Modi hails Kashmir move

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday hailed his "path-breaking" move to strip Kashmir of its autonomy, as his Pakistani counterpart warned of possible "ethnic cleansing".

Parts of Kashmir that India controls -- it is split with arch-rival Pakistan -- have been under lockdown since August 4, with freedom of movement restricted and phones and the internet cut.

A day later, New Delhi scrapped Article 370 in the Indian constitution that had granted Kashmir special status, splitting the state of Jammu and Kashmir in two and downgrading them to union territories.

In a speech from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in Delhi for Indian Independence Day, Modi said that the decision was one of several "path-breaking" moves by his newly re-elected administration.

"The old arrangement in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh encouraged corruption and nepotism, as well as injustice when it came to rights of women, children, (low-caste) Dalits, tribal communities," said Modi, 68.

With the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, the dream of "One Nation, One Constitution" has been realized, added Modi.

He also lashed out at the opposition speaking against the move, asking if they felt it was so necessary why didn't they make it permanent in the past 70 years.

Modi also talked about his aim to turn India into a $5-trillion economy within five years, by spurring wealth creation, boosting exports and tourism, and spending 100 trillion rupees ($1.4 trillion) on infrastructure, reported Reuters.

Wearing a flowing bright saffron-coloured turban, Modi also highlighted his government's ban on some Muslim communities' practice of allowing a husband to instantly divorce his wife.

Perhaps his most controversial announcement was the creation of a new post of chief of defence staff to ensure better coordination of India's army, navy and air force, along the lines of Western military forces.

Fearing unrest over India's latest move, tens of thousands of extra Indian troops have been deployed to Kashmir -- joining 500,000 already there -- turning parts of the main city of Srinagar into a fortress of roadblocks and barbed wire.

Sher-i-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, where the main Independence Day ceremonies were held in Srinagar, was cordoned off by security personnel, with drones and helicopters monitoring the area.

Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik hoisted an Indian flag and inspected a police guard of honour, watched on by India's national security adviser Ajit Doval.

There were few locals at the ceremony, with most of the spectators from the government or security forces, an AFP reporter in Srinagar said.

Hundreds of artists and students from Hindu-majority Jammu, a major city south of Srinagar, were ferried in on buses and planes to perform at the function.

Kashmiri politicians were missing from the event. The politicians, alongside university professors, business leaders and activists, are among more than 500 people taken into custody in the region.

"Restrictions will continue in some places of Kashmir for some time," local police official Munir Khan told Indian media.

In neighbourhoods, some residents observed Pakistan's Independence Day on Wednesday by setting off firecrackers and hoisting its national flag.

Pakistan meanwhile observed "Black Day" to coincide with Indian Independence Day to protest the Kashmir decision. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan replaced his Twitter profile photo with a black circle.

Khan, who has compared Modi's government to Nazi Germany, yesterday took to Twitter to voice his alarm.

"Will world silently witness another Srebrenica-type massacre & ethnic cleansing of Muslims in IOK? (Indian-occupied Kashmir)," Khan wrote, referring to the killing of Muslim men and boys in Yugoslavia in 1995.

"I want to warn international community if it allows this to happen, it will have severe repercussions & reactions in the Muslim world setting off radicalisation & cycles of violence."