Modi Government Accused of Cultural Erasure in IIOJK

Political analysts and experts based in Srinagar are raising concerns over the Narendra Modi-led Indian government’s aggressive pursuit of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) agenda to saffronize the Muslim-majority Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). According to reports, these experts assert that the Modi regime is intensifying its efforts to Indianize occupied Kashmir, evident in the recent renaming of 33 colleges, schools, and roads in the region. This move follows a pattern where the Indian government has already changed names of various educational institutions, roads, and significant locations that originally had Muslim-rooted names.

The experts and analysts express their dismay, highlighting that the lives, properties, honor, and religious identity of Kashmiri Muslims are under threat from Modi’s Hindutva regime. They argue that the ongoing name-changing spree is a deliberate attempt to erase the Muslim culture and heritage from IIOJK. Central to their analysis is the assertion that the Hindutva ideology is the driving force behind the Indianization of Kashmir, suggesting that the Hinduization of the Muslim-majority region is intended to establish Hindu hegemony and impose a Hindu way of life.

Pointing to Modi’s controversial actions on August 5, 2019, the experts argue that these illegal measures were designed to strip Kashmiris of their identity and dignity. They claim that India seeks to undermine the Kashmiris’ struggle for the right to self-determination by erasing their cultural imprints from the region. The experts emphasize that the Kashmiri people remain resolute in their determination to thwart all attempts aimed at Hinduizing IIOJK, rejecting the tactics employed by Modi and his associates.

In the eyes of these analysts, the Modi government’s actions are perceived as a wicked strategy to suppress the Kashmiris’ just struggle. Despite facing challenges, the experts assert that the people of Kashmir are unwavering in their commitment to preserving their identity and resisting the imposition of an alien cultural agenda. As the political landscape in the region continues to evolve, the Modi government’s approach in IIOJK remains a subject of international scrutiny, with concerns raised about the potential consequences for the region’s stability and the rights of its inhabitants.