Modi’s Extremist Policies Continue

By Sajjad Shaukat

Since the leader of the ruling party BJP Narendra Modi became Prime Minister of India, he has been implementing extremist policies against religious minorities, especially the Muslims and Pakistan.

Under Modi’s rule, various developments like unprecedented rise of Hindu extremism, persecution of minorities even of lower cast-Hindus, forced conversions of other religious minorities into Hindus, ban on beef and cow slaughter, inclusion of Hindu religious books in curriculum, creation of war-like situation with Pakistan etc. clearly show that encouraged by the Hindu fundamentalist outfits such as BJP, RSS VHP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena, including other similar parties have been promoting religious and ethnic chauvinism in India by propagating ideology of Hindutva (Hindu nationalism). Particularly, assaults on Christians and Muslims including their places of worships and property have been intensified by the fanatic Hindu mobs.

Without caring for severe criticism all over the world and even within his own country and especially in Pakistan BJP-led Modi’s extremist policies continue unabated.

In this regard, during his address on the Independence Day of India on August 15, 2016, Modi went aggressively further in a diatribe against Pakistan by claiming that people of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir are thankful to home for raising voice for their suppressed rights.

On the other side, against his false anti-Pakistan statement, huge rallies and demonstrations were held in Balochistan, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, including some other cities of Pakistan. Opposing Indian intervention in Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan, the speakers on this occasion strongly condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aggressive designs against Pakistan and Kashmiris. They urged international community, civilized world and human rights organizations to take serious notice of the Indian state terrorism—genocide of Kashmiris in the Indian-occupied Kashmir and interference in Pakistan’s province of Balochistan.

In this respect, Pakistan Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said that the situation in Balochistan cannot be equated with Kashmir and Indian Prime Minister was only trying to divert world attention from the “grim tragedy” unfolding in Kashmir over the past five weeks.

In this context, in a statement, Pakistan’s foreign office indicated on August 18, 2016, “Pakistan is bleeding due to the sabotage activities by arch-rival India inside Pakistan…for the last several weeks after India launched a new campaign to silence the Kashmir freedom movement…dozens have been killed in Kashmir by the occupant forces after protests broke out against Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani’s murder on July 8 by the Indian security forces…Pakistan has raised the Kashmir issue at the UN and demanded sending a fact finding team to the held Valley to probe the human rights violations there.”

At a weekly media briefing, foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria stated that confessions of Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing’s agent Kulbhushan Yadav were irrefutable. He elaborated, “People of Pakistan have been victim of Indian spy agency’s sabotaging activities. RAW’s network, made under Yadav is busy in terrorist and sabotaging activities in Balochistan and Karachi.”

Meanwhile, in response to the letter of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in which he pointed out the deteriorating situation in Kashmir and the large-scale violations of human rights, being committed by Indian security forces, on August 19, this year, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon deplored the ongoing killings in Indian-held Kashmir, and urged India and Pakistan to settle Kashmir and other issues through dialogue. Ban Ki-moon explained in the letter, “I stand ready to offer my good offices... to facilitate dialogue in order to achieve a negotiated settlement…I deplore the loss of life in Kashmir and hope that all efforts will be made to avoid further violence.”

Besides, addressing a joint news conference with Sartaj Aziz at Islamabad on August 20, 2016, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Ayad Ameen Madani in Islamabad expressed grave concern over extra-judicial killings of people in the Indian-occupied Kashmir. He stated that OIC Contact Group on Kashmir has been playing an active role for the resolution of the Kashmir issue. Ayad Ameen Madani also urged the international community to be more vocal on the deteriorating human rights situation in Indian-held Kashmir and added, “OIC will support Pakistan on Kashmir issue”.

As regards Modi’s extremist policies, in this connection, recently,  Amnesty  International (AI) was banned by Indian government which also called it a traitor organization in India, and has registered a sedition case against it for highlighting the ongoing human rights violations in the Indian-occupied Kashmir, while raising voice in favour of people of the Kashmir. The prominent rights group held an event in the Indian city of Banglore on August 13, 2016, which focused on human rights abuses carried out by Indian security forces in Kashmir. In this respect, demonstrations were held in the Bangalore and Delhi to oppose Modi’s extremist moves.

In fact, in wake of continued siege and prolonged curfew, Indian security forces have martyred more than 80 innocent persons who have been protesting since July 8, 2016 against the martyrdom of the young Kashmir leader Burhan Wani by the Indian security forces.

The Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Syed Ali Gilania who was leading a pro-freedom procession moving towards Dargah in Kashmir capital has been stopped at Naseem Bagh. Now, protest rallies against the Indian occupation have been accelerated and reported from every part of Kashmir, while Kashmiri leaders Gilani and Mirwaiz have been arrested. Protestors have been stormed with teargas and pellets by the Indian forces. Kashmir clashes also erupted in Prichoo Pulwama between protesters and occupational forces after the Friday prayers.

It is notable that on May 15, 2016, Indian media reported that a mutiny was staged by Jawans in an infantry unit of Indian Army deployed in North East. There were scuffles among Jawans and officers following a Jawan’s death. Although army is an independent institution, but due to extremist policies and Hindutva orientation of the BJP leader and Indian Prime Minister Narendra is also on the rise in army too.

It is mentionable that a well-known Indian-based Islamic-religious scholar Dr Zakir Naik is currently in Saudi Arabia and has decided to prolong his stay owing to the Indian extremist leader Sadhvi praqchi’s announcement (On July 14, 2016) of reward INR 5 million for a person who would cut off Naik’s head. However, it shows another instance of Indian extremist policies which continue under the Prime Minister Modi.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com