Members of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society (JKCS) have said that Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir has been turned into a testing ground by the BJP-RSS nexus to undermine the Kashmiri Muslim identity and disrupt the people’s historical and emotional ties with Pakistan.  According to Kashmir Media Service, the members talking to the media in Srinagar said that the illegal and unilateral revocation of Articles 370 and 35A in August 2019 and its bifurcation, followed by the mass arrests of Hurriyat leaders and activists, was part of a broader plan by the Indian government to erase Kashmir’s distinct identity and integrity.

They said Indian forces enjoy impunity and treat the suffering of Kashmiris as both a pastime and a business, aiding New Delhi’s design to bring about a demographic change in the territory.  The members argued that lasting peace in South Asia runs through Srinagar, where Kashmiris continue to endure repression for standing firm on the resolution of the Kashmir dispute based on the UN resolutions. The members paid tribute to the detained Hurriyat leadership and martyred youth and said these sacrifices are the backbone of the freedom struggle.

“India wants to turn Kashmir into a wasteland through ethnic cleansing, but their brutality will never crush our resolve,” said one of the members.  The civil society members condemned the continued arrest spree, property seizures, and harassment of pro-freedom Kashmiris under the LG Manoj Sinha administration. They said Indian agencies have created a climate of fear and intimidation across the territory, but Kashmiris will not be silenced. The members urged the United States to break its silence and play a proactive role in ensuring the Kashmir dispute is resolve in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.  

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)