NEW DELHI – Indian-occupied Kashmir was stripped of its autonomy to free itfrom “terrorism and separatism”, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi saidon Thursday.
In his first comments on the constitutional bombshell carried out whileKashmir was under a military lockdown, Modi insisted that his governmenthad made a “historic decision”.
The Hindu nationalist BJP government rushed through a presidential decreeon Monday to ditch the Muslim-majority region’s constitutionally-guaranteedstatus. The Indian parliament also passed a law splitting the state intotwo territories.
Internet and telephone connections in Kashmir have been cut since Mondayand a curfew imposed as the authorities feared trouble when the decisionwas announced.
In response to the move, Islamabad on Wednesday expelled India’s ambassadorand suspended all bilateral trade.
Modi in his speech alleged that Pakistan encouraged “terrorism andseparatism” in occupied Kashmir.
“Friends, I have full belief that we will be able to free Jammu and Kashmirfrom terrorism and separatism under this system,” he said.
“I have full faith that the people of Jammu and Kashmir, after defeatingseparatism, will move forward with new hopes and aspirations.”
He said the special status has “not given anything other than terrorism,separatism, nepotism and big corruption”.
Modi said he respected opposition politicians and prominent Kashmiris whohave opposed the government’s strong-arm tactics.
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“We are working to answer their points but I request them to act to keepIndia’s interests and help Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh,” he said.
“I want to assure my Jammu and Kashmir colleagues that slowly things willbecome normal and their problems will reduce.”
The contentious move comes just days before the Muslim festival of EidulAzha, and Modi said Kashmiris would not face difficulties celebrating theholiday.
BJP govt strips Kashmiris of special autonomy
On Monday, India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party stripped Kashmiris of thespecial autonomy they had for seven decades through a rushed presidentialorder. An indefinite curfew — that today entered its fourth day — wasimposed in occupied Kashmir and elected leaders were put under house arrest.
By repealing Article 370 of the constitution, people from the rest of Indiawill now have the right to acquire property in occupied Kashmir and settlethere permanently. Kashmiris as well as critics of India’s Hindunationalist-led government see the move as an attempt to dilute thedemographics of Muslim-majority Kashmir with Hindu settlers.
Furthermore, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, who is also president of theBJP, moved a bill to bifurcate the state into two union territories — one,Jammu and Kashmir, which will have a legislature, and the other, Ladakh —to be directly ruled by New Delhi. The bill was passed.
Pakistan had strongly condemned the move and vowed to “exercise allpossible options to counter the illegal steps” taken by India. A jointparliamentary session was summoned by President Arif Alvi and PrimeMinister Imran Khan constituted a high-power committee to devise futurestrategy with regards to occupied Kashmir. -APP/AFP
