Hong Kong has formally been a part of mainland China, but with special provisions to its political fabric just as Kashmir enjoyed a special status in the Indian constitution.
Both states have been striving to secure these special provisions that were duly granted to them by the authorities. In the case of Hong Kong, China calls this arrangement as “one country, two systems.”
Chinese authorities along with the administrative set up of Hong Kong have been facing a massive backlash from the public in Hong Kong amid their attempts to upset the status quo by trying to pass a bill that would allow authorities to extradite people facing trials to mainland China.
Protests have now continued for months and show no signs of fading. However, the government has refrained from issuing shoot-at-sight orders to deal with the mess. The protestors, when stopped at any point throw Molotov cocktails at the police. Conversely, the police respond with tear gas and rubber bullets and not pellet guns, unlike Kashmir.
According to the provisions of the distribution of powers between mainland China and Hong Kong, China reserves the right to send in units of the People’s Liberation Army into Hong Kong. And yet, they haven’t done so, contrasting to what ‘Democratic and Secular’ India has done so far in Kashmir.
Special Status revoked
Moreover, the decision to abrogate the “special status” of the state was taken and implemented without taking Kashmiris into confidence and consideration. Furthermore, they are not even allowed to mount peaceful assembly and democratic protest.
Consequently, India, like China, now has its own “Forbidden City”, Srinagar. If China’s Forbidden City was forbidden for its inappropriate monarchical political set up during the days of decrepit dynasty rule, Srinagar is forbidden to protect people from a population that thinks too much and refuses to be bashed or coddled into compliance.
Meanwhile, as Kashmiris strive to be heard about their fate, millions of protesters in Hong Kong under communist rule are rolling on streets and raising their voice on behalf of what they perceive to be their democratic right.
In brief, it is worth considering whether it is the Chinese who are emulating democracy or the Indians who are emulating one-party, authoritarian rule.