“Adopt Kashmiris”: Owaisi Urges PM Modi and Amit Shah
Amid protests in Kashmir, a call for compassion and political clarity
In a political landscape often defined by rigid binaries—either national security or civil liberties, confrontation or appeasement—AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi is offering something different. In a recent interview with PTI, the Hyderabad MP urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to adopt a dual-track approach to the latest unrest in Kashmir.
Yes, take on Pakistan diplomatically and firmly, he said—but don’t stop there. “You should definitely confront Pakistan,” Owaisi stated, “but you should also adopt Kashmiris.”
It’s a statement that feels deceptively simple. But there’s more under the surface.
A familiar cycle, but perhaps a rare opening?
The backdrop here is unfortunately familiar. Reports of protests in the Kashmir Valley—this time against Pakistan, in the wake of cross-border violence—have again brought the region into sharp national focus. But what’s unusual, at least at first glance, is the tone of some of these demonstrations. In certain pockets, locals have reportedly condemned Pakistan-backed militancy. It’s not a tidal shift, but it’s not nothing either.
Owaisi seems to be pointing to that nuance. He sees, or at least hopes for, a “historic opportunity” in the moment. One where New Delhi doesn’t default to heavy-handedness, but leans into a politics of inclusion—an emotional and civic adoption of the Kashmiri people, not just territorial ownership.
Whether the government is willing—or politically able—to do that is another question.
The long shadow of August 2019
To understand the context, you can’t ignore the revocation of Article 370 in August 2019. It was a bold and divisive move, turning Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory and stripping it of its semi-autonomous status. Supporters hailed it as a step toward integration; critics saw it as coercive centralization.
The aftermath has been mixed. There’s been relative economic recovery and investment activity in some sectors, yes. This is the tightrope Owaisi is asking the government to walk: assert national sovereignty, but rebuild emotional trust.
A broader plea—or a strategic signal?
To be honest, this reminds me of similar appeals we’ve heard over the years—usually from opposition benches, occasionally from civil society. What makes Owaisi’s version notable is that it’s being voiced now, when anti-Pakistan sentiment is relatively high, and nationalist narratives are politically dominant.
Is he speaking purely from a place of democratic concern? Maybe. Or maybe it’s also strategic—drawing attention to how over-militarization and lack of local engagement could turn a moment of relative goodwill into another lost opportunity.
After all, we’ve seen this movie before.
What would “adopting” Kashmiris actually look like?
That part remains hazy. The language is emotional—deliberately so, I think—but the mechanics are unclear. Does it mean reinstating statehood? Fast-tracking local elections? Addressing long-standing concerns around land rights, demography, and employment opportunities? Probably some combination.
But the deeper point seems to be: if New Delhi wants Kashmiris to reject separatism and militancy, it needs to offer something more than border security and infrastructure projects. It needs to offer dignity.
As Owaisi framed it, the current government has “a historic opportunity.” That’s a big phrase. It can mean different things to different people. But at the very least, it means the eyes of Kashmir—and much of India—are watching.
