India: Modi overrules parliament, splits state of Jammu & Kashmir into 3 Union Territories

[Recursion]

Holy crap.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49231619

Over the objections of India's lower house, Modi's government has overturned the statutory status of Jammu & Kashmir and split that state into three Union Territories.

This is hella unprecedented ground, and nobody's quite sure what this means for the Indian constitution at this point.

[Kurt V.]

1. i talked to an Indian friend of mine today. he feels nothing has actually changed and is purely

symbolic to appease modi's nationalist base. sound familiar?

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Internet and cell phones shut down, opposition politicians put under house arrest with no charge

This is a dictatorial exercise of power.

But Trump won't give a toss, China will say "see? India's no more democratic than us, so don't say anything bad about us", Russia will sell the weapons, and the EU will be too busy dealing with Brexit and avoiding a recession to do anything more than tut-tut.

[malaise]

3. Because there is not enough chaos on the planet

Modi is another danger to the planet

[Kid Berwyn]

4. If it stands, another blow against democracy.

Hey, India! Modi is just another fascist cog.

[Vegas Roller]

6. How is it a blow against democracy?

Modi was elected and both houses of parliament approved the measure.

[Recursion]

9. The first reading failed the Lok Sabha

And led to a walkout, after which it passed. It's a blow against democracy because it's a statutory rescinsion of a Constitutional article.

[uponit7771]

10. "after which it passed." ... this sounds democratic or are they taking steps out of order? tia

[Kid Berwyn]

19. Modi and his party suspended the Constitution without due process.

Article 370: What happened with Kashmir and why it matters

BBC

Excerpt...

According to the constitution, Article 370 could only be modified with the agreement of the "state government". But there hasn't been much of a state government in Jammu and Kashmir for over a year now.

In June last year, India imposed federal rule after the government of the then chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, was reduced to a minority. This meant the federal government only had to seek the consent of the governor who imposes its rule.

The government says it is well within its rights to bring in the changes and that similar decisions have been taken by federal governments in the past.

Continues...

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49234708

[Vegas Roller]

22. So?

The current governor of Kashmir signed off on it. At the moment, he is the "state government"

The fact of the matter is that both houses of parliament approved the measure -- including one house where Modi does not have a majority. An overwhelming number of opposition MPs voted for the measure.

[Vegas Roller]

5. No one seems to be seeing it from India's point of view

India has suffered a great deal by Pakistani terrorism and Pakistan keeps getting aid from the US to continue all terrorist activities.

Remember, these are the people who had hidden Usama bin Laden in plain view.

What this means is that people from the rest of India can invest in Kashmir and purchase land and buildings. This will create a massive economic boom in Kashmir.

[Recursion]

8. Oh bullshit. India's biggest terrorist threat is homegrown, from Maoist Naxalites

The next most dangerous terrorist movement in India is Hindutva-led communal violence.

Pakistan-related terrorism is barely a drop in the bucket compared to either of those.

[Vegas Roller]

12. Maoist Naxalites are financed, trained and armed

by Pakistani ISI and Chinese intelligence.

[Recursion]

15. By the PLA, exclusively

Pakistan has no use for Maoists. Pakistan has no use in particular for Bengali Maoists.

[JCMach1]

7. Making India Safe to Massacre Muslims

Modi and the Hindu Nationalists Modus Operandi...

Trump is an amateur compared to Modi.

[Vegas Roller]

11. India has nearly 200 million Muslims

No one is being massacred. There are Muslims in parliament and one Muslim in Modi's cabinet - Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

India has had two Muslim presidents in its history. The second one, Prof. APJ Abdul Kalam elected by the BJP.

However, if people want to believe Western media only without looking into India's ground realities, all arguments are futile.

[JCMach1]

13. Not giving these comments a pass, Modi directly has blood

On his hands... He should be in prison, not the leader of India

...Modi bears a responsibility for some of the worst religious violence ever seen in independent India – but there's nothing like looking like a winner to attract apologists. And the standard apology for Modi comes in two parts. First, there is normally an acknowledgement that the chief minister of Gujarat bears some vague responsibility for the orgy of killing and rape that engulfed his state in 2002 – ...

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/07/narendra-modi-massacre-next-prime-minister-india

[JCMach1]

14. I can't believe there are people on DU willing to go

To bat for a Nationalist politician who actively used ethnic cleansing as a political tool.

[Recursion]

16. I can. There's been a pro-BJP faction here forever

I won't get into primary season in this forum, but obvs there's one candidate supported by them, who probably otherwise wouldn't have made any debates at all...

[JCMach1]

23. Ah...

Thanks for that 411.

For the record, I am not South Asian (not that it matters), but I lived in Dubai long enough to learn way too much about Indian politics...

Ethnic cleansing is something that pushes my buttons and the BJP and Modi are all about pushing that agenda.

[roamer65]

20. The Chinese are now warning India about "territorial integrity".

Shades of 1962?

[Codeine]

21. Modi is a menace.

And his coterie of apologists here at DU suck.