News and information in the media are of two types; the emotional broadcasts are for the gullible masses while analytical opinions for the well informed. The people in power, be they politicians, religious leaders or those in the film/drama business understand this fact very well. Hence the innocent are frequently exploited. We are emotional beings. When our minds become emotional we often fail to discern between propaganda and real news. Emotions make us vulnerable. Those who are masters in the art of deception appeal to our emotions.
Sadly, there is nothing deceptive about the human catastrophes unfolding in Kashmir. Indian politicians’ vile rhetoric to kill and rape the Kashmiris is a sign of things to come. Indefinite round the clock curfew is intended to break the will of the people. India hopes to succeed with the Kashmiris, where Israelis have failed with the Palestinians, in breaking the will of the indigenous population. India has multiple reasons for the recent surge in activities taking place in Kashmir. Anti-Islamic sentiment within the RSS, of which Modi is a member, is one of them. There are economic incentives too. Hence, India is willing to pour billions to suppress the Kashmiris. But India is not the first to try to compete for this precious prize, so-called “the great game”.
The game is back on
Between the periods 1813 – 1907, the British and Russian Empires competed to gain control over Afghanistan and neighbouring territories in Central Asia. Subsequently, the USSR managed to bring Central Asia under its control. However, in 1979 the USSR with the hidden desire to reach the Indian Ocean invaded Afghanistan but the Russian ‘bear’ failed to retain control. At the heart of the matter are the huge reserves of gas and oil in Central Asia, which can only be exported to the world markets after they can reach Gwadar, a Pakistani seaport on the Indian Ocean.
After the Russians exited from Afghanistan in 1989, the American oil companies tried to bribe the Taliban in 1997 but the Taliban insisted on obtaining a fair price. So the Americans launched a war on Afghanistan with the intention to build a pipeline from Central Asia through Afghanistan, (no, I am not saying that 9/11 was the necessary emotional part of the game to gain the support of the American public for the war). After 18 years of bombing dozens of wedding parties and killing over 2 million Afghans, the American ‘eagle’ is planning to leave Afghanistan without the pipeline. As the Americans plan to leave, the Indians are agitated to enter the game.
India is a growing economy with huge energy needs and wants to flex its muscle to gain more power in the region and therefore is seeking a slice of the cake i.e. access to the pipeline and influence in Central Asia. Pakistan and China are already working on the CPEC (China–Pakistan Economic Corridor). CPEC is intended not only to connect Gwadar to China but also Gwadar to Central Asia. India feels left out. If India can successfully extend its borders to Afghanistan, it can gain control of the pipeline and stretch the pipeline to India. For this India has support from international investors.
Arabs are keen to secure a future stake in this mega project. Arab leaders are investing heavily in India. India wants full control of entire Kashmir, including Azad Kashmir in Pakistan. This is not just about Kashmir. The whole region is being prepared for a major upheaval. There are numerous other reasons which are forcing India to raise the stakes in the game;
- Kashmir is rich in natural resources. The Indian government revoked Article 370 to pave way for major investors to buy land rich in minerals and to start mining.
- Kashmir is a perfect location for growing hashish. Nepal is already a major source of hashish production. Hashish is often grown in high altitude and Kashmir seems an ideal place for India to become a major supplier of hashish.
- India is facing long term drought in many parts of the country. Water is fast becoming a major crisis point for India and neighbouring Pakistan. Access to and control of water from the Himalayas that comes through Kashmir is vital for both India and Pakistan.
- India is facing separatist movements in many of its states. In my view, Indian Prime Minister Modi has taken a big gamble in Kashmir. This may either speed up the disintegration of India or if war is launched against Pakistan then it may temporarily force Indians to unite behind the Government. The latter seems more probable.
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It seems there is no shortage of fools in this world. As the foolish ‘Bear’ left Afghanistan, the foolish ‘Eagle’ flew in. Ideally, you would expect the foolish Indian ‘Cow’ to heed the lessons. However, it is the Chinese ‘Dragon’ that is quietly extending its area of influence in the region. At the same time, China too has its own private war of suppression going on in Xinjian, where Uyghur Muslims are told to give up their Islamic practices. Most of the wars of oppression, for the past many decades, have occurred in Muslim regions.
Modi is likely bringing yet another war to a Muslim region in Kashmir. Modi is not alone and he has the backing of Israel. One should never exclude Israel’s involvement in Kashmir. India and Israel are close allies; they both have common agendas, to create Greater Israel and Greater India. They both wish to dominate over their Muslim neighbours. They both have extreme right-wing parties in power. Their leaders are often seen uttering anti-Muslim rhetoric. India’s BJP has been preparing extremist Hindus for decades against Muslims. Kashmir is only the beginning of a long campaign that India intends to launch against the Muslims in the region.
India has, for a long time, been suppressing the Kashmiris demand for freedom. Since the early 1990s, thousands of Kashmiris have lost their lives; many have been blinded by the firing from Indian soldiers. Hundreds and thousands have been kidnapped, tortured and maimed by the Indian army.
The cruelty of Israelis towards Palestinians is recorded but the cruelty of the Indian army towards the Kashmiris is very much hidden from the world. I have noticed already the international media is not too keen to highlight the oppression of the Kashmiris. Perhaps the big players have a different agenda and the suffering of Kashmiris is a price the investors, including the Arabs, are willing to pay for their profits. Will Kashmiris receive help from the international community? Not unless it suits the international community’s agenda. For the moment, Kashmiris seem to be in the way of big investors who are paying for the killing and torture of Kashmiris.
Media’s emotional pleas are loudest when there is big money behind it. At the moment, the money is moving in the directions of the oppressors.
May Allah be with the oppressed!
