Modi’s colonisation of Kashmir

Inayat Ullah

Modi’s colonisation of Kashmir is set to destroy regional peace. Colonialism is “the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.” In the case of Kashmir, PM Modi’s policies—driven by his Hindutva ideology—represent a deliberate attempt at colonisation. Hindutva, with disturbing parallels to ideologies such as Nazism and extreme Zionism, informs Modi’s aggressive approach to Kashmir.Kashmir has long been a contentious issue between Pakistan and India and remains unresolved with respect to the implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. The Indian Constitution, through Articles 370 and 35A, once provided Kashmir with a degree of special status and autonomy; however, on 5 August 2019 India revoked article 370, which drastically altered the demography of Kashmir by converting it from a Muslim-majority area to a Hindu-majority one, further adding to the misseries of Kashmiri people.

Hindutva, with disturbing parallels to ideologies such as Nazism and extreme Zionism, informs Modi’s aggressive approach to Kashmir.

Kashmir’s struggle for self-determination under colonial oppression has reached a critical juncture. The international community’s silence regarding the ongoing oppression of the Kashmiri people is deeply troubling. India’s actions violate international law, including UNSC resolutions. For instance, Article 49 of the Geneva Convention explicitly prohibits the deportation or forcible transfer of populations into occupied territories. Yet, this provision is being violated by the settlement of non-Kashmiris in the region. The Fourth Geneva Convention is designed to protect civilians in situations of armed conflict and military occupation, and India is clearly infringing upon these protections through significant HR transgressions.

India’s actions violate international law, including UNSC resolutions. For instance, Article 49 of the Geneva Convention explicitly prohibits the deportation or forcible transfer of populations into occupied territories.

Under Modi’s settler colonialism policy, over 6.1 million domicile certificates have been issued to non-Kashmiris since the revocation of Article 370. Prior to this revocation, government jobs were reserved for Kashmiris, but now they are being filled by Indians, resulting in a surge in unemployment to over 18 per cent, according to Hindustan Times. Previously, non-Kashmiris were prohibited from acquiring land, but now property can be purchased by outsiders, leading to new settlements in Kashmir—a clear indicator of colonialism. This influx is a calculated strategy to undermine the local Kashmiri population.

 Modi’s delimitation plan introduced in 2022 exacerbates this issue. Out of the 90 seats in the Kashmir legislative assembly, 53 have been allocated to Jammu, which comprises 43% of the population, while only 47 seats are reserved for the Valley, which represents 56% of the population. This redistribution, giving 6 extra seats to the Hindu-majority region while allocating only one additional seat to the Muslim-majority region, threatens to fundamentally alter Kashmir’s demographic balance. With 2 million new voters potentially swaying the electoral landscape in favour of Modi, this political re-engineering is a deliberate attempt to shift the region’s political balance from a Muslim majority to a Hindu majority.

This redistribution, giving 6 extra seats to the Hindu-majority region while allocating only one additional seat to the Muslim-majority region, threatens to fundamentally alter Kashmir’s demographic balance.

Economically, the colonial exploitation is evident. According to Business Recorder, Kashmir has suffered an estimated loss of $5.3 billion due to prolonged lockdowns and other restrictions. Kashmiri businesses are increasingly overshadowed by Indian enterprises, with new settlers establishing businesses and significantly impacting local industries. During a communication blackout in Kashmir in July this year, the Indian government held online auctions for mining licenses, barring locals from applying. Consequently, most licenses went to non-Kashmiris.  

Human rights in Kashmir have deteriorated severely. A 2024 report by Kashmir Media Services reveals that the Indian government, through state-sponsored terrorism, has killed 907 Kashmiris, injured 2,442, and arrested 24,904 people since August 5, 2019. In 2024 alone, 54 Kashmiri youths were killed, and 2,825 were arrested by the Indian military. The region is engulfed in a persistent atmosphere of fear, with military operations becoming routine. So far in 2024, there have been 202 Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs). Reports of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances, collective punishments, sexual violence, restrictions on freedom of expression and religion, media curbs, internet shutdowns, and arrests of human rights defenders are frequent. Modi’s visit to Kashmir in March this year resembled a dictator’s tour of his subjects, with thousands of troops deployed, hundreds of new checkpoints installed, roads fenced off, and numerous Navy commandos patrolling the area, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Reports of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances, collective punishments, sexual violence, restrictions on freedom of expression and religion, media curbs, internet shutdowns, and arrests of human rights defenders are frequent.

In an era where global attention often fixates on fleeting incidents, the struggle of Kashmiris against imperial power starkly highlights the international community’s failure to address profound injustices. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other Muslim-majority nations should not remain passive. As Pakistan tirelessly advocates for Kashmiris through legal diplomacy and appeals to global powers, including the United Nations (UN), the world need to recognise the gravity of Kashmir’s struggle. The glaring disparity between the world’s focus on transient issues and the ongoing systemic oppression in Kashmir underscores a troubling global indifference. It is imperative for the international community to address this suppression and actively support the Kashmiri people in their quest for justice and self-determination against imperial power.

Inayat Ullah is a student of BS defense and Strategic Studies Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Currently associated with Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) as Research Intern.