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Kashmir has its own distinct geography, culture and history. ‘Kashmiriat’ is as distinct from Tamil culture and history as the north-eastern states are from the western states of the Indian subcontinent. Despite the gulf, there is a binding factor that is distinctively ‘Indian’. This binding force can be seen in the contributions of this great state towards the country’s culture. The great Sufi tradition, Saivism and the Mahayana form of Buddhism are just a few.
The wars fought for acquiring this state and the open declaration of the religious parties in Pakistan in not resting till Kashmir is attained are very grim. The Pakistani factor is one of the chief underlying causes of this problem. Pakistan has claimed for itself a role to speak for the Indian Muslim in general, and for Kashmir in particular. It has claimed the right to extend moral and political support to them. Despite the repeated frustrations of its efforts in wresting the state totally from Indian control, it has not given up. It has tried every means in the book - but has failed - consistently. President Zia declared a thousand years of war on India, even if all the people of Pakistan ended up eating grass.
Kashmir legally acceded to the Indian Union when Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Document of Accession. He had earlier opted for a standstill agreement between the two new states, not wishing to be part of either. But Pakistan, under ‘Operation Gulmarg’, hastened Kashmir’s accession towards India. In today’s scenario, the ‘Kashmir problem’ has taken a different turn. From the period when Kashmir was ‘The’ problem, to the situation where Pakistan finds no reason for existence other than for Kashmir. Kashmir today is in Pakistan’s light for the sole reason that internal pressure is intense like a volcano about to explode. Kashmir is the fissure through which much pressure is let out. Pakistan’s internal sectarian violence, corruption and its own Frankenstein - Islamic fundamentalism - threatens to devour the State. To keep it in check, Pakistan needs a diversion - and in Jammu and Kashmir it has found an ideal one.
The magnificent Moghul, Shah Jahan said on coming to the Valley for the first time, ‘Agar Firdous Bar Roi Zamanast Tho Haminasto, Haminasto, Haminasto’ - if there is a heaven on earth, then it is here, it is here, it is here. This article is an introduction to the series of wars fought by Pakistan and India over this piece of ‘heaven’. There were two major wars fought - in 1947-48 and 1965. Kargil was another unnecessary conflict, which could have escalated to an all-out war - probably even a nuclear one. There would be a follow up of three more articles in this series, covering the above stated wars and the nuclear dimension. Published on 30th June 2002 Previous Articles
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Copyright
2009, Chennai Interactive
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Kashmir is known as the Switzerland of India. A state with splendorous scenic beauty, beautiful people and a bloody and violent history, rooted in undeserved tragedy. This, however, has not always been the case. Just as in the history of any land, Kashmir has had its days of glory - and terror. Today, the position of the state and its people is grim. There has been an utter lack of understanding on the part of all the ‘benefactors’ of the state.
Mahatma Gandhi once described Kashmir as an island of secularism in the Indian subcontinent. Today, this statement is questioned. Why? The answer to this question lies in the recent history of the state itself.
Today, Pakistan knows that it cannot defeat India in a conventional war. Being conventionally stronger than the Pakistani armed forces, the might of the Indian military is backed by a strong economy and largely ‘united’ India. However, Pakistan has decided to wrest Kashmir away if not by open conventional war, then by ‘bleeding India through a thousand cuts’.
The gentle and beautiful Kashmiris definitely do not deserve this.
Caught in the quagmire of evil politics, this valley and its inhabitants have forgotten what peace is like.
