Kashmiris in the Occupied Valley have lived under the oppressive rule of the Indian Army since the partition of the Sub-continent, with no significant changes in their lifestyle as India continues to deprive them of basic needs and facilities. The Modi government claimed that the development of Kashmir would be prioritized following the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. However, the people of Kashmir remain deprived of their basic needs to this day.
In a special video, Kashmiri youth expressed that there used to be an assembly and parliament that provided a few jobs. However, after the abrogation of Article 370, both the jobs and the assembly disappeared. Employment issues in Kashmir are so severe that even the youngest individuals, despite holding PhDs, are forced into labor. Due to the increasing number of daily wage laborers, more than half of the Kashmiri population has migrated to other areas.
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The video also highlights the plight of Budgam, a village where people earn only 5,000 to 6,000 Indian Rupees per month from labor and lack basic facilities like electricity, water, and gas, forcing them to live in starvation. Residents of Budgam must travel two hours to Srinagar for medical checkups due to the absence of hospitals or even small clinics in the village. A sole primary school exists in Budgam but lacks necessary facilities. Kashmiris feel that the Indian government might not even be aware of the village’s existence.
