Daily Times

Kashmir is suffering due to India’s state-sponsored atrocities and diplomatic inaction of Pakistan

Flawed decisions made by statesmen can spoil the lives of generations for decades. The controversial Kashmir accession to India manifested by Congress under Nehru’s leadership was such a bad move of a statesman it still haunts the region. While arguing in favour of the revocation of the much-talked about Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian constitution, Interior Minister and BJP’s firebrand leader Amit Shah termed it as a corrective measure to the mistake committed by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru seven decades ago. Although the Congress opposed the BJP move against the revocation of the special status of Kashmir, its stance cannot be interpreted as a favourable gesture for the Kashmiris.

The BJP and congress both consider Kashmir as an integral part of India; however, the manifestation strategy differs on many accounts. As a statesman, Nehru definitely committed a serious mistake by conspiring against millions of Kashmiris, which resulted in decades-long unrest, bloodshed and Pakistan-India wars. Time proved that Nehru’s decision was flawed, and as a result today, South Asia blinks red as a nuclear flash point. The majority of Kashmiris never accepted the so-called accession and the special status guaranteed through Articles 370 and 35A. Stage managed elections, toothless assemblies and puppet CMs badly failed in controlling Kashmir as per the desires of decision makers sitting in the real power corridors of India.

The governor rule and ruthless application of state power did not help in substituting the puppet regimes, and Kashmir still continues to pinch as a pain in the neck for India. The BJP overruns congress in the political battlefield by fanning Hindutva rhetoric. Highly sensitive and burning issues like the Babri Mosque, unrest in Kashmir, basic rights of religious minorities, and Pakistan-India relations were dangerously exploited by the BJPto charm its voters. Gradually, a highly aggressive narrative was built by the BJP against Muslims, keeping Pakistan and Kashmir in the crosshairs. What transpired in Kashmir, through the revocation of the two articles, is the much-expected outcome of BJP’s well thought out political strategy, which primarily revolves around igniting hateful sentiments on religious pretexts. By finishing the special status of Kashmir, the BJP actually fulfilled the promise made in its manifesto.

Although this move was never unexpected, its timing and offensive manifestation clearly reflect the hostile mentality of its originators. Jubilation in BJP circles is primarily aimed at projecting Modi and Amit Shah as ‘Conquerors of Kashmir’, ‘Saviours of India’ and ‘Conquerors of Pakistan’. Criticism on Nehru from BJP leaders, amid the revocation of Articles 370 and 35A, has actually shown the whole world that India’s Kashmir policy stretched over seven decades was nothing but a pack of flawed statesmanship. Had it been correct or well intended, not only Kashmir but the whole of south Asia would have been a much better, more peaceful and economically stable region than what it is today.

Nehru’s strategy was flawed but comparatively lesser violent than BJP’s recent aggressive assault on the autonomy of Kashmir. If a lesser aggressive policy could not win the hearts and minds of Kashmiris, how a more violent, brutal and a non-political, hate-based strategy would succeed in controlling Kashmir with a remote control operated from New Delhi. Any debate on the pros and cons of the change in Kashmir’s constitutional status becomes absolutely irrelevant as Kashmiris have never accepted the Indian constitution and the so-called special status guaranteed under the recently revoked articles 370 and 35A.

Kashmiris’ demand for a plebiscite cannot be neutralised by any constitutional jugglery of New Delhi. Just to gain political mileage and to calm hateful sentiments of its supporters, the BJP made a populist move of declaring Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh as two Union Territories of India. This geographical division has united all of Kashmir against the Indian occupation. Even the few opportunist politicians who believed in Nehru’s flawed statesmanship have now openly admitted that trusting India was a mistake on the part of their elders.

Any armed resistance in the Indian-occupied Kashmir may not only be restricted to the occupied territory

In retaliation to BJP’s constitutional adventure, Kashmiris, irrespective of their political differences, stand united today on the very point that Kashmir is not part of India by any standard. The complete lockdown of Kashmir through uninterrupted curfew, illegal arrest of political leadership, including former puppet CMs, and suspension of communication means have sufficiently proved the flaws of BJP’s one-sided decision. The flawed decision of the BJP seems to be a much bigger blunder than the one committed by Nehru seven decades ago.

A lack of political engagement, absolute denial of Kashmiris’ demands, and ruthless violation of fundamental human rights are some of the major flaws of India’s Kashmir policy. These flaws have existed for seven decades, but the BJP has enhanced the pace due to its obvious hateful, anti-Muslim mindset. Kashmiris have been cornered and pushed towards armed resistance. In the absence of political dialogue, Kashmiri youth were attracted towards freedom fighters like Burhan Wani and Zakir Musa. With the BJP back in New Delhi for the second time with a new anti-Kashmir rhetoric, rise in armed resistance and violence against protesters by the security forces is the writing on the wall.

Although Pakistan has always pledged to provide moral, legal and diplomatic support to Kashmiris in their righteous struggle, action on ground has always been insufficient. The bitter fact of the day is that Pakistan being the most relevant advocate of the oppressed Kashmiris could neither fight the case appropriately nor project the real issue at international forums in a constructive manner. The onus of negligence falls flatly on all past rulers with no exception to elected or non-elected one. Ineffectiveness of forums like the UNO and OIC in addressing the issues related to Muslim sufferings need no explanation. The Kashmir issue gradually transformed in a humanitarian crisis, and with the recent BJP move, it is likely to take a more complex shape.

Any armed resistance in the Indian-occupied Kashmir may not only be restricted to the occupied territory. Spill over effects would not be manageable for both Pakistan and India. Failure of diplomatic channels and denial of fundamental human rights on gunpoint would surely provide easily exploitable ideas to those quarters that already have a tilt towards armed resistance on both sides of the LoC.For seven decades, Kashmir has been continuously payinga heavy price of the flawed statesmanship of Nehru and puppets like Sheikh Abdullah. Kashmir is suffering due to India’s state-sponsored atrocities and diplomatic inaction of Pakistan.

The BJP has made a greater blunder in Kashmir than Nehru’s accession episode, and today the whole region stands, more than ever, vulnerable to grave consequences.

The writer is a freelance columnist and can be reached at sikandarnoorani@yahoo.com