46 International Journal of Crisis Communication, 2018, 2, 46-57 E-ISSN: 2617-121X © 2018 Green Publishers Deconstructing Indian Media Strategy to Demonize Kashmir Movement Sheikh Gh. Waleed Rasool * and Saadia Pasha Institute of Multi-Track Dialogue, Development, and Diplomatic Studies Islamabad Abstract: The study critically examines Indian approach to use media as a key tool to demonize mass resistance movement in Jammu and Kashmir. Referring to different phases of the movement in Kashmir – 1947, 1965, 1971, 1987, 2000 and 2010 – it argues that India has employed media as a tool to portray Kashmir movement as an instigated one and those who run and support it are mere miscreants and violence mongers. While dubbing the uprising in Kashmir as terrorism, Indian media went overboard to justify massive killings and violations of human rights by the armed forces under the guise of different laws and, to a great extent, succeeded in hoodwinking the attention of international community and human rights organizations from the real situation on the ground. The findings of this study captured six frames of self-determination movement in electical dialecticism theoretical prism. The study sets the course of the line for investigators to study media effects. Keywords: Media in occupation, Peace and state terrorism, Elite media, Media ethics, Dispute, Resolution, Media hype, Democracy, Plebiscite. INTRODUCTION In the era of media globalization [1] the media is a key actor in conflict prevention, management and resolution vis-à-vis a watchdog powered by satellite to high light the human rights violations. Media is contemporary subject beyond news having tremendous potential to shape narratives Vis-à-vis diverting attention to one dimension while avoiding others also called the agenda-setting in mass media module [2]. The induction of modern gadgets [3] in communication technology have augmented responsibilities of media manifolds particularly in the contemporary scenario of conflict. Penisunely has rightly said: “When conflict begins truth is first causality” Truth had been concealed by Indian media which cemented status quo and misinterpreted the peace. Jirair Tutunjan [4] quotes” “All the war, all the propaganda are screaming lies and the hatred comes away invariably from people who are not fighting”. Media attention was diverted towards the Kashmir dispute only when the democratic failure of 1987 assembly elections in the occupied valley had changed into the mass resistance. Use of force by India to suppress popular resistance movement stretched for decades, therefore, human rights violations by her forces appeared as routine news. The daily killing of Kashmiri people over the years also lost the charisma vis-à-vis media focus. It could be one of the reasons that most popular international media in * Address correspondence to this author at the Institute of Multi-Track Dialogue, Development, and Diplomatic Studies Islamabad; E-mail: Waleed.rasool2@gmail.com IoK, BBC Radio, packed up from the Kashmir. Indian military was deployed massively in Jammu and Kashmir during Governor Rule in 1990 under Armed Forces Special Powers Act [5]. It kept hunting the opposite voices and antagonists. Occupational forces framed it “Violence” though, it is a politically motivated term under the set theory to give a bad name to “resistance”. Media cemented the statuesque while promoted the violence attributing towards masses however concealed the use of excessive force under violence. It provided the justification to Indian forces to keep heavy concentration in place in her occupation. To flourish the political economy of occupational forces and politicians framing [6] of antagonists becomes a compulsion for the powerful elite. The pre- or-post media activism is also crucial to prevent conflict before it adopts violent mode causing human tragedy. Media in the 21st Century has a vast scope. It can escalate or de-escalate tension but in certain cases, it becomes a war machine to add fuel to the fire like in IoK. Here Indian state controls and manipulates media. [7] for her own interests other than reutilizing enemies. Major Indian media is cashing in on Kashmir instead of playing the role of watchdog in the conflict scenario which is obviously between the state machinery and the common people, who demand the right to self- determination. On the other side, some independent voices of Indian press, though in minority, have maintained the difference such as the objective media coverage of ‘Chatti Singh Pora’ [8] killings of minority Sikh community in ‘Kunan Poshpora ’ [9] of Kupwara exposing inhuman behavior of Indian forces at a time