The members of Kashmir civil society in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir have rejected post August 2019 illegal actions saying that they just want Jammu and Kashmir to be the same as it was on August 04, 2019. According to Kashmir Media Service, after a meeting in Srinagar, the civil society members hailing from different walks of life while talking to the the media rejected the brutal measures taken by the India’s BJP govt after August 2019 saying that they would not compromise on the UN-acknowledged right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people.  

The BJP/RSS regime has changed IIOJK status by amending domicile law, aimed at changing the demography of Jammu and Kashmir.  The members said that outsiders will never be accepted as IIOJK citizens on the basis of so-called domicile certificates, distributed to them by the Bharatiya Janata Party regime under brutal laws and acts.  India, they said, has snatched the identity, rights, resources and media voices  of the people of Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating Articles 370 and 35A.

 Prior to August 05, 2019, husbands of Kashmiri women married outside the territory had no right to buy the property or apply for jobs in IIOJK, while now with the amendment to the Domicile Act, they have all the rights. The Indian government has authorised tehsildars to issue such certificates to spouse, while the deputy commissioner will be the appellate authority for the same. As per the ‘J&K Grant of Domicile Certificate Procedure Rules 2020’, domicile certificates will be issued to all Permanent Resident Certificate holders and their children living outside the occupied territory.  

The members urged Indian political parties to pressurize BJP govt to restore constitutional rights to the people of IIOJK under Article 370/35/A. They demanded release of all illegally detained Hurriyat leaders, youth and activists languishing in different jails of India and the occupied territory.   The civil society members also urged nternational community including the US, UN, EU and OIC to  take strong steps for the settlement of Kashmir dispute for the peace, political and economic stability  of the South Asian region.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)