Srinagar: The Hindu Amarnath Yatra has become a militarized and communal lines in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attained power in India and after Modi’s Indian government violated international laws by militarily and undemocratically snatched Articles 370 and 35A of Indian Constitution in the territory.
Since the rise of Hindutva BJP/RSS politics in India, the numbers of Indian Yatris to Amarnath Cave in south Kashmir Islamabad district has rapidly increased on communal basis and the Kashmiris have to deal with increased militarization during the period of Yatra.
It brings more misery to the Kashmiri people in Kashmir valley in the form of constant checking and frisking by huge Indian forces.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ignoring threats that the huge Amarnath Yatra poses to IIOJK’s fragile environment and his decision to allow lakhs of Hindus to visit the Amarnath Yatra is an environmental disaster in the making in IIOJK. The Amernath Yatra has become a good source of corruption and making money in the name of expenditure to the Indian army, police and their agencies for so-called security.
Modi must de-militarise Amarnath Yatra, reduce the number of Indian Hindu temple Yatris and address environmental concerns for a better and safer common Yatra.
As many as nearly one lakh additional troops and paramilitary forces have been deployed in the occupied valley. Drone cameras and latest technology hover over the Yatri routes. The 43-day Yatra was now extended into a 62 days yatra that starts on July 1 and ends on August 31.
Indian troops, paramilitary, BSF, SSB police and dreaded agencies like National Investigation Agency (NIA) and State Investigation Agency are harassing common people, businessmen, youth and Hurriyat activists in the territory.
The personnel of Indian forces and agencies during house raids are arresting youth and summoning others to the police stations. “The police force us to stay a long time and harass us in police stations, without any reason which is affecting our work,” several youth told the media.
It seems that India, its proxy regime and agencies are trying to break Kashmiris’ commitment to the Kashmir cause by using such cheap tactics, the analysts said, adding that such tactics could not break the Kashmiris’ resolve for the UN-recognized resolution of right to self determination.
Please visit our website London Institute of Peace Research for latest peace news
