Contrary to the claims of freedom of expression, Modi government’s repressive media policies are destroying Kashmiri journalism. Kashmiri Journalist and analyst criticized Modi’s role against Indian media and its freedom of expression terming Modi’s repressive media policies as deterioration for Kashmiri journalism.  Article in the New York Time highlighted that Modi regime is intimidating media to serve as government mouthpieces, creating an information vacuum in the region of 13 million people. Indian government is replicating this disturbing model on national scale and his Hindu-chauvinist movement has already put severe pressure on India’s press, with journalists surveilled and jailed. Indian repressive government using strong-arm tactics against media outlets to ensure favorable coverage. NYT said that the rest of India may end up looking a lot like Kashmir.

In 2019, India abruptly revoked Kashmir’s autonomous status without public input and sent in thousands of troops and shut down internet access which lasted nearly six months.

In 2019, India abruptly revoked Kashmir’s autonomous status without public input and sent in thousands of troops and shut down internet access which lasted nearly six months. Journalists in Kashmir are working under a cloud of fear, Journalism has always been hazardous in Kashmir. Media stands as one of the last remaining institutions capable of preventing India’s descent into authoritarianism. If Indian government succeeds in introducing the Kashmir model of information control to the rest of the country, it won’t be just press freedom that is at risk, but Indian democracy itself.

In Kashmir, Indian bulldozers are now carrying out settler-colonial policy (India Following Israeli Model in IIOJK). India is constantly using Israeli model of illegal occupation in Kashmir.

As per news story (NYT), Indian government has felt compelled to arm thousands of civilians in one of the world’s most militarized places, this shows the muscular approach of Indian government in controlling IIOJK. Kashmiris believe that even the Indian government has lost faith in its security agencies deployed in IIOJK, as they have been fully corrupted due to state patronage and are good for nothing. Rather India has resorted to the policy of cover up of its persistent failures using the rhetoric of Pakistan backed armed resistance. However, the existence of these groups will also exacerbate tensions between Hindus and Muslims living in these areas, especially as Hindu populations are provided with weapons and emboldened to commit war crimes and human rights violations against Muslims.

Revival of civil militias in Kashmir is raising fears across the valley. Three years later after the revocation of special status ok IIOJK, Indian government is reviving a civilian militia, called the Village Defence Guards (VDGs), in Jammu area.

In Kashmir, Indian bulldozers are now carrying out settler-colonial policy (India Following Israeli Model in IIOJK). India is constantly using Israeli model of illegal occupation in Kashmir. Indian government has resorted to various coercive tactics to grab the properties of Muslim population and charity organistion to suppress their voices. India continue its tyrannical policies in IIOJK and demolishing the houses of Kashmiris on the pretext that they are constructed on illegal land. It is pertinent to mention here that destruction of homes, in addition to the killings, torture and multiple other forms of violence, is part of a policy designed to break the will of the people.

Revival of civil militias in Kashmir is raising fears across the valley. Three years later after the revocation of special status ok IIOJK, Indian government is reviving a civilian militia, called the Village Defence Guards (VDGs), in Jammu area. VDGs were formed in 1990 and later disbanded in 2000s, Hindu and Sikh have demanded for the revival of VDGs, as Indian forces have failed to maintain peace in the region. The Indian government justifies the arming of civilians in Kashmir as a policy to safeguard people in remote terrains. A VDG member is paid a monthly remuneration of 4,000-4,500 rupees. However, local population is not feeling secure from such move and says that weapons should not be given to the civilians they can misuse it. The local Kashmiri also afraid due to the previous experience of VDGs. Official data shows at least 221 cases were registered against the members of the VDGs in the 1990s. Nearly two dozen of these cases were related to murder, seven to rape, and 15 cases involved rioting.

The NIA teams accompanied by Indian police and Central Reserve Police Force carried out raids in Srinagar, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Islamabad districts of the Kashmir Valley.

Regarding the actions against minorities, NIA raids multiple locations in IIOJK. The NIA has started an extensive harassment drive against voices of dissent in IIOJK. The NIA teams accompanied by Indian police and Central Reserve Police Force carried out raids in Srinagar, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Islamabad districts of the Kashmir Valley. Media quoting an official source stated that raids were being conducted in connection with an old case already registered at the NIA office.  The targeted campaign against Muslims has raised alarms as all the cases were registered on sou-moto action by NIA.

Since 2019, Modi led BJP government under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA) have detained various journalists on false accusation, on the pretext that they have been misguiding common masses by circulating fake news against the government and its policies.

India portrays it-self to be largest functioning democracy and secular state in the world that guarantees the freedom of expression and provide protection to its citizens whereas reality is opposite. In Kashmir, journalists have often been under threat. Threats to life, intimidation, assault, arrest and censorship have been part of the life of a typical local journalist. Since 2019, Modi led BJP government under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA) have detained various journalists on false accusation, on the pretext that they have been misguiding common masses by circulating fake news against the government and its policies.

India portrays it-self to be largest functioning democracy and secular state in the world that guarantees the freedom of expression and provide protection to its citizens whereas reality is opposite. In Kashmir, journalists have often been under threat.

India’s entrenched use of brute force and coercion to forcibly silence those raising voices against its horrendous crimes and egregious human rights violations in IIOJK. Numbers of internationally acknowledged Kashmiri journalists arrested included Fahad Shah, Aasif Sultan, and Sajad Gul. Besides this, in the latest development India has started to arm civilians in Jammu to fight terrorists under the garb of VDGs. India is arming 1000s of civilians in Jammu area of Indian Kashmir with old UK made 303 rifles. Weapons are issued to civilians to protect their villages and remote areas. The VDs comprising of Indian government selected and trained ‘civilian’ networks are used to harass, intimidate, track, and kill Kashmiri Muslims and suppress the freedom movement.

India is arming 1000s of civilians in Jammu area of Indian Kashmir with old UK made 303 rifles. Weapons are issued to civilians to protect their villages and remote areas. The VDs comprising of Indian government selected and trained ‘civilian’ networks.

India is using new tactics to grab the properties of Muslims leaders to stifle the voices of Muslims. As part of political vendetta, Indian law enforcement agencies have started a crackdown against the Muslim leaders and pro freedom people of IIOJK. Since the 5th August 2019, the IIOJK authorities have seized a number of assets belonging to pro-freedom Kashmiris to break their resolve. However, such moves have failed to deter the Kashmiris from pursuing their internationally recognized right to self-determination. All the Indian blatant violations and HRAs have failed to suppress the voices of Kashmiri people demanding their right of self-determination as per UN resolution.

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