JK News Today
Srinagar , December 06: History is being revisited in Jammu and Kashmir , especially of the periods that preceded and succeeded the accession of the state to India in October 1947 , and newer facts have been unearthed – that had there not been “quit Kashmir” movement against Maharaja Hari Singh , and had the ceasefire not been set up in 1948 against Pakistani invaders, the history and geography of the state would have been different from what it turned out to be . Kashmir history is a perfect picture of paradoxes , and the guilt of producing a landscape of conflict lies with two towering personalities of the times – first Prime Minister of India , Jawahar Lal Nehru and Kashmir’s leader Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.
This generation of Kashmiris has started questioning the wisdom of the idea of launching quit Kashmir movement against the last Dogra king Maharaja Hari Singh by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah led National Conference on the pattern of “ Quit India” movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942. Sheikh Abdullah launched “ Quit Kashmir “ movement in 1946, demanding that Dogra ruler should vacate the Valley , reflecting on 1846 Amritsar Treaty by way of which Maharaja Gulab Singh had bought the Valley for 75 lakh of rupees , which marked the beginning of Dogra rule . There was an inherent anger against the sale of the land of Kashmir , but by the time “ Quit Kashmir” movement was launched , the complex of the treaty and its consequences had changed . There was a genuine desire among Kashmiri Muslims to have their own popular rule , and Sheikh Abdullah was one of the top most ranking leaders of theirs, but outside of the non-Kashmiri speaking areas , his acceptability was in question .
It has dawned on the new generation that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 had its boundaries spread over to Tibet , and all the areas which are now under the occupation of Pakistan – PoJK , including Gilgit-Baltistan , would have been passed on to them . And that would have come with all the safeguards that Maharaja Hari Singh had effected in 1925 about the land and jobs of the natives . Had that been the case , there would have been no question of Article 370 , its existence , and abrogation . India would have got J&K like it did in the case of other Muslim-majority states of Junagarh and Hyderabad .
Jammu and Kashmir had different history in store. Pakistan sponsored a tribesmen’s invasion of Jammu and Kashmir, and what transpired thereafter is known to all . The moot question that keeps on haunting everyone is , why did Nehru take the matter to the United Nations and agree to a ceasefire at the time when the Indian army was marching ahead, retrieving one after another area from Pakistani forces . It made no sense why the whole of the state was not allowed to be retrieved . The ceasefire created boundaries within the erstwhile princely state that had acceded to India . This ceasefire also met the geo-political goals of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah , who wanted to rule supreme, with Kashmir Valley being his political support base .
These artificial barriers have gained semi-permanency . This should also be read in line with the current thesis that Line of Control be made permanent border . There is a logic behind this theme, as the history has shown that Pakistan has cemented its control over PoJK. , and it is becoming tougher day by day to retrieve the part of the state on the other side of the LoC.
“ The quit Kashmir “ movement spelt out division of the state , and in a way, it granted legitimacy to Pakistan what it did because the whole idea was to preserve the Valley, and leave all other parts out of its purview . The seeds of the division of the state were sown in 1946 . Till date Jammu has not forgotten the Kashmir-centric attitude of National Conference and its leadership . After having endorsed the accession, and got appointed himself as Prime Minister , Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah , developed greater ambitions. Following his arrest on August 9, 1953, Kashmir was thrown into a new anti-India narrative , with Sheikh’s supporters calling for plebiscite – that is they should be given a choice to adopt India or Pakistan as the nation of their future . In fact, there was only one goal – that is to shun India and move to Pakistan or at best it was an exercise to blackmail Delhi to rehabilitate their leader . For 22 years this narrative thrived and the Congress governments at the Centre could not comprehend the real purpose of the plebiscite narrative . It did rehabilitate , and Sheikh Abdullah accepted his return to power in February 1975 with a demoted status of Chief Minister – a big political compromise . not only the title , but also there was no mention of the Article 370 . In fact , he had stated in the legislative Assembly that this constitutional provision was not something divine like the holy book that could not be reversed . This was a profound statement, but owing to his political and ideological compromises rather than his conviction . It was part of the three-pronged talks – one in Srinagar, another in Jammu and third in Delhi , pleasing all with frequently shifting stands and words. That confused the people further . In 1977 elections , the National Conference used a holy book and rock salt wrapped in green to lure the voters, reviving an option of Pakistan to them. National Conference symbolized more as party of green-Pakistan , than an Indian mainstream party in Kashmir.
Next were 1983 Assembly polls , in which National Conference became the party that represented Islamist forces than the claim of secularism that it propagated , and Congress then under the leadership of Indira Gandhi polarized Hindu votes in Jammu region . The polarization worked for NC and Congress. NC got a majority of seats in the Valley , and formed the government, Congress secured a majority of seats in Hindu-dominated areas in Jammu region, but the wounds that the two parties inflicted on the communal harmony continue to fester .
Apni Party leadership is sensing the dangers that how these narratives of the past, deepened during 1990s and thereafter have placed Jammu and Kashmir at crossroads . Had all this not happened , things would have been different . Its leader Altaf Bukhari has taken huge risk by pointing out the contradictions and compromises that the political parties made in the past , since the days of Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah .
Zafar Manhas , at a rally in Nambla , Uri relived the history of the state of J&K – before and after 1947 , to tell that how the state and its psyche had been mauled . The generations have been consumed by these false narratives. There are no answers for thousands who got buried in graveyards due to the terror violence . They were victims of the conflict driven phrases and slogans . No more , the people have realized that the false narratives are more lethal than guns and bombs.
