INDIA LAUNCHES CULTURAL OFFENSIVE TO RESHAPE POLITICAL HISTORY IN IIOJK

The GoI, driven by a Hindutva mindset, has launched a full-fledged cultural offensive in the IIOJ&K by changing names of historical places and institutions as part of efforts to reshape the pol history. IIOJK administrative has renamed 33 x places including schools, grounds, roads and Chowks etc with their martyrs. A series of actions to disempower Kashmiris and change the Muslim identity of Kashmir have followed India’s illegal annexation of IIOJK on 5 Aug 2019, evident from mentioned initiatives. These include Hindu temples, change the transcript of the Kashmiri language, obscure its history, link it with the Muslim world and change names of important places. For the past 100 years or more, Urdu was the official language of J&K. But in 2020, BJP’s fascist regime ended Urdu’s exclusive status that made Hindi, Kashmiri and Dogri official languages. The illegal govt of IIOJK approved the naming of 57 infrastructure assets in 2023, like schools, roads, bridges, and sports stadiums, after the Indian army “martyrs”. This renaming of schools, colleges, roads, and buildings in IIOJ&K is similar to what the BJP has been doing in the rest of India since 2014, aiming to erase Mughal influences. The Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control Department was changed to the Jal Shakti Department. The Sher-e-Kashmir police medals for gallantry and meritorious service were renamed the Jammu and Kashmir police medals, as of 26 Jan 2020. “India’s cultural offensive is also a flagrant attempt to indoctrinate Kashmir’s youth, the forced singing of a bhajan (Hindu hymn) at a school in Kulgam and elsewhere is a glaring example. BJP has also taken control of the J&K Waqf Board and thus all its properties across the region including Srinagar’s Eidgah, a historic ground for congregational prayers. This systematic erasure parallels the suppression endured since 1947, exacerbated by the revocation of Kashmir’s special status. These actions have in fact only intensified anger and resentment among the people of Kashmir and reinforced their will to resist the injustice of occupation. The actions taken by the BJP in IIOJK reflect a deliberate strategy aimed at reshaping the region’s cultural and political landscape. By renaming institutions and controlling religious sites, the BJP seeks to assert dominance and undermine Kashmiri identity. The changes in language policies and electoral boundaries further illustrate attempts to marginalize the Muslim majority and consolidate Hindu influence. These actions are reminiscent of tactics used by occupiers to exert control and reshape the demographics of a UN declared disputed region. Such initiatives are in blatant violation of UNSC Resolutions that bar the parties from bringing about any material change in the situation disputed territory.