Written By: Amna Ayub
Kashmir on Global Radar
The decision to host G20 meetings in Srinagar is being deemed as India’s nefarious attempt to present and promote a falsified image of normalcy, peace and stability in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK). The decision has invited condemnful responses
G20 is a group of 20 world’s major economies that gathers annually to discuss various macroeconomic issues. India, assumed revolving presidency of G20 for the year 2023. India used this economic forum presidency to achieve some political and diplomatic mileages to show cement global seal on her settler colonial project in Indian occupied Kashmir.
The three-day meetings were decided to be held in Srinagar by BJP led Indian government. Military drills and trainings were carried out by Indian military prior to the meeting and the city had been painted in colors of Indian flag, G20 theme and BJP electoral sign.
India has made special security arrangements for the conference. High security is being ensured by Indian military officers who have been deployed to various duties scattered across the area. The group of military forces consist of high-ranked officers including navy commandos, police forces, border security militaries and national security guards.
All the schools that are located on the route to the venue of meeting in Srinagar from the airport are closed. The security posts, a very common sight in IOJK have been made hidden by the posters and banners of G20 meeting. Civilian traffic was restricted in the area. Moreover, Indian marine commandos were patrolling in boats in Dal Lake present near the venue.
By holding G20 conference in Kashmir, India is trying hard to depict Kashmir as having a high potential for tourism and thus wants to embed a projection of normalcy and progress in the eyes of the world. However, India’s brutal and unlawful steps and decisions regarding Kashmir particularly since 2019 depicts an entirely opposite condition of Kashmir and Kashmiris.
India snatched away Kashmir’s right of semi-autonomous state and abrogated article 370 in 2019. She further divided Kashmir into two union territories ie Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir and declared them federally-administered territories. This opened a renewed version of the same chapter of violence and atrocities on Kashmiris by RSS driven Indians.
Since, 2019 the graphs of crimes committed by Indian forces in Kashmir have seen a continued escalation. From extra judicial killings to depriving Kashmiri minorities of their political rights, India is not holding back in her agendas. 639 Kashmiris have been murdered in extrajudicial killings since nullification of article 370. The region’s elected legislative assembly had been dissolved in 2018.
Having evaluated the ratio of crimes committed, this attempt of India to manipulate the actual situation and present a state of ‘normalcy’ by the conducting conference in Srinagar is a slap on Kashmiris.
Response of International Media
The topic is being highlighted and analyzed by international media. India has been scrutinized by some reputed world press organizations on her objective behind the decision and violation of rights of Kashmiris are being emphasized.
Al-Jazeera not only religiously covered the topic but also questioned India’s projection of normalcy in Kashmir on the decision of holding meeting in Srinagar. Quoting Kashmiri journalists, political analysts and international organizations, Al-Jazeera has highlighted India’s underlying purposes. “Since India’s 2019 constitutional changes, the rebellion in Kashmir is has largely been crushed, although young men continue to join it. But dissent has been criminalized, media freedoms curbed, and public protests limited in what critics say is a drastic curtailment of civil liberties by India”, quoted Al-Jazeera.
Washington Post has also covered the topic. It has been reported saying, “After Modi won a second term in 2019, his government revoked the state’s special autonomous status negotiated after independence and made it a territory directly governed by New Delhi. Any dissent was stifled with harsh restrictions, including the longest internet shutdown in a democracy and the detention of top political leaders, journalists and activists”.
Talking about the military trainings of Indian officers in Kashmir, BBC said, “This year, the region has witnessed increased attacks by suspected militants and security officers have told the media that they are taking steps to prevent any threats designed to derail the G20 meet”.
CBC news while reporting on India holding the G20 meetings in Srinagar to promote a ‘state of normalcy’ said, “Indian authorities hoped to show that Kashmir, the site of decades of insurgency against India rule, is now peaceful, and stable following the repeal of its semi-autonomous status. But at the Jahangir Chowk market, several kilometers away from the perimeter insulating the venue the idea of everything being normal in Kashmir was dismissed outright”.
Thus, it is clear that things are not on normalcy in IOJK as represented by holding G20 conference in Srinagar. New Delhi should give access of rights to Kashmiri people the way they deserve.
Writer is pursuing BS English at Fatima Jinnah University.
