On alienation in Kashmir

Before proceeding, it should be noted that the nature of this article is rather normative than explanatory. A recent contribution to the scholarship on the political landscape of Indian Muslims is Prof. Mujibur Rehman’s book “Shikwa-e-Hind: The Political Future of Indian Muslims”. The book, as the title suggests, explores the political future of Muslims in India particularly in the context of the growing Hindu right in India. Drawing on some aspects of the book and other observations, this article aims to explore the political alienation in Kashmir.

Being one of the oldest conflicts that is registered with the United Nations, much has been said and written about Kashmir. Shikwa-e-Hind also briefly discusses the Kashmir issue. In the book, the author talks of a lack of seriousness among the Indian leaders in solving the issue, and the relationship between Kashmiri and Indian Muslims, while demarcating between the two. The author asserts that there has been a rise of BJP’s foothold in Kashmir and wonders how the Hindu nationalist party will administer the region in the future, that is, through the centre or the state directly. The book also highlights the key issue in Kashmir –  the political alienation of the people. The lack of seriousness from the Indian leaders, along with stripping people of their democratic rights has furthered this sense of alienation among the people.

Commenting on the abrogation of Article 370, Amnesty International also highlighted the issue of alienation of Kashmiris from politics. The abrogation of the article, which guaranteed special autonomy to the region in the Indian Union, happened when the region had no elected government. This amounted to imposition of politics and a state of disenfranchisement, stemming from people’s inability to participate in decisions that impacted them, fell over the populace.

Kashmiri Muslims have suffered much more than the Muslims in the other states of India. Kashmiris hold no authority to decide what is suitable for them and laws that they had no say in framing are imposed on them, which has thrown them in a sort of identity crisis. The “shikwa” of Kashmiris, while they remain the most traumatized among the Muslims in India, having lost both property and life to a conflict that’s been going on for decades, needs more attention than is being given to it by the Indian elite, and in a way which is acceptable to the people of Kashmir.

Prof. Rehman rightly states in the book:

“Only when the political future is ensured will Indian Muslims be empowered to bargain and negotiate their economic or cultural future. The systematic weakening of the political future would cause Indian Muslims to gravitate towards destitution, a permanent state of misery, a life of no rights, and endless persecution. An attempt is being made to make Muslims and secular citizens aware that politics matter because political power matters.”

However, the author doesn’t talk much about the future of Kashmir, other than observing the growing foothold of BJP in the region. The author finds it difficult to look for the political future of Kashmir. Though, given the centralization of power in Kashmir, one can easily guess the implications for the future of the region. Politics is indeed the way forward, but only when Kashmiris have a say. Superimposition of politics won’t work. If the tradition of superimposed politics continues, even after the upcoming assembly elections, the people’s perception of alienation will only deepen.

The book argues that the future of Indian Muslims can be secured when their political future is secured. This, however, is immediately met by another issue of democratic backsliding in Kashmir, which is well documented in academic and journalistic writing. Kashmiri polity, without an elected government for a decade, coupled with the bifurcation of the state and the subsequent transformation of the state into UT, topped with the imposition of the longest internet blackout of approximately 500 days, has already traumatized and alienated Kashmiris from their own political system. Now, as the elections are set to be conducted, the state and the stakeholders in Kashmir must be aware of the legitimation crisis and the political alienation in the Kashmiri population. Kashmiris must not be instigated further for any murky gain. 

With the lack of a genuine political agency for decades, it becomes necessary that both the local political players and Indian leadership recognise and confront this alienation as the region approaches elections. The say of Kashmiris should be respected, as was noted by Praveen Donthi (2024), “Elections on their own, however, will not be enough to calm the tensions in Kashmir. New Delhi needs to engage in a sustained, meaningful political process to address rising alienation.”

Kamil Ali Bhat is a student pursuing Economic Honours from Jamia Millia Islamia.

Edited By: Mukaram Shakeel.