Srinagar, Civil society members in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir have stated that Eid-ul-Fitr is being observed under the oppressive conditions of Indian military presence, with many locals lamenting the absence of detained family members. The festival, meant to be a time of joy, is overshadowed by the region’s longstanding political and security tensions.
According to Kashmir Media Service, during Eid celebrations, civil society activists, including Dr. Zubair Ahmed, Muhammad Furhan, Muhammad Iqbal Shaheen, and Syed Haider Hussain, voiced their distress over the continuous hardships faced by the Kashmiri population. They reported numerous human rights violations, including detentions without charge and confiscation of property as forms of state-imposed terror.
The group’s joint statement highlighted the enduring plight of Kashmiris, who have consistently faced severe restrictions and rights abuses. They pointed out that the people of Kashmir are marking Eid amid a backdrop of ongoing conflict and the demand for self-determination, a struggle that has persisted for over seventy years.
Furthermore, they criticized the Indian government’s policies, particularly the restrictions on religious freedoms and the broader assault on the cultural and political rights of the Kashmiri Muslim community. The civil society members vowed to persist in their peaceful and democratic efforts to achieve self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.