Uncontested Myths & Questions Like “Merger” & Special Status Have Allowed Anti- India Radicalism To Grow
Daya Sagar
So often even the “mainstream” political leadership has been quoted as having said that J&K state was a muslim majority state and India had offered for giving special position to the State in the India dominion and the ‘provisions’ like Art35A were made to preserve the muslim majority demography of J&K.
Such statements have not been turned down by the Governments in Delhi even when made in 2018.
It will not be an over statement to make in case someone says that the Indian leadership all these years has been in its ‘subconscious’ mind treating J&K as something like an “accession related dispute” where as a large population of J&K (a good number in Kashmir Valley and a majority outside Kashmir valley) had no doubt on that (1947 accession).
Jaswant Sinha Ex. Foreign and Finance Minister in Vajpayee Government too had recently opined that he is very clear in his mind after talking to all the people that everybody regards J&K to be a political problem and not a simple law & order problem.
Dr. Karan Singh had said and opined on 10th August 2016 in Rajya Sabha that the Maharaja Hari had signed the Instrument of accession on 27th October 1947 in his presence ( where as the government of India’s record say it as 26th Oct 1947).
No one from treasury benches suggested to Dr. Karan Singh for correcting the date and instead one MOS present in Rajya Sabha had appreciated Dr. Karan Singh for his stature and knowledge.
Karan Singh ji had not stopped on the date of accession only he had gone to the extent of ‘informing’ the nation through Rajya Sabha that J&K had not yet merged with India while other states had done that by signing a merger document with India after signing the instrument of accession but even that has been left un contested even for nearly 2 years by the present BJP lead union government.
When the then CM Omar Abdullah had raised the issue of merger of J&K with India in J&K Assembly in 2010 there were many who questioned Omar Abdullah but what when same thing was said on ‘10th August 2016’ by Dr. Karan Singh some in a way showered honors on Karan Singh ji.
Such conduct of the Indian leadership holding the commands could be quoted just as one of the indicators of the extent of mishandling/ non serious handling of J&K affairs. And such uncontested otherwise ‘disclosures’ / opinions when allowed go unchallenged even by the ‘national’ leadership they are sure to make the separatist/ anti India opinions find some ‘listeners’ in Kashmir valley.
The issue of ‘merger’ was being raised by some mainstream leadership of J&K in the past as well although as per techno- legal requirements any acceding of princely state was required to the execute any additional document with India and merger if at all had any relevance it was regards coming together of smaller units of merged princely states so as to form larger states of the union worth relevance.
But now after 10th August 2016 many in the political as well as literary domains have started quoting what Karan Singh ji said in Parliament about accession & merger to support their version as regards J&K having not become as good an Indian state as the ‘others’ have and many are now quoting in 2018 while participating in the debate on birth of Art 35A..
What Dr. Karan Singh had opined ( in a way tried to disclose ) while speaking as regards the environment in J&K ( Kashmir valley in particular ) has remained uncontested even when Dr. Karan Singh’s word on J&K affairs does matter even internationally since he was Yuvraj/ Regent before 1950, was the only Sadar e Riyasat of J&K, the Governor of J&K, has remained member of Parliament and even the Union Cabinet Minister.
The Union Government remaining silent on such like serious issues has been in the past too allowing the anti India and anti Center Government view points gain some grounds amongst the common masses in Kashmir valley in particular ( state in general ) and position has not much changed even after 2014/2015.
The college/ school going girls have been in seen in recent years shouting anti India / ‘azadi’ slogans and throwing stones on security forces in Kashmir Valley with the so called ‘ political ’ leadership making big – big but hollow claims for having some holds in masses from their ‘security shells’.
The security forces have been almost advised by the government to face the protestors obstructing the security forces engaged with militants in Kashmir valley with their triggers locked.
So, regretfully, from Indian point of view, the mishandling of J&K affairs has continued even after 1990 and position today is that even in 2018 ‘Kashmiriat’ is being addressed like a Nationality even by senior local leaders.
Not only that the Pakistan sponsored elements / ideologies , the separatists and ‘vote bank’ players have taken full advantage of the way the Indian governments as well as Indian leadership has been treating ( casually) the local ideological and political environment in J&K ,that too resting more on the ‘Muslim majority’ identity & ‘Kashmiriyat’.
There appears no one moving amongst the innocent new generation carrying the answers for the questions / myths cultivated about the status and conduct of India.
Return of Kashmiri Migrants exiled in 1990 (majority are Hindu) has appeared no first priority for the government of India what to talk of local governments even after 2014 inspite of their being outside Kashmir valley nearly three decades.
(Daya Sagar, a Sr. Journalist and Social Activist dayasagr45@yahoo.com 09419796096)
The views and opinions published in the article don’t reflect the policy of The Legitimate and are authors own.
