APHC Vows To Defend BJP-led Efforts To Erase IIOJK’ S Unique Identity

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Nov, 2024) The BJP-led Indian government’s ongoing efforts to deprive the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) of their political and religious identity have invoked strong condemnation from Hurriyat leadership, who has pledged to resist any attempts to dilute the territory’s unique heritage and status.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference spokesperson Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas in a statement issued in Srinagar called for the restoration of Kashmir’s special status, asserting, "The people of IIOJK will not surrender their identity to the BJP-RSS agenda aimed at marginalizing the region’s Muslim-majority population."

The APHC spokesperson emphasized that Kashmiris demand the reversal of India’s August 5, 2019 decision, which unilaterally revoked Articles 370 and 35A, stripping the territory of its special status.

The revocation, they argue, was an attempt to “rob Kashmiris of their honor and identity,” an act that will not be forgiven or forgotten.

“Kashmiris view the August 5 decisions as an assault on their distinct culture and heritage,” stated the APHC spokesperson, adding, “To accept these changes would be to lose our unique identity and heritage, which is an issue of life and death for us.

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The spokesperson further condemned the Modi government’s ongoing efforts to settle non-Kashmiri Hindus in the territory, calling it a blatant attempt to alter the demographic makeup of IIOJK against the wishes of its people and in defiance of international norms.

According to the APHC, "The BJP government’s moves are aimed at establishing a Hindu-dominated society in IIOJK."

The APHC called for pressure on India to respect Kashmiris’ demand for the restoration of their rights and the implementation of UN resolutions granting Kashmiris the right to self-determination.

The APHC noted that restoring Article 370 and protecting Kashmir’s special status would not only reaffirm the region’s autonomy but also restore dignity to a people subjected to systemic suppression under Indian rule.

"India’s opposition to the recent IIOJK Assembly resolution urging a restoration of Kashmir’s special status reflects its relentless determination to erode Kashmiri identity,” the APHC stated.

The APHC vowed that Kashmiris would persist in their struggle for justice, dignity, and the implementation of UN-mandated resolutions until their political rights were fully recognized.