It is an open secret that India and Israel share close ties; be it defence cooperation or political capital the nations have always come to each other aid. Now it seems that India is set to follow Israel model for annexing territory too.
Following the process through which Israel outnumbered the Palestinians in lands, which the Palestinians lived on for centuries through settlements, the Indian government is silent on the petition filed by an NGO, ‘We the Citizens’ and a think tank with the backing of RSS. The petition demands revocation of Article 35 A of the Indian Constitution. This article of the Indian Constitution puts a bar on Indians and foreigners to buy land in Kashmir valley.
If repealed, non-Kashmiris of every faith and affiliation will be able to flood into the valley and outnumber the native Kashmiris – a move that has been mooted by the Indian government in the past too.
The people living in the valley are already nervous. They fear the worst from the hearing. Residents of Kashmir see the petition as an attempt to change the demographics of the valley. With the silence that federal government has maintained on the filing of petition suggests that it is tacitly backing the move. The statements and past actions of BJP reveal how eagerly the right-wing Hindus want to get rid of the article of 35-A in the Indian constitution.
Why is BJP so eager to get this article repealed? Here is the answer: With no such constitutional provision that bars Indians from holding property in the valley of Kashmir, the demographics of the region will change entirely. All questions regarding a plebiscite, independence, autonomy, and annexation with Pakistan will be meaningless. If the court favours the petitioners, it will be a masterstroke.
However, any such move will worsen the already compromised law and order situation in the valley. India should prepare itself for a bitter resistance from Kashmiri people. The people will fight the settlements process with tooth and nail. For Kashmiri people, irrespective of what religion they practice, it will be a matter of life and death.
The hypocrisy of Indian ruling party on Kashmir is exemplary. A few days ago it announced to hold dialogue with all stakeholders in the valley to find a solution for the unrest in the valley. And then remaining silent on the petition filed in the Indian Supreme Court not only exposes its tacit approval of revoking the Article 35-A; it also speaks volume of its double standards.