There is little doubt that kashmiris have a case for freedom. but geopolitics will ensure that their dreams will wither away
Just the other day, I posted a status update on Facebook that said: For every Afzal killed by hanging, I am a Kashmiri. That should easily sum up my feelings and opinions on the ever controversial issue of Kashmir and the people of Kashmir valley. All of us living in the rest of India must take some time out and introspect on the horrors that people of the valley have faced for more than two decades. More than 50,000 people have died since the valley erupted in revolt in the dark winter of 1989. Do remember, 50,000 killed out of a population of about 3 million. The Indian Army has been forced tarnish its image because of repeated human rights violations. There is little doubt that Kashmiris see army troops and CRPF jawans as occupation soldiers. When you find the time, do read the book Curfewed Nights written by Basharat Peer. It is guaranteed to move even the most cynical of souls without being overtly judgemental and hysterical like the passionate outpourings of activists like Arundhati Roy. There can be absolutely no doubt that a majority of people in the valley would secede from India if they were given a real choice. Yes, the cry for Azaadi is not just a conspiracy hatched by terrorists and the Pakistani army. It is something most Kashmiris passionately believe in. The editor in chief of this magazine has earlier written signed columns saying it might be a good idea for India to give Azaadi to Kashmir. Many well meaning Indians think the same. And not just based on humanitarian considerations. Kashmir is also the excuse that the deep state of Pakistan has handily used to unleash repeated terror attacks across India, leading to thousands of deaths. There are increasing fears – well founded – that the ham handed, incompetent and inhuman manner in which Afzal Guru was hanged will lead to a fresh wave of unrest in the Kashmir valley and a fresh wave of terror attacks from across the border. So both from a humanitarian and a seemingly pragmatic viewpoint, letting go of Kashmir does seem to make some sense.
But there is a problem here. Let, for the sake of rhetoric, imagine that Arundhati Roy becomes the prime minister of India and leads a cabinet that has ministers like Harsh Mander, Teesta Setalvad, John Dayal and similar souls who can be labeled either as activists with a conscience or pseudo bleeding hearts depending on your ideological viewpoint. I am fairly certain that even that kind of government will find it virtually impossible to let go of Kashmir when the hard reality of geopolitics and realpolitik settles in. There is just no way that Kashmir is going to get Azaadi unless India itself disintegrates. And I do not think even Arundhati Roy would bet any money on the possibility of that happening. Despite my sympathies for the people of Kashmir, I must appeal to them, particularly the younger generation to make the best of a bad deal.
There are three reasons why I think Azaadi for Kashmir will remain a pipe dream. The first is a personal opinion and I may be wrong. I think the people of Kashmir have not displayed enough maturity to run an inclusive republic of their own. No matter what the reason, the exile and plight of Kashmiri Pandits will always be a blot on the people of Kashmir, just as its human rights violations will be a blot on the Indian Army. More dangerously, many recent events have shown that intolerance towards other religions and the misuse of religion to settle scores (a la Pakistan) is threatening to become the norm in the valley. The manner in which a Christian priest was persecuted and hounded out of the valley last year was shocking. The same Grand Mufti that issued a fatwa against three teenage girls forming a rock band had "prosecuted" the Christian priest. Our Srinagar colleague Haroon Reshi has also done stories that show how lumpens use hard line Islamist ideology to hound and harass opponents. There are many who will say that Hindu zealots and fanatics behave in an equally abominable manner in other parts of India. They are absolutely right. But then, there are literally thousands of voices raised daily against such gimmicks of Hindu fanatics by civil society. Sadly, civil society in Kashmir has not proven to be as assertive and loud. But as I said, this is my personal opinion and I may be wrong. But the two other reasons I will cite now have nothing to do with either personal opinion or any emotion. They are based on harsh realities.
Letting go of Kashmir could make life very miserable for Muslims in India. Unlike Pakistan that was created specifically to protect the rights of Muslims, India was created as a secular republic. And the fact is that India has more Muslims than Pakistan. But there is an ugly underbelly to our secular republic. There is no dearth of prejudiced people in government, media, judiciary, civil society, politics et al who either openly or secretly think that Indian Muslims care more about Pakistan than India. This prejudice has been a fact of life since 1947 and being idealistic and spouting Gandhian platitudes is not going to drive it away. That India has not been torn asunder the way Pakistan is being – despite the prejudice I talk about – is because a majority of Hindus and Muslims are sensible citizens who would prefer to at least live and let live. The bitter fact is that the Jammu and Ladakh regions will opt to stay with India and it is only the Kashmir valley with an overwhelmingly large Muslim population that would choose Azaadi. This would inflame passions in the rest of country and the victims would be almost 170 million Muslims of India whose loyalty would again be questioned even though most of them don't identify with the plight of the Kashmiris as they face enough problems of their own. Fanatics belonging to both Hindu and Muslim communities have been spreading enough poison for the last three decades. Their task will be made easier. India will end up with far too many more people like Akbaruddin Owaisi and Praveen Togadia. That is not something that India can handle. I am not talking just about hate speeches and communal riots. I am talking about the real danger of a permanent divide between the two communities. Trust deficit will triumph over common sense.
The third and most important reason is that the very thought of Kashmir as a kind of Switzerland is a chimera. In geopolitical terms, the valley is too strategic an asset to be left alone. There is not an iota of doubt that if all Indian troops exit the Kashmir valley, it will be a matter of time before Pakistan and China gobble up the ill fated region. The only way out is for India, China and Pakistan to give unconditional guarantees that they will let Kashmir be and let it follow its own destiny. In an ideal world visualised by the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, that would be a distant possibility. But sadly, history is testimony to the fact that not a single major power has ever kept lofty promises when it comes to territorial and strategic ambitions. If they had, the world would not have witnessed an unending succession wars throughout history. Let us for a moment presume that someone like Arundhati Roy is leading India and decides that it is okay if Pakistan gobbles up Kashmir. All Kashmiris must ask themselves an honest question: would they like to be gobbled up by Pakistan?
Despite the brave – much braver than Indian I would say – efforts of civil society in that country, fundamentalism is simply ripping the country apart. The ghosts spawned by the likes of former military dictator Zia Ul Haq are now tormenting Pakistan remorselessly. Kashmir as a part of Pakistan would eventually witness the daily bombings, assassinations and mayhem that is pulverising Pakistan. If I were a Kashmiri and I had a guarantee that Kashmir would be truly independent, I would opt to secede. But what if my choice was to become a state of Pakistan? Only Kashmiris can answer that question, if they are honest enough.
Just the other day, I posted a status update on Facebook that said: For every Afzal killed by hanging, I am a Kashmiri. That should easily sum up my feelings and opinions on the ever controversial issue of Kashmir and the people of Kashmir valley. All of us living in the rest of India must take some time out and introspect on the horrors that people of the valley have faced for more than two decades. More than 50,000 people have died since the valley erupted in revolt in the dark winter of 1989. Do remember, 50,000 killed out of a population of about 3 million. The Indian Army has been forced tarnish its image because of repeated human rights violations. There is little doubt that Kashmiris see army troops and CRPF jawans as occupation soldiers. When you find the time, do read the book Curfewed Nights written by Basharat Peer. It is guaranteed to move even the most cynical of souls without being overtly judgemental and hysterical like the passionate outpourings of activists like Arundhati Roy. There can be absolutely no doubt that a majority of people in the valley would secede from India if they were given a real choice. Yes, the cry for Azaadi is not just a conspiracy hatched by terrorists and the Pakistani army. It is something most Kashmiris passionately believe in. The editor in chief of this magazine has earlier written signed columns saying it might be a good idea for India to give Azaadi to Kashmir. Many well meaning Indians think the same. And not just based on humanitarian considerations. Kashmir is also the excuse that the deep state of Pakistan has handily used to unleash repeated terror attacks across India, leading to thousands of deaths. There are increasing fears – well founded – that the ham handed, incompetent and inhuman manner in which Afzal Guru was hanged will lead to a fresh wave of unrest in the Kashmir valley and a fresh wave of terror attacks from across the border. So both from a humanitarian and a seemingly pragmatic viewpoint, letting go of Kashmir does seem to make some sense.
But there is a problem here. Let, for the sake of rhetoric, imagine that Arundhati Roy becomes the prime minister of India and leads a cabinet that has ministers like Harsh Mander, Teesta Setalvad, John Dayal and similar souls who can be labeled either as activists with a conscience or pseudo bleeding hearts depending on your ideological viewpoint. I am fairly certain that even that kind of government will find it virtually impossible to let go of Kashmir when the hard reality of geopolitics and realpolitik settles in. There is just no way that Kashmir is going to get Azaadi unless India itself disintegrates. And I do not think even Arundhati Roy would bet any money on the possibility of that happening. Despite my sympathies for the people of Kashmir, I must appeal to them, particularly the younger generation to make the best of a bad deal.
There are three reasons why I think Azaadi for Kashmir will remain a pipe dream. The first is a personal opinion and I may be wrong. I think the people of Kashmir have not displayed enough maturity to run an inclusive republic of their own. No matter what the reason, the exile and plight of Kashmiri Pandits will always be a blot on the people of Kashmir, just as its human rights violations will be a blot on the Indian Army. More dangerously, many recent events have shown that intolerance towards other religions and the misuse of religion to settle scores (a la Pakistan) is threatening to become the norm in the valley. The manner in which a Christian priest was persecuted and hounded out of the valley last year was shocking. The same Grand Mufti that issued a fatwa against three teenage girls forming a rock band had "prosecuted" the Christian priest. Our Srinagar colleague Haroon Reshi has also done stories that show how lumpens use hard line Islamist ideology to hound and harass opponents. There are many who will say that Hindu zealots and fanatics behave in an equally abominable manner in other parts of India. They are absolutely right. But then, there are literally thousands of voices raised daily against such gimmicks of Hindu fanatics by civil society. Sadly, civil society in Kashmir has not proven to be as assertive and loud. But as I said, this is my personal opinion and I may be wrong. But the two other reasons I will cite now have nothing to do with either personal opinion or any emotion. They are based on harsh realities.
Letting go of Kashmir could make life very miserable for Muslims in India. Unlike Pakistan that was created specifically to protect the rights of Muslims, India was created as a secular republic. And the fact is that India has more Muslims than Pakistan. But there is an ugly underbelly to our secular republic. There is no dearth of prejudiced people in government, media, judiciary, civil society, politics et al who either openly or secretly think that Indian Muslims care more about Pakistan than India. This prejudice has been a fact of life since 1947 and being idealistic and spouting Gandhian platitudes is not going to drive it away. That India has not been torn asunder the way Pakistan is being – despite the prejudice I talk about – is because a majority of Hindus and Muslims are sensible citizens who would prefer to at least live and let live. The bitter fact is that the Jammu and Ladakh regions will opt to stay with India and it is only the Kashmir valley with an overwhelmingly large Muslim population that would choose Azaadi. This would inflame passions in the rest of country and the victims would be almost 170 million Muslims of India whose loyalty would again be questioned even though most of them don't identify with the plight of the Kashmiris as they face enough problems of their own. Fanatics belonging to both Hindu and Muslim communities have been spreading enough poison for the last three decades. Their task will be made easier. India will end up with far too many more people like Akbaruddin Owaisi and Praveen Togadia. That is not something that India can handle. I am not talking just about hate speeches and communal riots. I am talking about the real danger of a permanent divide between the two communities. Trust deficit will triumph over common sense.
The third and most important reason is that the very thought of Kashmir as a kind of Switzerland is a chimera. In geopolitical terms, the valley is too strategic an asset to be left alone. There is not an iota of doubt that if all Indian troops exit the Kashmir valley, it will be a matter of time before Pakistan and China gobble up the ill fated region. The only way out is for India, China and Pakistan to give unconditional guarantees that they will let Kashmir be and let it follow its own destiny. In an ideal world visualised by the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, that would be a distant possibility. But sadly, history is testimony to the fact that not a single major power has ever kept lofty promises when it comes to territorial and strategic ambitions. If they had, the world would not have witnessed an unending succession wars throughout history. Let us for a moment presume that someone like Arundhati Roy is leading India and decides that it is okay if Pakistan gobbles up Kashmir. All Kashmiris must ask themselves an honest question: would they like to be gobbled up by Pakistan?
Despite the brave – much braver than Indian I would say – efforts of civil society in that country, fundamentalism is simply ripping the country apart. The ghosts spawned by the likes of former military dictator Zia Ul Haq are now tormenting Pakistan remorselessly. Kashmir as a part of Pakistan would eventually witness the daily bombings, assassinations and mayhem that is pulverising Pakistan. If I were a Kashmiri and I had a guarantee that Kashmir would be truly independent, I would opt to secede. But what if my choice was to become a state of Pakistan? Only Kashmiris can answer that question, if they are honest enough.
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