DR MUHAMMAD KHAN
AFTER imposition of yet another law (Adapta tion of State Laws Order-2020) in India-occu pied Kashmir (IoK) on 1April 2020 IndianMember of Parliament Mr Subramanian Swamy clearly outlined the future agenda of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government. On behalf of his party, Mr Swamy had been working hard since 2014 to abolish Article-370 and Article 35-A, which granted special statusto IoK.Mr Swamy had been busy in changing the public perception about special status of IoK as a spokesperson of BJP hardliners Amit Shah and Prime Minister Modi. Pakistani Foreign Office rejected the Indian amendment in the state’s domicile laws. Even OIC has condemned it, calling it ‘a violation of international laws and United Nations Security Council and OIC resolutions’. OIC even called upon India to stop the massive human rights violations in occupied state by repealing the “draconian laws” which were imposed in the IoK in 1990. The new domicile laws are meant to change the demography of the State.Apart from the recently announced amendment in the domicile laws, India has already devised four methods to make demographic changes in the Valley. One: establishment of Sanik colonies in various parts of the Valley where retired officers and soldiers of Indian Army and its paramilitary forces will be settled. These officers and soldiers from various parts of India will get legality under the new laws of the domicile under which anyone who has served in IoK for a period of over 15 years will get Kashmiri nationality. Two: 17000 kanals of land has been allotted for making fortified colonies for the Kashmiri Pandits who were forced by Indian Army and Governor Jagmohan in 1990s to migrate to India so that Muslim Kashmiris can be punished with a clarity. According to Mohammad Yusuf Taing, an 80-yearold political commentator, in the IoK, Governor Jagmohan was appointed on the night of 19 January 1990. Immediately after that, there was mass evacuation of the Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley to Jammu and some other parts of India. Once Pandits left the Valley in huge numbers, the Indian army undertook the shameful Gawkadal massacre of the Kashmiri Muslims. The Gawkadal massacre was named after the Gawkadal Bridge in Srinagar, where on 21 January 1990, the Indian Army and paramilitary troops massacred over 54 peaceful Kashmiri protesters and injured over 300. This killing by Indian Army has been described as “the worst massacre in Kashmir’s history”, through the use of brutal force. Three: the Hindu migrants fromWest Pakistan will be settled in various parts of the Valley. These Hindus are residing in Jammu since they migrated in 1947. As per new amended laws of the domicile, these Hindus fulfil the criteria to have Kashmiri domicile. Four: Over 800 kanals of Kashmiri land on the north of Srinagar has already been allotted for ShriAmarnathji Shrine Board. This forest land is meant to settle the Hindu population from various parts of India. In the garb of Hindu shrine, this all is meant for the demographic changes in the valley, which have over 95% Muslim population. Besides, his hard-line approach over India-occupied Kashmir Mr Sawmy has been very critical about Muslims population in India. During his one of the recent interview (April 2020) after changing the domicile laws of IoK, he spoke against the Muslims and Islamic Ideology. In his interview with journalist Isobel Yeung, whenMr Swamy was questioned about controversial Citizenship Amendment Act-2019, he declared Muslims as a problem. “We know whereMuslim population is largethereis alwaystrouble, because Islamicideology says so.” He further claimed that in any country when Muslim population rise above 30%, that country is in danger. These remarks from a very senior leader of the ruling party in India means a lot. Indeed, this is clear agenda against over 200 million Muslims in India, since CAA is all against Muslims. In India, Muslims are even not considered to be equal to other communities. Whatever written in the Indian Constitution (Article 14) is indeed equal rights for everyone in India, but practically Muslims are persecuted and exploited.A question was asked from Mr Swamy about the equal status of Muslims in India, he denied publically of any equality. “Are all people not equal?Are Muslims not equal In India?” Mr Swamy said, “No, not all people are equal; Muslims do not fall into the equal category.” Demographic changes in the IoK have always been on the agenda of Indian state and successive governments. It was a matter of time that BJP was/is a ruling party in India with 2/3 majority to amend laws which otherwise were amendable. The world has not reacted to what India has done to Kashmiris in the last three decades, starting from 1990. There have massive human rights violations in the IoK atthe hands of IndianArmy and paramilitary forces. Since there was no active resistance to these Indian atrocities in IoK, the cruel regime of BJP has taken the extreme step of undoing the statehood of Kashmiri state through Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act-2019. The world in general and OIC in particular remained silent over this extreme step of Indian Government, which encouraged New Delhito undertake another criminal step; changes in the domicile laws of Kashmir, allowing nonKashmiris to settle in IoK. This settlement agenda for the non-Kashmiri in IoK was the real agenda behind abrogation ofArticle-370 andArticle-35A. Now, Indian Government is in the process of implementing demographic changes in the IoK. Mr Swamy’s statement of 30% Muslims in state is indeed meant that Muslim population in IoK will be brought downtolessthan 30%through planned demographic changes. — The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
