US House resolution on Kashmir

Four months have passed since India imposed a crippling curfew and communication blackout in occupied Kashmir. The innocent people of the restive valley seem to have been forsaken and will spend the chilly winter completely isolated from the outside world.

There have been some concerns in Washington as a bipartisan resolution has been introduced in the US House of Representatives asking India to end the restrictions on communication and mass detentions in occupied Kashmir as soon as possible. The resolution was passed by Indian-origin Democrat congresswoman Pramila Jayapal- a human rights activist- and Republican lawmaker Steve Watkins.

If the resolution is moved and taken up for discussion, it will be a historic moment, as India will face the heat in the US Congress. The resolution condemns India for the arbitrary detentions. Many political leaders including three former chief ministers of Indian-held Kashmir – Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti – still remain under detention.

The resolution also condemns the excessive use of force against civilians, suppression of peaceful dissent, and the actions of security agencies which do not adhere to recongnised human rights. It also urges India to lift the restrictions on communication and restore internet as swiftly as possible. The Indian administration has blocked internet and even cellular services on flimsy reasons.

India has been urged to allow international human right observers and independent journalists to access the region and operate freely without any threats or intimidation. It is unlikely the Indian government will budge to this demand. It has prevented its own politicians including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and US lawmakers from visiting the area, while even local journalists are not being permitted in for coverage. The only visit was a sponsored excursion of far-right European lawmakers.

The resolution is a reminder to India that all people have basic human rights including freedom to opinion and expression, and the right to freely practice their religion. Despite being hailed as the world’s largest democracy, the racist Hindutva government in India is slowly corroding secular values and the fabric of a pluralistic society.

The US House of Representatives is dominated by Democrats extremely critical of Indian’s restrictions in Kashmir. The Indian government has been lobbying hard to ensure that the resolution is not passed in the Congress. Truth cannot be suppressed for long and even hearings on the Kashmir dispute will raise the issue. India should take measures to safeguard life, security and restore peace in the region, rather than lobbying to get its fascist ideology accepted.