Black day: Kashmiris observe India's Republic Day with protests around the world

Rallies and demonstrations are being held today in Pakistan and across the world as Kashmiris are observing India's Republic Day as black day, to draw the international community's attention towards New Delhi's human rights violation in the occupied valley.

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The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year scrapped the special status of Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) and imposed a curfew and communication blackout to suppress the dissent against the controversial move.

The Republic Day has brought more miseries to the already besieged people, as Indian troops have intensified checking and frisking in various cities of the region.

In the occupied territory a complete strike will be observed, while protests, anti-India demonstrations and rallies will be carried out in major capitals of the world. 

Also read: 'In Kashmir, everyone's battling Indian oppression except local media

The Hurriyat leaders in their statements and messages said that India is not a real democratic country as it has been suppressing the Kashmiris’ voice through military might for over seven decades, Radio Pakistan reported. 

They said India has no right to celebrate its Republic Day in Kashmir as it occupied the territory against the will of the Kashmiri people.

Anti-India demonstration in London

Hundreds of protesters from diverse Indian communities across the United Kingdom demonstrated in London on Saturday against the fascist policies of Narendra Modi government on the eve of India's Republic Day.

Civil society and human rights groups of Indians in the UK started gathering outside 10 Downing Street at 1 pm and then marched to Indian High Commission half a kilometer away where a huge rally was held at the doorsteps of the High Commission.

The protestors called for the repeal of India's Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which undermines India's secular constitution, and the abolition of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR), which in conjunction with the CAA open the way for selective mass disenfranchisement of India's Muslim population and ethnic cleansing.

Indian army chief says will 'reclaim' Azad Kashmir if Indian parliament orders

Earlier in January, Indian Army Chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane said if his army receives orders from the Indian parliament to 'reclaim' Azad Kashmir from Pakistan, it will take action.

“If the [Indian] parliament wants [Azad] Kashmir to be a part of India, then we will take the necessary action to achieve that goal.”

“There is a parliamentary resolution that entire Jammu and Kashmir is part of India. If Parliament wants it, then, that area [AJK] also should belong to us,” he added.

This is not the first time the new Indian general has indulged in provocative posturing. In an earlier statement, Gen Naravane had said that India "reserve[d] the right to preemptively strike at sources of terror".