NEW DELHI – Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi may intensify a crackdownon youth in Kashmir, which risks more violence, said US-based satelliteCNBC TV channel.
The TV in its report says, “His (Modi’s) recent actions, including endingan alliance with a regional political party (PDP), could trigger moreaggressive policies in the troubled (Kashmir) area that could incitebacklash from locals.”
“As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi prioritizes national security aspart of his reelection campaign, he’s made controversial moves in thedisputed Himalayan valley of Kashmir. That’s raised fears of freshinstability in a powder keg region already prone to frequent eruptions ofviolence,” the TV said.
“Now that Modi is beginning to campaign for another five-year term as primeminister – part of his campaign strategy is to embrace a tough approach tothe insurgencies within India and burnish his credentials as a candidatefirm on security,” analysts at political consultancy Stratfor said in anote.
“That’s especially applicable in Muslim-majority Kashmir. But intensifyingthe military’s crackdown in such a troubled area is inherently risky,” theTV said.
“It heightens the possibility of more draconian security policies carriedout on the pretext of counter-terrorism,” said Michael Kugelman, deputydirector of the Asia program and senior associate for South Asia at theWilson Center.
About breakup of BJP-PDP alliance, the report said, Modi’s most recentmaneuver is already expected to bring more trouble. “Last month, his rulingBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) exited a three-year-old alliance with thePeople’s Democratic Party.”
The BJP’s move – “an act of panic, occasioned by the coming generalelections,” according to Manoj Joshi, a fellow at Delhi-based think-tank,Observer Research Foundation.
The governing coalition was believed to balance out the BJP’s aggressivetactics in the conflict-ridden zone. “…the ruling party typically resortsto what many call muscular policies that the United Nations has singled outas human rights violations,” the CNBC added.
“Those include excessive force against protesters, unlawful killings,arbitrary arrests, sexual violence, detention of families and children aswell as enforced disappearances,” the TV said citing the UN.
“Now, with the BJP unconstrained by the moderating tendencies of the PDP,it could become emboldened and resort to more of the heavy-handed tacticsthat have aggrieved Kashmiris” said Kugelman. “There’s reason to fear thatthe end of the alliance could lead to an upsurge in violence.”
“Because Modi is positioning himself as a candidate dedicated to fixing thenation’s security troubles ahead of 2019 elections, this means he willrevert to a tougher approach against the insurgency in Jammu Kashmir, hencehis party’s break with the PDP,” the Stratfor note explained.