SRINAGAR: The deployment of 300 companies of paramilitary forces in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) by the extremist BJP-led Indian government, under the guise of security for three phase assembly elections, will further brutalize the oppressed Kashmiri people.
A pervasive atmosphere of fear exists in IIOJK, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears desperate to fulfill his aspirations of installing a BJP Chief Minister and advancing his Hindutva agenda in the disputed region.
The voting for the first phase of elections will take place on September 18, second September 25, and the third and final on October 1.
It is widely recognized that Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) is the most militarized UN-designated disputed territory in the world, often described by the Kashmiri people as an open-air prison.
India has increasingly adopted the unlawful practice of permanently deploying security forces in IIOJK under various fabricated pretexts.
Whether for religious events or assembly elections, the deployment of additional troops consistently tops the Indian government’s agenda.
It is clear that India’s true motive behind these troop inductions is to intimidate the Kashmiri people, exacerbating the fear in a society already enduring severe human rights violations.
The brutal actions of Indian forces have been extensively documented by international human rights organizations such as the UNHR, Amnesty International, the OIC, and various INGOs.
Despite this, India has persistently refused to acknowledge the reality on the ground, instead attempting to mislead global public opinion through falsehoods, state-sponsored false flag operations, and baseless accusations against Pakistan of sponsoring terrorism in IIOJK.
Since the illegal revocation of IIOJK’s special status in 2019 by repealing Article 370 of its Constitution, India has claimed a return to normalcy in the region.
However, actions such as the installation of elaborate surveillance systems, arrests, arbitrary detentions of journalists and political leaders, curfews, and internet shutdowns expose the myth of normalcy, peace, and prosperity.
There is a strong perception among Kashmiri political leaders and the public that the unexpected results of the recent Lok Sabha elections have driven the Modi government to resort to undemocratic practices.
The international community must urgently take notice of India’s illegal actions aimed at manipulating state elections in IIOJK.
