Online Desk: Kashmir, under Indian occupation, has largely slipped from the global agenda since Narendra Modi, India’s hardline Hindu nationalist leader, was elevated to the status of a Western ally. Despite the substantial presence of Indian forces and severe restrictions on movement and communication, New Delhi continues to depict the resistance movement in the valley as terrorism, using this narrative to justify an even tighter grip on the region.
This year alone, India has claimed at least five attacks, attributing them to what it describes as a new wave of ‘insurgency’ in the occupied territory, which Modi is determined to fully integrate into the country, against the will of its people.
Experts monitoring Modi’s Hindu-nationalist network and his unprecedented ascent in Indian politics have consistently noted that the Indian prime minister secures political gains by projecting a negative image of Muslims nationwide, particularly by labelling IIOJK’s struggle for freedom as a terrorist movement backed by Pakistan. His ultra-Hindu nationalist supporters readily embrace this narrative. Modi’s rhetoric has escalated recently. Since October 7, experts note, he has increasingly amplified the threat of terrorism in IIOJK, drawing parallels between the freedom movement and terrorism, much like Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to Hamas.
“There are clear parallels between Prime Minister Modi’s policies in Kashmir and those of Netanyahu in Gaza. Both leaders have attempted to frame resistance movements as acts of terrorism to justify extreme military actions,” explained Raza Bukhari.
By labelling the Kashmiri freedom movement as terrorism, he said, Modi seeks to create a pretext for even more aggressive military operations in the region, similar to the military campaigns witnessed in Gaza. “Just as Israel has used accusations of terrorism to justify its actions against the Palestinian people, the Indian government is trying to do the same in Kashmir,” he added.
When asked to comment on Modi’s strategy, Wizarat remarked, “The fact that Netanyahu has been able to defy all international norms and bulldoze Gaza allows Modi to believe he can do the same in Kashmir and get away with it.” Muslim nations, including Pakistan, she argued, have a responsibility to support the Kashmiri cause and take all necessary measures to liberate the territory from Indian oppression.
