#RedForKashmir: Social media painted red to show solidarity with Kashmir

Netizens are using hashtags such as #RedForKashmir, #BleedForKashmir to show solidarity with Kashmir

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Social media users exploded with series of tweets and posts to express the solidarity with Kashmir after India deployed thousands of troops in the valley abrogating the Article 370 and 35A which ended special status of Kashmir.

Netizens are using hashtags such as #RedForKashmir, #BleedForKashmir, #StandWithKashmir and #KashmirUnderThreat on social media to bring more awareness of the Indian atrocities in the regions.

Users have been changing their displays on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to red to present their support with the Kashmir.

Other users pointed out that the colour red had been chosen: "Red is the colour of our blood. Red is the colour of our history. Red is all of us."

"We are witnessing a grave escalation of the crisis in Kashmir. 35k troops have been deployed in a region with reportedly already half a million Indian troops.#RedForKashmir #StandWithKashmir Red is the colour of our blood. Red is the colour of our history. Red is all of us." pic.twitter.com/vAmVJjGn3Q

— Jibran Yousuf Khan (@JibranYKhan) August 5, 2019

Another user tweeted the facts of the situation in the region, including imposition of curfew, ban on public gatherings, detention of pro freedom leaders and cross-border shelling. “The diaspora and the international community as a whole needs to start vocally supporting Kashmir,” the tweet read. 

The diaspora and the international community as a whole needs to start vocally supporting Kashmir #KashmirUnderThreat #RedForKashmir #StandwithKashmir pic.twitter.com/Xs7O2skKZd

— Emaan Dar (@NanoJuriste) August 5, 2019

Another Twitterati raised his voice for the Kashmir saying that they did it for the Sudan and it is time for his home now.

We done it for Sudan let’s support my hometown Kashmir too #RedForKashmir pic.twitter.com/UYoSY1bxVn

— (@PriinceHaroon) August 5, 2019

An Instagrammer posted, “We all deserve to feel safe. Whether it’s at school, the grocery store, or in our home, our safety is important to us. So why is it that the people of Kashmir are not entitled to the same safety that we demand?”

        View this post on Instagram                  

We all deserve to feel safe. Wether it’s at school, the grocery store, or in our home, our safety is important to us. So why is it that the people of Kashmir are not entitled to the same safety that we demand? The valleys of Kashmir deserve to feel the blessings of peace in every household on the mountainside. Kashmiri’s deserve to live safely in their own home. They deserve to sleep without any fear or worries about what tomorrow’s day of oppression brings. For the past 72 years, all Kashmir has asked for is their freedom from India. Today, with the abolishment of Article 370, the land of Kashmir and the rights of the Kashmiri people (along with all hopes of Kashmir’s prosperous future) have been violently subdued as the Indian army takes full control. Everyone must know that the Indian government has shut down schools, suspended the internet, and put all govt officials under house arrest. The Kashmiri people can no longer reach out to the world, and so it remains our duty to speak up for them. I urge EVERYONE to change their icon picture to red in order to raise awareness. Red, representing the Kashmiri blood shed. Red, as a symbol of the history of Kashmir that must be preserved even in the face of oppression by the biggest democracy in the world. Our silence is not acceptable. Kashmiris deserve to live in peace and prosperity too. (Some human rights groups have estimated the amount of casualties in Kashmir to surpass 100,000) #FreeKashmir #StandWithKashmir #RedForKashmir

A post shared by @ shawallll on Aug 5, 2019 at 4:41pm PDT

Celebrities like the rest of the nation, appalled by the malicious attempt of the Indian govt to put down and quash any voice of dissent and the Kashmiris struggle for freedom, have spoken up against the chaos, curfew and turbulence in the valley by the fascist regime.

Mahira spoke up for the need to stand up for the Kashmiris. "Have we conveniently blocked what we don’t want to address? This is beyond lines drawn on sand, it’s about innocent lives being lost! Heaven is burning and we silently weep. #Istandwithkashmir #kashmirbleeds," she tweeted.

Have we conveniently blocked what we don’t want to address? This is beyond lines drawn on sand, it’s about innocent lives being lost! Heaven is burning and we silently weep. #Istandwithkashmir #kashmirbleeds

— Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) August 5, 2019

Shaan criticized the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing, "Bathing in Ganges will not wash away, the blood of the martyrs of Kashmir. #kashmirbleeds."

Bathing in Ganges will not wash away , the blood of the martyrs of Kashmir. #kashmirbleeds . pic.twitter.com/z2XYOBAbPF

— Shaan Shahid (@mshaanshahid) August 4, 2019

Netizens called India out to repeal the special status of Kashmir while sending out their voice to the world, especially Pakistan, to bring the matter on the global level, to aware the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Indian govt ends occupied Kashmir‘s special status after abrogating Articles 35A, 370

Amid escalating tension in occupied Kashmir following deployment of tens of thousands of additional troops, the Indian government on August 5 has ended special status of the valley while scrapping articles 35A and 370 of the Constitution.

In a malicious attempt to turn Muslim majority into minority in occupied Kashmir, the Indian president has signed a four-point amendment decree in this regard.

According to details, the announcement was made by Indian Home Minister Amit Shah during his address in Rajya Sabha, upper house of Indian parliament. Shah said, “Kashmir will no longer be a state. It will be divided into two union territories – Kashmir, which will have a legislature, and Ladakh, which will be without a legislature."

He also told that the valley would be re-organized geographically.”

On the other hand, authorities in occupied Kashmir placed large parts of the region under lockdown early Monday while India sent in tens of thousands of additional troops and traded accusations of clashes with Pakistan at their de facto border.

Communications were cut, with private mobile networks, internet services and telephone landlines cut.

The state government ordered for Srinagar, "As per the order, there shall be no movement of public and all educational institutions shall also remain closed. There will be a complete bar on holding any kind of public meetings or rallies during the period of operation of this order."

Universities, schools and colleges in Kashmir were ordered to be shut, and one district in that region was placed under lockdown.

The revocation of the articles has allowed other non-Muslim Indian citizens to buy land in the valley while a separate legislative assembly will be established there for its own laws.

What is Article 370?

Article 370 was the basis of Jammu and Kashmir s accession to the Indian union at a time when erstwhile princely states had the choice to join either India or Pakistan after their independence from the British rule in 1947.

The article, which came into effect in 1949, exempts Jammu and Kashmir state from the Indian constitution.

It allows the Indian-administered region jurisdiction to make its own laws in all matters except finance, defence, foreign affairs and communications.

It established a separate constitution and a separate flag and denied property rights in the region to the outsiders.

That means the residents of the state live under different laws from the rest of the country in matters such as property ownership and citizenship.

What is Article 35A?

Article 35A was introduced through a presidential order in 1954 to continue the old provisions of the territory regulations under Article 370 of the Indian constitution.

The article permits the local legislature in Indian-administered Kashmir to define permanent residents of the region.

It forbids outsiders from permanently settling, buying land, holding local government jobs or winning education scholarships in the region.

The article, referred to as the Permanent Residents Law, also bars female residents of Jammu and Kashmir from property rights in the event that they marry a person from outside the state. The provision also extends to such women s children.

While Article 35A has remained unchanged, some aspects of Article 370 have been diluted over the decades. Critics of Article 35A say the provision did not have any parliamentary sanction, and that it discriminates against women.