Reema Shaukat
Striking figures shock, when one look at the number of death tolls and injuries in the year 2018 in Indian Occupied Kashmir. Reports by different watchdogs suggest that this surge is seen since Narendra Modi came into power in 2014. However, Post Burhan Wani Uprising is another promising feature for Kashmiris because of which they have started Kashmir freedom movement with new fervour and resilience. According to different media reports fake encounters, stone pelting, sweeping fires on innocent citizens, crackdowns and protests are acts practiced daily by Indian forces on innocent Kashmiris. However the death toll in past two years is quite shocking and sad as Indian forces are brutally handling Kashmiris.
Over the past two years Burhan Wani’s name has become a symbol of Kashmiri passion and struggle for freedom. Wani passed away but left a strong missive to the adversaries and a vigil for Kashmiri youth to follow path for freedom. His ruthless killing by the hands of Indian forces have shaken the Kashmir valley and the people, particularly Kashmiri youth, started a new revolution. This Kashmir uprising after the death of Burhan Wani is termed as the new intifada in Kashmir. The Arabic word intifada translates literally to ‘shake’, ‘shaking’ or ‘shake off’. The martyrdom of Wani, who was the face of the freedom struggle to a new generation, completely changed the dynamics of the uprising of 2016. The brutality of the armed forces, great number of people in protests, widespread demonstrations, and the difficulties imposed by long curfews, brought a more organised struggle to the front. Pro-Pakistan and anti-India jingles are on the lips of every Kashmiri while chanting slogans of freedom for Kashmir. 22 year old Burhan Wani’s extrajudicial killing flared up public rebellions as the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen along with other freedom fighter groups have seen an astounding upsurge in popularity among Kashmiris in recent years.
In 1948, UN stressed for a plebiscite or referendum allowing Kashmiris to determine their fortune, but it has never been held. Indian authorities with the use of black laws are trying to crush the Kashmiri freedom spirit. Under the Public Safety Act (PSA), persons can be detained for up to two years without any accusation and for past three decades this law has number of unrevealed Kashmiris to its list. With the introduction of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts (AFSPA) conditions worsened as more than 200,000 Kashmiris have been killed and 7,000 were found in mass graves. It was also disclosed in reports that Indian forces have started to use chemical weapons after killing young children and men and so that they remain unidentifiable they burn the bodies.
Now when the Indian elections are coming up in 2019, it is important to assess the political environment for Kashmiris which seems quite unfavourable. As the elections are due next year, how come IOK remain undisturbed because of these political changes. Indian Occupied Kashmir has witnessed deluge in political structure when Mehbooba Mufti government was ousted in June this year and Satya Pal Malik, Indian governor for IOK dissolved the assembly. However, Mehbooba Mufti wrote to the authorities to allow her to form coalition government with PDP, National Conference (NC) and Congress. According to reports, the respective strength of PDP is 29, NC has 15 and likewise Congress has 12 seats which are more than the required figure of 44 for formation of government in IOK. This division among groups created unrest in BJP circles and hence assembly was dissolved to avoid formation of coalition government before the upcoming elections in India. This termination of assembly shows that India wants to get the elections done with its own Lok Sabha General Elections to have stronger vote bank for Modi.
Reacting to sudden dissolution of assembly, Ms Mufti remarked that, “Oddly enough our pleas fell on deaf ears. But who would have thought that the very idea of a grand coalition would give such jitters.” One of the Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad commented on dissolution of assembly that with this, “It is clear that BJP’s policy is either we or nobody”. Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said “the dissolution of the assembly is the latest example of the BJP to not let anyone form the government even if that meant bypassing the Constitution”. BJP leadership in a tweet has maintained that “J&K needs a firm administration to deal with terrorism and not a combination of terror-friendly parties.” Similarly, the social media tweets by Indian leaders show that the BJP through such tactics want to keep Kashmir issue on corner stone and least concerned about giving them basic rights along with right of self-determination. Likewise to change demographic structure of Kashmir by articles 44+ and 35-A shows Indian intentions to suppress Kashmir struggle by different manoeuvres. Article 35-A empowers the Jammu and Kashmir state legislature to define “permanent residents” and provides them with special rights and privileges. It also bars non-state subjects from purchasing property and having government jobs in the disputed region. However, Kashmir as an unfinished agenda of partition is awaiting justice since many decades.
