Report criticizes India’s Kashmir governance, rights record after Red Fort attack

SRINAGAR, Indian-Occupied Kashmir (MNTV) — An independent policy report has sharply criticized the Indian government’s handling of Jammu and Kashmir, arguing that security failures, continued denial of statehood, expanded powers for the federally appointed administration and alleged misuse of stringent and arbitrary security laws have further eroded democratic governance and human rights in the disputed region.

The report, released by the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir, says public anger has intensified following the Red Fort attack and subsequent security operations, accusing New Delhi of responding with broad crackdowns rather than targeted policing.

Security response and statehood under scrutiny

According to the report, authorities failed to prevent the Red Fort attack despite earlier arrests and raids linked to the alleged attacker, Umar Un Nabi.

It argues that the lapse exposed what it describes as “extremely poor coordination” among Delhi Police, Jammu and Kashmir Police, Haryana Police and the Union Home Ministry.

The report also criticizes Union Home Minister Amit Shah for promising retaliation against those responsible while “taking no responsibility” for what it calls a major intelligence and security failure.

The Forum further alleges that the central government failed to prevent a predicted backlash against Kashmiris and Muslims after the attack.

It points to measures introduced by police in Gurugram requiring landlords and housing societies to submit detailed records of Kashmiri tenants, contrasting the response with actions taken by the Union Home Ministry after similar tensions in 2010 to protect Kashmiri students and residents.

According to the report, widespread questioning of residents following the Red Fort attack and the later killing of constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi fueled resentment across the region.

It cites reports that around 500 people were questioned after the Red Fort attack and more than 2,000 after the Anantnag shooting, describing the operations as indiscriminate.

The report also argues that unprecedented security arrangements during the Amarnath pilgrimage, including prolonged highway restrictions affecting civilian traffic, further increased public frustration.

A major focus of the report is New Delhi’s continued refusal to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood nearly seven years after the region was downgraded from a state to a Union Territory in 2019.

The Forum argues that the move violated India’s federal constitutional framework, saying the demotion “contravened Articles 1 and 3 of the Constitution of India and the basic structure doctrine.”

Referring to the Supreme Court’s Article 370 judgment, the report notes that the court did not rule on the legality of the state’s conversion into two Union Territories because the Union government assured judges that statehood would eventually be restored.

It says that promise remains unfulfilled despite repeated political commitments.

“The restoration of statehood is a critical first step” toward rebuilding confidence and peace in the region, the report says.

It also warns against using security concerns following the Red Fort attack as justification for delaying restoration of democratic governance, arguing that the current situation makes restoration more necessary rather than less.

The report further criticizes recent decisions granting Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha expanded authority over telecommunications during public safety and national security situations, including powers relating to internet shutdowns, surveillance, and communications control.

It says such measures have further weakened the authority of the elected Jammu and Kashmir government and undermined “the people’s right to an accountable administration.”

Courts challenge security laws as rights concerns persist

The report highlights what it describes as increasing judicial scrutiny of the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

It says the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has increasingly quashed detentions under both laws because of insufficient evidence, procedural deficiencies and misuse of legal provisions.

However, it argues that many detainees spent prolonged periods in custody before courts intervened and that judicial criticism has not resulted in meaningful police reform.

The Forum also cites Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s statement that around 400 juveniles remained detained under the PSA despite protections contained in India’s Juvenile Justice Act.

The report documents additional concerns involving women and children.

It notes that domestic violence complaints registered through Jammu and Kashmir’s One Stop Centres rose sharply from 893 cases in 2023-24 to 1,979 cases during 2024-25.

The report also records the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Budgam district in May 2026 and the reported rape of another 12-year-old girl in Kishtwar in July, with suspects arrested in both cases.

According to the report, child protection mechanisms remain under severe strain. It says only one of two designated POCSO special courts was functioning in one district, leaving more than 100 child sexual abuse cases pending, including cases awaiting trial for several years.

Economic hardship deepens amid governance concerns

Beyond human rights issues, the Forum argues that Jammu and Kashmir continues to face severe economic difficulties.

It says unemployment reached 6.7 percent in 2025—nearly double India’s national unemployment rate of 3.5 percent—with educated young people facing limited employment opportunities despite increasing educational attainment.

The report says nearly 473,000 people between 18 and 60 years of age identified themselves as willing to work during a government baseline survey, while many university graduates increasingly compete for low-skilled jobs because of the region’s weak private sector and limited government recruitment.

The Forum also points to serious administrative shortcomings, citing nearly 600 official notifications correcting errors in Aadhaar identity records published in a single government gazette. It warns that inaccurate identity documentation risks affecting banking access, public services and electoral participation.

While acknowledging improvements in certain social indicators—including a higher sex ratio at birth and lower infant mortality—the report argues these gains are overshadowed by continued political uncertainty, economic hardship and restrictions on democratic governance.

It concludes that restoring full statehood, strengthening judicial accountability, reforming policing practices and reversing what it describes as excessive centralization of power are essential to addressing Jammu and Kashmir’s political and human rights challenges.