KASHMIR BURNING

The article by Arundhati Roy was extremely thought provoking as always. Her view points are always different from the common folk and one which look at the inner depth of any topic. But this time I beg to differ from her on many issues. The essence of her topic was Azadi for Kashmir.

I will first like to ask a simple question what is Azadi or freedom? Is it about calling a country yours? In that case ndians are free and happy, but we know majority of them are not. Is it about the freedom that your religion is proclaimed as the state religion? In that case all Pakistanis should be free and happy. But we know that it is one of the most disturbed countries in the world. Then what is freedom? Before answering this question let us look at the problems in Kashmir today.

I feel the earlier problems of Kashmir before 1990s were same as of entire India.But with a difference that India was never able to convince the people of Kashmir that they are a part of India. And rightly so, just because a king signs a piece of paper against people’s wishes doesn’t change their nationality. Kashmiri’s neither wanted to join India nor Pakistan and it was the influence of moderate Sufi culture of Kashmir which kept them away from communalism.

But like many of India’s provinces, after Independence Kashmir was also marginalized in cases of development and growth. While rest of the India just cursed its politician for their sorry states of affair Kasmiris had a different opinion. Their shrewd politicians capitalized on their belief and convinced them that the only solution to their problems is independence from Indian state. After strong pubic processions this was followed by armed militancy, logistically well supported by Pakistan. It helped Pakistan in Two ways- a revenge of what happened in 1971 as well as a distraction from its internal affairs. It helped even Indian state to divert public attention from issues of poverty and development to false nationalism. Instead of finding the root causes of the problem, they easily deployed the Army.

One cannot solely blame the Army for whatever atrocities were carried out by them. Military solution to freedom movements is never viable. The Indian army which suppressed the armed militancy itself got frustrated and took out this frustration on Kashmiri awam. To make the matters worse, successive Kasmiri government did nothing to improve the situation. They satisfied their appetite through corruption and never carried out, again, any serious development. Sick of their state governments policies
And frustrated with militancy and its aftereffects, Kashmir was like a bomb waiting to explode, The spark was provided again by our cheap politicians. While it was PDP minister only, who signed the land transfer it played full role in igniting the passions and making a issue out of nothing. Similarly Hindutava fascist forces brought element of national and religious pride to gain political mileage. But they have never perceived that people’s emotions will erupt like this! Now even the leaders are following the public and freedom is the buzzword.

But freedom against whom, and what type of freedom. Independent Kashmir? India also became independent 60 years back and still majority of us are suffering? And then it is going to increase the suffering for Kashmiri pundits, suffering since decades already. And what if Pakistan attacks an independent Kashmir, whom will they turn to then, back to India? The worst thing in her article was when she talks about people speaking publicly in favour of Pakistan. There is not an iota of doubt that even if Kashmir joins Pakistan; the suffering of its people is going to increase only! But still how can Indian citizens speak in favour of joining Pakistan and how can Indian people take it? Our state puts a pro poor person like Dr Binayak Sen in prison for conspiring against state when he just brought out the sufferings of Indian tribes at the hand of government. And what are they doing now, listening to pro Pakistani slogans. I cannot take it any cost, they all should be imprisoned!

Thirdly though I also favour, like her, pro people movements, but can India take the risk of free Kashmir? An independent Kashmir can bring a new wave of jehadis, due to their hatred against India. It can become an ally of USA. Many countries will try to woo it, considering its strategic location next to two emerging world powers. Then if we free Kashmir today, tomorrow any politician of any non Hindi state can woo its people with anti India slogan, for his personal gains! We cannot afford an independent Kashmir!

Then what is the solution? The most feasible solution is division of Jammu and Kashmir as the people of both parts have lost trust in each other. Second, giving something like Dominion status to Kashmir, their government, economy and culture but India’s defence. But before all this the urgent requirement is the end of selfish politics, restoration of faith In Kashmiri people about India and a true dream of development and upliftment of people

But i don't see any of our politicians interested in doing anything like that. What they will do is to maintain the status quo. This will frustrate the Kashmiri people again. And frustrated with no action, we can witness a new wave of terrorism. The final result being more deaths and more misery as there is no military solution to this problem. But who cares? No Kashmiri politician’s son becomes a militant and no Indian politician’s son joins the army. Finally it’s just the innocent public who will die again on both he sides.

The essence of freedom is freedom from poverty, hunger, illiteracy, unemployment and backwardness. And it is not the question of just Kashmir’s Azadi; it is the freedom that entire India is seeking!