🔫The Indian government is arming Hindu civilian militias in Indian-administered Kashmir.
💀These militias have been accused of killing Muslim residents.
💥The move is seen as another symptom of growing Hindu nationalism in the region.
🚷There have been documented cases of abuse and misconduct by these militias.
⚖️Muslim leaders argue that this move threatens the peace in the already volatile region.
What is the motivation behind arming civilian militias in Indian-Administered Kashmir?
—The Indian government claims that arming these militias is necessary to protect Hindu residents from militants crossing the border from Pakistan.
What is the religious divide in Indian-Administered Kashmir?
—The region is predominantly Muslim, but its monarch at the time of partition was Hindu. This has led to ongoing tensions between Hindus and Muslims in the region.
What is the history of violence in Indian-Administered Kashmir?
—Since the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, Kashmir has been a contested region. There have been multiple wars and countless skirmishes between India and Pakistan over the region.
Are there concerns about human rights abuses by these civilian militias?
—Yes, there have been documented cases of abuse and misconduct by these militias, including sexual assault and murder.
How do Muslim leaders view the arming of civilian militias in Indian-Administered Kashmir?
—Muslim leaders argue that this move threatens the peace in the already volatile region and could lead to further tensions between Hindus and Muslims.
00:06India is arming civilian militias in Indian-administered Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim region.
00:19The right-wing Modi government is using a recent deadly attack against Hindu victims as a justification to arm these militias.
01:26There are nearly 27,000 active militia members in Kashmir today.
02:01Kashmir has been a contested region since the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.
03:13The Modi government wants to start giving some militias automatic assault weapons.
04:00There have been at least 221 recorded cases of abuse by the militias, including sexual assault and murder.
05:10Modi's government revoked Indian-administered Kashmir's semi-autonomous status in 2019, leading to protests and unrest.
06:03Indian-administered Kashmir is one of the most militarized regions in the world, with over 500,000 Indian military personnel stationed there.
