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Online Desk: India has intensified restrictions across Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in the lead-up to its Republic Day, further compounding the daily struggles of the territory’s residents.
Heightened military presence, expanded checkpoints, and intensified searches have transformed the occupied territory into a heavily fortified zone.
These measures have deepened the atmosphere of repression, leaving the Kashmiri people to endure severe movement restrictions and escalating hardships. For the people of IIOJK, January 26 is not a day of celebration but one of mourning, as the so-called security measures bring more curbs, more suffering, and a stark reminder of their denied freedoms. Local residents report severe movement restrictions, with many describing the heavy-handed measures as an effort to enforce submission through fear.
Observers note that while India celebrates its Republic Day, claiming to uphold democracy and freedom, its actions in occupied Jammu and Kashmir tell a different story. Kashmiris continue to live under military occupation, stripped of their democratic rights and basic freedoms.
The Modi regime’s policies have deepened the state of fear and oppression, leaving the aspirations of the Kashmiri people ignored and suppressed. India’s Republic Day celebrations ring hollow for the people of IIOJK, who are reminded of their unfulfilled right to self-determination. Activists argue that India has no moral grounds to celebrate democracy while denying it to Kashmiris.
The ongoing measures before January 26 only serve to highlight the repressive nature of India’s occupation, where peace is replaced by militarization and democracy is overshadowed by authoritarianism. Kashmiri activists have called on the international community to take urgent notice of the worsening situation in the occupied territory. They emphasize that India’s actions in IIOJK undermine the very principles it seeks to celebrate on its Republic Day. For the people of Kashmir, January 26 stands as a grim reminder of occupation and oppression, not freedom or festivity.
