Srinagar: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has voiced deep concern over what it describes as a crackdown on Islamic and historical books in the Indian-administered region of Jammu and Kashmir, a move it claims is designed to sever the Kashmiri populace from their cultural and religious roots.

According to a statement by Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas condemned the actions of the administration under Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. Minhas criticized the government’s operations, which he says involve raids on bookstores throughout the region, targeting Islamic and historical literature concerning Kashmir.

The spokesman accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Indian government of pursuing an agenda aligned with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), aimed at transforming the Islamic identity and historical narrative of Kashmir by enforcing Hindutva ideology within educational institutions.

Additionally, the statement from the APHC highlighted ongoing efforts to displace residents from their properties in the region, including homes and land, purportedly to alter the demographic composition of the area.

Minhas described these actions as violations of international laws, noting that Jammu and Kashmir is recognized globally as a disputed territory. He pointed out that since the changes enacted on August 5, 2019, the Indian government has intensified its measures against Kashmiris, including issuing domicile certificates to a large number of non-Kashmiris to shift the demographic balance.

The APHC statement reiterated the right of Kashmiri people to pursue a resolution to the conflict in accordance with their aspirations. It warned that sustainable peace in South Asia remains unattainable without addressing the Kashmir issue.

The APHC has called on the international community and human rights organizations to intervene and halt what it terms as Indian atrocities against the Kashmiri people, urging a resolution that respects the wishes of the Kashmiris.