The human rights watchdog Amnesty International, tried, for the millionth time on Saturday to raise support for the Kashmiri men and women reeling under a “vicious crackdown” by an oppressive regime “determined to stifle dissent using draconian laws, policies and unlawful practices.”
The report was published to commemorate New Delhi’s 2019 illegal integration of disputed Kashmir as it abrogated the special status and wagged the menacing finger to silence any voices that dared dissent. Draconian laws have since then ensued a communication blackout and active muzzling of media. By placing barbed wires around what may well qualify as the world’s largest human prison, the Modi government encouraged the deployed army to use every repressive measure from the playbook to ensure their reign of terror.
The deafening silence around the fate of thousands upon thousands of Kashmir’s half-widows living in limbo and far more children blinded by pellet guns can, however, do little to dampen the fighting spirit. Kashmiris remain just as steadfast in their demand for freedom today as three years ago, or over seven decades ago, for that matter.
The horrors of the Dogra rule, empty promises by the Nehru administration and the suffocating charades orchestrated by the ruling BJP have all tried their best but failed in bringing the people of the disputed region to their knees. Since it is humanly impossible to weave a more gruesome application of sheer force, India is fast running out of options to put the tab on the imbroglio.
If launching crackdowns against activists could pull the rabbit out of the hat, as many as 60 journalists languishing on the radar and another 27 serving time would have long dampened the flames. But neither political engineering nor fraudulent narrative has facilitated fear in taking hold. The world might be looking away but Kashmir is in no mood to be silenced. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not the day after. *