Who is Sheikh Showkat Hussain, the Kashmiri Academic Accused of 'Sedition'?
The attacks on the Kashmiri academic must not go overlooked in broader discussions about democracy and human rights in India.
In the wake of the decision by Indian authorities to allow prosecutors to charge author Arundhati Roy under the country’s draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for her comments on Kashmir in 2010, little has been said about Sheikh Showkat Hussain, a prominent Kashmiri thinker, who is also facing a similar predicament.
Our new writer Maryam Iqbal with a brief profile of the esteemed Kashmir academic.
On 27 June 2024, the’s UN High Commissioner Volker Turk, released a statement in which he expressed concern that India was using the UAPA anti-terror law to silence critics of the government.
High Commissioner Turk called for a review of the law and the release of human rights defenders detained under it. He also urged “authorities to drop cases against Arundhati Roy & Sheikh Showkat Hussain over comments on India-admin Kashmir.”
Turk’s comments referred to a decision by Indian authorities earlier in the month that gave prosecutors the green light to charge Indian writer Arundhati Roy and Kashmiri scholar Sheikh Showkat Hussain under the UAPA for comments the duo had made during an event back in October 2010.
“Azadi: The Only Way”
The event in October 2010, titled “Azadi: The Only Way,” took place at the LTG Auditorium in New Delhi.
Sheikh Hussain was one of several speakers to participate in the historic event, organized by the India-based Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP).
In his remarks, Sheikh Hussain stressed that the Kashmiri people had a right to self-determination, adding that the conference could have been more accurately titled "No Option but Self-Determination."
Hussain emphasized that despite differing opinions, Kashmiris are united in their desire to decide their own future. Hussain refuted common arguments against self-determination presented by those supporting Indian occupation.
He compared the situation to the US in Afghanistan and the British in Hong Kong and India, asserting that so-called sacrifices made by occupying forces and financial investments did not justify denying Kashmiris their rights.
In his remarks, Sheikh Hussain also criticized India for involving the UN in the Kashmir issue while simultaneously refusing to recognize it as an international dispute or to honor the UN Security Resolution 47 (1948) that resolved that a referendum should be held to decide the future of Kashmir.
Hussain questioned India's claim that an independent Kashmir would threaten its territorial integrity, suggesting that such fears are baseless. he argued that economic incentives and attempts to rehabilitate leaders cannot suppress the genuine aspirations of the Kashmiri people, nor can military force. He concluded the logical end to the struggle is the self-determination of the Kashmiri people.
Naturally, Hussain's participation in 2010 event and his support of the resolution saw Indian nationalists and the Hindu nationalist right wing labelled him as a terror-sympathizer.
He is now on the cusp of being charged with sedition.
Who is Sheikh Showkat Hussain?
Sheikh Showkat Hussain, is a well known academic and activist from Indian-occupied Kashmir who has spoken out on the rights of Kashmiri for decades.
His journey as an activist began during his time as a student at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in India. His opposition to the Indian government's campaign to diminish AMU's Muslim character led to his suspension from the university. His activism has also extended beyond the university setting, as he advocated for the return of the Babri Masjid to Muslims and played a leading role in the campaign against the election of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
In 1990, Hussain moved to Malaysia to serve as an assistant professor at the International Islamic University, where he taught International Law and Human Rights.
During his tenure, he recognized a lack of comprehensive literature on Kashmiri resistance against the Indian occupation and decided to return to Kashmir to help document the uprising. Hussain's work focused on articulating the struggles and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
He has authored several books and numerous articles on the socio-political conditions in Kashmir, the human rights violations occurring in the region, and the broader implications of the Kashmiri resistance within the global context.
His notable publications include "Kashmir Profiles" and "Kashmir Saga," which offer in-depth profiles of key figures relevant to Kashmir and history of the region, respectively.
In addition to his written contributions, Sheikh Showkat was actively involved in disseminating knowledge on humanitarian law in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross to conduct seminars aimed at educating non-state actors on the ethical conduct of warfare.
One of his seminal works include a paper titled: “Kashmir: Palestine in the Making," which draws the parallels between the struggles in Kashmir and Palestine, highlighting demographic trends in Muslim populations of Jammu and Kashmir in comparison to India.
"Kashmiris have always been supportive of Palestine ever since the issue erupted. Though they themselves have been involved in a similar situation, their understanding of subjugation made them more sensitive to the Palestinian issue."
Following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October 2023, Sheikh Hussain said: “Hamas has punctured the balloon of [the] Israeli security model. Those copying it across the globe particularly in the subcontinent need to rethink about worth of this model. Muscular policies may shield dissent they can't eradicate it.”
In addition to his academic and activist roles, Sheikh Showkat is a member of the task force constituted by the Ministry of Social Welfare for monitoring orphanages in Jammu and Kashmir. He is considered an indispensable resource for institutions like the Indian Institute of Public Administration and the University of Kashmir's Department of Distance Education.
His academic and political engagements as well as his incisive political commentary has made him a target of the Indian government.
Sheikh’s unwavering stance on Kashmiri self-determination eventually led to his dismissal as principal of Kashmir Law College at the Central University of Kashmir in 2022, making him one of many Kashmiris who lost their jobs on account of their political sentiments.
The systematic targeting of Sheikh Hussain and the criminalization of debate and discussion sets a dangerous precedent - and it is a tactic the Indian state has been employing for far too long against Kashmiri academics, journalists, and human rights activists.
Hussain's situation, along with that of Arundhati Roy, should become a focal point for broader discussions about democracy and human rights in the India, where fascist measures against dissent only seems to be escalating.
Given that Hussain is a Kashmiri Muslim, which makes him especially vulnerable to the wrath of the Indian state, it is unlikely that his case will be raised sufficiently, or heard at all.
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