as a powerful party to the dispute. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is desperately looking for a face saving back tracking and restoration of statehood(provincial status) of Jammu and Kashmir.It is almost certain that August 05 2019 Indian rash act to annul the statehood of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) shall be undone in due course through, Union government sponsored, yet dramatized, intervention by the Indian Supreme Court. Then after sometime, Articles 370 and 35A shall also be restored because any state assembly, worth its salt would pass a resolution for doing so. Citizen Amendment Act shall also be watered down in due course.

In this regard the Indian government has given assurances to some of the politicians of IOJ&K, and in all probability to international powers that be. The only pending element is that a narrative is to be evolved so that all these U-turns are sold to Indian people as a great victory—easier said than done. Denial strategy is not a panacea for all ills. Modi is already in thick soup by denying China’s conquering of vast stretches of Indian territories in May-June 2020.

August 05 is being observed as Youm-e-Istehsal [Exploitation Day] by Pakistan and the Kashmiristhe World overto commemorate India’s illegal annexation of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) in 2019.  This unilateral Indian action has violated the “Shimla Agreement” and various statutes of international laws.None of India’s neighbours is happy with its aggressive Kashmir policies.

Over the year, the annexation issue has been extensively deliberated, the World over.Parliaments of over sixty countries reviewed the issue. The EU parliament has held discussions on Kashmir dispute in which it not only voiced concerns over the prevailing situation in IOJ&K but also demanded the resolution of outstanding dispute in accordance with the aspirations of Kashmiri people. The Organisation of Muslim Cooperation (OIC) has also condemned the annexation. All leading Human Rights watchdogs have expressed their concern over the treatment of residents of annexed Jammu & Kashmir.

The UN Security Council has discussed it more than once.Last year, Prime Minister Imran Khan had effectively presented the case of Kashmiris before the 74th session of UN General Assembly.Pakistan’s political leadership is united on the Kashmir issue and Indian attempts to jeopardize this unanimity have been frustrated.Not only Pakistan and Kashmiri people have rejected India’s August 05 2019 illegal steps in IOJ&K, Indian political land scape is also divided on it. These Indian actions are aimed at ending the identity of Kashmiri Muslims in IOJ&K.Indian intentions were once again exposed to the world when they introduced the new domicile rule focused atchanging the demography of the IOJ&K.

Pakistan has decided to further enhance diplomatic outreach to significantly highlight the Indian oppressions in IOJ&K.

One year ago, suspense loaded events began to unfold like a horror movie. Thousands of additional law enforcing troops started converging on to Indian Occupied Kashmir, a Hindu pilgrim was cut short; rumour mill was in overdrive. On August 05, 2019 a law was enacted, while shortcutting the procedure, to revoke the special status of IOJ&K. Articles governing the special status were revoked, state status was dissolved and it was bifurcated into two Union Territories.

Any such action required approval by state assembly, that was on purpose dissolved and governor’s rule was imposed. Mischievously,an RSS goon had already been placedas state Governor “for representing the will of the people!”This nominated governor single-headedly and single handily advised his masters in New Delhi to do all this. Concurrent to proclamation of the order, an all comprehensive clampdown was imposed on IOJ&K. Electronic blackout and perpetual curfew brought everything to a standstill; even ambulances were prevented from reaching the Medicare facilities. These restrictions continue to haunt the Kashmiris one year down the time line.

Reorganisation Act 2019 and the J&K Reorganisation Order 2020 starkly contrast with the decades-old constitutional and demographic status of IOJ&K. The J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 bifurcated the Indian-held territory of J&K into two separate Union Territories (UT) i.e. the UT of Ladakh and the UT of J&K. It practically limits the autonomy of the state legislature of J&K that was granted by Article 370. The J&K Reorganisation Order was enforced on April 01 2020. It disempowers the state legislature of J&K from ascertaining ‘permanent residents’ and their right to employment, as was provided under Article 35-A of the Indian constitution.

Before August 2019, the permanent residence of J&K was specific to the indigenous people of J&K, the new order seeks to grant UT of J&K ‘domicile’ to a wide range of Indian citizens. The order implemented in indecent haste invokedfierce bashing response from political parties of J&K.

The political establishment, including the right-leaning newly emerged J&K Apni Party deemed the order as irresolute. The People’s Democratic Party demanded the order to be rolled back whereas the All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Gillani has urged Pakistan and the international community to take note of the demographic change in the making. The left-leaning political stream of J&K state views the amendment as cosmetic in nature that overlooks the core concerns.Forced by the unprecedented political backlash, on April 3, the Indian government issued an amendment in the reorganisation order whereby, most importantly, all gazetted and non-gazetted jobs were reserved for the UT of J&K domicile exclusively.

Indian designs of fostering Hindu settlements in the internationally disputed territory of J&K surfaced well in November 2019, when the Indian Consul General in New York Sandeep Chakravorty was reported saying that an Israel-modelled settlement could be undertaken in J&K conveniently.

In an exclusive July 27 interview to ThePrint,ahead of the first anniversary of the revocation of Article 370, senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and former cabinet minister of Jammu and Kashmir Naeem Akhtar described the decision as “marital rape”.Naeem Akhtar also spoke about the symbolism attached with the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on 5 August 2020. “Why is this 5 August marked with Ram Mandir? Because the foundation stone of the Hindu Rashtra is Kashmir, which is now mortar brick and stone for Hindu Rashtra. Kashmir has been transformed into a Hindu versus Muslim problem — something which the people of Kashmir did not believe in,” he said. Akhtar also launched a scathing attack on “Hindutva politics” of the BJP and said the prevailing geo-political situation in south Asia will not bode well.

Narendra Modi is a pathological Muslim hater, instead of giving up his game of sowing the seeds of hate he is likely to continue doing so in one way or the other.Writer is a freelance columnist; e-mail: [email protected]