ISLAMABAD – I don’t think that Modi’s rise to power in India necessarilyportends the abolition of democracy there. But we are witnessing extremelydisturbing legislation and actions that have an impact on different aspectsof civil life in India.Ayelet Harel-Shalev. Tomer Appelbaum
*Kashmir crisis*
*It seems to me that we are looking at a slippery slope, which starts withModi’s move in Kashmirlink.What is the significance of that move for the state’s Muslim residents?*
After the state of Jammu and Kashmir [in the northwest] joined India,Article 370 was appended to the constitution, stipulating that it would begranted broader autonomy than the other states of the federation. Thatarticle was intended to ensure the preservation of the demographic balancein Jammu and Kashmir.
*Meaning, to preserve the Muslim majority.*
At present anyone who is not a permanent resident of Jammu and Kashmir isnot permitted to acquire land there or to serve in a public position. Inthis way, the population distribution has been maintained until today:approximately 68 percent Muslims, 28 percent Hindus, 2 percent Sikhs and 1percent each Christians and Buddhists. Modi’s government has decided tosplit the state into two separate and different political units. If thathappens, the demographic balance will shift and autonomy will be annulled –and all this is happening in an entity that is special, that has adistinctly Muslim majority, that is at the center of a significantinternational dispute with its rival, Pakistan, and where an emergencygovernment has been in power for years. Modi is “sticking a finger in theeye” of Pakistan and China, and the decision holds out high potential fordeterioration into a confrontation with both of them.
*How do you see Modi’s move?*
It’s a display of power and self-confidence, both of him and his party,aimed at three target audiences: domestically, at Indian voters;regionally, at Pakistan and China, which have never recognized Jammu andKashmir as a legitimate part of India; and further afield, it’s also aimedat the international community, which views the region as disputedterritory. On all three of these fronts Modi is effectively saying: Look, Iam India, a strong and significant country in the global arena, which seeksto exert its sovereignty and realize its rights.
From the perspective of the Indian government, this is not an aggressiveact; it’s an action taken to “realize their rights.” While it wasunderstood that steps of this kind would be made only with agreement orafter a dialogue – there was no dialogue, either with the residents of thedistrict or with the Pakistanis.
*At first these moves were thought to be declarative in nature, but reportsindicate that Modi is moving from declarations to deeds.*
The testimonies from Kashmir are painful – gross violations of localresidents’ rights. Beyond the curfew imposed on the Kashmir Valley, we’vebeen hearing about arrests of opponents to the action, forceful suppressionof demonstrations by Kashmiris who are Indian citizens, and acts ofintimidation. It’s all being done under cover of darkness: The internet andcell-phone networks have been severed. That isolation has been partiallyalleviated, but the local population has been in severe distress for over amonth.
*The state of Assam [in northeastern India] is also taking measures againstits Muslim population, from detention camps to stripping them ofcitizenship.*
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Steps are being taken in Assam to limit the number of Muslims in the regionthrough draconian legislation. If in the past two decades fences were builtalong the border with Bangladesh so as to limit the number of Muslimmigrants arriving from there, in recent years, and more especially since2015, the state has acted to deport Muslims back to Bangladesh. In the pasttwo years, action has also been taken against Muslim citizens who werenaturalized in India several decades ago. Citizens who are unable to showcertain documents confirming their ownership of land and the like, areunder threat of losing their Indian citizenship.
A few weeks ago, the authorities in Assam published an additional list of1.9 million people who lost their citizenship. They have the right toappeal within 120 days, but even so, it is a harsh, callous move aimed atthe state’s Muslim minority. Modi promised that Indian citizens would notbe affected – only illegal migrants – but we’ll have to wait and see howthe process ends. These developments are problematic, to put it mildly.
Look, it’s impossible to say that everything was rosy until Modi rose topower, and now everything is black. There were massive, flagrant violationsof human rights even when the Congress Party ruled – detention camps arenot a new invention of BJP [Modi’s party] – but if this way of doing thingscontinues and additional, dramatic new moves are taken, it will pose adanger to India’s minorities, as a result, to Indian democracy.
*Hindu agenda*Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, with Russian President Vladimir Putin,earlier this month. Alexander Nemenov/AFP
*Let’s talk a bit about Hindutva, the Hindu-national agenda.*
A broad spectrum of social, political and extra-establishment movements arepromoting the Hindutva idea. They range from movements that want to advanceHindu culture, to more extremist groups that maintain that promotingHinduism must come at the expense of other groups – at the expense of otherminorities in general, not only Muslims.
*Some call it Indian fascism.*
For the extreme nationalist movements in India, such as VHP and RSS,advancing Hinduism is not enough. They say it’s necessary to suppress theminorities and also to force them to declare their support for the ideathat Hinduism is the supreme religion in India. As far as they areconcerned, anyone who refuses needs to leave.-HAARETZ
SOURCE:link-there-s-high-potential-for-conflict-1.7865089
BY: Ayelett Shani
