Jammu is the second most populated province of Indian occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir where Muslims, unlike Kashmir valley, live in minority due to certain obvious reasons. According to recent census report Muslims constitute 36% of the total population; however majority of Muslims are mainly settled in Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Baderwah, Kishtwar areas, whereas, a small minority of Muslim faith is living in small pockets in various Hindu majority districts of the province that make it even more vulnerable to harm and abuse.
The minorities in the province over the past several decades have generally suffered terribly at the hands of dominant Hindus, however after the partition of subcontinent Muslim population in the region has particularly been the main target of Hindu extremists groups who played a crucial role in the mass exodus/forced migration of Muslims way back in 1947 when India and Pakistan emerged as two independent sovereign states.
Since the ongoing resistance movement against Indian occupation gained momentum in the occupied territory, yet another crusade was launched to harass and humiliate this already marginalized community. While on the other hand the blood thirsty extremist groups and militias such as RSS and Sangh Parivar continued to strengthen their bases all across the region. And under the garb of so-called village defense committees, arms and ammunition were provided to members of the Hinduvata groups to target Muslims. The president Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Ahmed Khan while addressing a function of Kashmiri journalists in Islamabad recently revealed that the RSS is recruiting militants openly to target Kashmiris. “It’s offering rewards to those who will target Muslim youth. Those being victimised are ordinary people who have nothing to do with politics, it’s just that they are Kashmiris and Muslims”, he said.
Rape and murdered of an eight year girl in Jammu’s Kathua district recently is yet another horrendous incident of hate crime. Special Police Officer (SPO) Deepak Khajuria, was arrested on charges of rape and murder of the girl. The rape and murder of the Muslim girl shook entire region besides triggering an outrage in the Valley with people demanding severe punishment for those involved in this heinous crime. Instead of condemning this horrific incident of child abuse, the right wing group Hindu Ekta Manch in Kathua carried out a rally last week in which participants waved tri-color and demanded release of Special Police Officer (SPO) Deepak Khajuria, arrested on charges of rape and murder of the nomad girl.
The incident as a matter of the fact came as a great shock as the protest was joined by some leaders from BJP and Congress. The convergence of the members of hard-core fascist groups and political organizations had further cemented the widespread notion that the Indian government is pursing a particular policy aimed at ethnic cleansing that poses serious threat to minorities in the region. While on the other hand total disregard to human lives demonstrates the puppet authorities’ callousness and the vulnerable situation the Muslim community is forced to live in.
It is equally pathetic on the part of world community that has been palpably ignoring this forsaken community that is living in a dangerous situation. It is time that the world human rights organizations and powerful governments across the globe should open their eyes and see by themselves what is happening in the disputed region. Rather than seeing the region through Indian prism the human rights champions should take some time and look how India is victimizing this marginalized minority in Jammu by using local militant organizations.
