Daily Times

Ever since the Bharatiya Janta Party came to power, there has hardly been a day when the Muslim population and mosques were not targeted by Hindu extremist mobs. In 2014, when Modi came to power, the government institutions collaborated with Hindu extremist gangs to target Muslims. Today, in the Modi regime, it appears that the sectarian elements are getting a free pass and the demands of law, justice and fairness are being flouted in an unprecedented manner. Some ministers of the ruling BJP party and some chief ministers of states ruled by the same party make statements that are clear examples of anti-Muslim sentiment or islamophobia. In Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest state in terms of population, incidents of Islamophobia happen one after the other. The population of Muslims in this state is more than 400 million. The Chief Minister of the state, Yogi Adityanath, not only makes statements that smack of communism but also takes decisions based on this mindset.

Similarly, after converting the 450-year-old Babri Masjid into a temple in the state, the campaign to find a temple under every historical mosque is going on vigorously.

The Gyan Vapi Masjid in Banaras, the Shahi Eidgah Masjid in Mathura and other mosques are being claimed to have been temples. These incidents of India’s Islamophobia are mostly happening in the states where the BJP is in power, whose policy is to create communal tension by spreading hatred against Muslims.

Modi’s government wished to distract the world from the plight of Kashmiris by holding the G-20 meeting in Occupied Kashmir.

Similarly, after the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A in Occupied Kashmir, there is no end to the persecution. The purpose of holding the G-20 meeting in Srinagar by the fascist Indian government led by Narendra Modi was to mislead the international community about the situation on the ground in Kashmir, but it failed. In a brazen violation of UN Security Council resolutions, India revoked the special status of Occupied Kashmir illegally in 2019. Since then, it has been trying to fool the international community regarding the situation in Occupied Kashmir. The purpose of the Modi government behind holding the G-20 meeting in Occupied Kashmir is to distract the world from the plight of Kashmir and to cover up the crimes committed by its forces against Kashmiris. The only purpose of holding the G20 meeting in Occupied Kashmir is to give an impression to the world that the situation in the region is normal, but the Modi government cannot mislead the international community through the politics of lies and deceit. The Modi government’s attempt failed miserably and Kashmiris reacted strongly by boycotting the G20 meeting. A complete shutdown in Kashmir was observed on a call given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference.

India faced a setback when China, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt refused to participate in the G20 conference held in Occupied Kashmir, thwarting Modi’s plans. International commentators have supported the Pakistan-China position and said in their comments that the only way to lasting peace in South Asia is to grant the people of India’s illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir their inalienable right to self-determination as per the United Nations. They have been promised in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. The reports of the United Nations Human Rights Commission 2018 and 2019 are clear that India seeks to change the population ratio in the occupied region. India is flouting UN Security Council resolutions and international law. The United Nations Security Council Resolution of 21 April 1948 on Kashmir, one of the fundamental resolutions, states that both India and Pakistan want the question of Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India or Pakistan to be decided independently and impartially. Bipartisan elections should be done through the democratic method of voting. The right to self-determination is a universally recognized fundamental principle of a democratic society and it empowers certain individuals to decide their future according to their wishes. But India, the claimant of being the largest democratic country in South Asia, has completely denied this right. On the denial of this right, the Kashmiris started the freedom struggle movement which continues till now. As the Kashmiris are suppressed by harsh tactics for demanding the right to self-determination, local Kashmiris also adopt the path of armed struggle against the angry occupation of India. Burhan Wani Shaheed, Syed Ali Geelani and other martyrs of Kashmir are examples of how India is preventing the residents of this region from even breathing freely.

India names this local freedom struggle as terrorism to deceive the world. Despite suffering for 75 years under the illegal Indian occupation, the Kashmiri people are steadfast in their demand for self-determination. Pakistan stands with the Kashmiri people without discrimination in the struggle based on the right to freedom from oppression. However, despite the guarantees of the United Nations, India has not held a free and fair referendum in Kashmir despite the passage of 75 years, which is a complete violation of international laws. The international community, especially the United Nations, has failed to implement its resolutions. This is Pakistan’s request to the international community to stand up against Indian oppression and fulfil its promises to the Kashmiri people. The only way to end the conflict between Pakistan and India and bring peace to the region is for the people of Kashmir should be given the freedom to decide their future as guaranteed in the UN resolutions, which India stubbornly refuses to accept. The international community, especially the West, should put pressure on the Indian government above its own economic and strategic interests to withdraw its illegal forces from Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and give people their right to self-determination so that the Kashmiri people can also enjoy freedom.

He writer is an old Aitchisonian who believes in freedom of expression, a freelance columnist, entrepreneur and social activist.