The True Face of So-Called Democracy Exposed in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir After Elections

Kashmir Elections Expose India’s Puppet Government Strategy and BJP’s Electoral Failure

India claims to be the world’s largest democracy, but in reality, it is a so-called democracy that promotes fascism in the region.

From 1951 to 2024, all the so-called elections conducted by India in the occupied valley have been riddled with fraud, deception, and dishonesty.

In 2019, the Modi government revoked Article 370, stripping Kashmiris of their right to self-determination. Nevertheless, in the recent Jammu and Kashmir elections, the BJP faced a significant defeat.

Whether it is the BJP or any other Indian government, they relentlessly use state machinery during elections to eliminate genuine democratic forces in Kashmir.

Before the recent elections, despite the current deployment of 800,000 troops in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP government deployed nearly 300 additional paramilitary companies to hijack the elections in every possible way.

India has always created puppet governments in Kashmir that operate under the central government’s control.

Before each election, Indian political parties form alliances with Kashmiri leaders to achieve their nefarious political goals.

The puppet Kashmiri leaders, after winning elections, start singing the praises of India and appear oblivious to the promises made to the people.

Recently, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah stated, “We will work with the BJP; Modi is an honest man.”

He added that the restoration of Article 370 is impossible and that nothing like that can happen.
**Omar Abdullah, Leader, National Conference**

In this election, the leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference remained imprisoned, either in jails or under house arrest. Media restrictions were still in place, and foreign journalists were barred from visiting the area.

Additionally, new constituencies were created to disenfranchise the Muslim population. Representation for Jammu was increased to 43 seats, while Kashmir was allotted 47 seats, despite the valley having a significantly larger population than Jammu.

People brought in from other regions were granted temporary domicile and voting rights before the elections. The BJP government significantly increased the powers of the Lieutenant Governor.

This enhancement of the Lieutenant Governor’s powers is an extremely undemocratic move that has fostered an atmosphere of uncertainty and mistrust.

In these elections, the BJP failed to win any of the 19 seats in the valley but secured 29 seats from the Hindu-majority districts of Jammu, further highlighting the Hindu-Muslim divide in the region.

In light of these facts, it has become clear that the elections held in occupied Jammu and Kashmir are merely a political farce.

International political observers have expressed their opinions, stating that “the Kashmir elections were nothing more than a political game orchestrated by the BJP.”

In the name of the Kashmir elections, India deprives Kashmiris of their true leaders and hands them over to Indian political pawns, according to international political observers.

Under the pretext of the Kashmir elections, India establishes a puppet government in Kashmir to achieve its political and military ambitions, as noted by international political observers.

The clear failure of the BJP in the Kashmir elections demonstrates that Kashmiris do not want to remain at the mercy of India in any way.