Hundreds of scholars, including academics and scientists from leading institutions in India, have come up with an open statement on the situation in Kashmir.
Saying “As signatories to this statement, we hold various views on the issue of Article 370 and other substantive questions about the conflict in Kashmir,” the statement puts forth three main points: That they are “appalled by the government’s decision to restrict telecommunications... for over a month,” that the “government’s actions in detaining ... Opposition leaders and dissidents ... are deeply undemocratic” and that they are “disturbed by the multiple reports of human rights violations”.
“The crisis in Kashmir is not just an abstract issue for us, since many of our own students are from Kashmir. These students are going through very difficult circumstances, since they have been unable to maintain meaningful contact with their families for several weeks. It distresses us to see them suffering,” says Suvrat Raju, one of the signatories, from the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru.
504 signatures
The statement has gathered 504 signatures at the time of writing this, in less than 24 hours since it was circulated among the academicians. It refers to various reports in the national and international media.
The scholars write: “We understand that landlines have been restored in some parts of Kashmir, but since landline teledensity in Kashmir is below 1% according to the government’s own statistics, this measure has failed to provide substantive relief to Kashmir’s residents. In our own institutions, we have witnessed students suffering because they are unable to maintain contact with their families. Moreover, credible reports suggest that these restrictions have made it difficult for ordinary people in Kashmir to procure medical and essential supplies or even for children to attend school.”
Fundamental norm
“We believe the government’s actions in detaining and restricting the communications of Opposition leaders and dissidents in Kashmir are deeply undemocratic. Whatever views one might hold about these individuals, a fundamental norm in a democracy is that the party in power does not have the right to lock up its political opponents when they have not even been accused of any crimes. We are disturbed by the multiple reports of human rights violations in Kashmir by Indian security forces.”
The statement concludes saying: “We remind the government that it is duty-bound to uphold the rights and protect the welfare of its citizens. In line with these obligations, we call on the government to immediately restore full communications in Kashmir, lift the security restrictions that are hampering ordinary life, release dissidents and Opposition leaders, and conduct transparent and impartial investigations into the allegations of human rights abuses.”
