Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tightened his control over Kashmir Wednesday, as his government announced plans to split the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two federal territories, controlled directly by New Delhi. Over the summer, massive protests erupted after Modi revoked the special status of the Indian-controlled part of the Muslim-majority region. Human rights groups say Modi’s government then carried out widespread torture, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and other crimes in Kashmir. Meanwhile, Kashmiri militants shot dead five construction workers from eastern India on Wednesday. The latest violence came as a group of European Union lawmakers from far-right parties toured Kashmir in a move decried by human rights groups as a “PR stunt.” The 27 parliamentarians, from countries including France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the U.K., met with Modi for a photo op on Monday.
India to Split Jammu and Kashmir into Two Territories Controlled by New Delhi
HeadlineOct 31, 2019