Jammu Kashmir : Restoration of Independence- An ideal solution
Indian Police Brutality in Jammu Kasmir
By Maqbool Hussain, Kashmir
The restoration of independence and sovereignty is quite an ideal solution. Infact the only lasting solution, which is in accordance with the aspirations and will of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. Our struggle for independence and sovereignty is 425 years old. It is to be recollected Mughal Emperor Akbar invaded Kashmir, failed to conquer it many times but lastly occupied it with trickery and deprived us of our Independent and Sovereign status. The innate passion for freedom could not be crushed even by great Mughals. The people have deep sense of the loss of independence and sovereignty. The Mughal reign sustained for 167 years.
Afghans captured Jammu & Kashmir and made it a province of Afghanistan in 1752. Their reign lasted for 67 years. The Afghans were very much innovative in perpetuating atrocities and tyrannies on the suppressed people of Kashmir. People were very much against them. They disliked them from the core of their heart and continued struggle to ward off the yoke of Afghans.
Atta Mohammad Khan was the only exception among the Afghan governors who was people friendly, justice loving, pious and religious minded. He loved saints of Kashmir. He constructed a concrete retaining wall at the shrine of Sheikh Hamza (R.A) and struck coins in the name of Alamdar-i-Kashmir Sheikh Noorudin Noorani. He identified himself fully with Kashmir and severed relations with Afghanistan gave independent status to it. He truly became the popular governor among the Afghan Governors in Kashmir.
In 1819 Sikh rulers of Punjab invaded Kashmir and captured it. Sikh rulers proved very much tyrant, communal and biased. They took sadistic pleasure in inflicting cruelties and injustices on the people of Kashmir. Their governors most of them were mentally and morally very much savages. Their two Muslim governors Sheikh Mohiuddin and Sheikh Imam-ud-din were very kind to the people and restored holy shrines and mosques to the Muslims and were felicitated to offer prayers without any fear of Sikh raj.
People under the leadership of Sheikh Imam-ud-din defeated Dogra Army and enjoyed independence for sometime before the British and Dogra Army jointly invaded and occupied Kashmir.
British government entered into an agreement with Dogra Raja Gulab Singh (who happened to be an officer of their Army), known as Amritsar Treaty. Dogra Raja had to pay Seventy five lakhs for having the possession of Jammu & Kashmir.
Dogras' were no less crue, tyrant, despotic than Sikhs or Afghans. They were very much insensitive to the pain and penury of the people. They continued to deprive the Muslim farmers of their land and allotted to Kashmiri Pundits and others.
The struggle for basic rights and finally for independence was launched many times but was crushed 1924, 1931, and 1946 were important mile stones when people resisted the cruel Dogra rulers and offered sacrifices.
British parliament passed the independence Act under which Muslim majority Areas were declared as Pakistan and Hindu majority areas India. But 526 princely states were neither India nor Pakistan; they were given the option as either to accede to India or Pakistan or to remain Independent.
Maharaja Hari Singh was interested to remain independent and had no intention to remain either with India or Pakistan. Maharaja entered into standstill agreement with government of Pakistan. Lord Mountbatten, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Gandhiji dissuaded him not to think of independence. His capacity to decide was crippled. The revolutionary forces of poonch aided by Afridis and Pashtoons reached Srinagar. Maharaja had to flee/ runaway. His army was defeated and seen nowhere in an organised manner and was in search of refuge. Government of India claimed Maharaja had acceded to India but historians dispute the authenticity of the accession. When Maharaja himself was in journey how he could have signed the document.
Indian forces landed at Kashmir airport and pitched battles with the revolutionaries were witnessed. Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah was made emergency administrator and then Prime Minister of Kashmir. UNO imposed cease fire which India and Pakistan accepted. The Kashmir got divided Azad Kashmir (Pakistan Controlled Kashmir) and J&K (Indian Controlled Kashmir). Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Lord Mountbatten assured the world powers, UNO, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir that future of Kashmir will be decided by the people of Kashmir by referendum under UNO.
Even the UN Security Council passed many resolutions upholding the Kashmiri people's right of self determination. Both India and Pakistan accepted the resolutions but India, later on applied chanakiyan tactics to thwart the UN to conduct referendum in Jammu & Kashmir to decide the future and fate of the Kashmiri Nation. The popular leader Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah shamelessly and unceremoniously was deposed from the Prime Ministership and consigned to various jails for 21 years.
The people of Azad Kashmir raised strong voice in favour of sovereign and independent Kashmir in 1951-1952. Again in 1960's there was strong campaign under the K.H.Khursheed for the free and Independent Kashmir. In Azad Kashmir JKNLF, Plebiscite Front, Liberation League are continuing struggling for the establishment of free J&K. In this side of Kashmir plebiscite front, students and youth league and host of organizations were engaged with the freedom struggle. Now Hurriyat Conference, People's League, Awami Action Committee, Mahaz-e-Azadi, JKLF are engaged round the clock with the freedom movement.
More than five lakh people of Jammu division were put to sword for hailing and supporting freedom struggle. More than seven lakh people had to migrate to Pakistan and Azad Kashmir in 1947. Since then to present day further two lakh people courted martyrdom. Now in 2010 in just two months more than 60 teenagers and youth have been murdered with straight bullet shots simply for raising slogans for Azadi and asking India to Quit Kashmir and Go back and break the forcible relations. The campaign was all peaceful. The peaceful teenager demonstrators were mercilessly baton charged, teargassed and even fired upon straight above the belt. The ugly actions of security forces had to face equally opposite chain of reactions without any pause. The government has resorted to continuous curfews and deliberately pushed the people inside the houses without facilitating medicines, food grain, vegetables, Milk and other items of daily use.
In 2008 summer rebellion while the people were on way to Muzaffarabad March security forces opened fire on youthful Kashmiri marchers and hundreds were seriously injured in a single day and later many succumbed to their injuries. Many injured could have been saved had the government allowed vehicles with injured to reach hospitals in time. More than 75 young Kashmiris were gunned down by security forces in the summer agitation of 2008.
In this backdrop, Kashmir American Council and Association of Humanitarian lawyers had conveyed two day conference on 5, 6 August 2010 to apprise the international community of the cruel suppression in Kashmir at Capital Hill Washington to deliberate and discuss various solutions to the burning Kashmir problem.
All the participants excepting Kuldeep Nayar expressed concern over the sufferings and pain of Kashmiris and the cancerous growth of Kashmir problem. His was only discordant voice in the conference who presented India's official stated position. He is of the opinion that the status quo could not be changed and the parties to the dispute should accept line of control as permanent border.
Learned Kuldeep Nayar, the people of Kashmir are rendering valuable sacrifices for the complete independence and Sovereignty of United Jammu & Kashmir. We have not offered sacrifices of 8 lakh people to allow largest democracy to continue the occupation of our sacred homeland. The people of Jammu & Kashmir are putting in all efforts to unite their divided Kashmir and make it independent and sovereign and a respectable member of UNO, SAARC etc…
You say that conscious opinion of the participants of Washington Kashmir Conference and the belief of the Indian people is that delay in finding the solution is the real cause for the unrest. Agreed but you have the solution of status quo glamorized with internal autonomy. So called autonomy was there from 1947 to 1953 but it could not replace sentiment and will for Independence and Sovereignty. The autonomy of J&K was so diluted as to have now no takers except handful of cronies.
You say mishandling of the situation from time to time have caused eruptions in Kashmir. Learned Kuldeep Nayar Sahib it is a disgrace to a suppressed nation to call its long and sustained struggle as eruptions. Our nation has fought five powerful occupation forces at different points of time. Kashmiri nation is fighting a war of survival and freedom and you sadly and cruelly treat it as eruptions. You have belittled our freedom struggle and thus committed a great blunder and abhorrent sin.
The pious struggle for freedom has been inherited from generation to generations and the process will continue till the achievement of independence and sovereignty. If the streams of honey and milk are run in J&K, if the roads would be decorated with diamonds and jewels, the resistance movement cannot be bargained or diluted. No party or leader is allowed to do any harm to the struggle. The fate of popular leader S.M.Abdullah is before every body that how much he has lost his esteem and honour and how he has became from hero to zero. No body is going to talk the crumbs of internal autonomy; again the fate of Abdullah is a lode star for the pro-freedom leadership.
The superficial thinking that the people of Kashmir will come around with the chankiyan tactics and accept new version of internal autonomy, the beautified and glamorized status quo is never going to bear fruit.
425 years long freedom struggle bears complete testimony to the fact that the Kashmiri nation never accepted foreign rule as fait accompli. They voice their abhorrence and intense hatred against the slavery and subjugation. The foreign rulers did not feel comfortable while ruling our country due to people's resistance movement. 63 years of Indian rule has witnessed real storms, tempests and tornadoes of resistance from the people of Kashmir. No foreign ruler enjoyed a smooth cake walk here.
Mr. Kuldeep Nayar, you believe that the separatists do not allow the situation to settle down. The people of Jammu & Kashmir are freedom lovers not separatists and fight for the restoration and independence of sovereignty. The people of J&K have not joined India or Pakistan of their free will. The so called accession has been manipulated and effected under duress as nicely put forth by Ambassador Yousuf Buch and Prof. Bose.
Using the word separatists against the freedom lovers is deliberate denigration of them. The active Pro-freedom leaders are representatives of people's sentiments and will. As long as pro-freedom leaders represent the indomitable sentiments, they are to enjoy peoples respect, love and trust.
The plea that the people have participated in the elections, and have abandoned the freedom struggle or have lost the inherent right to fight for independence and sovereignty is distortion of facts. People voted for better roads, clean drinking water, electricity and employment. Kashmiri people have not compromised their commitment for Azadi. Present ongoing agitation is patent proof of it. People have proved more wiser than the available pro-freedom leadership. The people of Sub-continent participated in lections during British Raj. British government never said that since people and leaders have participated in the elections while taking oath on the British constitution, their right to fight for complete independence has been forfeited.
The Indo-Pak sub-continent was given independence by the British Empire without wasting time in lame excuses. Today or tomorrow the government of India and the government of Pakistan has to honour the will of the Kashmiri nation. There is no denying of this ugly fact.
India is emerging as a great power. It is a good thing. Kashmiri nation is not any rival of India. We have no jealously, here the question is it should honour its commitments made with Kashmiri nation. It should uphold justice and the principles of freedom. It should initiate and build its image from the neighboring countries. They should not feel harassed or over-awed. They should not feel threat to their territorial integrity. It should abandon to invest in destability in neighboring nation. It should leave its hegemonistic attitude. There is no logic in criticizing India and People of Kashmir feeling vicarious satisfaction. We are a civilized nation; we have kept aloft the flag of communal harmony, universal brotherhood when the whole India and Pakistan was burning with communal frenzy.
You say Sheikh Abdullah's rant and rhetoric against India in Kashmir used to give vicarious satisfaction to the Kashmiri nation and it did not then cry for freedom and rather ignored it. Learned Nayar Sahib, Sheikh Abdullah chose to become two time Head of the government of Kashmir. The first tenure from 1947 to 1953 witnessed tremendous fall and decline in his popularity and he took strong stand against legal, constitutional, political and moral excesses of the government of India. He was unceremoniously and shamelessly deposed and consigned to jails for 21 years. Sheikh Abdullah formed plebiscite front and restarted campaign for freedom. He reached new heights of popularity. Unfortunately he again chose to become the C.M of the state again his popularity graph was touching the low ebb. As long as Sheikh Abdullah remained embedded to freedom struggle he became leader of international repute. But he wa trapped in the chanakiyan mantra and the people paid him last tributes for his contribution in the struggle and now more or less forgot him.
Gradually people became aware of the blunders of Sheikh Abdullah with regard to his support for the temporary accession. His popularity nosedived and reached the zero line. Pt. Jawaharlal Lal Nehru had chalked out plan to grab J&K by any means throwing the aspirations and will of the people to winds. He exploited Sheikh Abdullah to the hilt under the garb of secularism, liberalism and socialism to realize the plan. Sheikh Abdullah behaved like credulous personality and believed every word which he uttered.
Pt. Nehru controlled fully J&K and deposed Sheikh Abdullah unceremoniously and consigned him to various jails for 21 years, while deposing and imprisoning Sheikh Abdullah the principles of liberalism, democratic mindset, socialism, secularism and justice proved to be hoax and right pursuance of the chanakiyan philosophy. At the one hand he appeased the communal forces like Bhartia Jana Sangh, Rashtria Swayam Sehwak sangh and other parties of the same mindset and on the other he installed more pliant person as P.M. of J&K and through him manipulated constitutional measures amalgamated Jammu & Kashmir with the union of India. The search and selection for pliant C.M's is unending.
Sending Sheikh Abdullah to Pakistan without a well chalked out roadmap for the resolution of Kashmir problem was again political treachery. The plan was that sheikh Abdullah was not much liked by Pakistani leadership and the people, landing in Pakistan may trigger protests against him, he will feel annoyed, his ego will be hurt and he will return with a vengeance and he would change his political ideology.
But he was warmly received and even mandated to find support of India for the free Kashmir. Unfortunately Pt. Nehru breathed his last and Sheikh came running back to mourn the death of Pt. Nehru.
His successors did not bother to know the proposals (if at all any) which Pt. Nehru had presented to Pakistan government through Sheikh Abdullah. Even Sheikh Abdullah never talked about the proposals which he had carried to Pakistan. It again confirms that India does not dare to talk about the Kashmir and its appropriate resolution. The engagement with Pakistani leadership or Kashmiri leadership seems to be buying of time and to give the false impression to the international community about the seriousness and sincerity of India with regard to resolution of Kashmir imbroglio.
You say Sheikh Abdullah again assumed office in 975 and in 1977 and was not allowed to function effectively by the Indian bureaucracy and intelligence and his proposals for autonomy or other thing was not paid much head and was treated as a peon.
It is obvious if Sheikh Abdullah with his very higher stature could not find space in a secular and democratic India of Gandhi and Nehru, how can you suggest to be content with autonomy which may government of India restore. Do not you think the Kashmiri people are being treated as slaves of the conquered land? Can we forget the quest and urge for free and united Jammu & Kashmir? Never!
You say, you were reminded of the commitments made to the people of Kashmir by first Prime Minister of India and you reply that Pt. Nehru himself in his lifetime refused to fulfill the commitment as Pakistan had entered in to SEATO and CENTO defence agreements with U.S.A. which changed the Geo-political situation of the sub-continent and content of the undertaking.
Listen please Mr. Nayar, the commitments of Prime Minister Pt. Nehru made in the parliament on All India Radio, Lal Chowk Srinagar, and U.N. Security Council became the constitutional binding to be fulfilled. If Prime Minister could not fulfill commitments during his life time, his successors are morally, legally and constitutionally bound to do the needful. The late Prime Minister would not be comfortable in the 2nd World. His heirs too should feel concerned and particular to fulfill late Pt. Nehru's commitments.
Pakistan's joining SEATO and CENTO defence agreements with U.S.A is her decision as a sovereign state. India has defence agreements with Russia and now has nuclear agreements with U.S.A. Why Pakistan's agreements are eye sore and India's is its sweet discretion. For Pakistan's bad deeds or good deeds why should people of Kashmir be denied their promised right to freedom and punished by reneging on the promises. How the actions of Pakistan (Which you abhor) justify you to kill us for sport and tighten the noose around the neck of Kashmiri Nation?
Your contention that militancy brought the slogan or demand for independence in the fore front the roots of armed rebellion were there since there since 1586 A.D. Demand for Azadi is not a new slogan as demand of it is as old as our slavery and subjugation. 1989-1990 is an important mile stone when demand for Azadi was raised with much force and vigor.
You admit that Kashmiris have strong resolve for independence and quest for independence may be genuine but not possible. Kashmiris have strong resolve and intense passion to have independence. We are destined to obtain the success in making Kashmir independent and sovereign. The word impossible is not available with the Kashmiri dictionary.
I assure you government of Pakistan is mentally prepared to help Kashmiris in ascertaining their will and is also preparing mindset to acknowledge independent and Sovereign Kashmir. Pakistan will not face difficulties in case people decide to remain free and sovereign. The state of Azad Kashmir is already existing. It is semi-sovereign with its own constitution, flag, national anthem army and police, President and Prime Minister. With the official statement of recognition it would become a defacto and dejure independent and sovereign country. Govt's in Pakistan have from the very beginning accepted the Kashmiri Nations right to independence and Sovereignty.
Aasif Ali Ahmad (Foreign Minister of Benazir Government), Nawaz Sharif (Ex. Prime Minister) Imran Khan (Chairman Justice Party), Maulana Fazlur-Rehman and Asfandyar Wali Khan, Abdul Basit (Pakistan's Foreign office Spokesman) have publicly recognized Kashmiri nation's right to be independent and sovereign.
Learned Nayar Sahib, you opposed formation of Independent Kashmir, on the plea that India cannot agree to the 2nd partition and borders cannot be changed. The people of Jammu and Kashmir would not support secession. Our contention is J&K is not part of India or Pakistan. See the map of both India and Pakistan from August 14 till 27 October 1947.
India forcibly occupied J&K on 27th October 1947 but UNO has not recognized it as part of India or Pakistan. UN maps continuously show it as a disputed home land of Kashmiris. Our achieving free and independent status cannot be treated as partition or secession. Our borders are distinct and well defined, we are not going to change your borders, change the mindset of treating Jammu and Kashmir as India's fiefdom. Do not create confusion by building air castles around the so called integral part mantra. Let the Indian and Pakistani people know the reality about the Kashmir problem. It is in the national interests of India to unburden itself from the Kashmir problem. It is as heavy as Himalayas, it may fully crash you if continue to sustain its burden.
Without holding referendum how can we say the people of certain areas are not in favour of freedom? Collective decision given under free and fair plebiscite under UN supervision would decide the future of the people of J&K. British government while granting independence to India didn't tell you eastern states have separate identities, cultural affinities, religious leanings from the rest of India and do no want to remain with India.
Had that been the case dozen of independent states would have emerged. It has been the calculated campaign to sow the seeds of dissention, hatred among the various sections of Kashmiri people. We have cared, caressed and respected our non-Muslim minorities from the ages and given them more than due share in all walks of life. You treat false impression among the minorities about the Muslim domination, over exploitation and persuaded them to raise the voice for union territory status etc… you incited and encouraged Hindutva brigades to impose economic blockade on the valley people.
You talk of secret solutions reached between Nawaz Sharif and Vajpayee, between Musharraf and Manmohan Singh. These solutions are not binding for the people of J&K. these solutions did not have tactic approval of the people. Had they been according to the will of the Kashmiri people, those would have been made public. Talking about the solutions which have not seen the light of the day is cruel joke with the freedom loving people. The question is simple India and Pakistan have to educate their people about the real contours and historical perspective and the will and choice of the people. Measures for the restoration of independence and sovereignty are needed to be taken to provide the soothing balm to the deep wounds of Kashmiri nation.
Yours was the only discordant voice in the Washington Kashmir Conference. The learned and highly stationed participants were of the consensus to restore independence and sovereignty to Kashmir.
Independence is the only ideal and viable solution to the Kashmir problem. It would not hurt national egos of India and Pakistan. It would provide a win-win position fr both the countries. This solution alone would vanish the centuries old deep pain, deep wounds and subjugation and sub-human life of Kashmiri people.
The economic drain on both India and Pakistan would cease and coffers would become rich and fatter. The scope for banishing hunger, disease, illiteracy, penury, want and deprivations would be widened and bright.
Last of all take care that Kashmiri nation is not going to accept glamorized, beautified and attractive status quo in terms of Autonomy etc… thank you for the trouble, you took long taxing journey to Washington to participate in the two day Kashmir Conference but sorry you had no fresh ideas to offer except often repeated government of India's colonial stand with regard to Kashmir.
Maqbool Hussain
E Mail : maqboolh2010@gmail.com
Afghans captured Jammu & Kashmir and made it a province of Afghanistan in 1752. Their reign lasted for 67 years. The Afghans were very much innovative in perpetuating atrocities and tyrannies on the suppressed people of Kashmir. People were very much against them. They disliked them from the core of their heart and continued struggle to ward off the yoke of Afghans.
Atta Mohammad Khan was the only exception among the Afghan governors who was people friendly, justice loving, pious and religious minded. He loved saints of Kashmir. He constructed a concrete retaining wall at the shrine of Sheikh Hamza (R.A) and struck coins in the name of Alamdar-i-Kashmir Sheikh Noorudin Noorani. He identified himself fully with Kashmir and severed relations with Afghanistan gave independent status to it. He truly became the popular governor among the Afghan Governors in Kashmir.
In 1819 Sikh rulers of Punjab invaded Kashmir and captured it. Sikh rulers proved very much tyrant, communal and biased. They took sadistic pleasure in inflicting cruelties and injustices on the people of Kashmir. Their governors most of them were mentally and morally very much savages. Their two Muslim governors Sheikh Mohiuddin and Sheikh Imam-ud-din were very kind to the people and restored holy shrines and mosques to the Muslims and were felicitated to offer prayers without any fear of Sikh raj.
People under the leadership of Sheikh Imam-ud-din defeated Dogra Army and enjoyed independence for sometime before the British and Dogra Army jointly invaded and occupied Kashmir.
British government entered into an agreement with Dogra Raja Gulab Singh (who happened to be an officer of their Army), known as Amritsar Treaty. Dogra Raja had to pay Seventy five lakhs for having the possession of Jammu & Kashmir.
Dogras' were no less crue, tyrant, despotic than Sikhs or Afghans. They were very much insensitive to the pain and penury of the people. They continued to deprive the Muslim farmers of their land and allotted to Kashmiri Pundits and others.
The struggle for basic rights and finally for independence was launched many times but was crushed 1924, 1931, and 1946 were important mile stones when people resisted the cruel Dogra rulers and offered sacrifices.
British parliament passed the independence Act under which Muslim majority Areas were declared as Pakistan and Hindu majority areas India. But 526 princely states were neither India nor Pakistan; they were given the option as either to accede to India or Pakistan or to remain Independent.
Maharaja Hari Singh was interested to remain independent and had no intention to remain either with India or Pakistan. Maharaja entered into standstill agreement with government of Pakistan. Lord Mountbatten, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Gandhiji dissuaded him not to think of independence. His capacity to decide was crippled. The revolutionary forces of poonch aided by Afridis and Pashtoons reached Srinagar. Maharaja had to flee/ runaway. His army was defeated and seen nowhere in an organised manner and was in search of refuge. Government of India claimed Maharaja had acceded to India but historians dispute the authenticity of the accession. When Maharaja himself was in journey how he could have signed the document.
Indian forces landed at Kashmir airport and pitched battles with the revolutionaries were witnessed. Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah was made emergency administrator and then Prime Minister of Kashmir. UNO imposed cease fire which India and Pakistan accepted. The Kashmir got divided Azad Kashmir (Pakistan Controlled Kashmir) and J&K (Indian Controlled Kashmir). Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Lord Mountbatten assured the world powers, UNO, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir that future of Kashmir will be decided by the people of Kashmir by referendum under UNO.
Even the UN Security Council passed many resolutions upholding the Kashmiri people's right of self determination. Both India and Pakistan accepted the resolutions but India, later on applied chanakiyan tactics to thwart the UN to conduct referendum in Jammu & Kashmir to decide the future and fate of the Kashmiri Nation. The popular leader Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah shamelessly and unceremoniously was deposed from the Prime Ministership and consigned to various jails for 21 years.
The people of Azad Kashmir raised strong voice in favour of sovereign and independent Kashmir in 1951-1952. Again in 1960's there was strong campaign under the K.H.Khursheed for the free and Independent Kashmir. In Azad Kashmir JKNLF, Plebiscite Front, Liberation League are continuing struggling for the establishment of free J&K. In this side of Kashmir plebiscite front, students and youth league and host of organizations were engaged with the freedom struggle. Now Hurriyat Conference, People's League, Awami Action Committee, Mahaz-e-Azadi, JKLF are engaged round the clock with the freedom movement.
More than five lakh people of Jammu division were put to sword for hailing and supporting freedom struggle. More than seven lakh people had to migrate to Pakistan and Azad Kashmir in 1947. Since then to present day further two lakh people courted martyrdom. Now in 2010 in just two months more than 60 teenagers and youth have been murdered with straight bullet shots simply for raising slogans for Azadi and asking India to Quit Kashmir and Go back and break the forcible relations. The campaign was all peaceful. The peaceful teenager demonstrators were mercilessly baton charged, teargassed and even fired upon straight above the belt. The ugly actions of security forces had to face equally opposite chain of reactions without any pause. The government has resorted to continuous curfews and deliberately pushed the people inside the houses without facilitating medicines, food grain, vegetables, Milk and other items of daily use.
In 2008 summer rebellion while the people were on way to Muzaffarabad March security forces opened fire on youthful Kashmiri marchers and hundreds were seriously injured in a single day and later many succumbed to their injuries. Many injured could have been saved had the government allowed vehicles with injured to reach hospitals in time. More than 75 young Kashmiris were gunned down by security forces in the summer agitation of 2008.
In this backdrop, Kashmir American Council and Association of Humanitarian lawyers had conveyed two day conference on 5, 6 August 2010 to apprise the international community of the cruel suppression in Kashmir at Capital Hill Washington to deliberate and discuss various solutions to the burning Kashmir problem.
All the participants excepting Kuldeep Nayar expressed concern over the sufferings and pain of Kashmiris and the cancerous growth of Kashmir problem. His was only discordant voice in the conference who presented India's official stated position. He is of the opinion that the status quo could not be changed and the parties to the dispute should accept line of control as permanent border.
Learned Kuldeep Nayar, the people of Kashmir are rendering valuable sacrifices for the complete independence and Sovereignty of United Jammu & Kashmir. We have not offered sacrifices of 8 lakh people to allow largest democracy to continue the occupation of our sacred homeland. The people of Jammu & Kashmir are putting in all efforts to unite their divided Kashmir and make it independent and sovereign and a respectable member of UNO, SAARC etc…
You say that conscious opinion of the participants of Washington Kashmir Conference and the belief of the Indian people is that delay in finding the solution is the real cause for the unrest. Agreed but you have the solution of status quo glamorized with internal autonomy. So called autonomy was there from 1947 to 1953 but it could not replace sentiment and will for Independence and Sovereignty. The autonomy of J&K was so diluted as to have now no takers except handful of cronies.
You say mishandling of the situation from time to time have caused eruptions in Kashmir. Learned Kuldeep Nayar Sahib it is a disgrace to a suppressed nation to call its long and sustained struggle as eruptions. Our nation has fought five powerful occupation forces at different points of time. Kashmiri nation is fighting a war of survival and freedom and you sadly and cruelly treat it as eruptions. You have belittled our freedom struggle and thus committed a great blunder and abhorrent sin.
The pious struggle for freedom has been inherited from generation to generations and the process will continue till the achievement of independence and sovereignty. If the streams of honey and milk are run in J&K, if the roads would be decorated with diamonds and jewels, the resistance movement cannot be bargained or diluted. No party or leader is allowed to do any harm to the struggle. The fate of popular leader S.M.Abdullah is before every body that how much he has lost his esteem and honour and how he has became from hero to zero. No body is going to talk the crumbs of internal autonomy; again the fate of Abdullah is a lode star for the pro-freedom leadership.
The superficial thinking that the people of Kashmir will come around with the chankiyan tactics and accept new version of internal autonomy, the beautified and glamorized status quo is never going to bear fruit.
425 years long freedom struggle bears complete testimony to the fact that the Kashmiri nation never accepted foreign rule as fait accompli. They voice their abhorrence and intense hatred against the slavery and subjugation. The foreign rulers did not feel comfortable while ruling our country due to people's resistance movement. 63 years of Indian rule has witnessed real storms, tempests and tornadoes of resistance from the people of Kashmir. No foreign ruler enjoyed a smooth cake walk here.
Mr. Kuldeep Nayar, you believe that the separatists do not allow the situation to settle down. The people of Jammu & Kashmir are freedom lovers not separatists and fight for the restoration and independence of sovereignty. The people of J&K have not joined India or Pakistan of their free will. The so called accession has been manipulated and effected under duress as nicely put forth by Ambassador Yousuf Buch and Prof. Bose.
Using the word separatists against the freedom lovers is deliberate denigration of them. The active Pro-freedom leaders are representatives of people's sentiments and will. As long as pro-freedom leaders represent the indomitable sentiments, they are to enjoy peoples respect, love and trust.
The plea that the people have participated in the elections, and have abandoned the freedom struggle or have lost the inherent right to fight for independence and sovereignty is distortion of facts. People voted for better roads, clean drinking water, electricity and employment. Kashmiri people have not compromised their commitment for Azadi. Present ongoing agitation is patent proof of it. People have proved more wiser than the available pro-freedom leadership. The people of Sub-continent participated in lections during British Raj. British government never said that since people and leaders have participated in the elections while taking oath on the British constitution, their right to fight for complete independence has been forfeited.
The Indo-Pak sub-continent was given independence by the British Empire without wasting time in lame excuses. Today or tomorrow the government of India and the government of Pakistan has to honour the will of the Kashmiri nation. There is no denying of this ugly fact.
India is emerging as a great power. It is a good thing. Kashmiri nation is not any rival of India. We have no jealously, here the question is it should honour its commitments made with Kashmiri nation. It should uphold justice and the principles of freedom. It should initiate and build its image from the neighboring countries. They should not feel harassed or over-awed. They should not feel threat to their territorial integrity. It should abandon to invest in destability in neighboring nation. It should leave its hegemonistic attitude. There is no logic in criticizing India and People of Kashmir feeling vicarious satisfaction. We are a civilized nation; we have kept aloft the flag of communal harmony, universal brotherhood when the whole India and Pakistan was burning with communal frenzy.
You say Sheikh Abdullah's rant and rhetoric against India in Kashmir used to give vicarious satisfaction to the Kashmiri nation and it did not then cry for freedom and rather ignored it. Learned Nayar Sahib, Sheikh Abdullah chose to become two time Head of the government of Kashmir. The first tenure from 1947 to 1953 witnessed tremendous fall and decline in his popularity and he took strong stand against legal, constitutional, political and moral excesses of the government of India. He was unceremoniously and shamelessly deposed and consigned to jails for 21 years. Sheikh Abdullah formed plebiscite front and restarted campaign for freedom. He reached new heights of popularity. Unfortunately he again chose to become the C.M of the state again his popularity graph was touching the low ebb. As long as Sheikh Abdullah remained embedded to freedom struggle he became leader of international repute. But he wa trapped in the chanakiyan mantra and the people paid him last tributes for his contribution in the struggle and now more or less forgot him.
Gradually people became aware of the blunders of Sheikh Abdullah with regard to his support for the temporary accession. His popularity nosedived and reached the zero line. Pt. Jawaharlal Lal Nehru had chalked out plan to grab J&K by any means throwing the aspirations and will of the people to winds. He exploited Sheikh Abdullah to the hilt under the garb of secularism, liberalism and socialism to realize the plan. Sheikh Abdullah behaved like credulous personality and believed every word which he uttered.
Pt. Nehru controlled fully J&K and deposed Sheikh Abdullah unceremoniously and consigned him to various jails for 21 years, while deposing and imprisoning Sheikh Abdullah the principles of liberalism, democratic mindset, socialism, secularism and justice proved to be hoax and right pursuance of the chanakiyan philosophy. At the one hand he appeased the communal forces like Bhartia Jana Sangh, Rashtria Swayam Sehwak sangh and other parties of the same mindset and on the other he installed more pliant person as P.M. of J&K and through him manipulated constitutional measures amalgamated Jammu & Kashmir with the union of India. The search and selection for pliant C.M's is unending.
Sending Sheikh Abdullah to Pakistan without a well chalked out roadmap for the resolution of Kashmir problem was again political treachery. The plan was that sheikh Abdullah was not much liked by Pakistani leadership and the people, landing in Pakistan may trigger protests against him, he will feel annoyed, his ego will be hurt and he will return with a vengeance and he would change his political ideology.
But he was warmly received and even mandated to find support of India for the free Kashmir. Unfortunately Pt. Nehru breathed his last and Sheikh came running back to mourn the death of Pt. Nehru.
His successors did not bother to know the proposals (if at all any) which Pt. Nehru had presented to Pakistan government through Sheikh Abdullah. Even Sheikh Abdullah never talked about the proposals which he had carried to Pakistan. It again confirms that India does not dare to talk about the Kashmir and its appropriate resolution. The engagement with Pakistani leadership or Kashmiri leadership seems to be buying of time and to give the false impression to the international community about the seriousness and sincerity of India with regard to resolution of Kashmir imbroglio.
You say Sheikh Abdullah again assumed office in 975 and in 1977 and was not allowed to function effectively by the Indian bureaucracy and intelligence and his proposals for autonomy or other thing was not paid much head and was treated as a peon.
It is obvious if Sheikh Abdullah with his very higher stature could not find space in a secular and democratic India of Gandhi and Nehru, how can you suggest to be content with autonomy which may government of India restore. Do not you think the Kashmiri people are being treated as slaves of the conquered land? Can we forget the quest and urge for free and united Jammu & Kashmir? Never!
You say, you were reminded of the commitments made to the people of Kashmir by first Prime Minister of India and you reply that Pt. Nehru himself in his lifetime refused to fulfill the commitment as Pakistan had entered in to SEATO and CENTO defence agreements with U.S.A. which changed the Geo-political situation of the sub-continent and content of the undertaking.
Listen please Mr. Nayar, the commitments of Prime Minister Pt. Nehru made in the parliament on All India Radio, Lal Chowk Srinagar, and U.N. Security Council became the constitutional binding to be fulfilled. If Prime Minister could not fulfill commitments during his life time, his successors are morally, legally and constitutionally bound to do the needful. The late Prime Minister would not be comfortable in the 2nd World. His heirs too should feel concerned and particular to fulfill late Pt. Nehru's commitments.
Pakistan's joining SEATO and CENTO defence agreements with U.S.A is her decision as a sovereign state. India has defence agreements with Russia and now has nuclear agreements with U.S.A. Why Pakistan's agreements are eye sore and India's is its sweet discretion. For Pakistan's bad deeds or good deeds why should people of Kashmir be denied their promised right to freedom and punished by reneging on the promises. How the actions of Pakistan (Which you abhor) justify you to kill us for sport and tighten the noose around the neck of Kashmiri Nation?
Your contention that militancy brought the slogan or demand for independence in the fore front the roots of armed rebellion were there since there since 1586 A.D. Demand for Azadi is not a new slogan as demand of it is as old as our slavery and subjugation. 1989-1990 is an important mile stone when demand for Azadi was raised with much force and vigor.
You admit that Kashmiris have strong resolve for independence and quest for independence may be genuine but not possible. Kashmiris have strong resolve and intense passion to have independence. We are destined to obtain the success in making Kashmir independent and sovereign. The word impossible is not available with the Kashmiri dictionary.
I assure you government of Pakistan is mentally prepared to help Kashmiris in ascertaining their will and is also preparing mindset to acknowledge independent and Sovereign Kashmir. Pakistan will not face difficulties in case people decide to remain free and sovereign. The state of Azad Kashmir is already existing. It is semi-sovereign with its own constitution, flag, national anthem army and police, President and Prime Minister. With the official statement of recognition it would become a defacto and dejure independent and sovereign country. Govt's in Pakistan have from the very beginning accepted the Kashmiri Nations right to independence and Sovereignty.
Aasif Ali Ahmad (Foreign Minister of Benazir Government), Nawaz Sharif (Ex. Prime Minister) Imran Khan (Chairman Justice Party), Maulana Fazlur-Rehman and Asfandyar Wali Khan, Abdul Basit (Pakistan's Foreign office Spokesman) have publicly recognized Kashmiri nation's right to be independent and sovereign.
Learned Nayar Sahib, you opposed formation of Independent Kashmir, on the plea that India cannot agree to the 2nd partition and borders cannot be changed. The people of Jammu and Kashmir would not support secession. Our contention is J&K is not part of India or Pakistan. See the map of both India and Pakistan from August 14 till 27 October 1947.
India forcibly occupied J&K on 27th October 1947 but UNO has not recognized it as part of India or Pakistan. UN maps continuously show it as a disputed home land of Kashmiris. Our achieving free and independent status cannot be treated as partition or secession. Our borders are distinct and well defined, we are not going to change your borders, change the mindset of treating Jammu and Kashmir as India's fiefdom. Do not create confusion by building air castles around the so called integral part mantra. Let the Indian and Pakistani people know the reality about the Kashmir problem. It is in the national interests of India to unburden itself from the Kashmir problem. It is as heavy as Himalayas, it may fully crash you if continue to sustain its burden.
Without holding referendum how can we say the people of certain areas are not in favour of freedom? Collective decision given under free and fair plebiscite under UN supervision would decide the future of the people of J&K. British government while granting independence to India didn't tell you eastern states have separate identities, cultural affinities, religious leanings from the rest of India and do no want to remain with India.
Had that been the case dozen of independent states would have emerged. It has been the calculated campaign to sow the seeds of dissention, hatred among the various sections of Kashmiri people. We have cared, caressed and respected our non-Muslim minorities from the ages and given them more than due share in all walks of life. You treat false impression among the minorities about the Muslim domination, over exploitation and persuaded them to raise the voice for union territory status etc… you incited and encouraged Hindutva brigades to impose economic blockade on the valley people.
You talk of secret solutions reached between Nawaz Sharif and Vajpayee, between Musharraf and Manmohan Singh. These solutions are not binding for the people of J&K. these solutions did not have tactic approval of the people. Had they been according to the will of the Kashmiri people, those would have been made public. Talking about the solutions which have not seen the light of the day is cruel joke with the freedom loving people. The question is simple India and Pakistan have to educate their people about the real contours and historical perspective and the will and choice of the people. Measures for the restoration of independence and sovereignty are needed to be taken to provide the soothing balm to the deep wounds of Kashmiri nation.
Yours was the only discordant voice in the Washington Kashmir Conference. The learned and highly stationed participants were of the consensus to restore independence and sovereignty to Kashmir.
Independence is the only ideal and viable solution to the Kashmir problem. It would not hurt national egos of India and Pakistan. It would provide a win-win position fr both the countries. This solution alone would vanish the centuries old deep pain, deep wounds and subjugation and sub-human life of Kashmiri people.
The economic drain on both India and Pakistan would cease and coffers would become rich and fatter. The scope for banishing hunger, disease, illiteracy, penury, want and deprivations would be widened and bright.
Last of all take care that Kashmiri nation is not going to accept glamorized, beautified and attractive status quo in terms of Autonomy etc… thank you for the trouble, you took long taxing journey to Washington to participate in the two day Kashmir Conference but sorry you had no fresh ideas to offer except often repeated government of India's colonial stand with regard to Kashmir.
Maqbool Hussain
E Mail : maqboolh2010@gmail.com
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