Kashmir Muslims fear demographic shift as thousands get residency

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir - The Indian government has announced a new set of laws for Indian-administered Kashmir, including domicile rights for Indian citizens, that experts and residents fear will alter the demographic status of the Muslim-majority Himalayan region.

Under the new law, those who have resided for a period of 15 years in Indian-administered Kashmir or studied for a period of seven years and appeared in Class 10/12 examinations in educational institutions located in the region are now eligible to become permanent residents.

The announcement came nearly eight months after the Indian government stripped the disputed region of its limited autonomy that had protected the region for decades from demographic changes.

'Worry the Kashmiris'

The new law announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs also provided domicile status to the children of central government officials who have served in Indian-administered Kashmir for a total period of 10 years.

The notification by India's Hindu nationalist government comes as the country of 1.3 billion people is under a 21-day lockdown due to coronavirus fears.

The government changed the geographical and political status of the Indian-administered Kashmir region on August 5 after it abrogated Article 370 - a law that restricted rights over jobs, scholarships and land to the permanent residents of Indian-administered Kashmir.

Subsequently, the Muslim-majority region was divided into two federally-administered territories with little power vested in the hands of the local people to decide their future.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had justified the stripping of the region's special status saying it will bring development.

Retired Air Vice Marshal Kapil Kak, who has challenged the abrogation of Article 370 in the Supreme Court, said it is "a permanent resident by stealth". "It should worry the Kashmiris." 

"The effect of this notification would be felt in [the] Jammu [region] because there are not many people who have come into Kashmir in the last 15 years," he told Al Jazeera.

'Demographic flooding'

While the law has triggered fear among Kashmiris about the "permanent settlements by the outsiders", the experts say it will lead to "demographic flooding".

"It is a lot to circumvent the law. I think it illustrates clearly that some will not stop from politicking during coronavirus," Siddiq Wahid, a political analyst based in Indian-administered Kashmir told Al Jazeera, referring to the current coronavirus crisis.

"Obviously it is an attempt to change the demographics, not only change but flood it. It will lead to demographic flooding," Wahid said.

He said the change of law "is much larger than [the issue of jobs]". "I am not even thinking about jobs."

Sheikh Showkat Hussain, professor of legal studies based in the region, said: "It was in the offing."

"The whole purpose of revoking Article 370 was to settle outsiders here and change the demography of the state. Now this provides the modalities and entitles so many categories of Indians whose settlement will be legalised over here."

But the leaders of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) justified the step, saying it will secure jobs only for the domiciles of the region.