Weaponising Law for Demographic Invasion in IIOJK: Legitimising Occupation

India’s actions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) are neither routine administrative changes nor simple constitutional adjustments; they are a calculated abuse of legal authority to tighten an unlawful occupation. The Modi government has weaponised legislative power, replacing binding international commitments with self-serving local laws designed to secure permanent control over the territory.

August 5, 2019: Constitutional Overturn

The steps taken on August 5, 2019, were a direct and deliberate assault on the constitutional and political identity of IIOJK. The scrapping of Article 370 and Article 35A dismantled the region’s special status, in open defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements with Pakistan.

This unilateral act was not governance; it was an aggressive bid to forcibly alter the status of a recognised disputed territory through legal coercion.

Courts as a Political Tool

Instead of protecting rights, the Indian judiciary has openly aided this political project. By endorsing the abrogation and ignoring its blatant breach of international law, the courts have provided legal sanction to measures that trample democratic principles.

An institution meant to uphold justice has been reduced to an obedient arm of the executive.

Legal Cover for Demographic Change

Post-August 2019 laws have been crafted to reshape the demographic character of IIOJK. Amendments to land ownership rules allow outsiders to acquire property, while new domicile laws hand out residency rights to non-locals.

These are not harmless reforms; they are deliberate tools to dilute the Muslim majority and erode the political voice of the indigenous people.

Cultural and Religious Identity Under Attack

Alongside political and demographic engineering, India is systematically targeting the culture and faith of Kashmiri Muslims. The sidelining of Urdu, the imposition of Hindi in official work, and the weakening of Islamic institutions reveal a calculated agenda to erase the region’s unique identity.

This is no accident; it is a state-driven campaign of cultural domination.

Economic Disadvantage as Policy

Economic strangulation forms a core part of this policy. IIOJK’s resources are being handed over to corporate allies of India’s ruling elite. Outsiders increasingly take local jobs, displacing Kashmiri workers.

Traditional means of livelihood are being dismantled, fostering dependence and weakening economic self-reliance. These measures function as collective punishment aimed at breaking resistance.

State-Sponsored Settlement

The settlement of outsiders in IIOJK is not ordinary migration; it is a state-sponsored demographic project. By exploiting legal provisions, India is pushing a settler-colonial agenda under the deceptive guise of constitutional reform.

This brazenly violates the Fourth Geneva Convention and the basic tenets of international humanitarian law.

Population Change as Political Plan

The demographic transformation of IIOJK is a calculated strategy to undermine the right to self-determination. By shifting the population balance, India seeks to render any future plebiscite meaningless.

These steps directly flout United Nations guarantees and expose New Delhi’s fear of an impartial and democratic verdict.

Breaking International and Bilateral Promises

The revocation of Article 370 was not a mere internal decision; it was a flagrant breach of obligations under the UN Charter and the Simla Agreement. By acting unilaterally, India has discarded the principle of negotiated settlement and displayed open contempt for international norms.

Such behaviour stands in stark contrast to its self-proclaimed image of a law-abiding state.

IIOJK: Still a Disputed Issue

No matter how many laws are passed in New Delhi or how much administrative restructuring is imposed, IIOJK remains a disputed territory under international law. The people have never accepted Indian rule and continue to resist through political and civic means.

The legal status of the territory can only be decided under United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Law to Hide Repression

India’s legal manoeuvres aim to disguise occupation as lawful governance. By dressing repression in constitutional language, New Delhi tries to portray injustice as reform.

This is not the fair application of law; it is its calculated misuse to deny a people their fundamental rights. The world must recognise this as a dangerous precedent that undermines the global legal order.

The World’s Duty to Act

To remain silent in the face of these violations is to side with the oppressor. Each day without accountability strengthens the occupation and accelerates demographic changes that may soon be irreversible.

The United Nations, human rights groups, and states claiming to uphold justice cannot keep silent without exposing their own hypocrisy.

Conclusion: Law Cannot Justify Injustice

Since August 2019, the Modi government has used the façade of legality to strip the people of IIOJK of their rights. These moves are not development, not integration, and not reform; they are the deliberate dismantling of political autonomy, cultural heritage, and economic independence.

No law can crush the will of a people to decide their own future. No legal device can turn occupation into legitimacy. The case of IIOJK is not simply a regional dispute; it is a test of whether the international community will choose justice over convenience.

In this test, silence strengthens the oppressor and betrays the oppressed. The people of IIOJK cannot be erased from history, and their demand for freedom cannot be extinguished by the force of law.