Gawkadal massacre (JR207)

Gawkadal massacre (JR207)

Background: The Gawkadal massacre was named after the Gawkadal bridge in Srinagar, Kashmir, where, on 21 January 1990, the Indian paramilitary troops of the Central Reserve Police Force opened fire on a group of Kashmiri protesters in what has been described by some authors as "the worst massacre in Kashmiri history" along with the Bijbehara Massacre in 1993  At least 160 people were killed (according to survivors, the actual death toll may have been as high as 280) The massacre happened just a day after the Government of India appointed Jagmohan as the Governor for a second time in a bid to control the mass protests by Kashmiris.

Incident: Violence erupted in the Kashmir region of India Jammu and Kashmir in November 1989, though unrest had been building in the state since the 1987 elections, which some believed were rigged by the Indian government and the National Conference to ensure the defeat of a coalition of pro-independence and pro-autonomy parties.  Following the December, 1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of Indian Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and in wake of militancy forcing Kashmiri Hindu families to migrate,  government decided to take a harder stance against the separatist rebellion. To that end, despite fierce opposition from the state government, New Delhi appointed Jagmohan, a known forceful administrator, governor of the state. As a result, the state government, then led by Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah resigned in protest, and the state went under President's rule.  On 19 January 1990, the night Jagmohan was appointed governor, Indian security forces conducted extensive house-to-house searches in Siringar in an effort to find illegal weapons and root out any hidden militants.  Hundreds of people were arrested. Both Jagmohan and Abdullah deny any involvement in the decision to carry out the raid

Aftermath: As word of the raids spread the next morning (20 January 1990), thousands of Kashmiris took to the streets in protest, demanding independence. Jagmohan responded by putting the city under curfew. That evening, a large group of protesters shouting pro-independence slogans, reached Srinagar's wooden Gawkadal Bridge. According to the J & K police, on approaching the wooden bridge a large crowd of demonstrators started pelting stones, after which the security forces fired on the crowd, leading to the death of several protestors  Indian authorities put the official death toll for the massacre at 28  International human rights organisations and scholars estimate that at least 50, and likely over 100 protesters were killed—some by gunshot wounds, other by drowning after they jumped into the river in fear.  

In the aftermath of the massacre, more demonstrations followed, and in January 1990, Indian paramilitary forces are believed to have killed around 300 protesters.  As a Human Rights Watch stated in a report from May, 1991, "In the weeks that followed [the Gawakadal massacre] as security forces fired on crowds of marchers and as militants intensified their attacks against the police and those suspected of aiding them, Kashmir’s civil war began in earnest. 

Justice: No known action was ever taken against the CRPF forces officials responsible for the massacre, or against the officers present at Gawkadal that night. No government investigation was ever ordered into the incident. Fifteen years later, the police case was closed and those involved in the massacre were declared untraceable. No challan has been produced against any person in court.  Police registered the FIR (No.3/90) at the Kralkhud police station. It was registered against an atrocious ‘mob’. Nothing was written against the action of the CRPF and the police. The case stands closed and the culprits are untraceable.

Eye witness account: For Muhammad Farooq Wani, 61—the lone survivor of the Gaw Kadal massacre of January 21, 1990—the anniversary of the gory incident reopens his wounds.
“It was like hell,” Wani says, as he recalls the massacre in which 51 persons were killed when New Delhi had sent in Jagmohan as Governor of J&K to quell pro-freedom protests.
On January 20, 1990, the troopers of paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had barged into several houses in an old city locality called Chota Bazar and conducted wanton arrests besides molesting some women. Apprehending protests against the incident, the administration led by Jagmohan imposed restrictions in Srinagar on January 21, 1990 Wani was then working as Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) in the Public Health Engineering department. On the ill-fated day, there was water crisis in Old City and Wani’s immediate officer had instructed him to collect a curfew pass from Deputy Commissioner’s office here to visit the affected areas.

Wani was stopped by CRPF troopers near Jehangir Chowk and directed to take another route to the DC office. “As curfew was strictly imposed, I decided to go to my uncle’s home at Mandar Bagh and subsequently reach the DC office from there,” he told Greater Kashmir.
He says as he passed through the deserted lanes of Lal Chowk, he saw hundreds of people including women peacefully protesting at Gaw Kadal against the Chotta Bazar incident.
“The procession started to march towards Gaw Kadal (bridge) and I just tried to make my way through it. Suddenly, the CRPF troopers opened fire on the procession,” Wani recalls. “There were injured people all around. Sensing intentions of the CRPF troopers, I tried to jump into Chuntkul water channel from Gaw Kadal. Suddenly a man pushed me from behind. I remained in the bridge only while he jumped into Chuntkul,” he recalls.
Laying flat on Gaw Kadal, Wani witnessed the first massacre of Kashmiris, which is being remembered every year as the Gaw Kadal massacre.
“The injured were wreathing in pain and asking for water. It was horrible to see troopers laughing and kicking the injured. Suddenly, they started to pump bullets on heads of the injured persons, killing them instantly,” Wani said, as his face seethes in anger and eyes become moist. “I could see blood all around and hear last moans of death everywhere.”
Trapped among the bodies, Wani was yet to see the worst. In the melee, he says, a Kangri (traditional Kashmiri firepot) of a protestor, who was among the dead later, had broken. “My face started to burn as it touched hot ash and charcoal of the Kangri. I tried to roll my head to other side but unfortunately a trooper spotted me,” he says. “The trooper shouted ‘Sir Yeh Zinda Hai’ (Sir he is still alive) while pointing towards me among the bodies.” 
As a stein gun totting CRPF officer rushed toward Wani, he says he become nervous.
“He aimed his gun towards me and I pleaded ‘Sir, please don’t shoot, I am an officer on duty.’ But he came close and hit me on my face,” Wani says. “The officer told me ‘Yahan Pakistan Mangta Hai’ (Do you want Pakistan in Kashmir?). I thought he does not understand English. I told him ‘Bhagwaan ki Kasam Hai, Mujhe Goli Mat Maro, Mein Duty Pe Hoon (Please don’t shoot at me, I am on duty).”
Narrating this sequence, Wani pauses and abruptly starts again. “The officer indiscriminately opened fire on me. There was burning sensation on my back. I recited Kalima and remembered my family including two little daughters,” Wani says.
“I had received most of the bullets on my back and right arm and was gradually losing sensation,” he says.
Wani’s diminishing hope for survival got revived when three constables of Jammu and Kashmir police reached the spot.
“On seeing the bodies, the cops became emotional and anger against the massacre was palpable on their faces. However, the CRPF troopers fired in the air and slapped the cops, chasing them away from the spot,” he says.
With each passing second and blood oozing from his wounds, Wani was fast losing hope for survival. In the meantime, another CRPF officer reached the spot. “He spotted me alive and placed his gun on my head. He placed his finger on trigger and was about to fire but he was interrupted by the CRPF officer who had fired at me. ‘Goli Zaya Mat Karo, Isko Aisay Hi Marnay Do (Don’t waste your bullets. Let him die like this,” recounts Wani. “Before leaving he kicked my face very hard.”
For around half-an hour, Wani said all he could hear was thumping sound of troopers’ boots and chirping of birds. “Suddenly, CRPF brought a truck and started loading bodies in it. I pleaded with a trooper to place me in the truck with the bodies. He held my muffler and dragged me like an animal into the truck,” Wani says.
After travelling for some five minutes, the truck reached the Police Control Room here. Still in the vehicle, Wani says he “got a sort of energy” after hearing conservations around in Kashmiri. “Somebody lifted the tarpaulin from back side of the truck and started to unload the bodies. Finding me alive, a Kashmir policeman instantly called a doctor posted at PCR who declared that I had the chances of survival if I could be operated upon immediately,” he says.
Within few minutes, Wani was rushed to SMHS hospital where he was operated upon for around three hours under supervision of a team of doctors. “I had received 16 bullets mostly on my back. After operation, many people whom I even didn’t know, kissed and hugged me,” he says.
He vividly remembers a teenager who held his blood soaked shoes with his chest. “He stood beside me in the hospital. I told him to call my residence landline and tell my family that I will be home next day. However, he could not control his emotions and told my sister about the incident. She had fainted and then he narrated the incident to my wife. She rushed to the hospital,” he says.
Wani was later shifted to Bone and Joints Hospital and admitted in a separate post operative room. He says a team of international journalists led by Mark Tully came to Srinagar to interact with survivors of the massacre. “Dr Farooq Ahmad Ashai introduced these journalists to me as I could speak in English. The team wept after hearing my ordeal and reported it in various international newspapers and magazines,” he says.
Though official figures put the number of fatalities at 21, human rights groups say 51 persons were killed in the massacre.
Police in FIR no 3/90 registered at Kralkhud Police Station under RPC 307, 148, 149, 188 and 153 stated that the CRPF troopers had opened fire to stop “unruly mob raising anti-India and anti-forces slogans” heading towards Lal Chowk at Gaw Kadal.
24 years down the line since the incident, Wani has served on various posts including Managing Director JK Cements and Chief Engineer (PWD) 
“It is painful that the accused CRPF troopers are yet to be punished. It is ironical that police has till date not even recorded my statement despite being the lone survivor of the massacre. I am ready to testify against the accused even now,” he says.
Wani says he was offered reward for bravery by Hamid-ul-lah Khan, advisor to then Governor Jagmohan. “I told him I don’t need any reward but I only want punishment to the accused troopers who fired upon and killed unarmed protestors,” he says. “This will be the biggest tribute to the victims,” he says, taking a deep breath.

Kashmir and ICC (JR 206)

Kashmir and ICC (JR 206)

1.       ICC: ICC The Kashmiri Diaspora or just like Ghana and Argentina and all together 56 countries have gone to ICC on the  Rohingya issue. Either option would work

2.       Kurile Dispute and its relevance to Kashmir: The Second World War left behind many problems inherited from history, not least in Asia in respect of multiple disputed territories. One of them concerns four islands in the Kurile chain that are claimed by Japan but occupied by Russia as successor state of the Soviet Union. Despite the passage of over 70 years, this dispute has defied solution and prevented the conclusion of a Russo-Japanese peace treaty to draw a final curtain over the detritus of the war. The Kuriles are an archipelago of some 56 islands spanning about 1,800 km from Japan’s Hokkaido to Russia’s Kamchatka. All of them are under Russian jurisdiction but Japan claims the two large southernmost islands, Etorofu and Kunashiri, and two others, Shikotan and Habomai, as its ‘northern territories’. These islands were occupied by the Soviet Union in August 1945, after which the entire Japanese population, numbering less than 20,000, was evicted. The islands are now populated by the various ethnic groups of the former Soviet Union, but only eight of them are actually inhabited. Mr. Abe’s wish to engage with Russia stems from the rapid rise of China, which spends three times more on defence than Japan, and the perceived threat from North Korea, which recently fired two ballistic missiles over Japan as a taunt to the U.S. Russia is now seen in Japan as the lesser enemy, and improving relations with Moscow might drive a wedge in the growing quasi-alliance between Russia and China, a break-up desired by the U.S.-led Western alliance. Tokyo notes that the Russian far east is endowed with plentiful natural resources which are in need of investments, but is hampered by a small population, whereas China has 100 million citizens along that shared land border. Japan has no territorial or demographic ambitions in Russia other than the Kuriles, and has the capacity to transform the vast contiguous areas of Russia. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that both Japan and Russia see merit in pursuing greater collaboration  At Vladivostok last September, Mr. Abe declared that Japan-Russia relations held “unlimited potential” and that the absence of a peace treaty was “an abnormal state of affairs”. Mr. Putin agreed, noting that the Russian and Japanese militaries had cooperated for the first time, and urged the immediate conclusion of a peace treaty without preconditions. Japan demurred on the grounds that the Kurile islands dispute had to be settled first before the issue was foreclosed. Nonetheless, Mr. Abe stated that “Japan-Russia relations are advancing at a degree never seen before.” The interactions between Japan and Russia probably hold scant interest for the Indian public. Nevertheless, although no two international problems are analogous, there are important lessons to be drawn from the manner in which traditionally hostile neighbours can identify common interests and explore unorthodox avenues along which to proceed in search of innovative solutions to apparently insoluble disputes. This requires strong leadership and a bold imagination. Neither India nor Pakistan lacks either attribute. Kashmir is essentially a territorial dispute of almost equal vintage as the Kuriles. But if both sides keep waiting for the most propitious time to make the first move, it will never come about.

3.      ICJ on right of self determination (Chagos): Mar, 4, 2019: The International Court of Justice has given a near-unanimous opinion that the separation in 1965 of the Chagos archipelago from the then British colony of Mauritius was contrary to the right of self determination, and that accordingly the de-colonization of Mauritius by the United Kingdom had not been in accordance with international law. The ICJ held that Britain’s continued administration of the archipelago was an internationally wrongful act, which should cease as soon as possible. The Chagos Archipelago consists of a number of islands and atolls in the Indian Ocean. The largest island is Diego Garcia, which accounts for more than half of the archipelago’s total land area. Mauritius is located about 2,200 km south-west of the Chagos archipelago. Between 1814 and 1965, the Chagos archipelago was administered by the United Kingdom as a dependency of the colony of Mauritius. In 1964, there were discussions between America and Britain regarding the use by the United States of certain British-owned islands in the Indian Ocean, in particular in establishing an American base on Diego Garcia. It was agreed that the United Kingdom would be responsible for acquiring land, resettling the population and providing compensation at its expense; and that Britain would assess the feasibility of the transfer of the administration of Diego Garcia and the other islands of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius.  The ICJ reviewed the various UK and ECHR cases brought by Chagossians seeking the right to return to the archipelago, and noted that:: To date, the Chagossians remain dispersed in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Mauritius and Seychelles. By virtue of United Kingdom law and judicial decisions of that country, they are not allowed to return to the Chagos Archipelago. The first substantive issue was to what extent was there a customary right in international law to self-determination in 1965-8. The ICJ noted the obligation (under Chapter XI of the UN Charter) for UN Member States administering territories with peoples without full self-government to develop the self-government of those peoples. The ICJ held that it followed that: the legal régime of non-self-governing territories, as set out in Chapter XI of the Charter, was based on the progressive development of their institutions so as to lead the populations concerned to exercise their right to self-determination. The adoption of UN resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, which affirmed that “[a]ll peoples have the right to self-determination” represented “a defining moment in the consolidation of State practice on decolonization “the General Assembly has a long and consistent record in seeking to bring colonialism to an end” rather than being about a resolution of a territorial dispute between two states. This evaded the inevitable consequence of its finding that decolonization process concerned was illegal, meaning that either the UK has no sovereignty over the archipelago, or it does have sovereignty but is obliged to hand over sovereignty to Mauritius. General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) clarifies the content and scope of the right to self-determination. The Court notes that the decolonization process accelerated in 1960, with 18 countries, including 17 in Africa, gaining independence. During the 1960s, the peoples of an additional 28 non-self-governing-territories exercised their right to self-determination and achieved independence. There was a “clear relationship between resolution 1514 (XV) and the process of decolonization following its adoption.” Accordingly, resolution 1514 (XV) indicated that self determination was a customary norm in international law.The ICJ went on to hold that both State practice and opinio juris at the relevant time confirm the customary law character of the right to territorial integrity of a non-self-governing territory as a corollary of the right to self-determination. It therefore followed that any detachment by the administering Power of part of a non-self-governing territory, unless based on the freely expressed and genuine will of the people of the territory concerned, is contrary to the right to self-determination.The second issue was whether the detachment of the Chagos archipelago had been done in accordance with international law. The ICJ held that at the time of its detachment from Mauritius in 1965, the Chagos Archipelago was clearly an integral part of that non-self-governing territory. The ICJ considered the background to the agreement of the Mauritius Council of Ministers in 1965 to that detachment and held that it is not possible to talk of an international agreement, when one of the parties to it, Mauritius, which is said to have ceded the territory to the United Kingdom, was under the authority of the latter. So heightened scrutiny should be given to the issue of consent in a situation where a part of a non-self-governing territory is separated to create a new colony. The Court considered that this detachment was not based on the free and genuine expression of the will of the people concerned.Hence, the United Kingdom was obliged under international law as at 1965 to respect the territorial integrity of its colonies, and accordingly, as a result of the Chagos Archipelago’s unlawful detachment and its incorporation into a new colony, known as the BIOT, the process of decolonization of Mauritius was not lawfully completed when Mauritius acceded to independence in 1968. With respect to the third substantive issue, the ICJ in short order held that The Court having found that the decolonization of Mauritius was not conducted in a manner consistent with the right of peoples to self-determination, it follows that the United Kingdom’s continued administration of the Chagos Archipelago constitutes a wrongful act entailing the international responsibility of that State… Accordingly, the United Kingdom is under an obligation to bring an end to its administration of the Chagos Archipelago as rapidly as possible, thereby enabling Mauritius to complete the decolonization of its territory in a manner consistent with the right of peoples to self-determination. This has implications for Indian Occupied Kashmir .Wonder if Pakistan will take up this issue

Are Indian Nukes in Unsafe Hands? By Sajjad Shaukat (JR202S69

Are Indian Nukes in Unsafe Hands? By Sajjad Shaukat (JR202S69

                                              

In the recent years, various conferences and seminars have been held regarding the security of nuclear weapons and radioactive materials, as the participant countries were worried that terrorist outfits like the Islamic State group (Also known as Daesh, ISIS and ISIL) may get these fatal weapons and can use against a state actor or any country to create misunderstanding, which may culminate into an atomic war.

In this regard, the US former President Barack Obama had hosted the fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on March 31, 2016 to check the spread of nuclear weapons, showing concerns about the ambitions of terrorist groups such as the ISIS in acquiring a nuclear weapon or radioactive materials.

In this respect, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is organizing the third International Conference on Nuclear Security: Sustaining and Strengthening Efforts (ICONS 2020) at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, from 10 to 14 February 2020. The previous conference, held in 2016, attracted over 2000 participants, including 47 government ministers, from 139 Member States and 29 intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The conference provides a forum to formulate and exchange views for nuclear security.

It is notable that in its report, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) disclosed on June 18, 2018 that estimated 110-130 Indian nuclear bombs are stored in six or so government–run sites across India. Within the next five years to one decade, as many as 60 reactors will also be functional in India with the active cooperation of the US led Western and far eastern allies.

In the past, several incidents of leakage and theft in addition to alarming episodes of lax security on existing nuclear sites in view of a history of civil tumult have occurred in India. India is notorious for highly lax security of its nuclear facilities. The episode of October 8, 2014 at Kalpakkam, when a soldier of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) responsible for protecting nuclear materials, went on a rampage to destroy the security of the facility leading to nuclear material theft by criminals.

Indian media reported on July 5, last year that the Kolkata police have arrested five men with 1 kg of uranium valued at around Rs. 3 crores ($440,000).

The Times of India elaborated that the men had come to Kolkata in the state of West Bengal to try to sell the substance. Police were quoted as saying that two packets of a “yellow-coloured substance” were seized.

By pursuing the double standards of America and some Western countries in its worst form, the US President Donald Trump has favoured India, while opposing the nuclear weapons of Pakistan. Trump has brushed aside the ground realities that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi led by the ruling extremist party BJP has been implementing anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan agenda.

While, Indian past record proves various kinds of security and safety lapses regarding various nuclear plants and the related sensitive materials, including events of leakage, nuclear theft, smuggling and killing.

In November, 2009, more than 90 Indian workers suffered radiation due to contamination of drinking water at the Kaiga Atomic Power Station in Karnataka.

On July 27, 1991, a similar event occurred at the heavy water plant run by the Department of Atomic Energy at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan. Nuclear radiation had affected and injured many laborers there.

In July 1998, India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seized eight Kg. of nuclear material from three engineers in Chennai, which was stolen from an atomic research center.

On November 7, 2000, IAEA disclosed that Indian police had seized 57 pounds of uranium and arrested two men for illicit trafficking of radioactive material. IAEA had revealed that Indian civil nuclear facilities were vulnerable to thefts.

On January 26, 2003, CNN pointed out that Indian company, NEC Engineers Private Ltd. shipped 10 consignments to Iraq, containing highly sensitive equipments entailing titanium vessels and centrifugal pumps.

In December 2006, a container packed with radioactive material had been stolen from an Indian fortified research atomic facility near Mumbai.

In June 2009, India’s nuclear scientist, Lokanathan Mahalingam missed from the scenario and after a couple of days; his dead body was recovered from the Kali River. Indian police concocted a story that Mahalingam had committed suicide by jumping into the river. It is a big joke to hide some real facts behind his death because wisdom proves that if an educated person decides to commit suicide, he will definitely adopt a soft way to eliminate his life. Afterwards, Dr. Haleema Saadia said that death of the scientist was a conspiracy.

However, such events in connection with nuclear material continued unabated in India, putting the security of atomic weapons and their related components, including the lives of workers at high risk.

In this context, the more dangerous development is that in the start of November, 2019, international media pointed out cyber-attack on an India nuclear power plan.

In this connection, The Washington Post wrote on November 4, 2019: “The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has now confirmed that there was a cyberattack on the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu, India, in September. The nuclear power plant’s administrative network was breached in the attack…KKNPP plant officials had initially denied  suffering an attack…The KKNPP is the biggest nuclear power plant in India…VirusTotal, a virus scanning website owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has indicated  that a large amount of data from the KKNPP’s administrative network has been stolen. If this is true, subsequent attacks on the nuclear power plant could target its critical systems more effectively. Cyberattacks on nuclear power plants could have physical effects, especially if the network that runs the machines and software controlling the nuclear reactor are compromised. This can be used to facilitate sabotage, theft of nuclear materials, or—in the worst-case scenario—a reactor meltdown. In a densely populated country like India, any radiation release from a nuclear facility would be a major disaster”.

Nevertheless, it has raised serious questions and worries—hacking of India’s nuclear information and its repercussions for the world?—sensitive information now available to hackers in black market— is the world safe?—sitting on the edge of catastrophe—IAEA must look into command and control system of India, recommending an action against New Delhi.

It is noteworthy that during his first visit to New Delhi, on November 6, 2010. President Obama announced the measures, America would take regarding removal of Indian space and defence companies from a restricted “entities list”, and supported Indian demand membership of four key global nuclear nonproliferation regimes. Despite, Indian violations of various international agreements and its refusal to sign Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and Additional Protocol with the IAEA, Washington signed a pact of nuclear civil technology with New Delhi in 2008. During American President Obama’s second visit to India, on January 25, 2016, the US and India announced a breakthrough on the pact which would allow American companies to supply New Delhi with civilian nuclear technology.

Notably, America is a potential military supplier to India. US also pressurized IAEA and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to grant a waiver to New Delhi for obtaining civil nuclear trade on larger scale.

Although these atomic weapons or radioactive materials seem to be mysterious, yet still could be within the reach of some Hindu terrorists with the help of Indian RAW which might have also got these destructive arms from Israeli Mossad.

Sources suggest that with the disintegration of the Soviet Union, weapons of mass destruction or nuclear weapons and their components are easier to acquire. The fears are widespread that unemployed Russian scientists might have provided expertise material about these devices to some sovereign and non-sovereign entities. Hindu terrorists could also get these destructive weapons from Israel as strong Indo-Israeli lobbies are collectively working particularly in the US against the interests of Muslims by manipulating the war against terrorism. Such chemical and radiological materials could also be smuggled inside India by the Hindu fanatics. And they can also buy nuclear devices covertly from the global black market.

Frustrated in isolating Islamabad, RAW in connivance with Mossad might have also prepared a most dangerous plan to use nuclear weapons or dirty nuclear bombs inside the US homeland or any major European country to implicate Pakistan for having allegedly used these weapons through some Taliban militants.

Particularly, RAW and Mossad may also employ these fatal weapons against NATO forces in Afghanistan, as India and Israel want to prolong the stay of the US-led NATO troops in Afghanistan which has become the center of their covert activities against Pakistan, Russia, China and Iran. Terrorists of the ISIS which are strategic assets of the CIA may be used by RAW and Mossad for employment of these unconventional weapons. While, India, Israel and America are also playing double game against one another, hence, by utilizing the vicious circle of terrorism, New Delhi can alone use these weapons through Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS which are also being backed by RAW, CIA and Mossad, and have claimed responsibility for several terror assaults inside Pakistan and Afghanistan, including the recent ones. So, RAW’s sole aim will be to provoke Americans and its allies against Islamabad which is challenging Indian hegemony in the region. Thus, RAW could create a dangerous misunderstanding in which US could use small nuclear weapons against Pakistan or could ask the latter of rollback its atomic programme.

At present, almost 100 have been passed. Indian forces have continued military clampdown in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). On August 5, 2019, New Delhi unilaterally annexed the IOK, revoking articles 35A and 370 of the Constitution which gave a special status to Kashmir. While, Indian extremist rulers are also escalating tensions with Pakistan to divert attention from the drastic situation of the Indian Held Kashmir, and without bothering for anomic war, their forces have continued shelling inside Pakistani side of Kashmir by violating the ceasefire agreement in relation to the Line of Control (LoC).

As regards Modi’s victory in the elections 2019, analysts opined, “Modi’s election win is a victory for far right Hindu nationalism…India’s secular democracy is under threat…BJP’s record in 2015-2019 has been divisive to say the least. The party has marginalised religious minorities, especially Muslims, from public life with many; as a result, being lynched by Hindu nationalists in the name of cow protection…Jingoism and Islamophobia have propelled the BJP to an even stronger showing than in 2014. A Modi victory puts India’s 200 million Muslims in danger…Modi is part of the large Hindu supremacist family…In his home state of Odisha, he furthered India’s sectarian divide, pushed the idea of Hindu supremacy and with that, violence against Muslims, Christians and other minorities…Modi is radicalising Muslims.”

Undoubtedly, we can conclude that Indian insecure nuclear programme is threatening regional and global peace. Therefore, world’s various forums such as EU, UNO and especially IAEA should take cognizance of New Delhi in this regard.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Indian Deep State Attempts Against Sikh Community By Sajjad Shaukat JR201S68

Indian Deep State Attempts Against Sikh Community By Sajjad Shaukat JR201S68

Indian deep state seems to be scared of increasing activities of Sikhs community. To neutralize the growing activities of the community, an orchestrated campaign is under way to term these activities as Pakistan sponsored. Recently, Chief Minister of Indian Punjab Capt (R) Amarinder Singh has alleged that Pakistan dropped weapons inside Indian Punjab through drones for Sikh terror groups, operating in Indian Punjab. Earlier, Indian media in coalition with the Indian deep state had been raising doubts and questions over “Kartarpur Corridor” also by creating hurdles on “Karatarpur Corridor” in the similar vein.

In another attempt, New Delhi exploited the issue and statement of an ex-Sikh leader namely Baldev Kumar to the optimum to malign Islamabad.  Baldev Kumar was acquitted in the murder case of local Sikh leader namely Soran Singh, but the family of the victim still accuses him as murderer. Baldev Kumar was enticed by Indian intelligence agencies to give statement against Pakistan. Tilak Kumar (brother of Baldev Kumar) during a press conference in Swat also refuted allegations, leveled by his brother and felt that Baldev Kumar was coerced by Indian authorities to issue statements, implicating Pakistan.

In fact, the allegations seem part of a grand plan of Indian deep state which has also tried to divert attention from India’s’ moves and reaction of the world leaders and media from the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), as now, New Delhi is expanding the sinister scheme to Punjab to neutralize Sikh resistance and worldwide Sikh activities exposing/negating India.

In this regard, Indian extremist Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government ended special status of the Jummu and Kashmir on August 5, this year, while scrapping articles 35A and 370 of the Constitution in a malevolent attempt to turn Muslim majority into minority in the Indian Held Kashmir. Indian forces have continued lockdown and curfew in the IOK and also martyred more than 100 individuals and injured more than 500 persons through pallet-guns and various kinds of torture. More than 15000 people have been arrested and many are missing. Despite the deployment of 900,000 troops and intensification of firing by the Indian forces in wake of shortage of foods and even medicines for the patients, innocent Kashmiris are still violating the curfew by protesting against Indian illegal actions. And Indian fanatic rulers are also escalating tensions with Pakistan so as to divert attention from the drastic situation of the IOK, and have continued shelling inside Pakistani side of Kashmir. In order to conceal India’s state terrorism, New Delhi has not allowed journalists to enter the Indian Held Kashmir which has been cut off from the world, as private mobile networks, internet services and telephone landlines cut.

In the aftermath of the August 5 developments, Sikhs have also shown solidarity with the Kashmiri people by participation in the processions and protest rallies, conducted in Pakistan and other Western countries.

It is notable that an intellectual group of Sikh resistance against India namely “Sikh For Justice’s (SFJ)” is organising Referendum 2020 campaign to inform the world about highhandedness of Hindus against Sikh community. India has also declared SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun as Pakistani-backed terrorist. To down play the Sikh activism, Indian officials and media continually harps smear campaigns against “Referendum 2020 campaign” by projecting it as a “pro-Pakistan” movement, but in reality, it is an indigenous pro-Sikh movement.

BJP legislatures have also passed a draconian law in shape of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to gag any dissenting voice, especially that of the Sikhs. As per report of the “Economic Times”, Indian media outlet quoted an unnamed senior Home Ministry official as saying that “those states which have a sizeable Sikh population and where the organisations like SFJ can play foul and try to brainwash Sikh community in favor of the Khalistan movement will be given focus through UAPA”. This new found approach unquestionably contradicts India’s claims of being the self-professed world’s largest democracy and proves that it’s becoming more of a prison of nations. Despite decades of continued protests, Sikhs are still labeled Hindus under article 25(2) (b) in the Indian constitution. To further demoralize them and remind them of their subjugation, the Sikhs in the Indian state are forced to get married under the Hindu marriage act.

It is mentionable that ‘Operation Blue Star’ was an Indian military operation which occurred between 3–8 June 1984, ordered by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to control over the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) complex, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs in Amritsar, Punjab, and to arrest Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the complex buildings. Bhindranwale had earlier taken residence in Harmandir Sahib and made it his headquarters in April 1980. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was the only leader who had boldly been fighting for the genuine rights of the Sikhs.

Indian Army led by General Kuldip Singh Brar, supported by troops and armoured vehicles broke all records of the state terrorism and extra-judicial killings through that barbaric operation.

At that time, there were only 251 Sikhs inside the complex to protect the Harmandir Sahib, and to resist the well-trained Indian army. In those days, majority of the Sikhs were coming to the temple-complex to celebrate Martyr Day of Guru Arjan Dev Ji.

On June 6, when all Sikh fighters were martyred along with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Indian troops entered the temple-complex with their shoes by deliberately ignoring the holiness of the place, showing utter indecency. When the Indian Army felt that only 251 men had prevented them from entering the Harmandir Sahib for so many days, they started killing innocent Sikhs who had come there to visit the temple.

In this connection, in their book, “The Sikh Struggle”, Ramnarain Kumar and George Sieberer writes, “The army killed every Sikh who could be found inside the temple-complex. They were hauled out of rooms, brought to corridors on the circumference of the temple and with their hands tied behind their back, were shot in cold blood. Among the victims were many old men, women and children.” However, all visitors were locked up in rooms for two days without any food, water, or electricity and were starved to death. Besides, the Harmandir Sahib remained under the army control for many months.”

The brutality of the ‘Operation Blue Star’ was not confined to the Harmandir Sahib. Indian armed forces simultaneously attacked 40 other historical gurdwaras all over East Punjab.

When Sikhs in other states came to know about the desecration of the Harmandir Sahib and massacre of their brethren, they quickly left for Punjab. New Delhi tried to stop them before they could reach Punjab. Many Sikhs were assassinated on the way and many others were arrested.

According to an estimate, about 50,000 Sikhs were killed within a few days. The whole Amritsar city was sealed and was burnt. A number of tourists either were murdered or arrested. Shops belonging to Sikhs were looted and their houses were set ablaze by Hindu mobs. In most of the cases, Sikh women were molested and some persons of their community were also burnt.

In the same year of November, two dedicated Sikhs named Beant Singh and Satwant Singh who were posted at Premier Indira Gandhi’s residence in New Delhi, assassinated her. Then Hindu riots erupted in the capital and other cities in which more than 15,000 Sikhs were murdered in broad daylight by the supporters of Indira Gandhi, while police watched silently so as to provide the Hindus with free hand to massacre Sikhs.

Nevertheless, the attack on the Harmandir Sahib and genocide of Sikhs accelerated the liberation movement for Khalistan as Bhindrenwale became a folk hero.

Meanwhile, after ‘Operation Blue Star’ and the Sikh genocide, Sikhs’ struggle for independence continued, but the Indian government made every effort to crush the same with the state machinery. To maintain its control over the Harmandir Sahib, another attack was launched on the Temple in 1987, called ‘Operation Black Thunder’.  

According to a report, many trucks were loaded with dead bodies and all were burned with kerosene oil. Afterwards, ‘Operation Woodrose’ and ‘Operation Black Thunder-II’ were conducted against the Sikh community, which also assassinated many of them extra-judicially.

After these barbaric operations, Sikhs organised themselves into an armed power in order to fight the Indian state terrorism. Many Sikhs left India to escape religious persecution. Sikhs have spread out all over the world to keep the movement of Khalistan alive. In this regard, their struggle is still going on.

In this context, Dr. Sangat Singh writes in his book, “The Sikhs in History”, remarks, “The Indian government has killed over 1 million to 1.2 million Sikhs since 1947. The only way to stop this state terrorism is to create a Khalistan state, where Sikhs and other religious people can enjoy their freedom.”

Notably, many Sikh victim families are still demanding and waiting for justice and relief as Indian Supreme court/commissions are still resorting to cosmetic hearings/proceedings of the cases filed by Sikh people in the same regard. 

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Behind Indian Anti-Pakistan Moves? By Sajjad Shaukat JR200SS67

Behind Indian Anti-Pakistan Moves?  By Sajjad Shaukat JR200SS67

More than 70 days have been passed. But, India has continued military clampdown and strict communications blackout in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) by continuing curfew. Tensions between India and Pakistan accelerated on August 5, this year, when New Delhi unilaterally annexed the IOK, revoking articles 35A and 370 of the Constitution which gave a special status to that region. Besides, from time to time, Indian extremist rulers are also escalating tensions with Pakistan by intensifying shelling inside Pakistani side of Kashmir.

In this regard, various anti-Pakistan moves are part of the Indian nefarious designs not only to divert attention from domestic issues, but also to destabilize Pakistan.

In this respect, some countries France, UK and especially India have been calling on Pakistan to take action against the terror groups to avoid ‘Dark Gray’ list status of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), they have long failed to do. Particularly, Indian media spreads disinformation that Pakistan may be put on ‘Dark Grey’ list, as Islamabad passed only 6 out of 27 items of FATF.

In fact, the Pakistani delegation is confident to avoid any new action by FATF, as it has support from China, Malaysia and Turkey. So far, even countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Saudi Arabia have supported Pakistan. As per official sources, Pakistan should be excluded from grey list and put into green or white list, as Islamabad has made impressive progress on at least 20 out of 27 of FATF action plan points. However, the official sources say that the FATF might maintain Pakistan’s grey-list status for an extended period of 6 to 12 months, but in such a scenario, there will be no new action plan. New Delhi is fuelling all false news as it has nothing to lose in the deal.

On the other side, Indian military and police continues arrests and detentions of the innocent Kashmiris. In this context, in the recent past, many women protesters, including the daughter and the sister of the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and wife of former Kashmir Chief Justice were detained in Srinagar during demonstrations against ending the state’s special status. The protesters included prominent women activists and leading academicians.

While, Indian extremist government led by the fanatic Prime Minister Narendra Modi is turning a blind eye to sane voices, emerging from inside India. Even, pro-India Kashmiri politicians are not being spared. The feel of betrayal by India is speedily bringing sympathy for Pakistan’s narrative in local Kashmiris. This struggle of Kashmiris is totally indigenous and fuelled by years of suppression by India. The resistance is gradually transforming in to a leader less civil disobedience which waits appropriate moment to rise against Indian aggression. Recent case of Apples being inscribed with pro-Pakistan and pro-Imran Khan slogans reflect the ground reality.

In this connection, Prominent Indian Muslim politician Asaduddin Owaisi has said Bharat is “not a Hindu Rashtra” and they will also not let it become so. His comments came after the extremist RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] chief Mohan Bhagwat recently stated that the Sangh is firm on its vision that “Bharat is a Hindu Rashtra”.

It is notable that secularism and world’s largest democracy were the two principle reasons India was respected around the world despite the fact that both slogans were not prevalent in their essence. Nevertheless, the slogans did served New Delhi well, till BJP assumed power few years back. BJP, the political face of RSS has gradually engulfed India and is tightening grip over the social mindset like an angry “Octopus”. The tolerance levels in Indian society are rapidly diminishing and Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) stands order of the day. Soon the trauma being faced by Kashmiris shall fall upon other minorities too. This is the fear which made Chief of Akal Takht, highest temporal seat of the Sikh community, who called for a ban on the RSS, saying that allowing it to operate freely would only “divide” the nation.

It is mentionable that in the Indian general elections of 2019, BJP and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won huge majority in the Lok Sabha, with the BJP sweeping up 303 seats on its own—21 seats more than it won in the 2014 elections. Across most of North and Central India, BJP candidates also won with bigger vote shares and wider victory margins than in 2014. Hindu majority was mobilized on ‘hate Muslim’ slogans and ‘anti-Pakistan’ jargons, while the incessant and unjust Indian propaganda against the Muslims and Pakistan was beyond anybody’s cognition, which still keeps on going. Indian Prime Minister Modi’s extremist party BJP had also got a land sliding triumph in the Indian elections 2014 on the basis of anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan slogans.

Since the leader of the ruling party BJP Modi became Prime Minister of India, various developments like unprecedented rise of Hindu extremism, persecution of minorities even of lower cast-Hindus, forced conversions of other religious minorities into Hindus, ban on beef and cow slaughter, inclusion of Hindu religious books in curriculum, creation of war-like situation with Pakistan etc. clearly show that encouraged by the Hindu fundamentalist outfits such as BJP, RSS VHP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena, including other similar parties have been promoting religious and ethnic chauvinism in India by propagating ideology of Hindutva. Particularly, assaults on Christians and Muslims, including their places of worships and property have been accelerated by the fanatic Hindu mobs.

Notably, in the aftermath of the elections 2019, news reports have highlighted different cases in which Dalits and especially Muslims were violently targeted for reasons as varied as allegedly possessing beef, protesting against caste-based discrimination or simply being Muslim. Particularly, various incidents of arrests, violent assaults and killings of the Muslims, including the persons of other religious communities by the Hindus have been recorded. Surprisingly, Indian police is also being used by the Indian rulers in this regard.

In the recent past, twelve people, including a minor, were arrested in Kerala for uploading and downloading videos and photographs related to child pornography. The raids, titled ‘Operation P-Hunt 3’, were conducted across the state and in 21 places from where police seized mobile phones, modems, hard disks, memory cards, laptops and desktops with pornographic videos and pictures of children. As many as 20 cases have been registered in the third round of raids. During the first two rounds of raids, 14 people were arrested (21 cases registered) in April and 12 men were held (16 cases filed) in June, 2019.

India has been declared most unsafe place for women by Thomas Reuters Foundation in a global survey. However, this trend is not new and despite the fact that rape is spread all over the country, it is also being used as weapon by Indian Police/Law-Enforcement Agencies and the powerful people. Hence, India is often mocked on social media by the title “Rapistan”, “GayHind” and “Rape Capital” of the world. This linked with intolerance existing in society is swiftly decaying Indian social fiber.

It is of particular attention that during an interview to CNN News 18, Taliban’s political spokesman Suhail Shaheen said that there is no military solution to the issue of Afghanistan. He further stated that the group was ready to talk to all Afghan sides—neighbours, including the Afghan government after signing a peace deal with the US.

New Delhi is feeling the pinch of Afghan peace deal which is on the cards. Because, the peace deal is likely to render Indian investments in Afghan intelligence setups, media incursions and proxy support against Pakistan ineffective. It will suit India, if Afghanistan does not move towards peace and keeps simmering. So, Taliban need to realize that a state that has sponsored, trained and propagated all anti-Taliban and anti-Pakistan elements such as Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), ISIS (Daesh) Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Afghanistan’s intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) to destabilize both Afghanistan and Pakistan. In order to obtain sinister designs, Indian secret agency RAW and NDS are in connivance and are assisting these outfits.

After reverses in Afghanistan and expected peace deal between the US and Taliban, PTM-anti-Pakistan group’s leadership will find their space squeezed on both sides of Pak-Afghan border. RAW and NDS are trying gimmicks and tricks in this losing battle and resurrection of PTM bogie is last ditch effort to save face.

However, in collaboration, RAW, NDS, TTP, Daesh and PTM are laying another ploy to revive a diminishing role. Besides, Taliban are working for an Islamic system, Modi government is leading anti-Muslim campaign within India. This hypocrisy is itself indicator of foul play which must not go unnoticed.

It is also of particular attention that a majority of the world’s leaders, Western media and human rights groups have been giving much coverage to India’s lockdown and Modi’s illegitimate moves by pointing out the sufferings of the Kashmiris. But, it is regrettable that instead of indicating solidarity with the plight of the Kashmir people to the maximum and showing selfless unity with the armed forces in wake of Indian war-like threat, the leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman who has support of Pakistan People’s Party, the Muslim League-Nawaz and some religious parties has started “Azadi March” (Freedom March) on October 27, this year. The workers of JUI-F are expected to converge on the capital Islamabad and will hold their sit-in to dislodge the federal government.

Nonetheless, anti-Pakistan moves of the PM Modi are part of a deliberate scheme against the Kashmiris, Muslims and Afghans in order to weaken these entities.