Omar Abdullah has risen from the ashes like the proverbial phoenix. For those who came in late, Omar is the scion of Kashmir’s first family of mainstream politics: the Abdullah’s. His party the national conference [NC] is currently in favour at New Delhi [Flavour of the month, as the corporate-ad media would have it. As if parties were ice-cream cones]. India’s very own GoP Congress party has decided to truck with NC. This would be the third marriage between the two parties [Indira-Sheikh accord, Rajiv-Farooq accord]. The last two matches didn’t last. Everyone hopes this one does.
Omar has promise. He has everything it takes – He is young [At 38 he will be JK’s youngest ever CM]. He has potential, is known to speak his mind and is eloquent. Both his father and grandfather have been key to the somewhat absurd political theatre of Kashmir. Sadly, outside the hustings, the Sheikhs proved utterly disappointing. While grandpa Sheikh had his moments, Farooq was a flop, whose only vocation in life is his fondness for dance and golf. You don’t do ‘disco’ and attempt ‘fat shots’ while your backyard burns.
I don’t want to dig history up. It has been murky in the hills. Kashmir’s past has been witness to court intrigues and family duels. New Delhi has forever played Brutus in the vale, while general after ambitious general in Pakistan has attempted to be an Edmund, straight out of King Lear. Amidst such high drama — where promises were made to be broken, where the tallest leader was promptly cut to size for even daring to stand up, where allegiances change overnight — the Abdullah’s have kept the flag [of secularism, of family rule, of India] fluttering in Kashmir. And it has never been a cake walk.
A very intelligent newspaper editor once cheekily told me that for the Kashmir imbroglio to be resolved in our lifetimes, we need to wait till the current crop of politicians die. I reckon we don’t need to wait for that. Although I don’t think much of this sub-continent practice of passing the baton within the family [like an heirloom because it makes such mockery of democracy] I’m willing to make concessions for anyone who is bright in Kashmir. We have had enough of the vintage variety who sadly represent our very corrupt polity. They mostly wear huge Kara Kul caps on petty skulls. Kashmir needs a huge dose of educated and promising minds. In that case, Omar is a welcome relief.
They say uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Omar is going to lord over a state where his bete noire [PDP of the Mufti’s] and ex-bed fellows [a rejuvenated BJP] are going to lunge at him at every possible opportunity. Add to that the separatist camp, which is still smarting over its apparent loss of face after a complete disregard to their poll boycott call. They can be upto mischief anytime. I don’t know if Omar has read Hegel. There was never a greater need for dialectics.
Abdullah III has got to deliver on myriad fronts. His turbulent state deserves better than pock marked roads and light less nights. He must see to it that his ministers don’t get fat — as they are often wont to — and make hay while the sun shines. He has to seriously sit down to try and make genuine attempts to reach out to the youth and not let them go waste. He has to unsure that the troopers don’t attempt their bravery on a poor peasant in their dreaded camps or his task force doesn’t torture a school kid to death in custody. He has to ensure that civil liberties are not trampled in the countryside where no TV cameras go.
Even if he attempts to achieve one of the above mentioned, Kashmiris will be forever grateful to 40 Gupkar, Kashmir’s 10 Janpath.
It is never going to be easy. I just hope he proves to be the exorcist we badly need to stave off our past ghosts, who still haunt us, from time to time.
Picture: The Tribune
Shahnaz,
If you read Ancient Indian History, you will find that Kashmir was very much a part of India. Yes, when partition took place, plebiscite did not happen. I will concede that.
However, I have never averred that Kashmiris are subhuman. As a matter of fact, we must always support the mazloom. Elections are the only proof of the people’s mandate. In this case, to all appearances, the mandate is for Congress-NC.
If this is incorrect, time will tell for sure.
Milind Kher,
India, as we know of today, did not exist prior to 1947.
Ever heard about princely states. Even during the Mughal period,
and prior to that, India was a loose federation of states, and never
the union, so the question of Kashmir always being part and parcel
(no integeral part) is mainly for common consumption and lacks any basis.
Rohit,
Manchester
UK
Rohit,
The loose federation of states may not have had a single sovereign, yet there was a cultural unity.
It was called Bharat Varsh, or the land of the Bharatas.
It included many territories that do not even constitute Modern India, and Kashmir was a part of that.
How I wish we can send Shahnaz and her cohorts on a tour of Pakistan, POK, and other Muslim countries and see for herself what freedom is all about….
Just look at her silence on the terror inflicted by the Islamist terrorists actively armed and supported by Pakistan. She knows if she speaks against the Paki terrorists then she will lose her life.
To Shahnaz,
This is from Wikipedia on the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. I hope at least now as this is from a neutral source with references, Shahnaz will realise how she and many of her “politically savvy” cohorts have been saved by the Indian army’s landing in Srinagar in 1947 from having a hard time figuring out who their fathers were.
“The objective of the initial invasion was to capture control of the Kashmir valley including its principal city, Srinagar, the summer capital of the state (Jammu being the winter capital). The state forces stationed in the border regions around Muzzafrabad and Domel were quickly defeated by AZK forces (some state forces mutinied and joined the AZK) and the way to the capital was open. Rather than advancing toward Srinagar before state forces could regroup or be reinforced, the invading forces remained in the captured cities in the border region engaging in looting and other crimes against their inhabitants.[8]The conflict was mired by acts of sabotage, arson and rape and other crimes committed against the native Kashmiris by Pakistani-backed tribals.[9][10][11] In the Punch valley, the state forces retreated into towns where they were besieged.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Pakistani_War_of_1947
Even today the Paki terrorists are committing the same crimes in JK but Shahnaz will never raise her voice against those crime by the terrorists.
Naveen,
Unlike you, I’ve been to both mainland Pakistan and Azad Kashmir before. There is no oppressive military presence in Azad Kashmir. The area is better developed, and has significantly higher literacy and school enrollment than the Valley. It has its own elected legislative assembly, president, and PM. As for its autonomy, Pakistan clearly hasn’t respected that (just like India)…but at the end of the day, unlike India, Pakistan hasn’t felt the need to massacre tens of thousands of civilians in the area to maintain control.
As for your second post, I’m not particularly interested in going over massacres from 60 years ago, but I never cease to be amazed by how people like you gleefully recount the crimes committed by the Pathans in Baramulla, but conveniently ignore what your own people did in Jammu in 1947. Once the native pro-Pakistan rebellion broke out in Mirpur and Poonch, the Maharaja sent his army, along with RSS volunteers and reinforcements from the Patiala State Forces (by then a part of India, and under the command of an Indian army general) to Jammu, where they massacred an estimated 200,000 Muslim civilians in an effort to ethnically cleanse the area (for the sake of comparison, the Pathans, who invaded in response to the ethnic cleansing of Jammu, are believed to have killed an estimated 3,000 civilians). There are no reports of major Pathan atrocities except the Baramulla massacre…in fact, contemporary newspaper accounts report that after Baramulla, the Pathan forces became significantly more disciplined, and the local Muslim population actually rallied to their support.
Even today, the Indian terrorists, whether in the army or in the GoI sponsored militant outfits, are committing the same crimes, but of course you’ll never raise your voice against them.
Shahnaz,
Why shud Pakistan have heavy military presence in POK when they have handed it over to Paki terror groups focusing on Kashmir?? We saw on international media how these terrorists were roaming free in POK during the earthquake. As for POK’s own President, Parliament,etc who wants that when they are at the mercy of Pakistan central govt? And just like u wont raise any voice against the Paki backed terrorists coz of their fear, the ppl of POK too wont raise any voice against the terrorists.
There are no published statistics to prove ur point of so-called AK being better than JK on economic and social parameters. I agree Mirpur area is better developed and thats not b’coz of steps taken by Pakistan but bcoz of investments by the large Mirpuri expatriate population residing in UK. Other areas of “AK” where u wud find some semblance of development are areas populated by Paki Punjabi Muslims. Do u know what is happening in Norther Areas? U nor me wouldn’t know anything from there coz there is an information blackout clamped by Pak. But from whatever is know about NA, it compares well with sub-Saharan Africa. Pakistan’s achievements in Norther Area are economic mismanagement, local corruption and inter-ethnic conflict. The Shias of NA are sitting ducks just like Shias in rest of Pakistan for Sunni suicide bombers. Is anything like this happening anywhere in India?? Then what about Ahmediyas? In India they are free to practice their brand of Islam. I am not bluffing on this …u just check out Pakistani newspapers/websites for these facts.
Its very clear from ur posts that for ppl like u the killing of Kashmiris by Paki terrorists from 1947 till date are immaterial and what matter for u are the collateral deaths of Kashmiris by Indian army while performing their duty of cleansing Kashmir of Paki backed terrorists.
Shahnaz wrote:
There are no reports of major Pathan atrocities except the Baramulla massacre…in fact, contemporary newspaper accounts report that after Baramulla, the Pathan forces became significantly more disciplined, and the local Muslim population actually rallied to their support.
U want me to believe that crap?? SO after raping the women of Baramulla and killing their menfolk, the Pathans repented and became pious Muslims again and all u Kashmiris forgave them and supported them??
If u want us to believe ur version of history, pls quote from neutral sources and also give the links for cross reference like I have done.
Shahnaz
One man cannot change the destiny of a nation. The destiny of Kashmir lies in the strength of Kashmiri politics. Strong politics build a strong nation.
Let’s hope that the current elections in Kashmir is the first step towards building strong politics in the valley – where the voice of every single Kashmiri is represented, and none gets killed or assassinated for it : either by the Indian army or by the so called army of God (Hijb-ul-Mujahideen).
..Pakistan clearly hasn’t respected that (just like India)…but at the end of the day, unlike India, Pakistan hasn’t felt the need to massacre tens of thousands of civilians in the area to maintain control..
Please say the same thing to your Muslim brothers in Sind, Baluchistan, Pukthoonkhwa and most importantly East Bengal.
Pakistan has a long and rich history of suppressing secular and democratic movements based on linguistic nationalism. A leader of the stature of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was imprisoned for 30 years. Former chief ministers of provincial governments are assassinated.
Why don’t you check out the terrible plight of your cousins, the denizens of Swat valley ? Most people wonder (with a reason) that the Pak army is actually aiding and abetting the Taliban there in their murderous rampage.
Naveen,
Your skewed world-view is so laughably bigoted I’m not even sure its worth the effort to sit here and respond to your post.
Collateral damage? You call burning down towns and villages and opening fire on terrified civilians fleeing the inferno collateral damage? You call shooting at mourners in funeral processions and unarmed protesters collateral damage? You call establishing pro-India militant/terrorist groups to attack and intimidate civilians collateral damage? The entire world has recognized the shameless atrocities and gross human rights violations perpetrated by your army and your “Ikhwani” terrorists. Your level of denial is absolutely disgusting.
As for the rest of your nonsense…AJK has an official literacy rate of over 65% in 2007, compared to less than 49% in the Kashmir Valley in the 2001 census. Primary school enrollment is over 90%. Unlike you, I’ve traveled extensively on both sides of the LoC, and infrastructure and development in AJK makes the Kashmir Valley look like its stuck in the middle ages. As for the nonsense about Punjabi settlement…the original inhabitants of AJK are Pahari and Punjabi-speakers who are incorrectly labeled “Punjabi-settlers” by ignorant outsiders. In reality, non state subjects are prohibited from purchasing land in AJK.
“Both the Indian and foreign press widely reported the Pukhtoon tribesmen’s excesses committed in Baramula — their ‘saturnalia of looting, raping and killing’ of 3,000 non-combatants, including some Roman Catholic nuns. However, apart from the Baramula brutalities, there is little record of other atrocities by the tribesmen. Indeed, The Times [January 1, 1948] believed that after they became ‘more disciplined, and when the[ir] outrages ceased the Muslim population increasingly rallied to their support’. Thereafter, Pakistan became more and more popular with Muslims.”
Taken from “Would a plebiscite have resolved the Kashmir dispute?”
Christopher Snedden
South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies
April 1, 2005
Shahnaz,
If you talk about excesses committed by the army or other security forces, I can understand that it could have happened, though not in the same magnitude that you talk about.
However, I am not aware of any Pro India terrorist outfits. Please let us know a little more about that.
Shahnaz,
Whatever I have written about PoK is after I learned about them from Pakistani websites and not from something written by Indians.
When ppl refuse to cooperate with the army in flushing out the terrorists such collateral damages would occur. If u ppl dont want that, then ur only option is to cooperate with the army but from ur comments it is very clear that ppl like u r actually abetting terrorism by ur refusal to condemn the terrorists. Learn from the Sikhs of Punjab who cooperated with the armed forces and brought peace to Punjab. I would condemn the actions of the armed forces in JK only in those cases where they fired upon protesters who were only protesting in a non-violent manner but most anti-India protests get violent and the consequence have to be borne
“Ikhwanis” were at first anti-India terrorists but after realising Pakistan’s game plan and the futility of armed struggle, they laid down their arms but as they made enemies of their former comrades, they had no option other than to cooperate with India and bear arms to protect themselves. India is in every right to use them against Paki-backed terrorists. Infact I would call the Ikhwanis patriotic. Readers who are interested in knowing more about Ikhwanis pls go to this link:
http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=11684
U have given some figures for AJK and not the whole of POK. No one has the real figures for NA coz Pakistan doesnt want it to be published. AJK is a small portion compared to JK. So even if ur figures r true it cant be compared to JK. Muslim Paki Punjabis being systematically settled in PoK are not imagination of outsiders. These are facts written about by Pakistanis themselves.
Re the brutality of the invading rapsits Pathans,so just because the Times believed so, rest of the world too shud believe? Give me a break!
Enough of discussing the past. Lets discuss the future of JK. India will never leave JK and thats for sure. I consider u a separatist. So who r ur leaders?? Leaders who dont want to provide the basic amenities for the ppl they claim to represent? Leaders who have to be guarded by the armed forces of the country they love to hate from terrorists backed by the country that claims to provide “moral and diplomatic support” to the “Kashmir cause”? Leaders who have to be treated by doctors of the country they love to hate coz the country that loves them from the core of its heart doesnt have the facilities to treat them? Some leaders eh? The bottomline is that Kashmiris haven’t got what it takes to sustain a credible independence movement. US president-elect Obama is making some pro-separatist voices but India has a weapon that can shut that up. Ppl like u have no idea about the prosperity awaiting JK once the guns fall silent in the Valley and elsewhere in JK.
Pakis always felt proud about Swat being their Kashmir valley but look at God’s justice. What Pakis had wanted in Kashmir Valley is happening in Swat! How about a trip to Swat to see for ur self the joys of living under Taliban. I am sure u wont miss ur Kashmir Valley in Swat valley.
Re the brutality of the invading rapsits Pathans,so just because the Times believed so, rest of the world too shud believe? Give me a break!
Oops! that shud read:
Re the “piousness” of the invading rapsits Pathans,so just because the Times believed so, rest of the world too shud believe? Give me a break!
Milind,
Of course you don’t believe the reports about Indian army atrocities. You don’t live here, and you don’t bother reading old reports from the international media, or HRW and Amnesty International, so you’ve never heard about how in 1993, the Indian army torched downtown Srinagar, then declared the area under curfew and opened fire on people as they fled the burning city…going so far as to gather on the banks of the Jhelum and shooting at civilians fleeing by boat, killing over 125. Or when they did the same arson/massacre attack in Sopore earlier that year. Or when they cordoned off the village of Kunan Poshpora and gang raped scores of women…from little girls to grandmothers. Or the days when thousands of locals were dragged off into the infamous Papa I and Papa II interrogation centers to be tortured…never to be heard from again till their broken, burnt, mangled corpses were pulled out of the Jhelum weeks later. The list of atrocities goes on and on…the proof is all out there…but it seems that most Indians prefer to live in blissful ignorance.
As for the pro-India terrorist groups, the Indian government has admitted to using surrendered militants to create terrorist organizations like the Ikhwan-ul-Muslimeen to carry out false flag operations. I believe the GoI prefers to call them “renegades” or “counter militants.” Perhaps the only institution more hated than the Indian army in Kashmir, the Ikhwanis are responsible for countless civilian deaths. Of course, the GoI has rewarded its loyal terrorists with bureaucratic and political offices.
Shahnaz,
Whether it is Bosnia or Gaza, or even Iraq, graphic details of all sufferings are available universally. As a result, even if people have not been able to do something about it in concrete terms, substantial noise levels have been created to make the world sit up and take notice.
There is none of this as far as Kashmir is concerned. If all that you say is happening even today, please put it in the media. There are plenty of Muslim newspapers. However, the Muslim circles do not seem to be saying all that you do, not even a fraction of it.
I can feel your palpable angst, but do you believe you could do something to reach out to impartial Indians rather than only vent your anger against us?