Are new laws in Kashmir aimed at increasing Hindu resettlement?

Some UN experts have expressed reservations about some of the recent laws introduced in Jammu and Kashmir. The government has denied the allegations, saying it was an "internal matter."

Two experts from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' office said in a recent statement that changes at the administrative level in Kashmir could limit the role of Muslims and minorities in the region in politics. 

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Fernand de Vince, Special Representative for Minority Issues, and Ahmed Shaheed, Special Representative for Freedom of Religion, recent changes have made it difficult for people in the region to change their laws to protect their rights as a minority. 

The two experts issued the statement last Thursday. He urged the government to ensure the safety of Muslims and minority groups in the region.

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Responding to a statement from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Foreign Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said the UN experts did not wait for an Indian response before issuing a statement.

Srivastava dismissed the notion that the new laws were an attempt to change the region's demographics. The Foreign Ministry spokesman added that experts needed to better understand the Kashmir issue before reaching a conclusion.

The remarks by the two experts from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights came a day after delegates from 24 countries completed their multi-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir. 

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This was the third such visit by foreign delegates since the New Delhi government abolished Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status in August 2019. 

Foreign Ministry officials and armed guards were always with the representatives of Central and South Asian countries, including Africa and the European Union. 

India claims that after initial unrest, the situation in Kashmir under its control is now normal.

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