Bhim Singh welcomes India’s stand on ‘Gilgit-Baltistan’

Prof. Bhim Singh, Chairman, National Panthers Party and Member, NIC today hailed the reaction by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India on the Pakistan’s attempt to legalize its occupation of Gilgit-Baltistan by treating this part of Indian Territory as 6th Province of Pakistan.

Prof. Bhim Singh expressed satisfaction vis-à-vis India’s commitment on Gilgit-Baltistan, a Territory of Jammu and Kashmir which was occupied by Pakistan in 1947 by kidnapping and illegally detaining the then Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan, Brig. Ghansara Singh who was appointed by Maharaja Hari Singh. Since then this area of Chitral, Gilgit and Baltistan comprising 32,500 sq. miles continues to be under the illegal occupation of Pakistan with India keeping mum on the plight of its habitants who were citizens of Jammu and Kashmir.

Prof. Bhim Singh thanked the Prime Minister of India for accepting his 40 years old demand that India should take up the cause of liberation of Gilgit-Baltistan from Pakistan and restoration of fundamental and human rights to its 1.5 million citizens who continue to remain as slaves of Pakistan’s military rulers sans basic civil, economic and political rights for the past six decades.

Prof. Bhim Singh said that policy of the Government of India under Dr. Manmohan Singh towards Gilgit and Baltistan has strongly focused the attention of the world that, “Entire State of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India by virtue of rejection of 1947. The so-called ‘Gilgit-Baltistan empowerment and Self-government Order-2009 was yet another cosmetic exercise intended to camouflage Pakistan’s illegal occupation”. This is for the first time that India has conveyed its message in clear terms to the world that there shall be no compromise on the issue.

Prof. Bhim Singh has urged on all the groups and political organizations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir everywhere including in Europe, UK, USA, POK to organize a universal, civil and political rights solidarity day with our people in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral on February 1, 2010. He appealed to APNA, Gilgit-Baltistan Liberation Groups and their leaders to organize protests and demonstrations for the liberation of Gilgit-Baltistan from the illegal occupation of Pakistan.

Sd/-Sudesh Dogra

Political Secretary

The Kashmir -History

Kashmiri Pandits who have left the Saffron Valley, feel the pain and agony of migration.

Myth and reality move together in the Saffron Valley of mystic splendor. The reclamation of land from Satisar created certain complications. The Saraswati River that flowed into the eastern Punjab, Rajasthan, Sind and other parts of Indian subcontinent suddenly got dried up. Geologists are of the opinion that all those streams, which fed Satisar and form the source of water for the Saraswati river, mostly ran underground. Once the cleft materialized at Baramulla, the water of the Satisar flowed out in an opposite direction, leaving the Saraswati basin dry. The Aryan Saraswat Brahmans, who used to live on the banks of Saraswati river, migrated to the Kashmir Valley to continue their austerities. With the passage of time these people came to be known as ‘Bhattas’ in Kashmir. The word is derivative of Brahman. Now they are called the Kashmiri Pandits or the Aryan Saraswat Brahmans of Kashmir, who believe in the mystic combination of Shaivism, Kali Bhakti, Shakta worship and Tantra.
History of the Kashmiri Pandits is the history of Kashmir since unknown millennia. They are associated with its society, culture, civilization, customs, traditions, myths and realities. The rise of Buddhism and reactions by Brahmans gave rise to a long struggle between the two rival ideologies. The Naga (Snake) worship was also the dominant religion in the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. However, Buddhism flourished in the Valley during the reign of Durnadeo, Simhadeo, Sundersen, Ashoka and Kanishka. The great Buddhist council was held at Kanishpur in Kashmir during the rule of Kanishka and it was presided over by two eminent scholars — Asvaghosha and Vasumitra. About 500 monks from different parts of the subcontinent attended the same. Nagarjuna , a Bodhisattva and the greatest philosopher of Buddhism, lived in Kashmir. During the reign of Abhimanu, a number of people were converted to Buddhism. It was first struggle of the Kashmiri Brahmans for their survival. A number of Kashmiri scholars – Kumarajiva (AD 384-417), Shakyashri Badhra (AD 405), Ratnavera, Shama Bhatta (5th Cen AD) and others went to China and Tibet to preach Buddhism. However, the Brahmans regained their supremacy during the reign of Nara I . The struggle between Buddhism and Brahmanism came to an end with the emergence of modern Hinduism. A period of comparative historical validity began with the establishment of the Karkuta rule in AD 627. Avantivarman (AD 855-833) is believed to be the first Vaishnavite ruler of Kashmir. During his rule there was a tremendous cultural development in the Valley. The great Shaiva philosophers of this period were Kayyatacharya, Somananda, Muktakantha Swamin, Shiva Swamin, Ananda Vardhana and Kallata.
The struggle between the Brahmans and other castes, such as Kayasthas, began during the reign of Shankara Varman. The authority of the Brahmans was broken and the sacred character of their citadels was violated. However, the Shaivite thought and philosophy flourished. Pradyumana Bhatta, Utpalacharya, Rama Kantha, Prajnarjuna, Lachaman Gupta and Mahadeva Bhatta have made a tremendous contribution to this philosophy. During the regime of Lohara dynasty, Kashmir came into contact with the Muslim invaders who attacked India. When Mahmud Ghazni annexed the Punjab, most of the tribes on the borders of Kashmir embraced Islam. At that time, the Valley was ruled by Sangram Raja (AD 1003-1028). Even after their conversion to Islam, these people continued to visit Kashmir – as traders, wanderers and even missionaries. There are historical evidences that some of these tribals settled in the Valley and made some venture into propagating their new religion.
Harsha (AD 1089-1101), was a man of extravagant habits and a jumble of contraries. He robbed the temple treasures and melt idols of gold and silver to tide over his financial crisis. Before him two other kings, Jalauka and Kalasa, employed the same approach of plundering the temples and melting the images of gold and silver to augment their depleted treasuries. Harsha also employed Muslim generals, who are called Turushkas by Kalhana, for the first time in the history of Kashmir. Now Muslims as a class appeared in the political field and began to consolidate its roots. Bhikshachara, a descendant of Harsha, organized a cavalry force mainly consisting of the Muslims. During the reign of Gopadeva (AD 1171-1180), the Brahmans consolidated their position. But the Lavanya tribe shattered their roots once again. The Damaras, Lavanyas and other tribes never allowed the Brahmans to monopolize. In the reign of Jassaka (AD 1180-1198), two Brahmans – Kshuksa and Bhima, endeavored to capture the throne. But it was the fear of Damaras or feudal lords that prevented them. Ramadeva (AD 1252-1273) humiliated those Brahmans who had helped him in his coronation. They conspired against him but could not succeed. A reign of terror, loot and plunder was let loose against them. Many Brahmans were killed and others crushed barbarously. This was the first direct assault against them in the history of Kashmir. To save themselves they cried “ Na Batoham” (I am not a Bhatta). The Kashmiri Pandits are even now taunted as Bhattas and Dalli Bhattas.
To counter the supremacy of the Brahmans, the rulers of Kashmir encouraged the influx of Muslims into the Valley. During the reign of Suhadeva (AD 1301-1320) many Muslim adventurers came to Kashmir. The chief among them was a Muslim missionary- Bulbul Shah. Two others were Shahmir from Swat and Rinchana from Tibet. Shahmir came in AD 1313 along with his numerous relations. Suhadeva granted him a jagir in a village near Baramulla. Ramachandra, the Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of Kashmir, employed Rinchana and granted him jagir in a village in the Lar Valley. These two adventurers were instrumental in the establishment of the Muslim rule in Kashmir. Another adventurer who received Suhadeva’s patronage was Lankar Chak.
Dulucha, a Tartar chief from Central Asia, invaded Kashmir with 60,000 strong horsemen. Suhadeva tried to induce him to retreat by paying him off a large sum of money. For this purpose he imposed heavy taxes even upon the Brahmans who had never before been taxed. But Dulucha refused to retreat and struck terror. He ravaged the Valley with fire and sword. Monstrous miseries were inflicted upon the people including the Brahmans. According to Baharistan – i -Shahi, “Dulucha and his soldiers killed everyone they could find . People who had fled to the hills and forests were pursued and captured. Men were killed, women and children were reduced to slavery and sold to the merchants of Khita (Turkistan), whom the invaders had brought with them. All the houses in the cities and the villages were burnt. The invaders ate as much of the corn and rice as they could . Whatever was left, they burnt and destroyed. In this way the whole of the Kashmir Valley was trampled under foot”. Suhadeva fled to Kishtwar, leaving the Kingdom to the cruel aggressors. Dulucha stayed here for eight months and took about 50,000 Brahmans with him as slaves. But all the troops and slaves perished while crossing the Devsar pass. It was a terrible experience for the legendary Kashmiri Pandits.
Dulucha went away from the Valley but left it haunted. The cursed people had lost all faith in their ruler- Suhadeva. Taking the advantage of the chaos and confusion, Rinchana- the refugee from Tibet, occupied the throne with the help of some chiefs . He killed his benefactor, Ramachandra, in the fort of Lar by treacherous means and married his daughter, Kota Rani.
Rinchana, a pseudo- Buddhist, wanted to get initiated into the Brahmanical fold to strengthen his political position. At that time, Shaivism was the most extensively practised religion in the Valley. So he called Sri Devaswami, the religious head of the Shaivas, to indoctrinate himself into the Hindu religion. Devaswami called a secret meeting of the prominent Pandits, who refused to accept Rinchana into Hinduism because of his low birth. Jonaraja says,” The King asked Devaswami to initiate him in the mantras of Shiva, but as he was Bhautta (Tibetian), Devaswami feared that the King was unworthy of such initiation and did not favour him”. This was a monstrous blunder on the part of Pandits, which turned the course of history. In fact, the Brahmans were not ready to share their privileges with an outsider. Thus deflected, Rinchana wanted to establish a uniform faith of warring sects and creeds in Kashmir with himself as its head. But Shahmir and Bulbul Shah manipulated his conversion to Islam. Ramachandra’s son, Ravanachandra, and many others also embraced Islam. A Muslim ruling class came into existence. In this way the Kashmiri Pandits were responsible for the destruction of their own ascendency and the ruin of their very existence. They are tremendously paying for it till today.
People of inferior origin and subordinate castes were attracted to Islam by gradual methods. This newly established Muslim class slowly consolidated its position and employed various methods to propagate the new faith. However, the Brahmans put a brave front and resisted the tide. After the death of Rinchana (AD 1326), Udyanadeva, the brother of Suhadeva, was installed on the throne of Kashmir and Shahmir was appointed as Commander-in-Chief.
Achala, a Turkish chief, invaded Kashmir during the reign of Udyanadeva, laying waste the territories he passed through. The king fled to Tibet. Kota Rani – the queen, faced the invader, procured his death and saved the kingdom. In this operation , Shahmir played the dominant role. Jonaraja says, “Strange that this believer in Allah became the saviour of the people. As a dried up river allows men to cross it and gives them shelter on its banks, even so this believer in Allah, calm and active, protected the terrified subjects.” Shahmir’s influence increased tremendously and he further strengthened his position by entering into matrimonial relations with the powerful nobles in Kashmir. A subversive struggle was born between the tolerant Hinduism and the militant Islam.
In AD 1339, after defeating Kota Rain by a foul strategem and procuring her death, Shahmir ascended the throne of Kashmir under the name of Sultan Shamas-ud-Din (The Light of the Religion – Islam). He got khutaba read and the coins struck to his name. Islam became the court religion. Shahmir became the legitimate author and architect of Muslim rule in Kashmir. With the establishment of the new regime Muslim missionaries, preachers, sayyids and saints penetrated into the Valley. Sayyid Jalal-ud-Din, Sayyid Taj-ud-Din, Sayyid Hussain Simnani, Sayyid Masud and Sayyid Yusuf came to Kashmir to avoid the intended massacre by Timur. Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani (Shah Hamadan) entered Kashmir with 700 sayyids; and, his son, Mir Muhammad Hamadani, with 300 more. They endured in the Valley under royal protection and disseminated the message of Islam. Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani (AD 1314-AD 1385) wrote in “ Zakhirat’ul Maluk ” :
1. Muslim ruler shall not allow fresh constructions of Hindu temples and shrines for image worship.
2. No repair shall be executed to the existing Hindu temples and shrines.
3. They shall not proffer Muslim names.
4. They shall not ride a harnessed horse.
5. They shall not move about with arms.
6. They shall not wear rings with diamonds.
7. They shall not deal in or eat bacon.
8. They shall not exhibit idolatrous images.
9. They shall not built houses in the neighbourhood of Muslims.
10. They shall not dispose of their dead in the neighbourhood of Muslim graveyards, nor weep or wail over their dead.
11. They shall not deal in or buy Muslim slaves.
12. No Muslim traveller shall be refused lodging in the Hindu temples and shrines where he shall be treated as a guest for three days by non-Muslims.
13. No non-Muslim shall act as a spy in the Muslim state.
14. No problem shall be created for those non-Muslims who, of their own will, show their readiness for Islam.
15. Non-Muslims shall honour Muslims and shall leave their assembly whenever the Muslims enter the premises.
16. The dress of non-Muslims shall be different from that of Muslims to distinguish themselves.
This naturally caused animosity among the Brahmans and resulted in frail rebellion during the reign of Shihab-ud-Din (AD 1354-1373). In order to break the upheaval among the Hindus and to make them prostrate, the Sultan turned his attention towards their temples. All the temples in Srinagar, including the one at Bijbehara, were wrecked to terrorize the poor Kashmiri Pandits. It seems that by this time, the sultans of Kashmir were perfectly islamized as a result of their contacts, interactions and intercourses with the sayyids. These sayyids came here as absconders in search of safe harbours, but manoeuvered the events for their own cause and fanatic iconoclastic zeal. The Hindus began to feel deserted and alienated in their own land. To consolidate their rule, sultans institutionalized the “policy of extermination” to eradicate all traces of Hinduism in any form. However, the Kashmiri Pandits stuck to their own religion and traditions, ignoring the atrocities, barbarism and cruelties of the privileged ruling class. But there were many from other castes who, either by conviction or in order to gain royal favour, embraced Islam. These new converts were looked down upon by the Kashmiri Pandits as traitorous and treacherous, with no loyalty for time-honored values. This gave rise to a new class rivalry. Suha Bhatt, who after embracing Islam took the name of Saif-ud-Din, became the leader of the fresh converts during the reign of Sikandar (AD 1389-1413).
Sikandar- the Butshikan, was bigoted with fanatic religious zeal to spread Islam in the entire Valley. This fanaticism was stimulated by Mir Muhammad Hamadani. Suha Bhatt – the convert, was appointed Prime Minister by Sikandar and both hatched a deadly conspiracy to persecute the Hindus and enforce upon the Nizam-i-Mustaffa. Jonaraja says, “ The Sultan forgot his kingly duties and took delight day and night in breaking images … He broke images of Martanda, Vishaya, Ishana, Chakrabrit and Tripureshvara …… There was no city, no town, no village, no wood where Turushka left the temples of the gods unbroken.” According to Hassan (History of Kashmir), “ This country possessed from the times of Hindu rajas many temples which were like the wonders of the world. Their workmanship was so fine and delicate that one found himself bewildered at their sight. Sikandar, goaded by feelings of bigotry, destroyed them and levelled them with the earth and with the material built many mosques and khanqahs. In the first instance he turned his attention towards the great Martand temple built by Ramdev (the temple was rebuilt by King Lalitaditya, AD 724-760) on Mattan Kareva. For one year he tried to demolish it, but failed. At last in sheer dismay, he dug out stones from its base and having stored enough wood in their place, set fire to it. The gold gilt paintings on its walls were totally destroyed and the walls surrounding its premises were demolished. Its ruins even now strike wonder in men’s minds. At Bijbehara, three hundred temples including the famous Vijiveshwara temple, which was partly damaged by Shihab-ud-Din, were destroyed. With the material of Vijiveshwara temple, a mosque was built and on its site a khanqah, which is even now known as Vijiveshwara Khanqah.” The stones and bricks which once configurated a marvelous and splendid temple or monastery, now hold up mosques. Hassan further adds, “ Sikandar meted out greatest oppression to the Hindus. It was notified in the Valley that if a Hindu does not become a Muslim, he must leave the country or be killed. As a result some of the Hindus fled away, some accepted Islam and many Brahmans consented to be killed and gave their lives. It is said that Sikandar collected, by these methods, six maunds of sacred thread form Hindu converts and burnt them. Mir Muhammad Hamadani, who was a witness of all this vicious brutality, barbarism and vandalism, at last advised him to desist from the slaughter of Brahmans and told him to impose jazia (religious tax) instead of death upon them. All the Hindu books of learning were collected and thrown into Dal Lake and were buried beneath stones and earth.” Sikandar issued orders that no man should wear the tilak mark on his forehead and no woman be allowed to perform sati. He also insisted on breaking and melting of all the gold and silver idols of gods and coin the metal into money. An attempt was made to destroy the caste of the Aryan Saraswat Brahmans by force and those who resisted were subject to heavy fines. Farishta says, “ Many of the Brahmans, rather than abandon their religion or their county, poisoned themselves; some emigrated from their native homes, while a few escaped the evil of banishment by becoming Muhammedans”. To strictly enforce the Nizam-i-Mustaffa, Sikandar established the office of Shaikh-ul-Islam.
According to W.R. Lawrence, the Aryan Saraswat Brahmans of Kashmir were given three choices-death, conversion or exile. “Many fled, many were converted and many were killed, and it is said that this thorough monarch (Sikandar) burnt seven maunds of sacred threads of the murdered Brahmans”. As for the statements of Hassan and Lawrence, six maunds of sacred threads of converts and seven maunds of murdered Pandits were burnt. The number of people, to whom these thirteen maunds of sacred threads belonged, might have been tremendously colossal. A mammoth number of the Saraswat Pandits also went into exile, causing the first disastrous mass exodus of the community. When Suha Bhatt- the convert, came to know that many Brahmans were leaving Kashmir, he tried to check their exodus and ordered the frontier guards not to allow any one to cross the borders. The unfortunate Pandits caught while crossing the border were awarded severe punishments. Even the converts were required to pay jazia as they were suspected of secretly clinging to their old religion.
Not only Sikandar- the Butshikan, but Suha Bhatta – the convert, also was responsible for this barbarous, murderous and cruel approach towards the mythical Kashmiri Pandits. Jonaraja says, “ Suha Bhatta- the convert, after demolishing the temples felt the satisfaction, and with the help of sayyids, ulema and newly converts tried to destroy the caste of the people… the illustrious Brahmans declared that they would die rather than lose their caste and religion, and Suha Bhatta – the convert, subjected them to a heavy fine, jazia, because they held to their caste and religion.” There is no parallel of this religious persecution in the history of the subcontinent.
Ali Shah – the tyrant (AD 1413-1430), son of Sikandar- the Butshikan, during his short rule of six years, carried on his father’s 24-year tyrant reign with homicides, conversions, tyranny and enforced jazia. Suha Bhatta – the convert, who retained the prime ministership continued his earlier crimes and atrocities against the Kashmiri Pandits. Jonaraja gives a graphic account of the plight of the illustrious Kashmiri Pandits in the draconian reign of Ali Shah. He says,” Suha Bhatta- the convert, passed the limit by levying fine, jazia, on the twice – born. This evil-minded man forbade ceremonies and processions on the new moon. He became envious that the Brahmans who had become fearless would keep up their caste by going over to foreign countries, he therefore ordered posting of squads on the roads, not to allow passage to any one without a passport. Then as the fisherman torments fish, so this low born man tormented the twice-born in this country. The legendary Brahmans burnt themselves in the flaming fire through fear of conversion. Some Brahmans killed themselves by taking poison, some by the rope and others by drowning themselves. Others again by falling from a precipice. The country was contaminated by hatred and the king’s favourites could not prevent one in a thousand from committing suicide …. A multitude of celebrated Brahmans, who prided in their caste, fled from the country through bye-roads as the main roads were closed. Even as men depart from this world, so did the Aryan Saraswat Brahmans of Kashmir flee to foreign countries. The difficult countries through which they passed, the scanty food, painful illness and the torments of hell during life time removed from the minds of the Kashmiri Pandits the fears of hell. Oppressed by various calamities such as encounter with the enemy, fear of snakes, fierce heat and scanty food; many Brahmans perished on the way and thus obtained salvation.” This was the second miserable mass exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits. Jonaraja calls it “ Chandh-Dandh” – violent, cruel, brutal and horrible punishment, for the abandoned and vulnerable Saraswat Brahmans of Kashmir. History repeated itself again in AD 1989-1990.
The brutal religious persecution of the Kashmiri Pandits has been borne testimony to by almost all the Muslim historians. Hassan, Fauq and Nizam – ud – Din have condemned these excesses in unscathing terms. It was the reign of terror and homicide. The majority of the Hindus were converted forcibly and a large number had left the Valley. Yet many more were passing their days in the most deplorable conditions only on payment of jazia. The allowances of the Brahman academicians were stopped to destroy the ancient learning, literature, education, art and culture. These enlightened intellectuals had to move from door to door for food, like dogs. One can’t imagine a higher level of mental torture!
The Brahmans, even after paying jazia, could not openly declare themselves as Hindus nor could they apply tilak on their foreheads. Neither could they pray in their temples or perform any religious ceremony. Even then they did not forget their past and rich tradition. As the custodians of their extraordinary cultural heritage, they wrote the illuminating treatises on the stupendous Kashmir Shaivism, colossal literature, splendid art, marvelous music, grammar and medicine.
Sultan Zainul Abidin-the Budshah (Great Monarch), ruled Kashmir from AD 1420 to 1460. The son of Sultan Sikandar – the Butshikan, and the brother of Sultan Ali Shah- the tyrant, Zainul Abidin followed the policy of tolerance, endurance, patience, sympathy and broad mindedness. He recalled the Kashmiri Pandits who had left the Valley during the rule of Sikandar and Ali Shah. Jazia was abolished and the Brahmans were given their earlier positions in administration. Demolished temples were rebuilt and new ones constructed. Two temples were built by Zainul Abidin at Ishbar, Srinagar. The Sultan also participated in the Hindu festivals. A large number of houses were built for the widows of the Brahmans who had suffered during the reign of terror. Zainul Abidin stopped the killing of cows, restricted the eating of beef and catching of fish in the sacred springs of the Hindus. Even the personal law as laid down in the Shastras was adopted for the Hindus. The legenday Kashmiri Pandits were resurrected and resuscitated. Ferguson observes that indeed history has very few examples where the policy of a father was so completely reversed by the son. Even the Mughal monarch, Akbar – the great , capitalized on the religious policy of Zainul Abidin. But the conservative and dogmatic Muslims reacted very sharply to this policy of toleration and mutual coexistence . According to Mulla Bahauddin, “ The Sultan reimported practices of infidels which had once become extinct”.
But the honey-moon of the Kashmiri Pandits proved very brief. During the reign of Haider Shah (AD 1470-1472) – the prodigal son of the great Zainul Abidin, Kashmiri Pandits once again suffered tremendously. Under the evil influence of Purni- the Hindu barber, Haider Shah adopted various corrupt and cruel practices against the Saraswat Brahmans. The repression was so terrible that the tolerant Pandits lost their cool. Hassan says, “ the patience of the Pandits having reached the breaking point, they rose in a body and set fire to some mosques which were built with the material of the Hindu temples once demolished by Sikandar. The rising was quelled by the sword; many more Pandits were drowned in rivers; and, loot and plunder was practiced with unbridled licence.” Srivara also illustrates the cruel and inhuman treatment given to the mythical Kashmiri Saraswat Brahmans, “ many Pandits struggled and threw themselves in river Vitasta to be drowned there. The arms and noses of many people were cut off, even of those Brahmans who were king’s servants.” Ravage and arson of the sacred places continued during the indifferent rule of Hassan Khan (AD 1476-1487), when the real authority was with the gang of three persons- Shams Chak, Shringhar Raina and Musa Raina. The pressure exerted on the illustrious Kashmiri Pandits was so barbarous that, in order to save themselves from merciless brutality, some of them gave up their caste and screamed – “ I am not a Bhatta, I am not a Bhatta” ( I am not a Hindu). They went in strict seclusion to avoid any argument or controversy.
Mir Shams-ud-Din Iraqi, who visited the Saffron Valley twice in AD 1477 and 1496, was the founder of Nurbakhshiya order (Shia sect) in Kashmir. His mission was the vigorous propagation of his faith. So, not contented with peaceful preachings, violent methods were employed. In this adventure , Iraqi was helped by the homicidal creature and most dreaded tyrant- Malik Musa Raina, a convertee, whose original name was Soma Chandra. Not only the poor vulnerable Brahmans, but the Sunni Muslims were also violently converted to Shia sect by murderous techniques. This dogmatic fanaticism even crippled the Sunni ruler of Kashmir, Fateh Shah (AD 1510-1517). A khanqah was built at Zadibal (Srinagar) by Iraqi, which became the nucleus of Shia concentration.
Kashmiri Pandits suffered ferociously under the instructions of Shams-ud-Din Iraqi and Musa Raina. About 24,000 of them were forcibly converted to Shia sect of Islam. Iraqi had even issued orders that everyday about 1500 to 2000 Brahmans be brought to his doorsteps, remove their sacred threads, administer Kalima to them, circumcise them and make them eat beef. These decrees were ferociously and brutally carried out. The Hindu religious scriptures from 7th century AD onwards and about 18 magnificent temples were destroyed, property confiscated and ladies abused. Thousands of Brahmans killed themselves to evade this horrific barbarism and thousands migrated to other places, resulting in their third tragic mass exodus from the Saffron Valley of Kashmir. Those who stayed behind were not only forced to pay jazia, but their noses and ears were chopped off. To escape the tremendous pain and agony, they cried. “I am not a Hindu.” After Kashmir , the next destination of Iraqi for war against so-called infidelity was Kargil. It is now a Shia –dominated area and there are frequent sectarian clashes between them and the Buddhists.
In AD 1519, about ten thousand Kashmiri Pandits died during pilgrimage to Harmukh Ganga, where they had gone to immerse the ashes of those eight hundred Hindus who had been massacred during Ashura a year before. Poet-historian Suka says about this cataclysm, “ Ganga was oppressed with hunger, as it was after a long time that she had devoured bones; she surely devoured the men also who carried the bones.” It was after a gap of many years that the people were allowed to go on a pilgrimage to Harmukh lake, which ended in the most devastating tragedy.
Qazi Chak, the founder of Chak rule in Kashmir (AD 1553-1586), carried on ferocious religious policy and made conversion of many Hindus to Shia sect of Islam. According to Suka, one thousand cows were used to be killed everyday without any opposition under the orders of the Chak rulers, who were Shias, just to injure the religious sentiments of the Kashmiri Pandits. These celebrated and highly educated Aryan Saraswat Brahmans were made the objects of laughter and reproach. They were publically taunted, abused and humiliated. The last Chak ruler, Yaqub Chak, had a bigoted zeal for the propagation of Shia sect and planned mass conversion of the Hindus. However, he could not administer his criminal designs because of the Mughal annexation.
Akbar was tremendously influenced by the amazing moral supremacy of the Kashmiri Pandits. Abul Fazl records in Ain-i-Akbari, “ the most respectable class in this country (Kashmir) is that of the Pandits, who, notwithstanding their need for freedom from the bonds of tradition and custom, are the true worshippers of God. They do not loosen their tongue of calumny against those not of their faith, nor beg, nor importune. They employ themselves in planting fruit trees and are generally a source of inspiration for others”. The great Mughal Emperor abolished jazia and other unjust taxes imposed upon the Hindus. He also evinced great interest in the rehabilitation of the Pandits. Suka says, “ The Emperor announced that he would without delay reward those who would respect the Brahmans in Kashmir and that he would instantly pull down the houses of those who would demand the annual tribute from them.” The greatness of Akbar lies in his magnificent and fascinating policy of religious tolerance. Jahangir and Shah Jahan were not so tolerant. But their religious enthusiasm cannot be termed as fanatic. During this period, the Brahmans could perform their religious ceremonies after paying some tribute. But the whole scenario changed with the accession of Aurangzeb to the throne. With his bigoted fanatic and dogmatic approach, the Kashmiri Pandits were once again made vulnerable. Iftkar Khan, the Mughal governor of Kashmir during the reign of Aurangzeb, brutally tyrannized over the Brahmans to such an extent that they approached Guru Teg Bhahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, at Anandpur in Punjab and solicited his personal intervention with the Emperor. This ultimately led to the Guru’s martyrdom and made Guru Gobid Singh to create the Khalsa to fight the oppressors . Muzaffer Khan, Nassar Khan and Ibrahim Khan were other governors of Aurangzeb who ferociously terrorized the Kashmiri Pandits. These celebrated scapegoats were once again forced to migrate from the land of their origin. It was the fourth disastrous mass exodus of the Aryan Saraswat Brahmans from Kashmir.
During the rule of later Mughals, Kashmir witnessed the outbreak of the worst kind of religious intolerance. In AD 1720, Mullah Abdul Nabi, also called Muhat Khan, a non-resident Kashmiri Muslim, was appointed as Shaikhul Islam . In order to assert his religious authority, he asked the Deputy Governor, Mir Ahmed Khan , to start a campaign of persecution of the Kafirs (infidels) – as the Kashmiri Pandits were called. In order to satisfy his satanic ego, the Mulla issued six commandments:

1. No Hindu should ride a horse, nor should a Hindu wear a shoe;
2. That they should not wear Jama (Mughal costume);
3. That they should move bare arms;
4. That they should not visit any garden;
5. That they should not have tilak mark on their foreheads;
6. That their children should not receive any education.

But Ahmed Khan refused to execute the mischievous decree. The Mullah then excited his followers against the Kashmiri Pandits. He established his seat in a mosque, assumed the duties of the administrator under the title of Dindar Khan and let loose the reign of terror. The Hindus were wickedly tormented, their houses burnt and property looted. Hundreds of Brahmans were killed, prostrated, maimed and humiliated. They began to run away in large numbers and hide themselves in mountainous terrain. This was the fifth dreadful mass exodus of the legendary Kashmiri Pandits from their mystic motherland. Those who remained behind lived in the most horrific and terrible conditions generated by the Mullah and his gang. But soon he was assassinated by his rivals and his son, Sharif-ud-Din, become the new Shaikhul-Islam. The son improved upon the brutal methods of his father and inflicted most barbaric, cruel and inhuman tortures upon the vulnerable Brahmans. The plight of the Kashmiri Pandits during this period became tremendously miserable and tragic.
The Afghan rule in Kashmir (AD 1753-1819) was a period of cruelty, homicide and anarchy. W.R. Lawrence calls it the “reign of brutal tyranny.” The barbarous Afghans employed every wild, inhuman, primitive, ferocious, cruel and brutal method to suppress the Kashmiri Brahmans. A pitcher filled with ordure was placed on the head of a Pandit and stones were pelt on it, till it broke and the unfortunate Brahman become wet with filth. Their brutality and atrocity crossed the extreme limits when Hindus were tied up in grass sacks, two and two, and drowned in the Dal Lake. The victimized Hindu were forced to flee the country or were killed or converted to Islam. There was horrible mass exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits, sixth one, to far away places like Delhi, Allahabad, etc. Many covered the long distances on foot.
Hindu parents destroyed the beauty of their daughters by shaving their heads or cutting their noses and ears to save them from degradation. Any Muslim could jump on the back of a Pandit and take a ride. Mir Hazar – an Afghan governor, used leather bags instead of grass sacks for the drowning of Brahmans. Turbans and shoes were forbidden for them. The Saraswat Brahmans of Kashmir were also forced to grow beards and tilak was interdicted. The Afghans are now only remembered for their barbarity, brutality, ferocity, tyranny and cruelty. They thought no more of cutting of heads than of plucking a flower.
The Shahmirs, Chaks, Mughals and homicidal Afghans tore the fabric of society in Kashmir and left deep scars on it. When the Afghan oppression became intolerable, the Pandits turned with hope to the rising power of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. But they were suspected. The Afghan governor, Azim Khan, confiscated their jagirs and imposed jazia on them. Eminent Pandits were brutally killed, humiliated and their authority was snatched. Nur Shah Diwani – a cruel Muslim official who was in charge of revenue collection, hatched a conspiracy in league with Azim Khan to eliminate the distinguished Kashmiri Brahmans. But this evil manoeuvre was exposed and a galaxy of Pandits saved. Pandit Sahajram, the Diwan, played a prominent role in the rescue operation.
Azim Khan had appointed Sukhram Safaya, Mirza Pandit and Birbal Dhar as revenue collectors. Birbal Dhar could not collect the required amount due to failure of crops. The atrocious Afghan governor browbeated Pandit Birbal to make the payment of one lac rupees. Rowdy and boisterous soldiers were send to threaten him and other Pandits. Sensing the Afghan tsunami, distinguished Kashmiri Pandits called a backstairs meeting in which it was resolved to invite Ranjit Singh for the conquest of Kashmir and salvation of the Aryan Saraswat Brahmans. Accordingly Birbal Dhar and his minor son, Raja Kak Dhar, secretly left for Lahore with a petition signed by the prominent Kashmiri Pandits through which as invitation was extended to Ranjit Singh to take over the Valley. When Azim Khan came to know about these developments, he sent his soldiers to nab Birbal Dhar and teach him a lesson. But when these bandits met with no success, the cruel governor turned his guns towards the wife and daughter-in-law of Birbal Dhar . Both the ladies had taken shelter in the house of a trustworthy Muslim, Qadus Gojwari. Azim Khan asked Pandit Basa Kak to hunt down the innocent ladies. Basa Kak knew about the retreat of ladies but did not disclose it even after monstrous tortures and oppressive penalties. At last his abdomen was ripped open in the most barbarous manner and the dead body discredited – the most unfortunate and brutal crime against humanity in the civilized world. The poor ladies were also captured . Birbal Dhar’s wife committed suicide by swallowing a piece of diamond. The younger lady was violently converted to Islam and handed over to an Afghan noble, who carried her to Kabul.
Nervous to the marrow of his bones and crazy with rage, Azim Khan tormented all those Kashmiri Brahmans whom he suspected to be in league with Birbal Dhar. Prominent Pandits were detained in a concentration camp at Nishat Garden and ferociously tortured. But on learning about the Sikh advances towards Kashmir, he lost all nerve and solicited instruction from Pandit Sahajram Dhar. The illustrious Pandit advised him to sent off his ladies folk to Kabul. It was the only way to save them from the ignominious treatment. Sahajram himself escorted the ladies to Kabul and saved them from disastrous shame. Azim Khan himself ran away from the Valley, leaving the administration into the hands of his brother, Jabbar Khan. However, atrocious Afghans were crushed and the Sikhs annexed Kashmir. Some extremist Sikhs, including Phul Singh, endeavoured to knock down the mosque of Shah Hamadan. But celebrated Birbal Dhar, at a considerable risk to his own life, made them desist from this action. According to GMD Sufi, “ It is to the lasting credit of Birbal Dhar that when a deputation of Muslims headed by Sayyid Hasan Shah Qadiri Khanyari approached him to dissuade the Sikhs from the destruction of the Khanqah, he moved in the matter, used his influence and saved this historical structure from vandalism.” It reveals the true personality and character of a distinguished Kashmiri Pandit.
During the Sikh rule in Kashmir, AD 1819-1846, the celebrated Pandits reclaimed their past glory and magnificence. They claimed back the prominent places of trust and honour. Cow slaughter was banned, temples renovated and the earlier wrongs rectified. The legendary Kashmiri Pandits received a healing touch after centuries of barbarity, ferocity and tyranny. But by the time, the Sikhs conquered Kashmir in AD 1819, about nine-tenths of the population had become the followers of Islam. Out of the 10% Hindu population, a large number had migrated to the Punjab and other provinces. The Pandits in general belonged to the middle class while the upper and lower classes were dominated by the Muslims.
With the formation of Jammu and Kashmir State; and, establishment of the Dogra rule in 1846, Kashmiri Pandits were imperceptibly elbowed to the background. Administrators and officials were deputed from Jammu region. Though they enjoyed comprehensive religious freedom and social emancipation, political rights of the Kashmiri Brahmans were confined. On certain occasions, they even became victims of intrigue and suspicions. The vicious communal forces also turned their wrath against them. During the communal disturbances of July 1931, shops and houses belonging to the Kashmiri Brahmans were not only looted but also burnt. Three innocent Hindus lost their lives. This communalism in the state politics aggravated and magnified with the passage of time . It was fed for years with vicious communal propaganda and brainwashing.
After independence and accession of Jammu & Kashmir state to India, Kashmiri Pandits were pushed back to the barbarous Afghan era. They were given the sugarcoated dozes of poisonous toxics. Article 370 of Indian constitution just reduced them to cipher and liquidated their population. Under the pretext of economic reforms, their jagirs were confiscated and distributed among the Muslim peasants. The administration of Shaikh Abdullah adopted malicious and pernicious approach towards the Saraswat Brahmans of Kashmir. They were taunted on one excuse or the other. Hindu temples were desecrated, looted and plundered. Minor girls of the community were forced to embrace Islam and marry the Muslim youth.
Shaikh Abdullah tried to create “ Shaikhdom” for his dynastic rule in Kashmir. But his dreams were shattered when he was arrested in 1953 for anti-national activities. In 1958, he was released but detained again after three months under the Kashmir conspiracy case. However, the case was withdrawn in 1964 because of political reasons. But he was arrested again in May 1965 for his subversive activities and released in January 1968. Again, in January 1971, a ban was imposed forbidding him to enter the Jammu Kashmir state. This restriction was lifted in 1972.
During 1953-1974 Shaikh Abdullah characterized India as an imperialist power endeavouring to subjugate the people of Kashmir. He asserted that the accession of Kashmir with India was his greatest blunder for which history will never forgive him. He also demanded the right of self determination for the people of Muslim – dominated Kashmir, but ignored the Hindu- dominated Jammu and Buddhist- dominated Ladakh regions. The sophist Shaikh advocated plebiscite and unconditional withdrawal of Indian army from the Saffron Valley. He also campaigned against the import of food grains from India and asked people to eat potatoes grown in Kashmir. For such arguments, Shaikh Abdullah was nick named as “Aaloo Bab” — Feeder of Potatoes. He made emotional solicitations that after death his body should not be buried in the subjugated Valley, but immersed into the sacred waters of Arabian sea. However, today his magnificent tomb stands on the banks of beautiful Dal Lake in Srinagar and is guarded by the Indian security personnel. By such gratuitous and conflicting statement, his secular credentials evaporated into thin air. The prospect of disloyalty and sedition began to haunt the Saffron Valley. Kashmiriyat switched over to political vandalism and bigoted fundamentalism. Shaikh Abdullah desperately held Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, a Kashmiri Pandit, responsible for the shattering of his malevolent dreams in 1953. The mortified Shaikh ambiguously decided to retaliate against the whole Pandit community in Kashmir. In vindictiveness, he instigated his associated that while making a choice between a Kashmiri Pandit and dreaded cobra, kill the Pandit first. A vicious campaign of terror was launched against the Aryan Saraswat Brahmans of Kashmir. They were refused entry to government jobs and institutions of higher learning. Besides hurling strong statement against the Government of India and Kashmiri Pandits, the Shaikh derided that the whole lot of Indian army cannot save the Hindus in Kashmir against the malevolence of Muslims. Farooq Abdullah also employed the same approach towards the crumbled Pandits when his brother-in-law, Gulshah, seized the chief ministership in 1984.The reactionary leaders- Afzal Beg, Maulvi Farooq, Mohi-ud-Din Kara and Maulana Masoodi; ignored the very existence of Kashmiri Pandits during their political adventurism. The Kashmiri Pandits were made to pay for every move on the political chessboard in Kashmir because they represented the pseudo-secularism, incognito- socialism and flowering- democracy of India. They were scolded and emotionally hurt in the Afghan fashion.
But then the whole political scenario in Kashmir took a dramatic turn in 1974, when Indira-Shaikh accord was signed by virtue of which the Shaikh became the Chief Minister of the State after the lapse of 22 years. Ignoring the great expectations he had created among the people in Kashmir and his vigorous campaign for plebiscite, the sophist Shaikh began to speak the language of Indian nationalism, democracy, socialism and secularism. The slogans of plebiscite, self-determination and independent Kashmir melted away. But the Hate- India virus, infused by him into the blood of the Muslim youth in Kashmir, was exploited by other corrupt self-styled politicians for their own interests from time to time. A vacuum was created because the people were betrayed disillusioned, politically raped and left in wilderness by their own leaders.
Omkarnath Ganjoo, who established the Index Branch of the Jammu & Kashmir Criminal Investigation Department under the directions of Union Home Ministry in early 1960 and managed the same upto 1986, established a powerful network in the State. He collected detailed information about the seditious, subversive and treasonous persons and sent the detailed dispatches to the government from time to time . He also excavated the nefarious designs of ISI- the Pak Intelligence Agency, and informed the concerned authorities. But the state as well as the central administration lacked the determination and resolution to act.
The programmes and policies of Bakshi, Sadiq, Qasim, Farooq and Gulshah were also damaging for the Kashmiri Pandits. They were continuously haunted by antagonistic, hostile and rebellious elements. Mufti Syed is even believed to be responsible for the anti-Hindu communal riots of 1986, when cows were slaughtered and temples destroyed in Anantnag district. From 1947-1986 about four lac Kashmiri Pandits silently migrated from Kashmir. Hypocritical atrocities and criminal ignorances of political leaders were responsible for these development. Pakistan, to avenge the defeat of Bangladesh, blatantly sponsored the violence and terrorism in the Valley, resulting in the turmoil of 1989-90. The then celebrated governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Jagmohan, wrote a detailed letter to the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi , on April 21,1990, endorsing the alarming signals earliest transmitted by discerning Omkarnath Ganjoo. But cowardly Indian leadership was still unconcerned.

“Aay Zalimu, Aay Kafiroo,
Kashmir Hamara Choudh Dou”

“Bharat Kay Aiwanu Ko
Aag Lagado, Aag Lagado”

The final assault on the Kashmiri Pandits started with these slogans. Barbarous terrorists from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Sudan and even Saudi Arabia penetrated into the Saffron Valley. Brutal, wild and barbarous techniques were employed to hound and kill the Aryan Saraswat Brahmans of Kashmir. Even the helpless ladies were not spared. Sarla Bhat, a nurse in Soura Medical Institute, was abducted on 19th April, 1990, by JKLF militants who repeatedly gang-raped her and eventually killed her on 25th April. Girja Tikoo, a teacher from Bandipur, was kidnapped, raped and eventually shred to pieces by a saw mill on 4th June, 1990. Bimla Braroo from the Nai Sarak, Srinagar, who along with her daughter, Archana, was raped in the presence of her husband, Sohanlal, before all the three were killed on 31st March, 1992. There are dozens of such brutal instances. Even wicked Afghans will be feeling sorry in their graves for the sanatic holocaust of the legendary Kashmiri Pandits.
The barbarous murder of hundreds of innocent Brahmans of Kashmir caused their seventh and final agonizing mass exodus from the Valley. This was the final knock down of ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Kashmiri Pandits. The mass massacres at Sangrampora (1997), Udhampore (1997), Prankot (1998), Wandhama (1998) and Nadimarg (2003) were the follow up cleansing operations. Pandits in Kashmir dwindled from 10% in 1947 to fewer than 5% in 1989 and to less than 1% today. The pretended world bodies, contaminated human rights organizations, pseudo-secularists, self-styled leaders, so-called policy makers, tainted political parties and slack bureaucracy have failed to express serious concern at this great human tragedy. Danse macabre is going on. During 1990-2005, the security forces seized around 30,000 assault rifles, over 15,000 pistols, more than 20,000 kg explosives, about 2000 UMGs and RPGs , from terrorists. In the barbarous turmoil about 45,000 persons including the Kashmiri Pandits, nationalistic Muslims and Sikhs have been killed. However the government is keen to provide a healing touch to militants. But the legendary Kashmiri Pandits, who were virtually exterminated from the Valley, have not even received the displaced status..

By: Dr.Satish Ganjoo

China: Latest assessment of Kashmir issue Guest Column-by D. S. Rajan The assessment on Kashmir issue, given by Chen Yiwu, the Pakistan based correspondent of the People’s Daily (Online Chinese language edition, Dec 1 &2,2004) for the benefit of readers in China, is notable for its significance, as views expressed in the authoritative paper invariably reflect the Chinese official stand. Taking note of the resumption of India-Pakistan peace talks since November 29,2004 and giving a historic account of the circumstances surrounding the Kashmir issue, the article described the issue as a ‘time bomb’ in India-Pakistan relations. Hinting that Pakistan’s stiff anti-India position on Kashmir is linked to its inability to take over Hyderabad and Junagarh at the time of partition, the article highlighted the fact that both India and Pakistan accepted the January 20,1948 UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire, demilitarization and a step by step solution on the accession issue by holding a ‘plebiscite’. It added that in the fifties, India considered Pakistan as an aggressor in Kashmir and demanded for full withdrawal of latter’s troops before a ‘plebiscite’ could be held. Pakistan, on its part, asked for withdrawal of troops of both the sides from Kashmir prior to such a plebiscite. Observing that Pakistan’s joining the SEATO in 1954 and later the Baghdad Pact were aimed at resisting India’s strength, the write-up indirectly criticized India for announcing the irrelevance of the plebiscite principle on the pretext of Pakistan’s joining such military blocs. It pointed out that in the 15 years since the beginning of armed attacks in the Indian controlled Kashmir in 1989, 45000 people were killed. Though the accession of Kashmir is basically a legacy of India-Pakistan partition, the subsequent changes in the international situation and the continued uncertainty in India-Pakistan relations, brought other factors like security and political strategy of each side into focus, making the issue further complicated, the People’s Daily item remarked. Analysing the perceptions of India and Pakistan regarding the issue, the item said that although the Indian Congress Party came under compulsion to accept partition in 1947, India till today does not accept the ‘ two nation theory’, which formed the basis for Mountbatten’s formula on partition of the South Asian sub-continent. India is of the view that the partition has caused damage to its historic unity which arose out of the country’s old culture. The partition also had a deep negative influence on India’s big power status as well as defence. Pakistan, on its part, relies on the ‘two nation theory’ to win a broad Muslim religious and national sympathy. Moreover, since its formation, it is intentionally making efforts to gain features, which are different from that of India, so that it can exist as a pure Muslim nation. The article further observed that when Pakistan came into being, India thought that the former would not survive for long and aspired to continuously weaken that country with an eye on its leading position in the sub-continent. Also, India hoped for reunification of the sub-continent some day, considering partition as a mistake. Facing serious imbalance in terms of national strength and keeping in view India’s long term plans, the Government and people of Pakistan were pushed to nurture a feeling of crisis and insecurity. Pakistan saw India’s taking over of Hyderabad and Junagarh by force. It also realized that at the same time, India was not willing to abandon its claim over the Muslim majority Kashmir but with a Hindu ruler. The People’s Daily item opined that these factors led to Pakistan’s resolve to support the cause of Kashmir’s accession to it through use of force. Tracing the strategic reasons behind deepening of India-Pakistan hostility and unyielding positions on Kashmir issue adopted by both the sides, the article said that. Pakistan views the Kashmir issue as being not purely a territorial one, but also religious in nature, in view of the region’s Muslim majority. For India, protecting Kashmir is important for establishing an effective control over other regions in the country, particularly over Punjab through curbing separatist tendencies there. India also feels that if Kashmir goes out of its control, it could face a chain reaction. Kashmir is the home for the family of former Prime Minister Nehru and is thus a pride for the nation and the people. The People’s Daily item added that in addition India feels that the rich Indus river and its tributaries flowing into Pakistan, originate in Kashmir and that a control over this would ensure its domination over the life-line of Pakistan’s water resources. Pointing out to the emergence of internal pressures in each side on the Kashmir issue over the years, the item assessed that as a result, a realistic concession or compromise on the issue appear difficult for both India and Pakistan. As the country’s constitution stipulates that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, New Delhi, irrespective of the party in power, cannot accept any formula for solving the Kashmir issue on the basis of a plebiscite. If it does so, the regime would come under the blame of selling the country’s territory. For Pakistan, helping the Kashmir Muslims on the accession issue is a policy evolved out of an internal consensus. The article remarked that any rethinking in this regard by Pakistan would make the country to face political dangers, particularly in respect of internal stability. Making a reference to measures taken by India and Pakistan like holding of elections to legitimize the regimes in their respective sides of Kashmir, the article said that in such a process, local forces and elements with vested interests have emerged in both sides of Kashmir, capable of putting pressure on India and Pakistan in the matter of making mutual concessions. Though the article is generally balanced, what is visible is a veiled criticism of India for its attempts to weaken Pakistan with an eye on gaining a leading position in the sub-continent as well as its stand on the plebiscite principle. The strategic perceptions of India and Pakistan on Kashmir and the assessment that both the sides may not be in a position to yield or compromise in the face of pressures likely from the vested interests in two Kashmirs, as brought out in the People’s Daily item, give an indication as to how the Chinese view the situation. Interestingly, the People’s Daily item made no mention of other factors relevant to India-Pakistan relations like the nuclear issue, the question of infiltration from across the border and Kargil conflict. This is also the case regarding Kashmir territory ceded by Pakistan to China

Text of Memorandum submitted by 14 Muslim leaders of India

to Dr. Frank P. Graham, United Nations Representative

14 August, 1951

Reproduced from:
Converted Kashmir – Memorial of Mistakes
A Bitter Saga of Religious Conversion
Author: Narender Sehgal
Utpal Publications, 1994

It is a remarkable fact that, while the Security Council and its various agencies have devoted so much time to the study of the Kashmir dispute and made various suggestions for its resolution, none of them has tried to ascertain the views of the Indian Muslims nor the possible effect of any hasty step in Kashmir, however well-intentioned, on the interests and well- being of the Indian Muslims. We are convinced that no lasting solution for the problem can be found unless the position of Muslims in Indian society is clearly understood.

Supporters of the idea of Pakistan, before this subcontinent was partitioned, discouraged any attempt to define Pakistan clearly and did little to anticipate the conflicting problems which were bound to arise as a result of the advocacy of the two-nation theory. The concept of Pakistan, therefore, became an emotional slogan with little rationale content. It never occurred to the Muslim League or its leaders that if a minority was not prepared to live with a majority on the sub- continent, how could the majority be expected to tolerate the minority.

It is, therefore, small wonder that the result of partition has been disastrous to Muslims. In undivided India, their strength lay about 100 million. Partition split up the Muslim people, confining them to the three isolated regions. Thus, Muslims number 25 million in Western Pakistan, 35 million to 40 million in India, and the rest in Eastern Pakistan. A single undivided community has been broken into three fragments, each faced with its own problems.

Pakistan was not created on a religious basis. If it had been, our fate as well as the fate of other minorities would have been settled at that time. Nor would the division of the sub- continent for reasons of religion have left large minorities in India or Pakistan.

This merely illustrates what we have said above, that the concept of Pakistan was vague, obscure, and never clearly defined, nor its likely consequences foreseen by the Muslim League, even when some of these should have been obvious.

When the partition took place, Muslims in India were left in the lurch by the Muslim League and its leaders. Most of them departed to Pakistan and a few who stayed behind stayed long enough to wind up their affairs and dispose of their property. Those who went over to Pakistan left a large number of relations and friends behind.

Having brought about a division of the country, Pakistan leaders proclaimed that they would convert Pakistan into a land where people would live a life according to the tenets of Islam. This created nervousness and alarm among the minorities living in Pakistan. Not satisfied with this, Pakistan went further and announced again and again their determination to protect and safeguard the interests of Muslims in India. This naturally aroused suspicion amongst the Hindus against us and our loyalty to India was questioned.

Pakistan had made our position weaker by driving out Hindus from Western Pakistan in utter disregard of the consequences of such a policy to us and our welfare. A similar process is in question in Eastern Pakistan from which Hindus are coming over to India in a large and large number.

If the Hindus are not welcome in Pakistan, how can we, in all fairness, expect Muslims to be welcomed in India ? Such a policy must inevitably, as the past has already shown, result in the uprooting of Muslims in this country and their migration to Pakistan where, as it became clear last year, they are no longer welcome, lest their influx should destroy Pakistan’s economy.

Neither some of the Muslims who did migrate to Pakistan after partition, and following the widespread bloodshed and conflict on both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border in the north- west, have been able to find a happy asylum in what they had been told would be their homeland. Consequently some of them have had to return to India, e.g Meos who are now being rehabilitated in their former areas.

If we are living honorably in India today, it is certainly not due to Pakistan which, if anything, has by her policy and action weakened our pooition.

The credit goes to the broadminded leadership of India, to Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, to the traditions of tolerance in this country and to the Constitution which ensures equal rights to all citizens of India, irrespective of their religion caste, creed, colour or sex.

We, therefore, feel that, tragically as Muslims were misled by the Muslim League and subsquently by Pakistan and the unnecessary suffering which we and our Hindu brethren have to go through in Pakistan and in India since partition, we must be given an opportunity to settle down to a life of tolerance and understanding to the mutual benefit of Hindus and Muslims in our country – if only Pakistan would let us do it. To us it is a matter of no smaller onsequence.

Despite continuous provocations, first from the Muslim League and since then from Pakistan, the Hindu majority in India has not thrown us or members of other minorities out of Civil Services, Armed Forces, the judiciary, trade, commerce, business and industry. There are Muslim Ministers in the Union and State cabinets, Muslim Governors, Muslim Ambassadors, representing India in foreign countries, fully enjoying the confidence of the Indian nation, Muslim members in Parliament and state legislatures, Muslim judges serving on the Supreme Court and High Courts, high-ranking officers in the Armed Foroes and the Civil services, including the police. Muslims have large landed estates, run big business and commercial houses in various parts of the country, notably in Bombay and Calcutta, have their shares in industrial production and enterprise in export and import trade. Our famous sacred shrines and places of cultural interest are mostly in India.

Not that our lot is certainly happy. We wish some of the state Governments showed a little greater sympathy to us in the field of education and employment. Nevertheless, we feel we have an honourable place in India. Under the law of the land, our religious and cultural life is protected and we shall share in the opportunities open to all citizens to ensure progress for the people of this country.

It is, therefore, clear that our interest and welfare do not coincide with Pakistan’s conception of the welfare and interests of Muslims in Pakistan.

This is clear from Pakistan’s attitude towards Kashmir. Pakistan claims Kashmir, first, on the ground of the majority of the State’s people being Muslims and, secondly, on the ground, of the state being essential to its economy and defence. To achieve its objective it has been threatening to launch “Jehad” against Kashmir in India.

It is a strange commentary on political beliefs that the same Muslims of Pakistan who like the Muslims of Kashmir to join them invaded the state, in October 1947, killing and plundering Muslims in the state and dishonouring Muslim women, all in the interest of what they described as the liberation of Muslims of the State. In its oft-proclaimed anxiety to rescue the 3 million Muslims from what it describes as the tyranny of a handful of Hindus in the State, Pakistan evidently is prepared to sacrifice the interests of 40 million Muslims in India – a strange exhibition of concern for the welfare of fellow- Muslims. Our misguided brothers in Pakistan do not realise that if Muslims in Pakistan can wage a war against Hindus in Kashmir why should not Hindus, sooner or later, retaliate against Muslims in India.

Does Pakistan seriously think that it could give us any help if such an emergency arose or that we would deserve any help thanks to its own follies ? It is incapable of providing room and livelihood to the 40 million Muslims of India, should they migrate to Pakistan. Yet its policy and action, if not changed soon, may well produce the result which it dreads.

We are convinced that India will never attack our interests. First of all, it would be contrary to the spirit animating the political movement in this country. Secondly, it would be opposed to the Constitution and to the sincere leadership of the Prime Minister. Thirdly, India by committing such a folly would be playing straight into the hands of Pakistan.

We wish we were equally convinced of the soundness of Pakistan’s policy. So completely oblivious is it of our present problems and of our future that it is willing to sell us into slavery – if only it can secure Kashmir.

It ignores the fact that Muslims in Kashmir may also have a point of view of their own, that there is a democratic movement with a democratic leadership in the State, both inspired by the progress of a broad minded, secular, democratic movement in India and both naturally being in sympathy with India. Otherwise, the Muslim raiders should have been welcomed with open arms by the Muslims of the State when the invasion took place in 1947.

Persistent propaganda about “Jehad” is intended, among other things, to inflame religious passions in this country. For it would, of course, be in Pakistan’s interests to promote communal rioting in India to show to Kashmiri Muslims how they can find security only in Pakistan. Such a policy, however, can only bring untold misery and suffering to India and Pakistan generally and to Indian Muslims particularly.

Pakistan never tires of asserting that it is determined to protect the interests of Muslims in Kashmir and India. Why does not Pakistan express the same concern for Pathans who are fighting for Pakhtoonistan, an independent homeland of their own ? The freedom-loving Pathans under the leadership of Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan and Dr. Khan Sahib, both nurtured in the traditions of democratic tolerance of the Indian National Congress, are being subjected to political repression of the worst possible kind by their Muslim brethren in power in Pakistan and in the NWFP. Contradictory as Pakistan’s policy generally is, it is no surprise to us that while it insists on a fair and impartial plebiscite in Kashmir, it denies a fair and impartial plebiscite to Pathans.

Pakistan’s policy in general and her attitude towards Kashmir is particular thus tend to create conditions in this cauntry which in the long run can only bring to us Muslims widespread suffering and destruction. Its policy prevents us from settling down, from being honourable citizens of a State, free from suspicion of our fellow-countrymen and adapting ourselves to changing conditions to promote the interests and welfare of India. Its sabre-rattling interferes with its own economy and ours. It expects us to be layal to it despite its importance to give us any protection, believing at the same time that we can still claim all the rights of citizenship in a secular democracy.

In the event of a war, it is extremely doubtful whether it will be able to protect the Muslims of East Bengal who are completely cut off from Western Pakistan. Are the Muslims of India and Eastern Pakistan who sacrifice themselves completely to enable the 25 million Muslims in Western Pakistan to embark upon mad, self-destructive and adventures?

We should, therefore, like to impress upon you with all the emphasis at our command that Pakistan’s policy towards Kashmir is fraught with the gravest peril to the 40 million Muslims of India. If the Security Council is really interested in peace human brotherhood, and international understanding, it should heed this warning while there is still time.

Dr. Zakir Hussain
(Vice Chancellor Aligarh University)

Sir Sultan Ahmed
(Former Member of Governor General’s Executive Council)

Sir Mohd. Ahmed Syed Khan
(Nawab of Chhatari, former acting
Governor of United Provinces and
Prime Minister of Hyderabad)

Sir Mohd. Usman
(Former member of Governor
General’s Executive council and
acting Governor of Madras)

Sir Iqbal Ahmed
(Former Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court)

Sir Fazal Rahimtoola
(Former Sheriff of Bombay)

Maulana Hafz-ur-Rehman M.P.
Col. B.H. Zaidi M.P.

Nawab Zain Yar Jung
(Minister Gcvernment of Hyderabad)

A.K. Kawaja
(Former President of Muslim Majlis)

T.M. Zarif
(General Secretary West Bengal Bohra Community)

Shariat Law may soon implemented in POK

Arif Shahid who belongs to Koyain Khaigla, a far flung area of Pakistan occupied Kashmir says that Pakistan has captured PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan and condemn the role and policy of Pakistan. He has been struggling for these two regions under the banner of Jammu Kashmir National Liberation Front (JKNLF) as its secretary general.
In an exclusive interview to R C GANJOO he expressed his views on the current situation in Pakistan and its impact in these regions.

Q:Since Pakistan is once again facing political crisis, what impact will it have on Pakistan occupied (PoK) and Gilgit-baltistan regions which have been remained under the thumb of Pakistani rulers. And if Pakistan is again ruled by its army what would be fate of these two regions.

ARIF SHAHID – Pakistan may be at any square, it will continue to treat Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) as its colonies as has been handling before. However, as the result of present crisis, it may also change the fate of PoK and GB, but chances seem to be bleak.
In case of army rule once again in Pakistan definitely PoK shall also be placed under some military commander as chief executive and GB zone shall be under martial law as was done by dictator the then army president Zia-ul-Haq. But I think this time army rule shall also take toll of Pakistan itself, because the people of Sindh, Baluchistan and NWFP shall prefer to announce their own sovereignty instead of being ruled by Punjabi military again and again. Let us hope something good emerges for these unfortunate people of small provinces in Pakistan this time.

Q:Do you think Swat after getting Islamic rule ( Shariat Law) implemented has further strengthen the morale of fundamentalist forces. Will these forces extend their agenda in your regions also?

ARIF SHAHID: Yes, since the ego of Islamic fundamentalists and extremists is pampered and inflated due to their victory over Pakistan military in Swat, they shall certainly try to expand their infrastructure and activities in other areas of Pakistan as well, although their presence is everywhere in Pakistan, but in unstable organisational structure. As far as PoK is concerned, these forces are already in much organized manner under the patronage of Pakistan military and its agencies. They consider PoK as the future battle ground where Pakistan military establishment shall continue to support them till the issue of PoK is settled in favour of Pakistan. Moreover, the brand of ’shariat’ they have introduced in Swat already exists in PoK as the ‘Qazis’ sit beside the judges in courts. This sort of judicial structure is helpful to them, and they shall get benefit out of it in future.
Q: What future course Talibans are going to take

ARIF SHAHID: It is evident that some circle in the establishment is having strong links with Taliban. They formed Taliban and trained them but now they become not only dangerous for them but for whole civilized world. Since Pakistan has provided a safe heaven to Talibans and they will turn the world into hell for whole mankind. If they succeeded to implement their own branded shape of Islam in Malakand ultimately they will demand same for Panjab , Sindh and Balouchistan. Sofi Muhammad has already announced that democracy is un-Islamic and Islamic System has having no boundaries. That’s why India has said that extremism is not the only issue of Pakistan but it is a Global Issue.
During the cold war these Islamic extremists were claiming that communism is against Islam. They forbade Pakistani youths for studying in former Soviet Union and China. Surprisingly the prominent leader of this school of thoughts Qazi Hussain Ahmed recently visited China and signed an agreement of friendship with communist party of China. This is a unique development in the politics of the region. And this sign of new change is for what, is to be watched .

Q:What lesson separatists in Jammu and Kashmir should learn from the unpleasant emerging situation in Pakistan and its impact in PoK and G.B regions?
ARIF SHAHID – All the people of Jammu Kashmir who have been romantically attached to Pakistan and have been engaged in proxy war on behalf of Pakistan instead of fighting for their own independence should be realistic enough now at least. They should think that a country which has already been dismembered due to malfunctioning and maladministration, especially due to dictatorship and injustice, and remaining part is again at the verge of disintegration due to the same reasons, deserves to be considered as a comfortable refuge for any people? I think people of all the parts of Jammu Kashmir must have learnt lesson by now.
The expression of solidarity has still been continuing in the Valley of Kashmir since 1988 in one way or the other as a result of that they have lost some 80 thousand precious lives. How much more price they shall have to pay, God knows! In addition to that there are so many historical facts which can expose Pakistan for her expression of solidarity with Kashmiris. Let us see what is the state of her solidarity with both the regions the so called ‘Azad Kashmir’ ( POK) and GB, which are under her direct control. Jammu and Laddakh regions are fortunate enough that they are out of limits of Pakistan’s solidarity’s for being non-Muslim majority

Q: As you said that people in PoK and G.B regions have been suffering since 1947 under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. Are the people prepared to join neighbouring country to get rid of slavery?

ARIF SHAHID –The sane and conscious people of Jammu Kashmir have always been struggling for their freedom to become a secular and democratic entity in a reunified Jammu and Kashmir. But if it is not possible at any cost. They shall have to think about feasible and viable alternatives. Certainly, they shall never think to join a country which is habitual of military rule, dictatorship, feudalism, fundamentalism and religious oppression.
I think that the Muslim majority of PoK shall have to reconsider its priorities as against the past.
Courtsy: bharat khabar

Problem having its Roots in Religious Fanaticism

By Narender Sehgal

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  The basis of Kashmir problem is neither economic backwardness nor political suffocation. Its roots are in the froth of religious fanaticism which are being nourished both by India and Pakistan.
   

As a result of our aimless and weak policies, Kashmiri youths have, with open support from Pakistan, taken up the spears for the Islamic Jehad. The programme of Islamisation in Kashmir, which is on in Kashmir for the last several years, is being given final shape. The mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits has left the Valley Hinduless. Conspiracies for removing all the Indian ymbols in Kashmir are being hatched. Temples have been destroyed. The ancient names of towns and roads have been changed and Muslim names have been given to them. The Indira Gandhi airport has become now Mohamad Ali Jinnah airport. “Aslam alekum” has replaced Namaskar on Srinagar Doordarshan. Watches have Pakistan timings. People take pride in burning of the Constitution of India and the Indian flag. Sanskrit words are being deleted from the Kashmiri language and are being replaced by Arabic words. The first phase of total indepedence for Kashmir was to oust Hindus from the Valley. Success has been achieved in this respect. The second phase was to destabilise and paralyse the state administration in which also success has been attained. Now the third process of guerrilla attacks on the Army are being undertaken to complete the third phase. Terrorists rule Kashmir these days.The intellecutals deserve pity because they avoid standing on the graund of reality by putting on the mask of so called secularism when they treat the grave situation in Kashmir as a result of economic backwardness and political suffocation. If they stop playing in their make-believe world and start search for realism, the real face of the problem will become as clear as the daylight. There is neither anything like poverty or political discrimination in Kashmir. The entire trouble is the product of religious fanaticism. The reality is that after independence our rulers, in the intoxication of appeasement, gave more political and economic facilities to Kashmir than to any other state. Not only this: they made available all facilities and amenities to the Kashmir valley at the cost of the rights of the people of the two other regions of the State, Jammu and Ladakh. Under the umbrella of Article 370 whatever maximum political and economic facilities were made available to Kashmir strengthened and deepended religious fundamentalism of Kashmiri youths.

Prosperous Kashmiri Muslims

Ignoring the population ratio, the Assembly seats in the Valley are more than what it is in the Jammu region. There is majority of Kashmiris in the Government services and hitherto, only a Kashmiri Muslim has remained the Chief Minister of the State. The number of ministers in the council of ministers is more from the Valley. Despite the fact that Kashmir has been considered the centre for political activities, the talk of political suffocation being the root cause of the current problem is bankruptcy of wisdom.

As far as the area is concerned, Kashmir Valley is one eighth of the total area of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. But the major share of the State’s revenue and the Central assistance is being spent on Kashmir. The 95 per cent of the budget of the Tourism Department is spent on Kashmir. The headquarters of all the 11 State Corporations are in Srinagar. Between 33 and 35 senior Government officers, secretaries, are from Kashmir. It is so because the population of Muslims is more in Kashmir. The height of discrimination became evident when veterinary hospital and college, Dental care centre, artificial limb centre, which were allotted for Jammu, were set up in Kashmir. All major industries including cement factory, HMT watch factory, telephone factory, television unit, Government press, textile industry etc. are being developed in Kashmir. Medical college, Engineeringcollege, Agricultural University and other educational institutions are in Kashmir. Major share of the State budget is being spent in Kashmir. Out of 2876 villages in Kashmir 2086 villages have been connected with main roads. More than 70 per cent seats in Srinagar Medical college are given to the Muslim students. It may be mentioned here that the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences at Soura in Srinagar has become a centre for militants. The Kashmir University and the Regional Engineering College in Srinagar have become centres for the militants because of the majority of Muslim students. As a result of liberal financial assistance from the centre and on account of petro-dollars from the Arab world, people of Kashmir have become more prosperous and rich than people in rest of India. Even the Government figures reveal that the per capita income in Kashmir is higher than any area in the country, except for Delhi and Bombay. Who can convince our intellectuals and politicians that in comparison to Kashmir there is major economic backwardness in Jammu and Ladakh regions? So far as political rights are cancerned these two regions live in suffocation. Had political injustice and economic backwardness been the cause for terrorism, the Jammu and Ladakh regions should have witnessed it much before it took roots in Kashmir. Those who in their mental exercise try to trace the genesis of the problem to economic backwardness should stop such exercise when Jagmohan’s suggestion for absorbing Kashmiri youths in a separate battalion ofthe BSF and for appointing 5,000 educated yauths as Government teachers was turned down on the plea that “we do not want it, we want an independent Islamic republic”. Experience has made it clear that the more money Government of India spends in Kashmir, the more religious fanaticism and exploitation are witnessed in Kashmir.

A former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Junejo, had told the National Assembly, while speaking on the Kashmir issue that the riches of Kashmiri Muslims wauld prove helpful for Pakistan. This fact now stands established that the pace of Islamisation increased because of wealth in Kashmir. It is because of riches that a mosque on the pattern of Mecca was built in Srinagar. Fundamentalists from outside the state have been posted on top posts in Government institutions. In place of Sanskritised Kashmiri language, Persanised Urdu has been made the official language. Money has played an important role in destroying fully the old links with India and the result is that nobody talks about the world famous Kashyap Rishi, Avantivarman, Lalitaditya and Kalhana. Mohammad Iqbal of Pakistan is considered there a great philosopher. India is now considered a foreign nation in Kashmir. The Indian Army has to listen to the insulting slogan of “Indian dogs, go back.” The suspected leaders like Mufti Syed and Dr. Farooq Abdullah keep on shedding crocodile tears over the dreadful situation in Kashmir when in the initial stages they too had favoured Islamisation and even today they are supporters of separate political existence in the Valley. Outwardly they feign support for India’s integrity and unity.

Incitement to religious fanaticism

Whatever is happening in Kashmir, it is not an ordinary reaction, a hartal or satyagrah but a revolt based on separatism. It is an anti-national volcano born out of Islamic fundamentalism which the fundamentalist organisations have, through conspiracies during the last 45 years, promoted it. In the schools run by Jamait-e-Islami boys were taught the lessons on fundamentalism and separatism. In the name of propagation of Islam a powerful campaign was launched in the mosques against the Indian nationalism. All these religious activities and campaigns have received support from the successive state Governments. The support of the state administration was fully made available.

At the time of the partition of India Maharaja Hari Singh finalised Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India and Sheikh Abdullah assumed power. Soon after his assumption of power Sheikh Abdullah’s first speech in Lal Chowk was itself the beginning of communal fundamentalism in Kashmir. He kept on inciting religious fanaticism by repeating the Kalima in his speech. He had said in a loud voice “We have picked up the crown frorn the dust. Whether we accede to India or to Pakistan, it is a secondary matter. We have to first complete our independence”. What does complete independence mean ? At the time of their accession 600 states did not say anything like this. What is the purpose of this complete independence when lhe accession of the State with India has been finalised ? It was evident that Sheikh Abdullah was preparing people of the Muslim majority Kashmir for launching a “liberation struggle”. During his detention in Delhi in 1965 Sheikh Abdullah had said: “The Muslim who becomes a member of the Congress will dig his grave. He will dig the grave not only for himself but for his family and his nation”. Since the Congress is an Indian political party, therefore he used to talk about the digging of the grave in order to convey that Muslims are non-Indians and they should remain so. The attempt to exploit Muslims during the time of Sheikh Abdullah, his son. Farooq, and his son-in-law, Gulshah, was part of the same conspiracy.

The Education Minister Sohrawardhy, in the Council of Ministers headed by Dr. Farooq Abdullah, had said, during the Republic Day function at Doda, “peace and order in Jammu and Kashmir rest on the tips of shoes of Muslims and here Delhi’s dictation and orders cannot run”. The same Sohrawardhy had told the Legislative Council that “My party accepted Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India to carry out Islamisation of entire India with Kashmir as the base”. The Muslim United Front leader of Anantnag, Qazi Nissar, who was dubbed as Bhindranwale of Kashmir, and his colleagues had openly said they wanted freedom (Islamistan) and Nizame Mustafa (Islamic rule). When the then Prime Minister of India had dubbed the Front activists as pro-Pakistani, Qazi Nissar got-further encouragement to say “Let the Prime Minister listen that it is not only the Front but 41 lakh people of Kashmir who receive guidance from Pakistan”. In 1986 one teacher of Biology, Mushtaq Ahmed, in a Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kishtwar, indulged in activities which confirmed reports of misuse of schools for giving a practical shape to the on- going programme of Islamisation. During the prayer time he would force Hindu girls to cover their head with scarf as per the Islamic practice, as it is not India here.

The 20-month rule of Gulshah, son-in-law of Sheikh Abdullah, was fruitful period for pro-Pak elements. By constructing a mosque in the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar he gave a display of his bigotry. During his rule 46 temples were destroyed and a fundamentalist organisation like Jamait-e-Islami was given full administrative facilities. After the dismissal of his Government, Gulshah revived the old National Conference and called upon people in Kashmir to launch a struggle for the establishment of Islamic state.

As a result of guidance and support from the pro-Pak and fanatic fundamentalists, Jamait-e-Islami succeeded in running 11,000 Urdu and Arabic schools in Kashmir where over 30,000 Molvis and over one lakh students were being given anti-India indoctrinatian in the name of Islamic education. There were 2500 mosques in Kashmir in 1947 and their number rose to 15,000 in l992. There is domination of Aligarh University trained teachers in Government schools and colleges in Kashmir. It was done under a plan and the result of such evil schemes is the Kashmir of today. About l00 militant outfits are engaged in the struggle these days. There can be differences among them on the question of accession to Pakistan or to remain independent but all of them are united against India. They do not want to live in India and their names and style of functioning are of Irani, Afghani and Arabic traditions.

Goal of Nizame Mustaffa and conspiracy of Jamait-e-Islami

Whatever is happening in Kashmir these days, it is being done in the name and aim of Islam and Nizame Mustaffa. Its principle is based on the assumption that that system is supreme which is decided by Hazrat Mohammad in which Quran and Muslims are above all. Since Kashmir is a Muslim majority area, therefore, there should be establishment of Nizame Mustaffa which means that in any Muslim dominated area the political power should be based on the Islamic principles.

In order to achieve the above mentioned political aim, Ghulam Ahmed Ahar, established Jamait-e-Islami at Shopian, South Kashmir, in 1942. The ideas of this party, which has made secularism, socialism, Brahmin imperialism as the base for its opposition, are in line with the ideas and the policies of Jamait-e-Islami in Pakistan. This organisation has organised a cadre of disciplined youths in order to mould the life-style of Kashmiri Muslims according to the Shariat. Jamait-e-Islami hich is in favour of Kashmir’s accession with Pakistan, has achieved unique success in islamisation of politics in Kashmir. Its leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has said that the “politics of secularism and socialism is quite irrelevant. No Muslim should consider socialism and secularism as his ideal.”

A book “Muqdama-e-Ilaq” (Urdu), published by Jamait-e-Islami gives an account of Jamaat’s political aims. It says “you, people of Kashmiri Muslim republic, how long will you count yourself in the easily prepared list of slaves ? These cinema halls, casinos, liquor shops in every lane, these schools and colleges, these centres in free society where men and women live together unahamedly, all these indicate that your cultural tradition is being snatched from you. Who has thrown into dust the Taj Mahal of your civilisation ? Who has eclipsed your conscience ? Who has harmed your faith and religion ? How long will you sleep ? How long will you be a victim of selfish politics of others ? How long will you be a victim of the philosophy of atheism and agnosticism ? Are you waiting for the day when your mosques will be converted into places of atheism and the pages of Quran will be used for cleaning the dirt, as it happened in Afghanistan ? Your enemy is determined to finish your faith and identity. He is using his Army and arms for it. You are faced with a heartless power whose Brahmin bent of mind creates new problems for you”.

Jamait-e-Islami converted mosques into pewerful centres for its activities. The mosques are being used for making a congregation a victim of bigotry. The entire literarture is being made available to the subversives in these mosques. The religious festivals in these religious places are being used for preparing Muslims for Jehad. In reality, the politics in Kashmir has never remained free from the influence of the mosques. According to Jamait-e-Islami official organ, “During the Dogra rule, whatever voice was raised received support from the Muslim Conference, even though the majority of demands pertained to the people of the state. Therefore, during any political ups and downs the movement remained confined to Jamia Masjid, Khankai Moulla and Hazratbal”.

Jamait-e-Islami has, on a war footing, launched moves for making Kashmiri youths pro-Pakistan and anti-India. On the political level it has launched a movement for Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan. In the social field it opposes every programme connected with family planning. They treat every programme on family welfare as part of the conspiracy of the Indians for reducing the Muslim population and, therefore, accceptance of this programme is against the tenets of Islam. Students in Jamait-e-Islami run schools are taught: “We are Kashmiris and our country is Kashmir. It is surrounded by India, China and Iran”. In the book prescribed for the primary class there is no mention about Pakistan. It means that Pakistan is not a foreign country. India, China and Iran are foreign countries. It also means that Kashmir will either remain independent or accede to Pakistan but there will be no relation with India. There has been domination of Jamait-e-Islami on even the Muslim political forces belonging to the National Conference.

Religion and mosque made base for politics

In reality, in the context of the current Kashmir problem it becomes clear that both the National Conference and Jamait-e-Islami are bound by the same goal. Now even the people belonging to the National Conference have adopted pro-Pak and anti-India attitude. Leaders of the National Conference and Jamait-e-Islami have now started a compaign saying that after Kashmir’s accession with Pakistan job opportunities for Muslims would increase. The same Geelani Sahib is suggesting and blessing the struggle launched by Kashmiri youths and tells them that Kashmiri boys are achieving martyrdom. And the Indian Army cannot enslave Kashmir for a longer time now. In fact right from the beginning politics in Kashmir has remained under the eclipse and influence of religious fanaticism. The type of politics based on religion, which Sheikh Abdullah, Sadiq, Farooq and Gulshah promoted and developed in Kashmir, is being followed and copied by the youths these days.

From the loudspeakers, fitted in hundreds of mosques, the same thing is being repeated which had been said by Sheikh Abdullah and National Conference leaders.

When during the 1987 elections the Chief of Jamait-e- Islami, Dr. Qazi Nissar, received opposition to his bid to take advantage of his religious position he had told Hindustan Times, in an interview: “Who taught us all this ? What else Sheikh Abdullah was doing in his life ? Did he not deliver important political speeches from the Hazratbal shrine ? Have the National Conference workers forgotten the way they had sought votes while carrying the holy Quran in their hands during the 1977 and 1983 elections ?

The Islamic religious leaders had given full freedom for making religion and mosque as the base for politics. These religious places did not remain confined to only religious and political activities. These were converted to the centres for violent anti-India and subversive activities.

The misuse of religious places Act is not in force in Kashmir. To prevent misuse of religious places the Indian Parliament adopted a law in 1988 which was enforced in the entire country except Jammu and Kashmir which has a special status and where the law was fully violated. The approval of the State Assembly was necessary for extending this Act to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370. This approval was not made available and this law could not cross the Lakhanpur barrier.

In fact the need of this law was in Jammu and Kashmir. The way mosques are being misused for political activities is not being done elsewhere. It is in the same mosques in Kashmir that people are incited by dubbing Indian democracy, secularism and socialism as anti-Islam. After every Friday prayers, Mullas and Molvis indulge in open campaign for religious bigotry and Mullaism. If one listens to these speeches, one does not believe whether one is in India or in Pakistan. Nobody has stopped them from resarting to such an anti-India campaign. Can it be construed that non-enforcement of the misuse of religious places Act was done to facilitate the misuse of religious places in Kashmir ? Does it not support the growing religious fanaticism in Jammu and Kashmir ? On one hand the Government of India is propagating its secularism by adopting a law for delinking temples and Gurdwaras from politics, and on the other hand it keeps mosques in Jammu and Kashmir away from this Law in order to allow them to be misused for anti-national activities.

How far will it be proper to call the Government nationalist which provides constitutional assistance to terrorists and foreign elements for carrying out anti-national activities. Nobody can stop the destruction of the country when the rulers themselves get engaged in the politics of appeasement and vote catching devices by sidelining the country’s constitution, country’s integrity, unity of the society and religious tolerance like national values. Kashmir has presented a picture of this destruction.

Shahi Imam in Anantnag

Those fundamentalist leaders, who, under the Misuse of Religious Places Act, shirk in saying anything, should come to the Kashmir Valley, which is enjoying a special status, to give vent to their feelings. On April 8, 1988 Shahi Imam of Jamia Masjid, Delhi, delivered a speech after a Friday prayer congregation in a mosque in Anantnag. He blew up all the laws and practices of the Constitution of India by his bigotry. The congregated Kashmiri Muslims were advised to take up arms in the name of Jehad. He even blessed the birth right of Kashmiris to have an Islamic state while creating a pro-Pakistan atmosphere. While supporting the Muslim youhts, fight for their rights, Imam Sahib equated them with true Muslims meaning thereby that a true Muslim is he who is anti-India, who treats Islam higher than the nation and who snap their ties with the country’s culture, history and traditions.

Separatist actvities extended to Leh-Ladakh

The current problem in Kashmir is a reflection of the same religious fanaticism. The same fanaticism is being propagated in Ladakh region. The conspiracy for converting Hindu Buddhists to Islam is being hatched with the support of the state administration. People in Jammu and Ladakh are facing great difficulties because of the Muslim domination in the State machinery. Under a plan both these regions have been kept economically backward. A well planned strategy is being carried out to increase the population of Muslims in these two regions. To convere these two region into the Kashmir valley a Pak-sponsored conspiracy is being run with the assistance of Mullahs, Molvis and majority political leaders.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government has given a free hand to the Muslims to finish the local civilisation of Ladakh. There will be no law to ban their speeches and activities. On the other hand the Government does not spend even a penny on the protection of ancient art and paintings and religious places in Leh and Ladakh. Even the Buddhist language has been made a victim of the fanatic rulers. There is arrangement for teaching of Buddhist language in only 32 out of 252 educational institutions in the province. There is not a single Degree college in the region. The result is that people of Ladakh are deprived of higher education and consequently they do not get Government jobs. Even the agriculture is being deliberately destroyed. The conspiracy for converting the poor Buddhist to Islam is being carried out after keeping the people economically backward.

In order to raise a voice against the discrimination of Ladakh, people have formed an organisation called Ladakh Buddhist Council. The Council has presented its ideas and aims before the entire country in the form of demands. According to the Council, if Ladakh was discriminated against during the 45 years of independence, but after Sheikh Abdullah resumed power in 1975, Ladakh was deliberately neglected. Under a political intrigue Leh and Kargil were reorganised into two districts. By separating Kargil from Leh, Sheikh Abdullah wanted to remind the people of Kargil, who are mostly Shia Muslims, that in the Islamic setup, which he was trying to enforce in the state, historical and cultural ties had no significance. With Dr. Farooq Abdullah coming to power, the Ladakh Affairs Department became almost defunct.

The Central Government paid no attention towards these difficulties of the Buddhist society. Had such problems confronted the Muslim society, the Congress leaders would have rushed to Ladakh many times, because it would have meant a major issue pertaining to the Muslim vote bank. Since the Buddhist vote bank has no importance in the country, Ladakh Buddhists continue to suffer. Their voice too is feeble in the Lok Sabha because there is only one parliamentary seat in Ladakh. In reality Muslims as a united vote bank has taken full advantage of the policy of appeasement of the Congress. This is the sole reason for domination of Jammu and Ladakh by the Kashmiri Muslim society. It is because of this political weakness that Ladakhis’ economic condition is pitiable. As a result of it, Mullas, Molvis of Kashmir and the political leaders who have come under their influence have taken full advantage of the poverty of the Ladakhis. Rich Kashmiri Muslims have established their business in Ladakh due to several concessions from the State Government. Poverty may become a curse in Ladakh. This curse will facilitate religious conversion which had delinked Kashmir from the main national path and placed it in the hands of Pakistan. It may be mentioned here that Pakistan itself is the creation of a prolonged spell of religious conversion in India.

The Ladakh Council leaders have in their memorandum, talked about the need for isaving the Buddhists from the dangers of subversive politics based an religious conversion. After having felt secured by Article 370, Kashmiris have faced their guns on the Buddhists with the ultimate aim of converting them to Islam. The Kashmiri Muslim-dominated State Government is encouraging conversion of Buddhists to Islam. Its aim is to reduce the Buddhist population in comparison to Muslims. In the recent years the rate of conversion has increased. Fundamentalists receive support from the State Government for carrging out this merciless conversion. With the help of money and powerful propapanda several hundred Buddhist girls have been converted to Islam. Behind this campaign for religious conversion is the idea of Islamisation of Ladakh and uniting the Valley on the basis of the politics of separatism and subversion.

The then Governor of the state, Jagmohan, had given a serious thought to the problems of Ladakh and had formulated and started many schemes but the Congress rulers in Delhi think that their playing vote chess on the basis of their policy of appeasement is the biggest contribution of their life. Congressmen, who had left the party, were unsble to give up their tradition. Therefore, Jagmohan too was made a victim of the chess moves of appeasement and vote. After relinquishing his post, Ladakh again witnessed the same politics of subversion. The practice of converting the innocent Buddhists to Islam has been initiated again. Kashmiri Muslims purchase land and other property in Ladakh and in the same way the conspiracy of increasing the Muslim population in Jammu is underway. It means Muslims of Kashmir can settle in Jammu and Ladakh but Hindus from Jammu and Ladakh cannot think of doing the same in Kashmir. The condition of Jammu and Kashmir state and the Hindu society is the result of the policy of appeasement of Muslims of the Congress politics.

Understanding of fundamentalism in the world context

The growth of fundamentalism in Kashmir cannot be understood only by standing on the political plank of Kashmir. In order to understand it, it is necessary to understand the one type of Muslim bent of mind in the world. Kashmir’s religious fanaticism is a part of that international religious fanaticism the political goal of which is to convert the entire world into “Darul Islam” for the purpose of establishing Islamic rule (Nizame Mustaffa). This very goal does not allow Muslims to get linked with the soil af any country. The terrorists and separatist Peoples’ League supremo, Shabir Shah has explained the aim of terrorism in Kashmir through a poster.

According to him, “the enemies of Islam are uniting to defeat it on every front. The occupation of Kashmir is one such example. But now the Kashmir nation has awakened through encouragement and guidance from Islam. The sun of the Islamic revolution is rising. The faithfuls of Mohammad and the Quran should now come forward and make efforts for achieving freedom from India. The will of God is our guide, Quran is our constitution, Jehad is our policy and martyrdom is our wish”.

The basic society and the rulers of those countries, where Muslims are settled, are highly worried over unity and geographical integrity of their countries. It is so because Shabir Shah’s sun of revolution will rise everywhere. Wherever this sun rises, there the “nation” will get awakened and ultimately delinked from that country. Therefore, every country in the world has been forced to think of ways of protection against the heat of this “sun”. The problem of Muslim separatism is not confined only to Kashmir but is becoming a world problem. The big countries like England, Russia and China too have started devising ways for protecting themselves against dangers of the Muslim invasion on their national existence. The bigotry based on the foundation stone of separatism is so strong that even the powerful imperialists have not been able to break it. The very England which administered the poison of separatism in India for balkanising it has been scared now by the same Muslim separatism. The sins committed by England in India have disturbed the sleep of the rulers of England.

Now laws are being framed in England under which Muslims there cannot get separated from the traditions, culture and historical base of England. It will be proper to examine the words of one Britisher in the British embassy in Delhi in the context of the current problem in Kashmir. He said ‘It seems that the Muslim separatism is creating a danger for the integrity of Great Britain. Britain’s Commission on Racial Equality has expressed concern over the call of pro-Iranian Muslim leaders for establishment of a separate Muslim Parliament and non-regional Islamic state in Britain. The Director of the Muslim Institute, Dr. Siddiqi, has, in his Muslim Declaration paper, given an outline of his plan in which he has said that the ‘British style of living is not only unislamic but also against Islam’. Therefore, convert the Britishers to Islam. The British law is anti-God. It is the duty of 20 lakh Muslims here to establish a separate Muslim parliament and non-regional Islamic state. ‘If this separatist movement and attitude are not crushed’, establishment of an Islamic state on the soil of Britain cannot be stopped”.

The MusIim bent of mind which England has now understood, India has been fighting against this attitude for the last 1300 years. Every country in the world has decided to fight this mental attitude. China too has given its thought to it. In the Kiang area of China Muslim separatism is taking shape under the leadership of one Muslim leader, Abul Qasim. Money, Molvis and Mullahs are coming from outside for assisting the Muslim leaders in this region. They have opened schools upto the village level where the poison of separatism is being inculcated among the children. But the Government there has come to know of it. A law has been enforced there under which “no new mosque can be built and no outsider will be permitted or given freedom to propagate Islam”. The Chinese clever leadership has decided to weed out the roots of this conspiracy of establishing an Islamic state.

The Kashmir problem too is a part of the above mentioned Muslim conspiracy. But it is a matter of regret that when in many countries in the world an attitude for fighting it jointly is developing, in India the Congressmen and those who have left the Congress have not been able to understand it. It will be proper to say that the politics of vote based on the Muslim appeasement does not allow them to understand it. It is not yet known how many partitions will be carried out by the Congress which is responsible for the partition in 1947. Taking advantage of the weak mind and opportunism of the ruling Congressmen, Sheikh Abdullah succeeded in lighting the spark of separatism which now has turped into flames in the Kashmir valley. And now a days many Muslim groups are achieving success, with the help of Pakistan, in finishing “India” from Kashmir.

Fanaticism from Mohd. Bin Qasim to Farooq

The separatist organisation and their Pakistani patrons know it well that their aim cannot be fulfilled without finishing the symbol of Indianness in Kashmir, temples, monasteries, Hindu literature and the Hindus. Their activities are confined to the Islamisation of India and establishment of Islamic state. This is part of the same fanaticism the seeds of which had been sown by Mohd. Bin Qasim, Mohd. Gaznavi, Mohd. Gouri, Babar, Tamur, Aurangzeb and Ahmed Shah Abdali. This Kashmiri fanaticism is the same which partitioned India in 1947. It means the areas which witnessed Muslim majority will get delinked from India. The trend from Darul Harb to Darul Islam is giving birth to such a great conspiracy which will gradually grip the remaining part of India. But our political leaders, especially the central Government, are conscience sellers sitting cross legged and tolerating all this so that they do not lose the Muslim vote bank. What more mean instance of lack of initative can be there ?

Those foolish people who try to find political and economic reasons behind the Kashmir problem should be asked as to what came out of their 41-year long political process leaving aside the three-year Governor’s rule. If the economic backwardness could not be removed even with the central assistance of Rs. 80,000 crores, given in the name of development, then in whose pockets the money has gone ? The entire drama of destruction took place in front of our eyes which has brought the country on the brink of disaster but we have not been able to pull our mental attitude out of the policy of appeasement. In this context one question can be asked to the militants. If they find that the Muslims, who are in majority in Kashmir, have the right to organise religious upheaval, what will happen if people, who are in majority in rest of the country, start exercising the same right ?

It is highly unfortunate that our rulers have made Muslims simply a thing of vote. Having got blind in the personal interest of the vote bank these leaders have not made any attempt at bringing Muslims to the national mainstream. Nobody made them understand that the ancestors of Muslims and Hindus in India were the same and Muslims had the same right on the country’s civilisation, culture, history the Hindus have. They were not made to understand that changing the mode of worship or religion does not change the ancestry. The blood of Muslims is the blood of India. They are also an inseparable part of the soil of this country.

Therefore, the search for the settlement of the Kashmir problem can be initiated while standing on the plank of nationalism and patriotism. Any other effort for finding a solution will prove futile.

26/11 can be replicated in US: Obama

Washington: President-elect Barack Obama today voiced fear that Mumbai-type attacks can be replicated by terrorists in other parts of the world, including the US and said his administration will focus on putting more pressure on al-Qaeda.

Asked about 26/11 terror strikes in an interview to ABC News, Obama said the “danger is always there” of a Mumbai-type attack on an American city.

“When you see what happened in Mumbai, that potentially points to a new strategy, not simply suicide bombings but you have commandos taking over…,” he said.

“I think you have to anticipate that having seen the mayhem that was created in Mumbai, that there are going to be potential copycats or other terrorist organisations that think this is something that they can replicate,” Obama said.

At a Congressional hearing on Mumbai attack this week, top US intelligence and police officials had expressed similar fears and said that this makes all the more necessary to ensure that those responsible for such an attack are brought to justice, given that US cities are always on top of the hit list of al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.

“So we’re going to have to be vigilant in terms of our intelligence, we’re going to have to make sure that we are more effective in terms of anticipating some of these issues, and we’ve got to continue to put pressure on al-Qaeda, which is our major target,” Obama said.

“That has to be one of our primary areas of focus when it comes to our international security.”

MSN Special
Terror as it unveiled in Mumbai

Indian Complaint to the Security Council
Letter Dated January 1, 1948
from the Representative of India
to the President of the Security Council (S/628)

The Government of India have instructed me to transmit to you the following telegraphic communication:

“1. Under Article 35 of the Charter of the United Nations, any Member may bring any situation whose continuance is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security to the attention of the Security Council. Such a situation now exists between India and Pakistan owing to the aid which invaders, consisting of nationals of Pakistan and of tribesmen from the territory immediately adjoining Pakistan on the north-west, are drawing from Pakistan for operations against Jammu and Kashmir, a State which has acceded to the Dominion of India and is part of India. The circumstances of accession, the activities of the invaders which led the Government of India to take military action against them, and the assistance which the attackers have received and are still receiving from Pakistan are explained later in this memorandum. The Government of India request the Security Council to call upon Pakistan to put an end immediately to the giving of such assistance, which is an act of aggression against India. If Pakistan does not do so, the Government of India may be compelled, in self-defence, to enter Pakistan territory, in order to take military action against the invaders. The matter is, therefore, one of extreme urgency and calls for immediate action by the Security Council for avoiding a breach of international peace.

“2. From the middle of September 1947, the Government of India had received reports of the infiltration of armed raiders into the western parts of Jammu province of Jammu and Kashmir State; Jammu adjoins West Punjab, which is a part of the Dominion of Pakistan. These raiders had done a great deal of damage in that area and taken possession of part of the territory of the State. On 24 October, the Government of India heard of a major raid from the Frontier Province of the Dominion of Pakistan into the Valley of Kashmir. Some two thousand or more fully armed and equipped men came in motor transport, crossed over to the territory of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, sacked the town of Muzaffarabad, killing many people and proceeded along the Jhelum Valley road towards Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir State. Intermediate towns and villages were sacked and burnt, and many people killed. These raiders were stopped by Kashmir State troops near Uri, a town some fifty miles from Srinagar, for some time, but the invaders got around them and burnt the power house at Mahora, which supplied electricity to the whole of Kashmir.

“3. The position, on the morning of 26 October, was that these raiders had been held by Kashmir State troops and part of the civil population, who had been armed, at a town called Baramulla. Beyond Baramulla there was no major obstruction up to Srinagar. There was immediate danger of these raiders reaching Srinagar, destroying and massacring large numbers of people, both Hindus and Muslims. The State troops were spread out all over the State and most of them were deployed along the western border of Jammu province. They had been split up into small isolated groups and were incapable of offering effective resistance to the raiders. Most of the State officials had left the threatened areas and the civil administration had ceased to function. All that stood between Srinagar and the fate which had overtaken the places en route followed by the raiders was the determination of the inhabitants of Srinagar, of all communities, and practically without arms, to defend themselves. At this time Srinagar had also a large population of Hindu and Sikh refugees who had fled there from West Punjab owing to communal disturbances in that area. There was little doubt that these refugees would be massacred if the raiders reached Srinagar.

“4. Immediately after the raids into Jammu and Kashmir State commenced, approaches were informally made to the Government of India for the aeceptance of the accession of the State to the Indian Dominion. (It might be explained in parenthesis that Jammu and Kashmir from a State whose ruler, prior to the transfer of power by the United Kingdom to the Dominions of India and Pakistan, had been in treaty relations with the British Crown, which controlled its foreign relations ceased with the transfer of power on 15 August last, and Jammu and Kashmir lilce other States acquired the right to accede to either Dominion.)

“5. Events moved with great rapidity, and the threat to the Valley of Kashmir became grave. On 26 October, the ruler of the State, His Highness Maharaja Sir Hari Singh, appealed urgently to the Government of India for military help. He also requested that the Jammu and Kashmir State should be allowed to accede to the Indian Dominion. An appeal for help was also simultaneously received by the Government of India from the largest popular organization in Kashmir, the National Conference, headed by Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah. The Conference further strongly supported the request for the State’s accession to the Indian Dominion. The Government of India were thus approached not only officially by the State authorities, but also on behalf of the people of Kashmir, both for military aid and for the accession of the State to India.

“6. The grave threat to the life and property of innocent people in the Kashmir Valley and to the security of the State of Jammu and Kashmir that had developed as a result of the invasion of the Valley demanded immediate decision by the Government of India on both the requests. It was imperative on account of the emergency that the responsibility for the defence of Jammu and Kashmir State should be taken over by a Government capable of discharging it. But, in order to avoid any possible suggestion that India had utilised the State’s immediate peril for her own political advantage, the Government of India made it clear that once the soil of the State had been cleared of the invader and normal conditions restored, its people would be free to decide their future by the recognized democratic methods of a plebiscite or referendum which, in order to ensure complete impartiality, might be held under international auspices.

“7. The Government of Indian felt it their duty to respond to the appeal for armed assistance because:

“(1) They could not allow a neighbouring and friendly State
to be compelled by force to determine either its internal affairs
or its external relations;
“(2) The accession of Jammu and Kashmir State to the
Dominion of India made India really responsible for the
defence of the State.

“8. The intervention of the Government of India resulted in saving Srinagar. The raiders were driven back from Baramulla to Uri and are held there by Indian troops. Nearly 19,000 raiders face the Dominion forces in this area. Since operations in the Valley of Kashmir started, pressure by the raiders against the western, and south-western border of Jammu and Kashmir State had been intensified. Exact figures are not available. It is understood, however, that nearly 15,000 raiders are operating a gainst this part of the State. State troops are besieged in certain areas. Incursions by the raiders into the State territory, involving murder, arson, loot, and the abduction of women continue. The booty is collected and carried over to the tribal areas to serve as an inducement to the further recruitment of tribesmen to the ranks of the raiders. In addition to those actively participating in the raid, tribesmen and others, estimated at 100,000 have been collected in different places in the districts of West Punjab bordering Jammu and Kashmir State, and many of them are receiving military training under Pakistani nationals, including officers of the Pakistan Army. They are looked after in Pakistan territory, fed, clothed, armed and otherwise equipped, and transported to the territory of Jammu and Kashmir State with the help, direct and indirect, of Pakistani officials, both military and civil.

“9. As already stated, the raiders who entered the Kashmir Valley in October came mainly from the tribal areas to the north-west of Pakistan and, in order to reach Kashmir, passed through Pakistan territory. The raids along the south-west border of the State, which had preceded the invasion of the valley proper, had actually been conducted from Pakistan territory, and Pakistan nationals had taken part in them. This process of transmission across Pakistan territory and untilisation of that territory as a base of operations against Jammu and Kashmir State continues. Recently, military operations against the western and south-western borders of the State have been intensified, and the attackers consist of nationals of Pakistan as well as tribesmen. These invaders are armed with modern weapons, including mortars and medium machine-guns, wear the battle dress of regular soldiers and, in recent engagements, have fought in regular battle formation and are using the tactics of modern warfare. Man-pack wireless sets are in regular use and even mark V mines have been employed. For their transport the invaders have all along used motor vehicles. They are undoubtedly being trained and to some extent led by regular officers of the Pakistan Army. Their rations and other supplies are obtained from Pakistan territory.

“10. These facts point indisputably to the conclusion

“(a) that the invaders are allowed transit across Pakistan
territory;
“(b) that they are allowed to use Pakistan territory as a base
of operations;
“(c) that they include Pakistan nationals;
“(d) that they draw much of their military equipment,
transportation, and supplies (including petrol) from Pakistan;
and
“(e) that Pakistan officers are training, guiding, and
otherwise actively helping them.

“There is no source other than Pakistan from which they could obtain such quantities of modern military equipment, training or guidance. More than once, the Government of India had asked the Pakistan Government to deny to the invaders facilities which constitute an act of aggressian and hostility against India, but without any response. The last occasion on which this request was made was on 22 December, when the Prime Minister of India handed over personally to the Prime Minister of Pakistan a letter in which the various forms of aid given by Pakistan to the invaders were briefly recounted and the Government of Pakistan were asked to put an end to such aid promptly; no reply to this letter has yet been received in spite of a telegraphic reminder sent on 26 December.

“11. It should be clear from the foregoing recital that the Government of Pakistan are unwilling to stop the assistance in material and men which the invaders are receiving from Pakistan territory and from Pakistan nationals, including Pakistan Government personnel, both military and civil. This attitude is not only un-neutral, but constitutes active aggression against India, of which the State of Jammu and Kashmir forms a part.

“12. The Government of India have exerted persuasion and exercised patience to bring about a change in the attitude of Pakistan. But they have failed, and are in consequence confronted with a situation in which their defence of Jammu and Kashmir State is hampered and their measures to drive the invaders from the territory of the State are greatly impeded by the support which the raiders derive from Pakistan. The invaders are still on the soil of Jammu and Kashmir and the inhabitants of the States are exposed to all the atrocities of which a barbarous foe is capable. The presence, in large numbers, of invaders in those portions of Pakistan territory which adjoin parts of Indian territory other than Jammu and Kashmir State is a menace to the rest of India. Indefinite continuance of the present operations prolongs the agony of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, is a drain on India’s resources and a constant threat to the maintenance of peace between India and Pakistan. The Government of India have no option, therefore, but to take more effective military action in order to rid Jammu and Kashmir State of the invader.

“13. In order that the objective of expelling the invader from Indian territory and preventing him from launching attacks should be quickly achieved, Indian troops would have to enter Pakistan territory; only thus could the invader be denied the use of bases and cut off from his sources of supplies and reinforcements in Pakistan. Since the aid which the invaders are receiving from Pakistan is an act of aggression against India, the Government of India are entitled, under international law, to send their armed forces across Pakistan territory for dealing effectively with the invaders. However, as such action might involve armed conflict with Pakistan, the Government of India, ever anxious to proceed according to the principles and aims of the Charter of the United Nations, desire to report the situation to the Security CDuncil under Article 35 of the Charter. They feel justified in requesting the Security Council to ask the Government of Pakistan.

“(1) to prevent Pakistan Government personnel, military
and civil from participating or assisting in the invasion of
Jammu and Kashmir State;
“(2) to call upon other Pakistani nationals to desist from
taking any part in the fighting in Jammu and Kashmir State;
“(3) to deny to the invaders: (a) access to any use of its
territory for operations against Kashmir, (b) military and other
supplies, (c) all other kinds of aid that might tend to prolong
the present struggle.

“14. The Government of India would stress the special urgency of the Security Council taking immediate action on their request. They desire to add that military operations in the invaded areas have, in the past few days, been developing so rapidly that they must, in self- defence, reserve to themselves the freedom to take, at any time when it may become necessary, such military action as they may consider the situation requires.

“15. The Government of India deeply regret that a serious crisis should have been reached in their relation with Pakistan. Not only is Pakistan a neighbour but, in spite of the recent separation, India and Pakistan have many ties and many common interests. India desires nothing more earnestly than to live with her neighbour-State on terms of close and lasting friendship. Peace is to the interest of both States; indeed to the interests of the world. The Government of India’s approach to the Security Council is inspired by the sincere hope that, through the prompt action of the Council, peace may be preserved.

“16. The text of this reference to the Security Council is being telegraphed to the “Government of Pakistan.”

François Gautier

Source: Kashmir herald

Do you know the FACTS about Kashmir?

Over 400,000 Kashmiri Pandits, constituting 99% of the total population of Hindus living in the Kashmir Valley, have been forcibly pushed out of the Valley by terrorists. Since 1989, they have been forced to live the life of exiles in their own country. Terrorism has unleashed in Kashmir a systematic campaign of terror, murder, loot, arson and rape against Hindus in Kashmir. About 70,000 of them still languish in makeshift refugee camps in Jammu and Delhi. Scores of temples in Kashmir have been desecrated, destroyed, looted. More than 900 educational institutions have been attacked by terrorists. Properties of Pandits have been vandalized, businesses destroyed or taken over, even hospitals have not been spared.

Did you know that this huge human tragedy is taking place in Free India?

Kashmir was known as “Sharda Peeth” , the abode of learning. Now the Pandits, the original inhabitants, have been forced to flee. 5000 years of civilization is at stake. THE ROLE OF PAKISTAN IN KASHMIRI TERROR is clear: Terrorism in Kashmir is an ideological struggle with specific fundamentalist and communal Agenda.

Terrorist violence aims at the disengagement of the state of Jammu and Kashmir from India and its annexation to Pakistan. It is a continuation of the Islamic fundamentalist struggle. The major dimension of terrorist violence in Kashmir is the terrorists’ commitment to the extermination and subjugation of the Hindus in the state, because Hindus do not subscribe to the idea of separation from India, nor will they allow governance by the tenets of Islam. Kashmiri Pandits have always been in the forefront of the struggle against secessionism, communalism and fundamentalism. Hence this peace loving minority with a progressive outlook became the main victim of terrorist violence.  The strategies involved in the terrorists’ operation against the Hindus in Kashmir are simple:

- The extermination of Hindus, i.e., subjecting Hindus to brutal torture, to instill fear among them in order to achieve their submission.

- To engineer a forced mass exodus of Hindus from the land of their ancestors by way of issuing threatening letters, kidnappings and torture deaths on non-compliance of the terrorists’ dictates and ensure the destruction of the secular and pluralistic character of Kashmiri Society.

- Attacks, molestations, kidnappings, gang rapes of the women folk of the Hindu Pandits to instill fear and humiliation.

- Destruction and burning of residential houses of the Hindus who have been compelled to abandon their homes.

- Looting of their properties and appropriation of their business establishments are undertaken to ensure that they do not return.

- Attachment of the ancestral and landed property of Pandits. Destruction of the social and religious institutions of the Hindus by the desecration and destruction of their places of worship.

- Appropriation of the property of the Hindu shrines.

BURNING BOOKS, LOOTING OF CULTURE is also a very important part of the plan. Kashmir was the crucible of Knowledge, Spirituality, a hallowed centre of learning and the cradle of Shivaism. Kashmiri Pandits excelled in philosophy, aesthetics, poetics, sculpture, architecture, mathematics, astronomy and astrology. Sanskrit was studied, propagated and spoken by women and men. Scholars and saints such as Kalhan, Jonraj, Srivar, Abhinavgupta, Somanand, Utpaldev, Somdev and Kshemendra created here an intellectual centre of unrivalled repute. Fundamentalism and terrorism have been ruthless in their assault on “Sharda Peeth”, zealous in ravaging its heritage, and consistent only in bloodthirsty intolerance. The destruction of Hindu places of worship, forced conversions of Pandits and death and ignominy to those who resisted, were accompanied by a savage assault on literary activity. This process has been going on since centuries.

Commencing 1998, the assault on learning began afresh. How else to erase 5000 years of civilization? The Jammaat-i-Islami, a fundamentalist organization, launched a campaign to ransack libraries in the educational institutions and flared ban on books which did not correspond to their ideas about man, world and God. The Kashmir university funded by the University Grants Commission and headed by the Governor of the state was denuded of two thousand books including the works of Milton, G.B. Shaw, Shakespeare, H.G. Wells and tomes on Hindu Philosophy. Book-shops were looted in broad daylight at Batamaloo, Srinagar. The library of the Information Centre run by Government of India was looted and set on fire.

As a correspondent covering India for more than 20 years, I have witnessed the terrible damage that terrorism in Kashmir has inflicted upon people’s lives, their family, their culture, the very fabric of society, not only of the Kashmiri Pandits, but also of the Muslims of the Valley, who after all, are the victims too of Pakistan’s bloody designs.

Hence, with two journalist friends, we started a Foundation: FACT – Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism. The first task of FACT has been to mount an exhibition on terrorism, focusing on the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits, so that the people of India who do not suffer directly from terrorism understand what it does to others.

We need your support and we invite all of you, whatever your class, caste, religion, or ethnic origin, to come and witness it. Come and see the FACTS. Later, we would like this exhibition to travel not only to all major India cities, but also to the United States, England, France and Switzerland, so that the world understands what India has been going through in the last fifty years.