Statement: SOUTH ASIA FORUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (SAFHR)

Article 370 has been abrogated by a Presidential order and with it democratic India’s colossal betrayal of 13 million of its citizens. The historic state of Jammu and Kashmir has been annihilated. The RSS, BJP and the Hindu right wing parties and organisations have been continuously calling for the abrogation of Article 370. Hindu right wing nationalists have called this move of the government as the “final solution”. Clearly it is not as evinced by the fact that 8,000 paramilitary troops were being airlifted to the Kashmir valley as the Home Minister announced the abrogation of Article 370. Already 35,000 additional troops have been sent to Kashmir over the past three days. This is in addition to more than half a million army men and para-military forces of the Indian state already deployed in Kashmir.