Kashmir News Weekly Roundup: 12/3-12/10
Exclusive:
Indian Occupation tracing and tracking Kashmiris in every space
Authorities from the J-K Police State Investigation Agency said in a recent order that they have adopted a GPS tracker anklet to monitor civilians who have been arrested under anti-terror laws and are awaiting bail. This order was issued by the Jammu special NIA Court.
Being arrested without being given a chance to defend themselves under anti-terror laws has already had a lasting impact on the accused Kashmiris, who are mostly children. The occupied people of Kashmir now feel more afraid and anxious about being monitored all the time due to this new strategy of penalizing them. Here, the fascist government in India is establishing a surveillance state.
“It seems like a new intrusion on our privacy. A few months back, I had a friend who had been booked under PSA. I don’t even meet with him in person, nor do I answer his calls. Seeing that your loved ones are being treated like criminals and animals is extremely traumatizing,” remarked a recent graduate of Kashmir University.
“Geotagging was intended for animals and criminals such as sexual offenders, but by tracking our innocent and wrongfully accused friends and acquaintances, the police have descended to a new low,” she continued. “Since we already have to live under constant surveillance throughout our country, they are reducing humans to animals.”
“After it was reported that they are monitoring private conversations, even when I talk about my everyday activities with family and friends, I am quite nervous when I speak on the phone. Nothing else matters; it is just a product of dread and delusion,” according to a bachelor’s student.
Following the installation of surveillance cameras around the valley, the fascist administration gave the order for each store owner to put a camera inside their establishment in order to maintain control over the Kashmiri populace. A District Magistrate’s order under CrPC 144 was also issued, and failure to comply with it may result in filing a Federal Criminal Procedure under Indian Penal Code section 188.
The owner of a clothing company from Srinagar remarked, “This not only cost us a huge amount of money, but failing to do so would have landed us in prison for a full month, along with a hefty fine.” He claims that the action is an attempt by India’s imposed authorities to increase community watch operations. He said, “The only way to reconcile with these harsh measures is to acknowledge that the people in this region are essentially living in an open-air prison.”
In the occupied region, social media monitoring has also increased significantly. Social media platforms provide complete privacy and end-to-end encryption, but in Kashmir’s scenario, this isn’t the case. With the ability to trace “all anti-India Kashmiris,” JK police now have unrestricted access to all social media accounts held by Kashmiris thanks to new regulation from the governing authority.
News Updates:
India passes new laws to push demographic change, manage election outcomes
On Wednesday, the Lok Sabha of the Indian parliament approved two measures that modify the laws pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir. The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which were presented in the House in July of this year, were approved by the Lok Sabha.
The two new laws guarantee that Hindus will take the place of Kashmiri Muslims in positions of authority and their rights would be taken away. While the latter guarantees that seats be set aside for the two Hindu groups in the legislature bodies, the former permits job reservations for them.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) has renamed the “Other Social Castes” as “Other Backward Classes,” while the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 allows for the nomination of three MLAs in the legislative assembly of the UT: two from the Kashmiri Hindus and one from the displaced Hindus of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Notably, the J&K Reorganisation Act of 2019 marked the beginning of changes to the land laws following the unilateral revocation of what remained of articles 370 and 35A. The Big Land Estate Abolition Act 1950, which many believe helped end feudalism and create rural prosperity in the old state, was among the twelve land restrictions immediately revoked by the occupation regime.
India Occupation seizes residential properties of Kashmiri Muslims
On Wednesday, the occupying troops seized and took control of a private residence in the Bandipora area of northern Kashmir, claiming that a family member was connected to the resistance movement.
The land is owned by the family of Ashtengoo Bandipora native Irfan Ahmad Bhat, who has been falsely accused of being a “militant associate” for armed resistance groups fighting the Indian occupation in Kashmir.
“Bandipora Police has attached 14 Marla of residential land at Ashtengoo Bandipora in case FIR No.43/2022,” according to a statement from the police. The police statement further stated that the land had been declared to be profits of militancy and was confiscated in accordance with the UAPA.
Indian Agencies take over property of jailed Kashmiri civilian
Under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA), the Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday attached a residential residence in Chursoo village of Awantipora in the Pulwama region of southern Kashmir. Khursheed Ahmed Bhat, a citizen from Kashmir who is imprisoned, and his five brothers jointly own the house.
Additionally, under survey number 1603/717, the agency took possession of a single- story residential home situated on 13 marlas of land in the Khudwani village area of Kulgam. Fayaz Ahmed Itoo, a citizen of Khudwani, Quimoh, and the son of Abdul Rehman Ittoo, owns the specific residence.
Notably, there are frequent attacks in Kashmir on the homes of those connected to the resistance activity in the region. Over the last four years, several Indian authorities have attached and taken over hundreds of Jamat-e-Islami assets and properties.
Indian SC verdict on pleas challenging abrogation of Article-370 on Dec 11th
On December 11th, 2023, the Supreme Court of India is scheduled to deliver its ruling in the case contesting the repeal of Article 370. According to the Apex Court Cause List, a five- judge panel that includes Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice BR Gavai, Justice Surya Kant, and Chief Justice Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud is expected to give the much awaited verdict.
The unconstitutional and unprecedented action by the Gol to revoke Kashmir’s remaining autonomy on August 5, 2019, has been challenged in a number of cases that the Indian Supreme Court has heard in recent months.
India renames Jhelum Stadium in Baramulla as ‘General Bipin Rawat Stadium’
Jhelum Stadium, Janbazpora, Baramulla, will now be known as General Bipin Rawat Stadium as per an order issued by the government of Jammu and Kashmir, which was enforced on Friday. According to a government decree, “the Youth Services and Sports Department and Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla shall take immediate necessary steps, including amending their records for effecting the change.”
“The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir is further directed to see to it that a fitting ceremony is held in conjunction with the stadium’s naming.”
The fascist Indian government has been making an effort to cut Kashmiris apart from their heritage, symbols, and traditions of struggle and resistance. Kashmir’s identity was further targeted by India when the region lost its already precarious semi-autonomous status in August 2019.
India shuts Kashmir’s grand mosque for ninth consecutive Friday
For the eighth week in a row, congregational prayers at Srinagar’s iconic Jamia Masjid were prohibited by Indian authorities on Friday. As invading soldiers barricaded the highways leading to the main gates, the big mosque in the city’s Nowhatta neighborhood remained shut.
For the ninth Friday in a row, Mirwaiz Umar Faroog, the head cleric, is still being held in house custody. “Unfortunate” is how Mirwaiz Umar Farooq described the mosque’s shutdown.
Kashmir’s freedom to practice their faith has been denied by India for many years. The most current round of restrictions follows the planning of protests against the Israeli occupation of Palestine and in support of the Palestinian cause. Israel has brutally besieged and killed a record number of residents in Gaza in recent months, enforcing a brutal siege denying food, water and medicines to the population.