World

India closes Kashmir border to block Hindu rally

Police block all road links between Kashmir and neighbouring states; BJP says it is determined to get to Srinagar.

Afp January 25, 2011

MADHOPUR: Authorities in India on Tuesday blocked all road links between Kashmir and neighbouring states to prevent Hindu nationalists from holding a rally in the sensitive region.

The right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had planned to pour young Hindu volunteers into the Muslim-majority region for India's Republic Day on Wednesday and raise the national flag in Kashmir's main city of Srinagar.

Kashmir is home to a long and violent separatist uprising, and Indian officials fear the BJP's proposed rally could trigger major communal unrest.

A stand-off developed Tuesday in the town of Madhopur on the border between Punjab state and Kashmir as police stopped about 3,000 BJP activists from crossing a bridge on their way to Srinagar.

"We will not allow anyone to enter Kashmir today. All borders have been sealed and highways are blocked," Gareeb Das, a senior police officer stationed in Madhopur town, told AFP. "Multi-tearshell launcher vehicles and water cannons have been deployed at all entry points."

The BJP said it was determined to get to Srinagar. "No one has the right to stop us from hoisting the Indian flag in Kashmir. We will not change our plan," Anurag Thakur, president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the BJP, told AFP.

India's Home Minister P Chidambaram has appealed to the BJP to respect the orders of the Kashmir state government and call off the flag-hoisting plan. Pro-independence Kashmiris have also vowed to protest on Republic Day, raising fears of a return to violence after massive anti-India protests last year in which at least 100 protesters were killed.

The Kashmir region is jointly administered by India and Pakistan, but claimed in full by both. For 20 years, a separatist insurgency has raged in the Indian sector, claiming 47,000 lives.

COMMENTS (7)

Ashutosh | 13 years ago | Reply @abdullah, BJP & Shiv Sena are right wing political parties. They contest elections and they derive the strength from their elected Representatives and not through the barrel of guns. However, they are pro-hindu. Both these parties have formed government in the past and never gone on rampage against the minorities then. BJP is often referred as a political derivative of RSS. In past we had seen few of their members involved in act of terror but the law had severely dealt with them. All those who were prima-facie involved in act of terror are behind the bars (not house arrests and have no access to telephone, television, soft beds and good food. Here too the BJP wants to hoist the tri-colour at he main Lal Chauk at Srinagar. This may sound innocent but the purpose is to create problem for the J & K government and the government at the center. Therefore, all these action against them (BJP).

Dr+Dev+Mishra | 13 years ago | Reply @Abdullah, thank you, some valid points. I am no fan of BJP. It is difficult to quantify the exact evil within the BJP, however my understanding is that it is miniscule. There is a lot of good done by the party nationally and in many states over trhe last 10 years eg Gujrat's stupendous economic growth. There are many respected gentle leaders like Vajpayee. The alleged saffron attacks are from 2007 onwards. Prior to that, we in India had got used to Islamist attacks almost on a yearly basis- they were ghastly, murderous and indiscriminate- Kargil 1999, Kandahar hijack 2000, Parliament 2001, Akshardham temple, Mumbai stock exchange, Diwali blasts, Jaipur 2008, Mumbai- Kasab 2008 etc etc), even- heavens forbid- an international science convention in Bangalore when a professor was shot on stage. I have not mentioned the systematic ethnic cleansing of hindus and sikhs from Kashmir from 1989 onwards. So, evil though the saffron/ hindutva attacks are, one must recognise that they are reactionary. And while all Indians say- go after Sadhvi Pragya and Col Purohit ruthlessly if they are guilty- it would be a cretin who did not realise that the primary phenomenon is far more dangerous and must be fought on a war footing. Comparing Islamic with hindu terrorism- The former is now the most feared entity all over the world with bombs/ attacks going off in USA, UK, Spain, Bali, Sharm el Shaikh, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda, Sweden etc etc. RSS inspired terror is not even 0.01% as compared to this, so ppl, pl do not lose your sense of perspective. My best wishes to all in Pak, we all hope you overcome the dark forces of fundamentalism in your country. I visited in the eightees and fondly remember the warm welcome offered to me. Dr Dev Mishra, India and UK

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abdullah | 13 years ago | Reply @dr mishra they have been involved in terror acts against the muslims......does not mean that talibans tomorrow stop fightin and bombing our country so we will accept them...and its shameful that u r saying that it is close to RSS than what else do u mean ...in that case we can also say that JUD is an org which is close to LET so whats bad than indians should accept it we consider it a terror org and do accept it ............we should accept the fact ..they r involved in terrorist activities and have an ideology of anti islam....they were to a very high extent invovlved in train bombings too.

Sunil | 13 years ago | Reply @abdullah: Naxalites are treated like any other terrorist and moreover Naxalites are not hindus. They are not fighting in the name of their religion what ever that may be. BJP is a political party though partly pro hindu and they did not spread terror they just tried to hoist our National flag which was considered inappropriate in the light of current situation and was dealt with accordingly by the incumbent govt.

Dr+Dev+Mishra | 13 years ago | Reply Sandeep, you have ANSWERED brilliantly, I have little to add. Not a big fan of BJP, but to call it a terror org is way off the mark. Right wing party yes; close links with RSS yes; but to compare it to SIMI, Maoist guerillas, Lashkar Toiba, Jaish e Mohd, Taliban- all of whom are blood curdling terrorist organisations, some with international reach, is to stretch the point. Alas, we need to solve Kashmir. Would love to give it independence, but it would be instantly swallowed up by Pakistan and then the rabid Islamist terror groups would be breathing down our neck in Delhi. Sorry guys, no can do. Sensible and non confrontational feedback from pak ppl welcome. Dr Mishra, UK and India

sandeep limaye | 13 years ago | Reply in 2002 anti muslim riots 200+ hindus were killed by police. killing of naxalites are everyday news in india. only go to google and type naxals killed. india is a democratic country where anyone can demostrate peacefully. but if the protestors start stonepelting then police have right to shoot them in self defense. read about india extensively. there are so many instances where indian police have shot students, farmers etc if there protests turn violent. if kashmiri saperatist want to protest peacefully there would have been no damage to lives of them. but when you are resorting to violence then you should no expect from the other party to remain non violent

abdullah | 13 years ago | Reply wen kashmiris protest for their rights they r shot ..y does not the indian gov shoot these terror org [[BJP]]]] members...y all operations r initiated against muslims y not against hindu terrorists such as naxals and many others .and even though if started they r very limited .no indian has ever answered this question 2 me ..plz do this with a valid proof ..

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