Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
5-minute read
13 June 2025 | 14:43 CAT

From Srinagar to Gaza, the call is the same: No peace without justice. Dr Imraan Buccus warns of rising authoritarianism in India and draws stark parallels between Kashmir and Palestine.

As global attention remains riveted on the devastation in Gaza, another decades-long occupation continues in silence in Kashmir. This week’s ASRI Report on Radio Islam International featured political analyst and academic Dr Imraan Buccus, who painted a sobering picture of the ongoing oppression in Indian-occupied Kashmir and its parallels with the Palestinian struggle.

“There are multiple struggles across the world but the plight of Kashmiris is strikingly similar to that of Palestinians,” said Dr Buccus. “Both are up against governments driven by hardline nationalist ideologies that thrive on repression and military dominance.”

Kashmir Under Siege

The crisis in Kashmir escalated sharply in August 2019 when the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi unilaterally revoked Article 370 of the constitution, stripping the region of its semi-autonomous status. The move was followed by mass troop deployments, communications blackouts, and sweeping detentions of activists, journalists, and political leaders.

Dr Buccus described the developments as part of a long-term strategy of demographic and cultural transformation, mirroring Israel’s settler-colonial policies in the occupied Palestinian territories.

“We’ve seen India flooding the region with military personnel, installing surveillance systems, shutting down the internet, and detaining thousands, all with the aim of suppressing dissent,” he explained. “It’s a settler-style policy. Just as Israel seeks to Judaise East Jerusalem, India is attempting to ‘Hindutva-ise’ Kashmir.”

Hindutva and Authoritarianism

At the heart of India’s policies in Kashmir is Hindutva,  a right-wing nationalist ideology that defines India’s identity through the lens of Hindu supremacy. Dr Buccus warned that Hindutva has not only gripped Indian politics but is beginning to influence diasporic communities, including in South Africa.

“Hindutva frames Muslims, particularly Kashmiris, as outsiders or internal enemies. It has made it increasingly difficult for even moderate or liberal Indian voices to speak out. Dissent is equated with betrayal,” he said.

Dr Buccus added that Modi’s rise to power was paved by anti-Muslim sentiment, dating back to his tenure as Chief Minister during the 2002 Gujarat pogroms. Since then, India has taken a sharp turn toward authoritarianism, drawing concern from international observers.

“India was once a respected leader in the Non-Aligned Movement. Today, it operates as a junior partner to Western powers, benefiting from political cover despite its human rights abuses,” he noted.

Kashmir and Palestine: Two Struggles, One Pattern

Drawing direct parallels between Kashmir and Palestine, Dr Buccus stressed that both regions are subjected to systematic dehumanisation, denial of self-determination, and the brutal force of occupation. In both cases, the occupying powers attempt to frame their actions as necessary for peace, a notion he called fundamentally flawed.

“Peace cannot be built on injustice,” Dr Buccus asserted. “The apartheid regime in South Africa also claimed to seek peace, but it was a peace on their own terms, without justice, and it ultimately failed.”

“Real peace in Kashmir, Palestine, or anywhere else requires justice first. That means an end to military occupation, the right to self-determination, and the release of political prisoners.”

A Call for Global Solidarity

As international condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza grows even within U.S. campuses and among Israeli citizens themselves, Dr Buccus pointed out that India’s global image has so far weathered less scrutiny.

But that may soon change.

“Young people, activists, and human rights defenders across the world are beginning to connect the dots. Whether it’s Gaza, Kashmir, Sudan, or the DRC, these are all struggles rooted in injustice. We must adopt a global, intersectional lens and support oppressed people everywhere.”

Dr Buccus concluded by urging South Africans not to forget Kashmir amid the justifiable focus on Palestine.

“South Africans know better than most that apartheid cannot sustain itself. We have a moral obligation to speak out, not only for Palestinians, but for Kashmiris, too.”

As the world stands at a crossroads, the voices of occupied peoples from the streets of Srinagar to the rubble of Gaza demand to be heard.

Listen to the ASRI Report on Sabahul Muslim with Moulana Ibrahim Daya and Dr Imraan Baccus.