India set to remove autonomous status of Kashmir

Tensions between India and Pakistan are escalating

India proposed to remove Kashmir’s special autonomous status from its constitution on Monday.

Home Minister Amit Shah announced that India would like to abolish the conferral of autonomy for the Indian-controlled region, telling parliament Article 370 would be revoked.

“The entire constitution will be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir state,” Shah said, ending the state’s rights to make its own laws.

The Article is a special provision in the Indian constitution that provides special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Its revocation would lead to Indians outside of the state gaining the legal right to own property there.

Earlier on Monday, Kashmir was in a major security lockdown as Indian government forces were deployed to lay steel barricades, place razor wires on roads, and cut off intersections in Srinagar, the region’s principal city. Internet services were also suspended as a way of disrupting any potential protests.

source: dw.com