The Indian government would like for the world to move on from the Kashmir issue. But its actions there all but ensure that the occupied region keeps featuring in the news for all the wrong reasons. Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir (IIOK) continues to suffer under the oppressive siege laid by the Indian security forces.
In recent times, even with the curfew in full force—as it has been for over two years now—the Indian government has attempted to open up the region to Indian tourists and to Hindu families for settlement. The irony of the Indian government opening up IIOK for tourists but not its inhabitants should not be missed.
This is no different than the Israeli settlements forcibly occupying Palestine, and has naturally been met by a violent reaction. These ‘migrants’ have been attacked by a new generation of freedom fighters; those that India has bred through years of murders, pellet attacks and arrests on innocent citizens at the hands of the state.
This is not all. The Swedish parliament will soon be debating the human rights situation in the occupied territory, alongside its continuous militarisation by the Indian armed forces.
The Indian government is the only party to blame in this situation. It has created resentment and strife among various religious communities in the country by pitting them against one another and marginalising Muslims wherever possible. In IIOK, this repression has taken a more dangerous shape. The complete eradication of any political outlet has also all but ensured that violence is the only option for Kashmiris to strive for their rights. It is only natural to see inhabitants of the valley react in whatever way possible.
The use of violence is never the answer, especially when there is a political solution available. If the Indian government tries to forcibly adjust the demography of the region and subjugate the population, there is bound to be a reaction. It is time that the state-sponsored violence in IIOK ends. Otherwise, the Indian government will only deprive more generations of normal lives and also open up its majority to bouts of communal violence.