Coronavirus and Kashmir lockdown

The novel coronavirus, which has been declared as a ‘pandemic’ by the World Health Organization (WHO), has brought the world’s superpower to their knees. Life in the United States, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia and many other influential countries has become bleak. Shortage of food items has been reported in countries like America and Canada amid the coronavirus outbreak. Italy has been lockdown for almost 6 days and Spain has also imposed an unprecedented lockdown.

Where the whole world is currently troubled by an outbreak, subsequently, Indian-held Kashmir has been facing a barbaric lockdown for the past seven months which was imposed by the Modi-led Indian government since August 5, 2019.

People who have been quarantined for few days to save their lives are forced to live alone and isolated. A similar situation is prevalent in Kashmir; people have been facing Indian atrocities for 72 years and have been confined in their homes for the last seven months. The only difference between these two isolations is that the people who are quarantined are being facilitated with all the requirements, whereas, Kashmiris are barred from facilities.

Communication has been cut and the people of Kashmir have been disconnected from all over the world; they lack food and medical facilities, prayer meetings are forbidden, and no one is bothered about the problems faced by them. The whole world has shut its eyes upon the worst atrocities being carried out on Kashmiris. Now Kashmiris are asking the world how they feel when being forced to live the same confined lives due to COVID19.

Outbreaks are mentioned in celestial books of all religions, perhaps the silence of the world has invited the new outbreak. Today, the whole world is isolated due to an invisible enemy coronavirus, but the courage of Kashmiris who have been oppressed for 72 years is truly praiseworthy; they preferred to sacrifice their lives and remain steadfast but refused to bend their knees and bow before a tyrant. 

Even today, Indian forces have continued their burutal torture and atrocities on the innocent people of Kashmir. The honour of women are trampled, teenagers are killed, but the rulers around the world are ignoring the biggest violation of human rights due to their personal interests.

It is imperative that the UN, the Security Council, OIC and the other international organisations should take stern steps to resolve the Kashmir dispute instead of giving unreasonable statements. The whole world should speak up against oppression and social wrongs. The coronavirus is just a reminder to the world- you too can be confined.