India Revokes Kashmir's Special Status, Sparks Fears Of Unrest

[left-of-center2012]

India's government on Monday took the extraordinary step of revoking Kashmir's constitutionally guaranteed special status, a move that would tighten its control over the country's only Muslim-majority state.

In a decree issued by President Ram Nath Kovind, Article 370 of India's Constitution was rescinded amid protests and criticism of the move, which would turn the state into a union territory. Modi, who was reelected this year at the head of his Bharatiya Janata Party, had promised in his campaign to revoke Kashmir's special status.

Apparently anticipating unrest over the move, India dispatched tens of thousands of troops to Kashmir, put local politicians under house arrest, cut off Internet and phone service and ordered tourists to evacuate.

"[There] shall be no movement of public and all educational institutions shall also remain closed," the government said in an order issued Sunday, according to The Hindustan Times. "There will be a complete bar on holding any kind of public meetings or rallies during the period of operation of this order."

https://www.npr.org/2019/08/05/748170695/in-unprecedented-move-india-revokes-kashmirs-special-status-sparks-fears-of-unre

[Anon-C]

1. K&R

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. pre-emptively "put local politicians under house arrest" - tyrannical

That's not what a democracy does. Trump's buddy is pulling India down into the international crapper. But India now has enough clout, and a protector in Trump who cares nothing for justice, so he reckons he'll get away with it. It's not as is China or Russia will do anything about it (China might call Modi hypocritical, but will be glad it's one less country than can criticise them about Tibet or the Uighurs), the EU is consumed by Brexit, so there'll be no downside for Modi.