Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the heart of the disputed Kashmir Valley on Thursday, campaigning for his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the ongoing local elections, The Associated Press reports.
This is the first such vote since New Delhi stripped the region of its semi-autonomous status in 2019, a move that sparked widespread protests and continues to be a source of tension.
Modi’s visit to Srinagar, the region’s main city, comes amidst strong public opposition to the 2019 changes, which revoked Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status, its separate constitution, and downgraded it into two centrally governed union territories – Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir. The move also removed inherited protections on land and jobs, leading to concerns about the future of Kashmir’s identity and demographics.
Security measures were heavy in Srinagar, with razor wire, checkpoints, and armed paramilitary troops deployed throughout the city. Modi addressed a cheering crowd at the rally, promising to restore statehood to the region while emphasizing the ongoing election as a celebration of democracy.
“We have said in the parliament that we will restore (the region’s) statehood. Only BJP will fulfill this commitment,” Modi said, though he offered no timeline for the restoration of statehood.
The multi-stage election will see the establishment of a local assembly, granting Kashmir a limited degree of self-governance. However, it will remain a “Union Territory,” under direct control of the federal government, with India’s Parliament holding primary legislative power.
Kashmir’s history is intertwined with the complex relationship between India and Pakistan, both of whom claim the entire territory. Since 1989, militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting against New Delhi’s rule, leading to decades of conflict and violence.
Modi’s government has repeatedly asserted that the 2019 changes will spur development and eradicate separatism in Kashmir. Critics, however, fear that these changes will dilute the region’s unique identity and demographics.
The first phase of voting in the election began on Wednesday with a high turnout, marking the first election in a decade and the first since the controversial 2019 changes.
