Muzaffarabad: A special seminar hosted by the Kashmir Policy Research Institute in Muzaffarabad marked the observance of Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmir, focusing on the repercussions of India’s legislative changes in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the event drew a significant turnout of students from various universities who engaged in presenting research papers. Dr. Raja Mohammad Sajjad Khan, Director of the Institute, led the seminar alongside other notable speakers including Assistant Directors Khawaja Haroon Al Rasheed and Syed Usman Ali Bukhari.

The speakers critically assessed India’s revocation of Articles 35-A and 370, which they argued was a strategic move to solidify its control over the region, violating both international norms and the Indian Constitution. This action effectively stripped away protections for Kashmiris’ properties and government job securities, aiming to alter the demographic and cultural identity of Jammu and Kashmir.

The seminar also addressed the issuance of domicile certificates to 6.1 million non-Kashmiri Hindus, a step seen as an effort to dilute the Muslim majority status of the region. Further concerns were raised about the renaming of historical places, preferential treatment for non-state Hindus in local government jobs, and the settlement of retired Indian soldiers and RSS workers in the territory.

Speakers at the seminar condemned the broader Hindutva agenda under Prime Minister Modi’s administration, highlighting the patronage of extremist Hindu organizations and the systemic disenfranchisement of minorities in India. They noted the severe economic impacts on Kashmiris, including job terminations and land distributions favoring non-state actors, painting a grim picture of Kashmir as an “open prison.”

The event underscored the responsibility of global and local communities to vocalize the plight of Kashmiris and challenge India’s policies on the international stage.