The fatal Coronavirus (COVID-19) emerged from Wuhan, capital of China’s Hubei province in mid December 2019.
Reports have linked it with Wuhan’s sea food market however the original place of outbreak remains unknown, so far. Coronavirus is a large group of viruses that infect humans and causes respiratory illness, ranging from common cold to much more serious infections.
Since first detected in Wuhan China, the novel Coronavirus has claimed 74,783 lives, with new tested positive cases crossed 1.5 million mark now. WHO has declared it pandemic and uploaded guidelines, precautions and recommendations.
The top leaders of different countries have tested positive including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson for this Coronavirus so far. The P5 countries have also been hit by the Coronavirus outbreak. Libyan former Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril has also died due to Coronavirus.
Many countries have called for complete lockdown and others have opted for partial shutdown. People are advised to live in isolation and in quarantine as this novel virus can transmit from human to human. India have declared 21 day lockdown whereas as Pakistan under the leadership of Imran khan, has not yet declared complete shutdown but locked down all schools, universities, trains and bus terminals.
Kashmir, the bone of contention between the two neighbouring countries is still facing restrictions since 05 august 2019 when India government unilaterally abrogated Article 370 of its constitution. Indian authorities declared the indefinite curfew and the internet, mobile and landline facilities are cut due to which the paradise on earth not only faced the worst human rights violations from last 8 months as well as remained unknowledgeable about the deadly novel Coronavirus. In Kashmir, Covid-19 cases have gone above one hundred with the population of 1.25 crore, there are only 95 ventilators available across Kashmir.
When the whole world is maintaining social distancing, the Indian security forces have launched at least 20 cordon and search operations since the outbreak of Coronavirus. The movement of security forces in the residential areas, especially during search operations are increasing the risk of Coronavirus outbreak.
The Narendra Modi government has redefined domicile for government jobs in the newly-created Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir through the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Adaptation of State Laws) Order, 2020. By settling the residents of Indian state in occupied territory, the Indian government is going to change the demography of Muslim majority state into minority in few decades. This order comes when the whole world is going through the tough phase with economies shattered, and all other activities closed.
Different countries have taken different precautions to limit the spreading of deadly virus by closing borders, issuing travel advisories, suspending all forms of sports activities but as far as India is concerned it is playing blame game.
Due to the lockdown and restrictions almost all over world, the university and collages have now started the online classes by virtue of which universities provide study material to their students but as far as students of occupied Kashmir are concerned, they have been snatched with these rights due to internet shutdown in the valley by Indian government since last 8 months.
In Indian, above 4000 cases are tested positive and over 100 deaths for covid-19 and is now spreading at an alarming rate but the Indian government is now blaming Muslims for the spread of virus.
The religious gathering in Delhi on 16 march, in which foreign Islamic scholars and preachers participated are targeted but then Indian government had not declared any restrictions on gatherings in the state.
The irony is that Indian prime minister called for 1 hour utensil sound therapy for the control of coronavirus before declaring civil curfew and then complete lockdown of the state on 22 march. And most recently Indian premier told to hold candle light vigil to get rid of Covid-19 which has infected above 1.2 million across the globe.
The Muslims are not treated like other citizens; recently pregnant woman was not allowed to enter hospital and she gave birth to her child in an ambulance. Kashmiri research scholar was booked for criticizing the quarantine facilities in Indian occupied Kashmir.
The Indian government has always remained bias towards Muslims. Be it banning Jamiat Islami, a socio-politic-religious organization or the framing of world’s renowned Islamic scholar Dr. Zakir Naik in false and fabricated cases. The recently Delhi riots in which 50 Muslims were killed by violent Hindu mob for just opposing the Citizen Amendment Bill.
The mosques in Indian occupied Kashmir has remained closed for many months due to curfew and restrictions but world bodies especially OIC and other Islamic countries have turned blind eye towards Kashmir and ignoring the pain and agony of Kashmiri Muslims.
But now all mosques are closed due to Covid-19 including Muslim Holiest Grand mosque Makkah and Madinah. The world is going towards natural lockdown. The human rights organizations like Red Cross, Amnesty International are working in different countries and providing aid and other facilities but these international organizations are not allowed to work in occupied Kashmir. The Coronavirus lockdown of the world cannot be related with the Kashmir lockdown as Kashmir is under occupation and suppression for the last 7 decades.
The Indian occupied Kashmir has faced repression since 1947 at the hands of India. The shutdown in Kashmir has its own history, the word lockdown may be new to western world, but for Kashmir it is just another day when India imposes curfew in the valley.
In 1931, when Kashmiri youth agitated against the Dogra Hindu ruler, Hari Singh ordered his troops to fire killing dozens and injuring hundreds, to curb the protests curfew was imposed in whole valley. In 1965, nigh curfew was imposed in Kashmir and in 1984 strict curfew was imposed in Kashmir.
After 1989 when insurgency started in Kashmir. There were serial massacres of Kashmir Muslim population by Indian security forces. 1990 witnessed 175 days of curfew. In 2008, when Kashmir government allotted 99 acres of state land to Amarnath shrine broad.
The valley erupts and protested against the move, the unprecedented curfew was imposed for continuous four months. In 2010, when three civilians were killed in fake encounter and declared as foreign militants by Indian army, protests rock Kashmir valley, the state authorities again imposed strict curfew for 4 months.
In 2016, when rebel commander Burhan Wani was martyred by Indian security forces, lakh of Kashmiri people reached his home town for funeral. The government authorities imposed much strict curfew for continuous 6 moths to curb the protestors.
After abrogating Article 370 of its constitution, and bifurcating the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories, on 05, August, 2019, Modi-led Indian government imposed unprecedented curfew.
Along with restrictions on movement, government authorities blocked all the communication services including internet, broadband, and landline services. The economy is worst hit in Indian occupied Kashmir with experts estimating INR Rs. 10,000 crore loss from last 10 years. The shortage of daily necessities and medical services have also added to the miseries of occupied territory.
The champions of human rights including UN has maintained tight salience on the gross human rights violations in occupied Kashmir. When whole world is now battling Covid-19, the Indian authorities have still not mend their suppressive ways to harass Kashmiri youth with arrests. “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” Martin Luther King Jr.
Also Read:Coronavirus And The Rise Of Authoritarianism
