Karachi, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has accused the Narendra Modi-led Indian government of deliberately attempting to erase the Muslim identity of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). This claim comes amidst a series of actions that the APHC alleges are targeted at transforming the region’s Muslim-majority demographic.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the APHC spokesman, in a statement issued in Srinagar, stated that the Modi government is actively engaged in a cultural war against Kashmiri Muslims. He cited examples such as the renaming of institutions, roads, and buildings with Muslim names to Hindu-centric ones. The renaming of Jhelum Stadium after former Indian Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat, was highlighted as a recent instance of this trend. The spokesman also noted that during Rawat’s tenure, there was an increase in killings in the region.

The spokesman further alleged that the Modi government is aggressively pursuing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) agenda, which aims to saffronize the predominantly Muslim region. He said that the name-changing spree is part of a larger strategy to eliminate Muslim cultural imprints from Kashmir.

The APHC’s statement also mentioned the broader implications of the Indian government’s actions, including threats to the properties, lives, honor, and religious identity of Muslims in IIOJK. The spokesman declared that the BJP and RSS’s ultimate goal is to revive pre-Islamic Hindu civilization in Kashmir, a move seen as an assault on Kashmiri identity and dignity.

The APHC vowed that the Kashmiri people are resolute in their determination to resist these efforts and safeguard their unique identity and culture. They maintain that despite the Modi government’s tactics, the Kashmiris’ struggle for their rights will continue unabated.

This declaration from the APHC comes amid ongoing tensions and human rights concerns in the disputed Kashmir region.