Prime Minister Imran Khan made a strong case for UN intervention on Kashmir as he told the world dangers of a nuclear war and the RSS mindset that drives his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi’s policy of ethnic cleansing of Muslims.
“What kind of people bring in 900,000 troops for eight million people? These are human beings,” he said as a crowd of protesters condemned Indian lockdown of Kashmir, which has been under siege since August 5.
“What comes with Aryan superiority is arrogance and it makes people commit mistakes and do stupid, cruel things like what Modi has done,” Khan said in an extempore speech, marked by pointed warnings about dangers to South Asian and world peace.
“It is arrogance that has blinded Modi. Has he thought about what will happen after the curfew in Kashmir is lifted?
“What will he do? Does he think the people of Kashmir will quietly accept the status quo?”
Khan explained to the global diplomatic forum that Modi is a lifelong member of RSS, which calls for exclusion of minorities and domination of the majority Hindu population under Hindutva ideology.
“They believe in the ethnic cleansing of Muslims. They believe a golden age of Hindu rule was stopped by Muslims and then the British occupation.
“(Around) 100,000 Kashmiris have died in the past 30 years because they were denied their right of self-determination. Eleven thousand women were raped.
“The world hasn’t done anything,” he lamented.
Since doing away with constitutionally mandated autonomy of Kashmir, Modi has defended the decision. He argues that his decision is aimed at integrated Kashmir into economic development. But Indian and international human rights bodies have questioned Modi’s strict restrictions on freedom of expression and movement and abduction of thousands of men and boys from their homes without any legal recourse.
Modi also addressed the UNGA on Friday, drawing one of the biggest protests.
Continuing his unambiguous enunciation of dangerous consequences of Modi’s actions, he said Kashmiris will be forced to protest.
“What is going to happen will be a bloodbath. The people will come out.
“Has he (Modi) thought it through what happens then?
“Has anyone thought what happens when there is a bloodbath?
“What do you think they (Kashmiris) will think of the way they have been boxed in?”
He noted that even pro-India local leaders were taken out of Kashmir as part of the crackdown and 13,000 boys have been abducted by Indian security forces and sent to unknown locations.
Communities joined Kashmiri-Americans in a large protest outside UN Headquarters in NY Image: Screenshot/ Video by Mohsin Zaheer
“What will the people do then? [They will] take to the streets. The soldiers will then shoot them. They have already used pellet guns.
“And so, Kashmiris will be further radicalized. There will be another Pulwama. And they (India) will blame us.”
Addressing the UNGA president, he said India has violated all the eleven resolutions passed in the United Nations Security on Kashmir.
“The UN resolutions say that Kashmir is a disputed territory and the people of Kashmir have the right to self-determination,” he said.
He deflated the Indian allegations that Pakistan would send militants into Kashmir.
“They are already blaming us. They said we have 500 terrorists lined up to go in.
“Why would we send 500 terrorists when there are 900,000 troops?
“There will only be further cruelty on Kashmiris. It will give them the excuse to chant on the mantra of Islamic terrorism.
“The whole world then turns away.
“How do we (Pakistan) benefit from further increasing cruelty on the people of Kashmir?”
Prime Minister Imran said there is no other narrative left for India. “Whatever happens we will be blamed.
“What does Modi think the 180 million Muslims of India are thinking? Aren’t they watching these Kashmiris stuck in?
“Don’t you think they too will be radicalised? Then there will be blame on us again.
“What about the 1.3bn Muslims watching this who know this is only happening because they are Muslims? What do you think they would think?
“What would the Jews of Europe think if 8,000 Jews were stuck. Are we children of a lesser God?
“Among the 1.3bn (Muslims) someone will pick up arms.”
“Muslims will become radicals because of this, not because of Islam. Because they see no justice.
“I have pictured myself locked up for 55 days. There are rapes, soldiers going into rooms.
“Would I want to let this humiliation continue? I would pick up a gun.”
“You are forcing people into radicalization,” he said, addressing the Indian leadership.
“This is one of the most critical times. There will be a reaction to this, and Pakistan will be blamed.
“Two nuclear countries will come face to face.
“Before we head there the UN has a responsibility; this is why the UN came into being in 1945. You were supposed to stop this from happening.
“I feel like we are back in 1939 [when] Czechoslovakia was annexed.
“Is the international community going to appease or stand up for justice or humanity.
“If a conventional war starts between the two countries, supposing a country seven times smaller is faced with a choice to surrender or fight to the end.
“When a nuclear country fights till the end it has consequences far beyond the borders.
“This is a test of the UN. You are the one who guaranteed the Kashmiris the right (of self-determination).
“This is the time not to appease but to take action.”
He asked New Delhi to to lift the curfew in occupied Kashmir and then release all detained prisoners.
“And then the world community must give the Kashmiris the right of self-determination,” Khan said.
