Modi’s Kashmir delusion

Since 2002, when he was the chief minister of Gujrat, Narendra Modi has embarked on the Modization of the Indian politics in which, he is projecting himself as the muscular defender of the Hindu majority. He has segregated the Indian polity into two distinct groups or categories; the good guys or the pure people and the bad guys or the corrupt. Modi and his followers constitute the first and the Indian Muslims and their supports particularly Congress (that Modi alleges is too lenient and soft in their handling of India’s Muslim problem) fall under the second category. This project is pillared on two factors: Hate and Fear: the others are different and does not deserve to be treated as equal and instilling fear among the Indian Hindu majority that the others are stealing what is theirs.

Furthermore, 200 Indian Muslims particularly the Kashmiri Muslims are ungrateful and unpatriotic, living off subsidies while harboring loyalty to Pakistan. It was under this overarching thinking, Modi decided to revoke article 370 and 35A in August 2019. The primary aim behind doing this, according to Modi administration was to liberate the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir from a culture of terror. He boosted that this action would usher in political and economic progress now that the barrier is removed. Domestically, on the political front, he also projected this as evidence that he is capable of doing what no other political leader could since 1947. Regardless of the fact that this action was BJP’s electoral pledge, several factors supported its timing: The US accepted the Golan heights as Israeli territory and Russia annexed Crimea. More so, he had the required numbers to make the change. It was a controversial decision that was opposed by many in India including the opposition parties. Those who opposed this action (Kashmiris, Congress and others) were projected by Modi government as hostile to the Indian nation. Removal of 370 ripped IIIOJK of its special status and 35A implied that now outsiders can not only permanently settle in the area but they can also buy property. The view among the Kashmiris and in Pakistan and elsewhere is that through this, Modi government aims to bring in a demographic change in IIOJ&K. The evidence since 2019 is a testament of this. In March 2020, more than 10 land related laws were amended that granted the development authority the power to confiscate the land for development projects and to the army to declare any area that they deem strategically important. In May 2022, the electoral map was redrawn in the IIOJ&K. Under the new plan, several new constituencies were carved out to disempower the Muslim population of the IIOJ&K thus increasing Jammu’s share to 43 as compared to 47 for the rest out of the total 90 seats. Under this plan, a large number of domiciles were issued to the outsiders as well as voting right to the temporary residents. Another alarming development that took place in 2022 that mostly went unnoticed was the taking over of the J&K Waqaf Board and its properties in the area including but not limited to religious places including shrines etc. After doing all this in 2024, the elections were held in the IIOJ&K. Significantly, no major call of boycott was issued by the Kashmiri leadership. This was taken as their way to voice their opposition to what was happening in the region since 2019 by many independent Indian publications and opinion leaders. National Conference won 42 seats whereas BJP supported candidates won 29 from Jammu. It was an indication of further solidification of the Hindu-Muslim divide in the IIOJ&K. Several staunch and vocal opponents of Modi’s action contested and won the elections despite all odds. Independent Indian and global media framed the election outcome as a verdict against Modi actions in the IIOJ&K since 2019. However, Modi regime is tenaciously following its game plan. Many ponder whether the true intention is to go for the plebiscite in the IIOJ&K after generating a demographic change by settling in outsiders by Modi regime for which is fervently working. Although, the Modi regime believes that through its illegal actions in IIOJ&K, it has made Pakistan irrelevant and solved its Kashmir problem, the fact remains that whatever it has done so far changes nothing. The conflict over Kashmir remains the oldest unresolved dispute that is on the UN agenda and is recognized as such under the international law. However, one must also be cognizant of the fact that the Kashmir conflict is much larger and older than the revocation of article 370 and 35 A. and if and when these are restored it would only solve part of the problem. Modi’s India should heed to what one of their own once very aptly stated: you cannot change your neighbours. It is high time that New Delhi rethink its policy and act as a South Asian state. India cannot emerge as a global power house without fixing its relations with its South Asian neighbors especially Pakistan. For this, resolution of the Kashmir dispute is a must.

Rizwan Zeb

— The author is a Karachi based academic.