Daily Times

Every society has its dark side. But when its members make it to roads to defend a rapist, we know it has reduced to an ugly, hopeless place inhabited by conscienceless souls.

In January 2018, an 8-year-old Kashmiri-Muslim girl named Asifa Bano was ganged raped for four days and later strangled to death in a Hindu Temple in Kathua district of Jammu & Kashmir by a Hindu priest and local police officers. Upon the arrest of eight accused (Hindu) rapists, the members of right-wing Hindu groups along with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders rampaged through the cities defending the accused and threatening to set themselves ablaze if the accused rapists are not released. It was later revealed in an investigative report that the prime motive behind this premeditated act of terror was to intimidate and drive out the Muslim community of Bakarwals from the region.

The incident was the culmination of a state-endorsed systematic hate campaign against the Muslim community in India. The hate that has now dehumanized a vast majority of Indians. The annexation of Jammu & Kashmir – the only Muslim majority state in India – through the scrapping of article 370 can be attributed (by India) to other reasons but the fundamental and ulterior objective behind this unlawful constitutional amendment by BJP is to accomplish its political ambition of turning India into a Hindutva state. Hindutva also called as Hindu Nationalism, is an ideology that advocates the political, social and cultural hegemony of Hindus and the establishment of a Hindu state with little or no place for minorities. The core institution of Hindutva has been the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS): a right-wing, Hindu nationalist, paramilitary volunteer organization widely regarded as the parent organization of the BJP. RSS – whose founding fathers MS Golwalkar and VD Savarkar admired Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini and advocated the replication of their ideologies of fascism and ethnic cleansing in India – is infamously known for the murder of Mahatma Gandhi, the demolition of Babri Masjid and 2002-Gujarat Riots – a gruesome massacre of the Muslim population – under the watch and patronization of Narendra Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat and the current Prime Minister of India.

On August 5, 2019, the BJP acting upon its 2019 election manifesto stripped Jammu & Kashmir of its special autonomous status and split the State into two Union Territories i.e. Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir opening the gateways for the non-resident (Hindu) population of India to settle, buy properties and secure local jobs in the valley. It was a giant step towards the execution of a nefarious plan of methodologically changing the demography of the valley to gradually and formally integrate it to India. It is nearly two months now since the eight million Kashmiris are caged in their homes by the world’s largest democracy with a complete communication and internet blackout fearing the fierce backlash over its cowardly and cruel act of unilaterally deciding the fate of millions of people and illegally usurping their land and rights. Amidst the inundation of the valley with 900,000 Indian soldiers and inhuman curfew, the brave Kashmiris have been managing to come out sporadically on the streets to protest against this Indian atrocity and betrayal chanting ‘We Want Freedom’ and ‘Go India, Go Back’ while defying pellet-guns, baton charge, tear gas and chilli grenades. The thing with silence is that it can’t be silenced. The voice echoes louder when it is suppressed and the chains on the mouths become loudspeakers. While India is brazenly building up a fallacious narrative about ‘normalcy’ in Kashmir, the human rights abuses in a curfew-choked and concertina-wires adorned valley dance with all their might resonating some ghastly and chilling tales of illegal detentions of political leaders; arbitrary abductions of thousands of young men including teenagers and children; violence and torture; harassment and molestation of women; ransacking of homes; and blindness and killings of innocent Kashmiris due to pellet-gunshots and tear gas.

In the wake of this alarming situation in Kashmir, the challenges faced by Pakistan are bigger than they appear on the prima facie.

Narendra Modi and BJP leaders are a product of RSS, an organization that believes in Hindu supremacy and ethnic cleansing of Muslims, Christians, Dalits and other minorities from India. Under the incumbent government of India, the world is witnessing the practical demonstration and execution of this ideology as the lynching of minorities, particularly of Muslims, has become a national hobby that enjoys the tacit approval of the Indian state and Indian denizens at large.

It is fathomable that when mobs are on a rampage to lynch anyone who goes against the populist belief, it’s difficult and costly (and might be asinine as well) to act brave but Indians’ collective silence on usurpation of someone’s land and rights reeks more of a consent than cowardice; the consent of their country becoming a Hindutva state. There is no display of even a semblance of resentment and empathy in India against this grave injustice done to Kashmiris. Although there are few empathic and protesting voices, their number simply pales into insignificance. The prime reason for this silence is solely one: Kashmiris are Muslims.

It appears that India has gone bereft of any concept of human rights and all the secular, liberal and progressive voices along with the human rights activists have suddenly vanished from the country. The deafening silence and large-scale passivity of Indians regarding the organized national campaign of persecution and lynching of minorities in India and now the human rights violations in Kashmir have shredded the ‘secular’ image of India into pieces.

In the last few years, world has not just seen the rise of Narendra Modi, it has also witnessed the birth of Indian fascist state. The ramification of having a fascist as the country’s leader is that he converts his people into fascists. The fascism has now seeped into India’s social fabric and has penetrated in the system of its populace to the extent that there is no space left for the language of sanity and tolerance in India. Narendra Modi’s ideology of Hindutva and fascism has led to the escalation of unbridled religious intolerance and communal hatred to the point that now an inhuman cruelty like rape – that too of a minor girl – is defended as a justified act of barbarity against a religious minority and the rapists are hailed as heroes.

Pakistan is not only confronted with a regime whose political ideology regards extermination and expulsion of minorities as its core tenant, but it is confronted with a nation whose vast majority deems violence against its communities as a noble act, a symbol of patriotism, a service to the nation and a source of religious and spiritual contentment.

While there is nothing Pakistan can do to undo the indoctrination of Indians at the hands of Narendra Modi, which poses a huge threat not only to Pakistan but to India itself, there is a lot Pakistan can do at the diplomatic and legal fronts to mitigate the danger that hovers over two countries. The crude truth is that the world belongs to the powerful. Its bias never tilts towards the weak especially if their religion is Islam. Contrary to the initial sentiment when the annexation of Kashmir appeared to be a great setback for Pakistan as it was feared that in the presence of biased, indifferent and impotent international organizations, it was less likely that Pakistan’s protest and voice against this transgression will be heard especially when it is already fighting to revive its dismal economic and diplomatic image internationally. But as time progressed, it divulged that Pakistan has a strong case against India as it has flouted not only its constitution but also multiple international laws internationalizing the Kashmir dispute.

The abrogation of article 370 annuls the ‘Instrument of Accession’ as it clearly violates its clause 5)which declares that the terms of the deed are invariable and cannot be changed by amending any law/act; clause 6) that categorically bars India from making any law related to acquisition of land and forbids government of India from purchasing land in the state of Kashmir; and clause 7) under which the state of Kashmir cannot be compelled to accept any future Constitution of India. The annulment of ‘Instrument of Accession’ tears apart India’s claim of Kashmir’s (sham) accession and completes India’s journey from occupation to annexation and colonization of Kashmir. Besides that, India has also violated the UN Security Council Resolution 47 as it reneges on its pledge of plebiscite; the Geneva Convention IV (1949) that forbids the occupying power from deporting or transferring parts of its civilian population into the territory it occupies; and the Shimla agreement, 1972 that prohibits the unilateral alteration to the status quo of Kashmir until the final solution of the dispute is reached. Against the belief of BJP government, these infringements of international laws by India came as a blessing in disguise for the people of Kashmir as it strengthens their case at the global stage.

While Imran Khan – the prime minister of Pakistan – receives some flak at home as his party’s performance during the first year of government doesn’t inspire much applause, his performance at the foreign front, so far, has been stellar. He has not only revived and revitalized Pakistan’s foreign relations but his conduct while dealing with the belligerent and hawkish neighbour on the east was that of a true statesman.

From aspiring to establish friendly and peaceful relations with India to emerging as a pacifist – but certainly, not an appeaser – despite the retaliation by Pakistan to an Indian airstrike during the brief conflict between the two hostile neighbours in February earlier this year, his demeanour remained an admirable display of maturity and sagacity. But things took quite a turn when India annexed Kashmir and all the little hopes of peace between the two arch-rivals waned. Imran Khan, who is a brand in himself and whose words carry both weight and impact globally, has gotten into an aggressive and relentless mode and took the bull by the horns as India misinterpreted his peace overtures as a weakness.

As a first step, Imran Khan came at the front foot and played a masterstroke by equating Narendra Modi with Adolf Hitler and BJP with the Nazi Party. It has caused a lethal blow to Narendra Modi’s revived image from that of a butcher of Gujarat to India’s next Dalai Lama. One label and it was all undone and just like that, in a blink of an eye, Narendra Modi is once again recognized as an Islamophobic bigot, fascist and an extremist but this time by the larger audience. Imran Khan has awarded Narendra Modi an epithet that will haunt him for the rest of his life and even after his demise. Imran Khan has resolutely owned the Kashmir cause as he has declared himself the ambassador of Kashmir and vowed to fight for the Kashmiris at every forum possible. In an endeavour of carrying forward his mission, he has successfully mobilized his countrymen and rejuvenated their passion for the Kashmir cause besides fervently engaging with the international community and sensitizing the world regarding India’s state terrorism in the valley. These earnest efforts have brought Pakistan a few diplomatic triumphs that included 1) UN Security council’s exclusive session on Kashmir after 54 years declaring it a ‘bilateral issue’ and not an internal matter of India; 2) The repeated offers of mediation by the US President, Donald Trump to resolve the decades-long conflict between the two countries; and 3) Issuance of a joint statement by over 50 countries at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) urging India to cease human rights violations in Kashmir, demanding the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate egregious human rights violations and asking for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute through the implementation of the UNSC resolutions. The biggest feat, however, came during the recent week-long US visit of Imran Khan where he has knocked out India in the battle of narratives with a speech that will be remembered by the world as one of the greatest speeches made in the times of crisis. It was quite remarkable the way Imran Khan, in a span of just seven days, has shaken the prejudices of the world against Islam, shredded world’s flawed perspective about war on terror, raised Pakistan from diplomatic irrelevance to an emerging world player and foregrounded Kashmir issue at the global stage making it a focal point of discourse at the UN headquarters. It was heartening to see Pakistan rising as a star on the global landscape as the persona of Imran Khan was creating its magic.

It was a delightful and pride-inducing sight that a man from the Muslim world stood up for justice and humanity and spoke as an empath who cautioned the world against the looming bloodshed in Kashmir while showing the courage and resolve to fight till the end if his country is faced with the war. In his crowning moment, Imran Khan has unveiled the true face of India and its rulers as disciples of RSS-Nazi ideology, sensitized the world about Indian atrocities in Kashmir and successfully shaken the conscience of the world to choose between the ‘appeasement and humanity’. To say the least, Imran Khan has truly honoured his role of ‘Ambassador of Kashmir’ now leaving the responsibility on the shoulders of UN, who have pledged to Kashmiris the ‘right of self-determination’, and the world to ‘take action’.

The solution to Kashmir conflict is inevitable. If not today, then someday, and someday sooner. Because, if the issue of Kashmir prolongs and it is not resolved peacefully, it will lead South Asia to become a hub of radicalization, insurgency, terrorism, conflict and unrest making future of the region dreadful and bleak and bringing grave consequences for the entire world. One can sit across a fool and still hope to succeed in talking some sense into him, if not that, then at least at infusing some empathy. But there is no such hope while negotiating with a man blinded by narcissism, sense of superiority, hatred and bigotry. Narendra Modi is one such man and when such men make it to the position of power, they lead the world to destruction.

So, while a small man casts a big shadow on the subcontinent and two nuclear countries stand face to face, the future of billions of people lingers between uncertainty and fear.

The writer is a freelance writer based in Islamabad