By: IBRAHIM Jaafar
The Indian government's decision to abolish a special status for India-administered Kashmir has been widely criticized and opposed, as tensions prevail over the constitutional autonomy of the disputed region.
Monday's announcement sparked chaotic scenes in parliament, with opposition politicians condemning the presidential decree revoking Article 370 of the constitution that gives the state of Jammu and Kashmir a substantial degree of autonomy.
The government led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) also moved a bill proposing the Jammu and Kashmir state be divided into two "union territories" directly ruled by New Delhi.
The main opposition Congress party described the decision as a "catastrophic step".
"Shameful that you have turned Jammu and Kashmir into a non-entity," said Ghulam Nabi Azad, a Congress parliamentarian who comes from India-administered Kashmir.
The constitutional provision was the basis of the Muslim-majority state's accession to the Indian union in 1947, when erstwhile princely states had the choice to join either newly-independent India or Pakistan.
The article allowed the state to have "limited autonomy" in certain areas, giving the India-administered region jurisdiction to make its own laws in all matters except finance, defence, foreign affairs and communications.
The scrapping of Article 370 is a "constitutional coup" carried out by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP), which could have serious implications for Kashmir, said Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation politburo member Kavita Krishnan.
Kashmiri Muslims said they had felt the brunt of the Kashmir conflict since 1989 and were now feeling "deceived" over the "constitutionally promised" status.
"We are in a devil and deep sea situation. If we express our resentment against the revocation of Article 370, we will be labelled anti-national. If we remain silent, history will label us cowards," Syed Muntazir, a Kashmiri student at New Delhi-based Jamia Millia university, said on Tuesday.
Since the announcement of the revocation of Article 370 by India's Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah, social media has been flooded with purported advertisements offering plots of lands for sale in India-administered Kashmir...,to mock the initial autonomy of the Kashmiris.
So far, Article 370 had prevented non-residents from buying any property in the disputed region.
"This government claims that such a move was necessary for the full integration of the state and for its prosperity and development. But you see the mentality of the Indians, they are more interested in land than in the people of Kashmir," Muntazir said.
This latest move was the "darkest day in Indian democracy".
However, BJP politicians and right-wing allies welcomed the decision and congratulated Modi, who had proposed to abrogate Article 370 in his election campaign.
Pakistan, which has fought two of its three wars against India over the disputed territory, strongly condemned India's move and vowed to "exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps".
Meanwhile, hundreds of Kashmiri activists staged a demonstration near the Indian embassy in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Monday, holding placards and chanting slogans.
Similar rallies were also staged in other cities, including Hyderabad and Karachi.
30,000+ additional Indian troops were sent to Kashmir and this already adds to the existing 500,000 troops!
UAE backs India on article 370, says Kashmir is an internal matter. Dr Ahmad Al-Banna, UAE ambassador to India claimed he hopes the decision will improve the "economic" condition in Jammu and Kashmir.
While most Muslim leaders are taking little or no step on this matter, will the Indian Muslims face the same fate like those of Spain Muslims, after the fall of Granada, or like that of Palestinians? Only time will tell.
Meanwhile, the Muslims must note the Arab saying: "I was eaten the day the white bull was devoured".