Property Seizures in IIOJK: A Demographic Engineering Strategy Under Hindutva Agenda

When land becomes a tool of oppression, how long can the voices of the displaced remain unheard?

In yet another move targeting Kashmiris, the New Delhi-installed administration in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) has seized a property in the Rajouri district. The property, comprising two kanals and one marla of land in the Manjakote area and valued at lakhs of rupees, was owned by Javid Iqbal. The confiscation was carried out by the police, accompanied by paramilitary forces.

Since the abrogation of IIOJK’s special constitutional status in August 2019, the BJP-led Indian government has ramped up efforts to dispossess Kashmiris of their properties, homes, and lands. This ongoing campaign appears to serve a dual purpose: economically debilitating the local population while facilitating the transfer of confiscated assets to non-Kashmiri Hindus.

Such measures are widely viewed as an orchestrated attempt to alter the region’s demographic fabric, aligning with the Hindutva ideology. By systematically displacing Kashmiris and populating the region with non-native Hindus, the strategy aims to undermine the historical and cultural identity of IIOJK.

The intensification of property seizures underscores the broader objective of reshaping the territory to reflect the BJP’s political and ideological goals. This policy not only marginalizes the Kashmiri population but also violates international laws concerning the rights of indigenous peoples and territorial integrity.

The systematic targeting of Kashmiri-owned properties has sparked widespread concerns about the erosion of socio-economic stability in the region. It highlights the urgent need for global attention to the actions being taken in IIOJK, which are exacerbating tensions and undermining prospects for peace.