By -Inamul Haq
Colonialism is a relation between two or more groups of unequal power in which one controls and rules the other and tries to impose its cultural order to the subordinate groups. In a narrow sense, the colonialism stands as formal political control of a territory and population by special administrative apparatus and with an ideology justifying such control. The ideology includes the dominated population as different and divides them in an idiom of race. It is initiated by military force and the subordinate group often resists with violence (McBride, 2016). Similarly, in 1947, when India and Pakistan were separated, the question of Kashmir emerged. The choice of Kashmir was colonized, and both the countries fought on table as well in ground to claim Kashmir as their part. Without going into detail, everyone knows that what was the choice given to the people of Kashmir. Along with choice, it was also recommended to keep in the mind the geography as well as demography. However, the choice remained in documents rather than practice. It is also remarkable that Kashmiri people mostly politicians also contributed in its colonization. As Frantz Fanon clearly states in his book “The Wretched Earth” that a native of colonized is responsible for bringing a colonizer into existence first and later on starts agitating his existence. Relating Fanon to Kashmir, the natives are also responsible for the colonization. The politicians of Kashmir are changing their colour after every interval. In Kashmir they keep one narrative and outside Kashmir, they have another. colonial world is divided into two parts: one is comfort zone, which is reserved for those, who are helping in the process, they remain mere puppets, who are working and acting on the signals of their master. The another one is the diving line and its frontiers are covered by barracks and soldiers. In this situation, the policeman/army man are the officials, instituted go-between, the spokesman of the settler. Such forces are more powerful than anyone and they are present everywhere and are also frequent in their actions in order to maintain contact with the natives. Besides that, they are creating a fear by their weaponry and behaviour. These agents of the state are speaking the language of pure force.
Fanon further argues that a man in colonial rule is always desirous and the colonizer knows it well. While applying it to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The picture is visible and society had witnessed that middle class person are becoming elite class in a short spam of time. There are thousand of individuals who do not earn but having luxurious life. Where does the money comes from? While on the other side, the colonizer make mass relationship with the colonized in which force is being used to show off exhibitionist. His occupation reminds the individual that I am slave forever. In this relationship, the colonizer keeps the anger alive in their subjects by depriving them from basic rights and trapped him in the chains of colonialism. From 1990’s, the Kashmir valley witnessed the more violence in the form of killings, torture, detention, disappearance and so on. All these methods are common in the colonialism and such laws are implemented that keeps legal system salient. These laws were termed as emergency laws and these are amended from time to time according the condition of the people. The recent approach of India towards Kashmir is the sign of colonial rule. The highway ban, militarisation, internet ban, detention of political opponents are the visible signs through which colonial rules are imposed on the people, so that to break their will. Besides, the violations are being justified on the name of emergency by citing different article from international humanitarian laws.
