Tensions Rise in IIOJK Over Controversial Chairlift Project

India’s violent response to peaceful protests in Reasi, IIOJK lays bare the brutal truth behind its hollow claims of development.

Indian police unleashed brutal force on protesters opposing the Vaishno Devi Temple chairlift project in Katra, Reasi district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Several demonstrators were arrested in the violent crackdown.

Shopkeepers, hotel owners, and local businesses in Katra staged a large-scale protest and shut down their operations in defiance of the project. Their livelihoods, dependent on pilgrim traffic, hang in the balance.

As the demonstrators gathered, police intervened aggressively. What began as a peaceful protest erupted into chaos as Indian forces resorted to lathicharge, inflicting injuries and dragging protesters into custody.

The Chatra Sangharsh Samiti responded by announcing a 72-hour strike. The Samiti’s spokesperson warned that the project threatens to decimate local businesses, plunging the region’s fragile economy into deeper uncertainty.

The administration’s unilateral decision to impose the chairlift project, bypassing local voices, has ignited widespread anger. Residents argue that the project caters to government interests while crushing the economic fabric of the local community.

Protesters fear that this initiative will siphon off pilgrim traffic, cutting off vital revenue streams that sustain countless families. The betrayal by the authorities is seen as yet another attack on Kashmiri rights and autonomy.

Katra’s unrest is a glaring example of the larger oppression gripping IIOJK. India’s relentless pursuit of infrastructure projects often disregards the local population’s needs and tramples on their rights.

This crackdown further exposes India’s manufactured narrative of normalcy. Peaceful dissent is met with police batons and mass arrests, painting a grim picture of repression disguised as progress.

The Modi regime’s obsession with controlling IIOJK at any cost continues to strip Kashmiris of agency, voice, and economic freedom. India’s suppression of protests not only violates basic human rights but reinforces its colonial stranglehold over the region.

The international community must break its silence. India’s violent crackdown in Katra is not an isolated incident but part of a broader campaign to crush resistance and enforce its will through brute force.

IIOJK’s struggle for justice is far from over. The people’s resilience remains unwavering, even as India’s iron grip tightens. It is time for the world to acknowledge and challenge the brutal reality unfolding in IIOJK.

Katra’s protests send a clear message – the people will not stand idle as their rights and livelihoods are trampled under the weight of oppressive policies.