In a significant political move, the occupied Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, led by puppet Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, passed a bill seeking the restoration of Article 370 to reinstate the territory’s special status revoked by the Indian government in August 2019. The bill was tabled by the ruling National Conference (NC) in line with the party’s commitment to its manifesto promise of fighting for the restoration of the territory’s special status. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Singh Choudhary introduced the proposal that called for the restoration of occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s special provisions unilaterally abrogated by the Indian government during a controversial move on August 5, 2019. A heated debate ensued on the floor of the Assembly, with NC members strongly supporting the resolution. However, the proposal faced fierce opposition from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members, led by legislator Sunil Sharma, who called the resolution unacceptable. Despite the opposition, the Assembly passed a resolution after a majority of legislators, excluding BJP members, expressed their support. Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather called for a vote, and after counting the opinions, the Assembly passed the resolution officially. This move comes after years of protests and continued demands from regional parties, including the National Conference, to restore Article 370 and reverse the actions taken by the Indian government in 2019. This bill’s passage marks a significant step in occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s ongoing political struggle for its special status, as the territory continues to face challenges following the abrogation of Article 370. Deputy Chief Minister of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Surinder Choudhary, highlighted the recent resolution passed by the territory’s assembly calling for the restoration of the special status evoked by the Narendra Modi-led Indian government in August 2019. This resolution advocates for the reinstatement of Article 370 for occupied Jammu and Kashmir. In a media interview in Srinagar, Choudhary emphasized that Indian Home Minister Amit Shah had pledged in Parliament to restore IIOJK’s statehood. We are committed to strengthening democracy, and we have voiced the desires of the people and youth of [occupied] Jammu and Kashmir, he stated. Choudhary questioned why promises made to Indian states, such as Bihar and Himachal Pradesh saw fulfillment, while Kashmir remained overlooked. The Deputy Chief Minister also criticized policies that have sold off Kashmiri lands, rivers, and industrial assets, resulting in economic challenges. He asserted that these measures had left local youth unemployed while non-residents capitalized on the territory’s resources. Indian state terrorism and atrocities against the people of Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir continue unabated as Indian forces carry out brutal operations to instill fear among the territory’s inhabitants. The BJP-led Indian government is suppressing voices in IIOJK, using its army, paramilitary forces, police, National Investigation Agency, and State Investigation Agency in relentless cordon and search operations across the occupied territory. The repression in IIOJK has turned the territory into a living nightmare for its residents, with harassment and violence against unarmed Kashmiris increasing dramatically since the revocation of Articles 370 and 35A in August 2019. The killings, raids, detentions, torture, and destruction of property have become commonplace in IIOJK, and 86 Kashmiris have been martyred in Indian forces’ operations this year alone and a staggering 96,373 have lost their lives since January 1989. Kashmiris are undergoing extensive surveillance, with no regard for privacy rights. The BJP government’s brutalities have reached unprecedented levels, unmatched in recent history. The demand for the Kashmiris’ right to freedom will only strengthen under such oppression. Kashmiris will not surrender their identity to the BJP-RSS agenda aimed at marginalizing the region’s Muslim-majority population. Restoring Article 370 is about Kashmiris’ dignity. The international community must stop the BJP-led government’s genocidal policy.
