India’s Land Grab in IIOJK: Weaponizing Property Seizures against Kashmiris

India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime has ramped up its oppressive policies in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), weaponizing property confiscations to crush Kashmiri aspirations for freedom. Since 2023, over 195 properties, including lands, homes, shops, and offices, have been seized under flimsy pretexts, exposing New Delhi’s draconian strategy.

The BJP government, in collaboration with agencies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Special Investigation Unit (SIU), Special Investigation Agency (SIA), and the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), has been systematically targeting Kashmiris. These seizures are a punitive measure against those affiliated with the region’s freedom movement. Critics decry these actions as part of a broader plan to destabilize the local economy, displace indigenous Kashmiris, and pave the way for demographic changes by settling outsiders.

Since the revocation of IIOJK’s special status in August 2019, the confiscation of properties has escalated dramatically. Entire homes, shops, and even the headquarters of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference in Srinagar have been taken over. Prominent pro-freedom leaders, including Syed Ali Gilani, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, and Aasiya Andrabi, have also seen their properties seized. Additionally, the BJP regime has identified more properties for confiscation, signaling an unrelenting assault on Kashmiris’ livelihoods.

Analysts argue that this is a calculated move by the Hindutva-driven Modi government to weaken the freedom movement and force submission through economic ruin. Political experts assert that these actions aim to suppress Kashmiri identity, destroy their sense of security, and dilute the region’s Muslim majority by allotting confiscated land to non-locals.

The economic and social consequences of these property seizures are devastating. Families are rendered homeless, businesses collapse, and communities face an uncertain future. Observers highlight that the BJP’s “colonial project” in IIOJK mirrors other settler-colonial tactics, using land as a tool to assert control and subjugate the local population.

Indian troops have also been accused of destroying homes during military operations, further displacing Kashmiri families. These acts of state terrorism, critics note, expose New Delhi’s disregard for basic human rights and its determination to annihilate the region’s socio-economic fabric.

Despite these oppressive measures, the Kashmiri people’s resolve for self-determination remains unshaken. Analysts warn that India’s brutal military occupation and colonial tactics have failed before and will fail again. The international community must act decisively to hold India accountable and pressure it to honor its commitments under international law.

The BJP must recognize that property confiscations and systemic repression will not erase the freedom sentiment of Kashmiris. India’s state-sponsored terrorism will only strengthen their resolve for liberation.