Washington: Kashmiri Americans, alongside their supporters, are planning a peaceful rally at Times Square in New York on August 4, 2024, to protest the Indian government’s revocation of Article 370, which they argue strips away the rights and special status of the people in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 by the BJP-led government eliminated the special status accorded to Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. This controversial decision has been widely criticized by Kashmiris and international observers as an attempt to alter the demographic makeup of the Muslim-majority region by allowing non-local Hindus to buy property and settle there permanently.
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary General of the World Kashmir Awareness Forum, in a recent gathering in Virginia, condemned these changes as a gross violation of international laws and United Nations resolutions, warning that they pose severe risks, including the potential for genocide in Kashmir. He emphasized the Modi government’s actions as detrimental to the Kashmiri populace.
Sardar Shoaib Irshad of the Kashmir American Welfare Association (KAWA) announced the protest’s details, scheduled from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the iconic Times Square. He, along with other community leaders like Sardar Zulfiqar Roshan Khan, is mobilizing the Washington metropolitan area’s residents to demonstrate solidarity with Kashmir.
The event aims to highlight the ongoing sacrifices of the Kashmiri people and the importance of resolving the Kashmir conflict in accordance with their desires and relevant UN resolutions, as pointed out by Malik Fayyaz Sahib, Director of Tourism AJK. Calls for increased international intervention, notably from the United Nations, were also echoed by Ibrahim Khokhar Sahib from New Jersey, emphasizing the global security risks posed by the unresolved situation.
The meeting drew numerous community and academic leaders, reflecting a strong diaspora commitment to Kashmir’s cause and rights.