G-20 Kashmir meeting contentious for broader political message

India is set to host the third G-20 working group meeting in India-administered Kashmir on May 22-24. Analysts say the location is intended to send a message to the world that the region is a non-negotiable part of the country.

Senior journalist and political commentator from the Jammu region, Tarun Upadhyay, says holding the meeting exclusively in the Kashmir region is a politically-loaded message for Pakistan, the Kashmiri people and the world at large.

“To the world, India wanted to convey that Kashmir is like any other part of the country. If a G-20 meeting can be held in Goa, it can be held in Kashmir,” said Upadhyay.

It is the first major international event to be organised after August 5, 2019, when the Muslim-majority region’s autonomous status was scrapped, raising fears that Muslims would be rendered a powerless minority.

Since then, the Indian government has repeatedly stated that the region is like any other part of India and that its autonomy has hindered its economic development and led to separatism.

“For Pakistanis, the message seems to be ‘forget about Kashmir.’ For Kashmiris, the message is ‘wipe out the idea of separatism from your heads’ as the world has acknowledged our claim on Kashmir and the powerful grouping of nations is enjoying our hospitality in your midst.”

“This is the narrative the ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) seems to be pushing by holding the meeting in Kashmir. How far that succeeds remains to be seen but in the end, they would have to talk to the people of Kashmir to resolve this,” he said.

'No political messaging'

In a region where an armed anti-India insurgency has been raging for the past 33 years, security measures have been tightened.

Police Director General Vijay Kumar recently told reporters that India’s special forces, including marine commandos and elite National Security Guard troopers, would be deployed to help secure the dignitaries.

They would complement tens of thousands of police, army personnel and paramilitary soldiers already deployed across the valley.

Security would be especially tight after two deadly attacks in the region in April and May, which killed 10 soldiers, including five elite paratroopers.

Arun Gupta, a spokesperson of the BJP, said there was no political messaging in holding the meeting because G-20 meetings have also been held in other Indian states.

“Weather in Kashmir is pleasant this season and Kashmir is a tourism hub. Kashmiris are happy with the arrival of millions of tourists for the past few years and this year we expect even more tourists to come. Kashmir is important to us. All efforts are being made to develop it and present the real picture to the world,” he said.

Imran Nabi Dar, a spokesman for National Conference, the largest political party that has ruled the longest in the region’s chequered history, said the G-20 was a distinguished forum that discussed and resolved big issues confronting the world.

“We hope our crisis is also discussed and the government of India realises that democratic spaces needed to be strengthened,” said Dar.

“The irony is that while this meeting is being held in Kashmir, Kashmir has been removed from a democratic process.”​​​​​​​

After scrapping the region’s autonomy, India has ramped up diplomatic efforts to bolster claims for the move, which was condemned by Pakistan and China, which control parts of the undivided region as it existed before 1947, the year India and Pakistan came into being.