Why Trump's 'religious' statement about Kashmir is dangerous for India

Ever since tensions escalated between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Narendra Modi government abrogating Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, US President Donald Trump has been finding it difficult to turn a blind eye to Kashmir-related developments. 

However, what caught everyone off guard was when he uttered the taboo word—religion. "It's a complicated situation. A lot has to do with religion. Religion is a complicated subject," he said. Responding to a question on Kashmir, which he termed a “very complicated place”, Trump said the subcontinent is having these talks for hundreds (sic) of years, even under different names. "You have the Hindus. And you have the Muslims. I wouldn't say they get along so great. That's what you have right now," he said adding that the two countries have not got along for a long time. 

While India has time and again asserted that Kashmir is an internal issue for the country—an indirect way of saying "thanks, but no thanks" to mediation attempts—the outspoken US president seems to be unperturbed. And with his comments on the issue as one rooted in "religion", he has put India in a precarious position.

It is to be recalled that former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti was one of the first to call scrapping of Article 370 the Centre's move to alienate and disempower Muslims in the country. The local separatists leaders have also long maintained the religious argument in the Kashmir issue. 

Trump's "religious" comments is perhaps the first time that a global leader linked Kashmir with religion in the current context. It is likely to put other Muslim countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia, in a tight spot. While none of them have overtly criticised India nor backed Pakistan, ideological questions would arise regarding the impact of Muslim lives in Kashmir. Trump's comments comes ahead of PM Modi's visit to the UAE later this week.

At the same time, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), an inter-governmental organisation with 57 member states, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, UAE and Saudi Arabia, had already flagged concerns about India's lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir, calling it "an affront to Muslims across the world". "Denial of religious rights constitutes a serious violation of international human rights law & is an affront to Muslims across the world. The OIC urges Indian authorities to ensure the protection of the rights of Kashmiri Muslims & the exercise of their religious rights (sic)," it had noted. 

According to the official website of Jammu and Kashmir government, Muslims form 97 per cent of population in Kashmir, while the figure comes down to 31 per cent in Jammu. Contrastingly, Hindus, who form about only two per cent in Kashmir, constitute 65 per cent of the population in Jammu. 

Trump's comments also seem to be contradicting the stand taken by the US, which has maintained that Kashmir is an internal matter for India and the only discussion in sight would be a bilateral one between India and Pakistan. However, Trump had a different take on it. "I will do the best I can to mediate or do something. (I have) great relationship with both of them, but they (India and Pakistan) are not exactly friends at this moment," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on Tuesday, yet again extending his offer to mediate. He added that he would discuss the tense situation in Kashmir with PM Modi when they meet at the G7 Summit in France during this weekend.