Hindutva threatens regional peace: Malik

Senator says BJP, RSS want to undermine the Muslim community and other minorities in India

Hindutva is a major threat to the peace of South Asia as India wants to expand under this ideology, Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Abdul Rehman Malik said at the launch of his book Bleeding Kashmir.

“Hindutva is the main ideology which resisted the partition and independence of Pakistan,” said the ex-interior minister at the book launch ceremony held at Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS), Islamabad.

“Both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) want to undermine the Muslim community and other minorities living in India under the Hindutva ideology,” he said at the ceremony which had commenced with recitation from the Holy Quran and the national anthem.

Malik said that the contentious and discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) are part of BJP’s plan to implement the RSS’ ideology of Hindutva.

Where would Hindutva steer 21st-century India?

“In fact, BJP and RSS wanted to extend the Hindutva ideology to other countries of the region including Iran and Afghanistan but Pakistan is the main obstacle for them to achieve their malicious aim,” Malik said.

He added that February 18 marked the 198th day of Indian imposed curfew in Kashmir turning the whole valley into the world’s largest jail. However, the international community including the United Nations (UN) and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are silent spectators to the Indian brutalities.

He said that Indian forces under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are committing unprecedented brutalities in terms of mass murdering, blinding through pelleting, rapes, tortures, forced disappearances, political repression and suppression of freedom of speech.

Malik urged the government to file a lawsuit in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court under the Rome Statute against Modi for his crimes against humanity and genocide in occupied Kashmir.

He advised the government to follow the precedent set by Gambian Minister of Justice Abubacarr Marie Tambadou who gathered the courage and presented the case of the Rohingya massacre before the ICJ based on the report of Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

He asked the government to request the UN to appoint a Plebiscite Administrator in Kashmir and fix a date for the referendum as per the Resolutions of UNSC.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed in his speech highly appreciated the tireless efforts of Senator Malik for his contributions in documenting the Kashmir issue. He said that Kashmir is the most sensitive and important topic to be undertaken as the subject of his book.  The senator said that during their meeting with UN Secretary-General, Senator Rehman Malik was vocal and emotional in raising the Kashmir issue.

Senator Javed Abbasi while speaking at the ceremony expressed gratitude to Senator Rehman Malik for documenting the facts in a highly precise manner. He said that in his earlier book ‘Modi’s war doctrine’, Malik predicted that just after winning the elections, Modi would be more aggressive for the implementation of RSS agenda on Kashmir and today I applaud him for his farsightedness. He added that unfortunately Malik’s voice went unheard and authorities in government could not formulate the pre-emptive.

Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Chairman Syed Fakhar Imam praised the contents of the book and Senator A. Rehman Malik for knitting the historical facts with ground realities. He mentioned that since he has taken charge of the Kashmir Committee, it is the first ceremony of its type that he has attended wherein the voice of oppressed Kashmiris has been raised and documented in diligently. He said that this book contains ample knowledge for students of geo-politics and Kashmir affairs.

All Parties Hurriyat Conference senior leader Dr Farooq Rehmani said that Kashmiris are looking forward to the people of Pakistan especially the government for their constant support. He hoped that the combined efforts of Pakistan and Hurriyat leadership will lead to the freedom of Kashmir.

In the forward, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani writes “‘Bleeding Kashmir’ exposes readers to an authoritative, accurate and analytical consolidation of historical and legal perspectives of the Kashmir issue with a special focus on emerging realities, new dimensions and the role played by Pakistan’s people, leadership and armed forces in this regard”.

India under the shadow of RSS

He has termed the book as an excellent reference guide for both policymakers and legislators, readers of history, human rights advocates and students of political science, international relations and strategic studies.

‘Bleeding Kashmir’ has been dedicated to all the Shuhada of Kashmir and the victims of Indian brutalities especially Insha Mushtaq who lost her eyes as a result of the injuries sustained due to the pelleting by Indian Armed Forces in IOK; yet continued her education.

In his book, the author Senator Malik has shed light on Modi’s anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan mindset, Hindutva ideology and exposed the motives behind his recent series of actions regarding Kashmir. He enlightens his readers about the inaction of the UN vis-à-vis the implementation of UNSC Resolutions on Kashmir and also elaborates the Indo-Pak fifth Generation warfare dimensions. He discusses how the Indian PM is liable for trial under the Rome Statute for his heinous crimes against humanity. 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2020.