Even after nearly five months of stripping the Jammu and Kashmir of its special status, Kashmir valley continues to be cut-off from the outside world. Internet services remain suspended. Hundreds of politicians, activists including state’s three former Chief Ministers and top elected leaders have been under detentions.
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had claimed after govt move on Kashmir, that "it was a prelude to a new era of economic development and expanded civil liberties for a region that for decades has been torn by sectarian violence. The harsh, repressive measures that were imposed were only temporary". However, civil liberties haven't been restored as yet. And no progress and economic development can take place in highly charged atmosphere.
India has lost much of goodwill of the international community it enjoyed earlier because of cross-border terrorism. No country can justify and support repressive measures that too to fulfill a sectarian political agenda. After scrapping special status and down-grading the status from state to union territory, Modi govt has only strengthened the hands of separatists and 'fast-tracked' the alienation of Kashmiris. Pakistan is bursting at the seams.
Seemingly,the situation in the Kashmir valley is like a lull before the storm. As the internet services remain shut up and phone lines are highly disturbed, we don't know what is the ground situation. All we hear and read from foreign media is that all is not well. This darkness has enveloped the entire nation and country stand to lose more than it gains.
A bipartisan resolution has been introduced in the US House of Representatives asking Modi govt to end the restrictions on communication and mass detentions in Jammu and Kashmir. The resolution was introduced on Friday by Indian-American Democrat lawmaker Pramila Jayapal, along with Republican lawmaker Steve Watkins.The resolution urges Modi govt "to lift the remaining restrictions on communication and to restore internet access across all of Jammu and Kashmir as swiftly as possible; swiftly release arbitrarily detained people in Jammu and Kashmir; refrain from conditioning the release of detained people on their willingness to sign bonds prohibiting any political activities and speeches; allow international human rights observers and journalists to access Jammu and Kashmir and operate freely throughout India, without threats, and condemn, at the highest levels, all religiously motivated violence, including that violence which targets against religious minorities."
The US lawmakers say they reject arbitrary detention, use of excessive force against civilians, and suppression of peaceful expression of dissent as proportional responses to security challenges.The US House is Representatives is dominated by Democrats who have been extremely critical of India's restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir. India has been lobbying hard to counter this, and has hired a lobbying firm close to the Democratic Party to get its message across.y
History tells us that repressive measures can't suppress popular sentiments for long and when explode, they swarms even the mightiest. BJP was a great votaries of democratic rights and bitter critics of anti-repressive measures. But when in power, its functioning is worst than Congress. Its human weakness that he refuses to learn from history.