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In August 2019, the Government of India revoked Article 370, ending the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir and fundamentally altering the political and legal landscape of the disputed territory. Since then, New Delhi has steadily tightened its administrative and security control over the region while simultaneously introducing policies that many Kashmiris and international observers interpret as an attempt to reshape the demographic, cultural and political identity of Kashmir itself.<\/p>\n
What is unfolding in Kashmir today is no longer viewed merely as a counterinsurgency strategy. Increasingly, it is being described as a project of settler colonialism \u2014 a process through which indigenous populations are politically weakened, economically displaced and culturally marginalized in favor of a new ideological and demographic order.<\/p>\n
The revocation of Articles 370 and 35A abolished long-standing protections related to land ownership and residency rights. These safeguards had historically prevented outsiders from purchasing land or permanently settling in the region. Their removal opened the door for demographic engineering, enabling non-Kashmiris to acquire property and establish permanent residence in the Muslim-majority territory. Critics argue that the objective is not only territorial integration but also the dilution of Kashmiri identity and aspirations for self-determination.<\/p>\n
The transformation is occurring on multiple fronts: land dispossession, expanded militarization, economic control, and perhaps most significantly, cultural and political erasure. Educational and religious institutions \u2014 historically central to Kashmiri society \u2014 have increasingly become targets of state intervention.<\/p>\n
One of the earliest examples emerged in 2022 when authorities took control of the Falah-e-Aam Trust, an educational network overseeing more than 200 schools across Kashmir. The takeover deeply alarmed local communities who viewed the institutions not simply as schools, but as pillars of social and cultural continuity.<\/p>\n
More recently, the administration recently declared Jamia Sirajul Uloom in Imam Sahib, Shopian, unlawful under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), one of India\u2019s most controversial counterterrorism laws. The seminary, established in 1998 on land donated by a respected Sufi saint, served more than 800 students and employed over 100 staff members. Authorities alleged links with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami and the Falah-e-Aam Trust. Yet for many Kashmiris, the action symbolized something far broader: the criminalization of indigenous educational and religious spaces.<\/p>\n
The reaction across Kashmir was swift and deeply emotional. Religious leaders elected representatives and civil society voices condemned the move as collective punishment aimed at dismantling Kashmir\u2019s social infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, prominent leader of All Parties H\u00fcrriyet Conference (APHC) captured the growing frustration when he warned that Kashmiris now face \u201cmultiple agencies chasing citizens under one pretext or another,\u201d alongside confiscation of property, arrests under the Public Safety Act (PSA), and increasing repression of educational institutions.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi described the closure of Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom as part of a \u201ccalculated dismantling of Kashmir\u2019s civic life.\u201d He warned that the pattern had become \u201cunmistakable,\u201d with trusts, mosques, libraries and seminaries increasingly subjected to state pressure.<\/p>\n
Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti called the decision a \u201cflagrant injustice\u201d against poor and underprivileged communities who relied on such institutions for affordable education and social support.<\/p>\n
The broader atmosphere in Kashmir has become one of fear and shrinking civic space. Since 2019, authorities have imposed extensive restrictions on political activity, media reporting and religious expression. Earlier this year, reports emerged that mosques in Kashmir were being profiled by authorities, raising concerns over expanding surveillance and interference in religious affairs.<\/p>\n
International human rights organizations and United Nations experts have repeatedly voiced concern over these developments. A group of UN Special Rapporteurs \u2014 including experts on freedom of religion, freedom of expression, human rights defenders and counterterrorism \u2014 warned that India\u2019s counterterrorism laws, particularly the UAPA, are incompatible with international human rights standards.<\/p>\n
On November 24, 2025, the UN experts urged India to bring its laws and practices into conformity with international obligations and warned that \u201cexcessive counter-terrorism measures\u201d risk fueling \u201csocial division and grievances that can spiral into further violence.\u201d They also called upon both India and Pakistan to peacefully resolve the Kashmir dispute, recognizing that the unresolved conflict itself continues to generate human rights violations and instability.<\/p>\n
Amnesty International has reached similar conclusions. The organization stated that Indian authorities are creating \u201ca climate of fear in Jammu and Kashmir\u201d where dissenting voices are systematically harassed and intimidated. Amnesty further emphasized that Kashmiris must be allowed to freely participate in determining their political future.<\/p>\n
At the center of this crisis lies the continued misuse of laws such as the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the UAPA, both of which permit prolonged detention with limited judicial oversight. These laws have contributed to widespread self-censorship, fear and near-total state control over the flow of information from the region.<\/p>\n
History demonstrates that lasting peace cannot emerge from silencing political aspirations or dismantling indigenous institutions. Educational seminaries, mosques, libraries and civic organizations are not threats to society; they are often the very foundations that sustain communities during periods of uncertainty and conflict.<\/p>\n
Kashmir today stands at a dangerous crossroads. If demographic engineering, institutional suppression and political exclusion continue unchecked, the consequences will extend far beyond the region itself. The international community, particularly the United Nations and global human rights organizations, must recognize that the issue is no longer simply territorial or political. It is increasingly a struggle over identity, memory and the survival of a people\u2019s cultural and civic existence.<\/p>\n
The world cannot afford to remain silent while an entire society fears being transformed beyond recognition.<\/p>\n
The writer is Chairman of the US-based World Forum for Peace & Justice<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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