Modi regime has launched cultural assault to erase Muslim identity of IIOJK

Srinagar: The Narendra Modi-led Indian fascist government, driven by a Hindutva mindset, has launched a full-fledged cultural offensive in Indian Illegal Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) by changing the names of historical places and institutions as part of its efforts to reshape the history of the territory.

The Modi regime is hell-bent on erasing the Muslim identity of occupied Kashmir and for this purpose it has taken many initiatives to build Hindu temples, change the transcript of the Kashmiri language, obscure its history, link it with the Muslim world and change names of important places.

The Modi government installed puppet regime in the occupied territory has approved the naming of dozens of infrastructure assets, like schools, roads, bridges, and sports stadiums, after the Indian army. This renaming of schools, colleges, roads, and buildings in IIOJK is similar to what the BJP has been doing in the rest of India since 2014. This move by the Modi regime signifies not just structural changes but the rewriting of a collective memory and damaging Kashmir’s Muslim identity.

The people of IIOJK have endured severe suppression at the hands of the Indian forces since their invasion on October 27, 1947, with the situation getting worse after the revocation of Kashmir’s special status on August 5, 2019 by the Modi regime. Currently, nearly one million Indian troops are present in IIOJK, leading to concerns about demographic change to convert the Muslim majority into a minority.

Despite the changing names and shifting identities, the Kashmiris’ spirit remains unbroken. The Kashmiri people are determined to preserve their unique identity and resist the Indian onslaught. The people of Kashmir remain steadfast in their resolve to hold onto their roots and safeguard their identity.

For the last almost 76 years unarmed and innocent Kashmiris have been looking towards the international community and human rights advocates, particularly the UN, to play their due role in implementing the resolutions passed by the Security Council in securing the legitimate right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.