Jammu, In an effort to quell anti-India demonstrations, authorities in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir have imposed restrictions in the Poonch and Rajouri districts of the Jammu region, including suspending internet services. The measures target preventing members of the Gujjar and Bakarwal communities from protesting against a controversial bill that affects tribal reservations.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the restrictions follow protests by the Gujjar-Bakarwal communities against the proposed Jammu and Kashmir Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which was introduced in the Indian Parliament. The bill seeks to extend Scheduled Tribes status to the Paharis, Paddari tribe, Gadda Brahman, and Koli community, predominantly non-Muslims, sparking concerns of communal tension and potential discrimination against Muslims from the Gujjar and Bakarwal communities.

Critics, including legal and political experts, argue that the bill represents an attempt by the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to appease its supporters and could lead to increased communal divisions and the marginalization of Muslim tribal communities in the region. The deployment of troops and police personnel in significant numbers has added to the tense atmosphere in the affected districts, raising fears among residents.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) chapter leader Qazi Imran has condemned the suspension of internet services and the imposition of restrictions, viewing them as an infringement on the rights of the communities to protest and express their grievances.

The situation in Poonch and Rajouri underscores the complex socio-political landscape in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where legislative changes and government actions continue to provoke significant public unrest and debate over issues of identity, representation, and rights within the region.