DAVOS – PM Imran Khan has once again accused India’s prime minister ofleading the country down the same path Nazi Germany took, as the two statesare polarized by their view of India’s policy towards Kashmir and its newcitizenship law.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Khan expressedhis *“fear”* that Pakistan’s nuclear-armed rival was following in thefootsteps of Adolf Hitler, Russia Today has reported.
The latest developments in India bear a *“striking resemblance to whathappened in Nazi Germany,”* Khan told Foreign Policy, noting that in1930-1934, Germany *“went from a liberal democracy to a fascist,totalitarian, racist state.”* He described it as a *“disaster”* for Indiawhich is *“a multicultural society and a secular society.”*
This is not the first time Khan has made the brazen comparison betweenIndia and Nazi Germany. He brought it up in December in a speech to aconference of Pakistani-American doctors, as well as in an emotive tweetback in August.
Two of the main reasons for Khan’s anger have been India’s decision towithdraw the special status of Kashmir, and its adoption of new citizenshiplegislation that critics say discriminates against Muslims.
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The constitutional clause has been *“an artificial wall”* between theregion and the rest of India, Modi said last October. He maintained thatthe reorganization will help quell the Islamist insurgency, boost economicgrowth, and bring about *“a new age of political stability”* in Kashmir.Theissues have led Indian-Pakistani relations to the boiling point. Lastsummer, a flare-up of tensions occurred when Prime Minister Modi’sgovernment abolished Article 370 of the Constitution which gave specialstatus to Kashmir. The Pakistani leader fiercely criticized the move, butNew Delhi insisted that the move was long overdue.
Khan also attacked Modi for adopting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA),which India says serves strictly humanitarian purposes and intends to helpreligious minorities from Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Pakistan, andBangladesh. As Modi once said, the legislation reflects *“a culture ofcompassion”* and isn’t aimed at marginalizing Muslims.
The new legislation sparked huge protests across India, which thegovernment said was incited by their rivals spreading rumors andmisinformation. The authorities launched an awareness-raising campaign toclarify the law.
