IIOJK completes 6 years under New Delhi’s direct Hindutva military rule
Srinagar: The BJP-led Indian government’s direct military and police rule in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir has completed six years, with no political government elected through elections, despite New Delhi’s claims of being a democracy.
According to Kashmir Media Service, New Delhi’s direct rule in IIOJK began on June 19, 2018, when Mehbooba Mufti, the then-chief minister and president of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), resigned after the BJP withdrew its support from her administration. This move led to the collapse of the coalition government in J&K.
On August 5, 2019, the Modi regime unlawfully revoked Articles 370 and 35A, which granted special status to IIOJK. The territory was bifurcated into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh — without the consent of the oppressed people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The BJPs actions have been severely criticized by the regional political parties such as National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party, as well as by various Indian political factions. They have condemned the continued autocratic rule imposed by New Delhi.
Omar Abdullah, vice president of the National Conference, tweeted sarcastically tweeted sarcastically, highlighting the irony between India’s claims of being a democracy and the reality of IIOJK’s situation. “‘Democracy is in our veins, it is in our culture’; ‘India is the mother of democracy’; ‘India is the temple of democracy’. Great sounding words that the international community lap up & regurgitate ad-nauseam. Meanwhile J&K completes 6 years under central [Delhi] rule today. Democracy ends where J&K begins”, he tweeted.
The prolonged direct rule has sparked widespread criticism and concern, with the people of IIOJK feeling more alienated and saying their rights and autonomy have been further eroded. The territory has witnessed numerous protests, shutdowns, and human rights violations, leading to a deteriorating humanitarian situation. IIOJK their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. The international community has also expressed concern over the situation, with the United Nations calling for a resolution to the longstanding dispute.
