Indian Policy in Kashmir

India, like arrogant USA, the only other so-called largest "democracy" that kills Muslims in Islamic world, never allows any portrayal of its anti-Muslim and state terrorist activities in India and neighborhood, especially in Kashmir which India occupies ever since its own independence from the UK in 1947. From a colony India over night became a colonizer with an innocent Kashmir nation under its brutal custody. India is ashamed of being portrayed as a colonizer, aggressor and terrorist state, but all the same it does not want to quit occupation of Kashmir either. Hence India media lords, like the war lords, keep harping on anti-Muslim, anti-Pakistan and anti-Kashmir themes to make the Hindu Indians angry with them in one go.

India cannot tolerate if its hidden agendas don't click well with neighbors and Kashmiris. Indian Muslims just have been silenced by Indian media-cum-intelligence networks and they are less vocal now about the ghastly destruction of grand Babri Mosque, because the present as well as future of Muslims in jobs etc depends on Hindu Indian rulers. After being silent for decades and getting killed in thousands, now the Kashmiris have risen to protest Indian occupation and genocides. JK Cabinet's decision of 20 May 2008 on illegal diversion of forest land to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) has opened the Kashmiri eye to see through the games India has been playing with Kashmiris.

But Hindus in Jammu made the life Kashmir Muslims just miserable and the terrorist forces of India have killed some more Muslims in Kashmir. But cunning India is making all out efforts to tell the world that it did not do any thing wrong to Kashmiris. They want the land for Hindus to protect Hindu lords. As it stands now, Union home minister Shivraj Patil, getting desperate over his failure to resolve the Amarnath crisis, has asked officials to work on a plan to hand over 100 acres to the Amarnath shrine board on a "temporary" basis.

Following national security adviser M.K. Narayanan's recent visit to the Valley, the government appears to have decided to counter the separatists' agenda by bringing the focus back on Amarnath, and gain support by the "temporary" land transfer.

The Centre is trying to identify political leaders it can tap across parties who can help it mobilize public opinion in support of the fresh land transfer and defuse the crisis in the state.  

 Kashmir under President's rule

Of course government now under the rule of Governor has to put an end to the fascist approach of Jammu Hindus towards Kashmiri Muslims aided ably by the terror security forces stationed in excess in Jammu Kashmir region. Fall of Ghulam Nabi Azad's Congress-PDP government in Jammu Kashmir might not be shocking news for Kashmiris as Azad, who played his own part in the criminal politics of New Delhi against freedom seeking Kashmiris and supported genocide by state sponsored forces, could not muster enough members to win a vote of confidence. Azad resigned as he did not pursue an aggressive campaign in horse trading by offering huge sums for supporting MLAs, setting stage for bring the state under central government's rule by a new Govrnor. (Even though New Delhi was encouraging that as the UPA government in New Delhi did by reportedly, or allegedly, offering crores of Indian currency (so lucky are Indian MPs) after announcing that it could win the vote of confidence though the ruling coalition, following the withdrawal of support of the Leftists on the issue of the famous "nuclear deal". Though it did not have enough numbers for that, Manmohan government left no stone unturned to "ensure" the required majority.  

When all these years since 1947 when India conquered Kashmir quite tactfully and militarized it thereafter, India never bothered to discuss the freedom issue with the struggling leaders in Jammu Kashmir, but now when the Hindus spearheading a strike in Jammu against JK government decision to illegally give forest land allotted to SASB following uprising by the people of Kashmir, back to the state i.e. to the people. Hindus are ransacking not only Jammu but also Kashmir life is out of gear with economic terrorism by blockade of Jammu-Kashmir highway.

A month after taking over as Governor, Governor, N N Vohra reviewed the law and order situation obtaining in the Jammu region and impressed upon the law enforcing agencies to ensure the safety of life and property of the people. Addressing a high level meeting of the senior officers of the Civil Administration, Police and Army here this afternoon, the Governor directed that all measures should be taken to maintain communal harmony and instill confidence among all sections of the society. He also reviewed the movement of supplies on the National Highway and other major routes and asked the authorities to ensure that uninterrupted flow of supplies are maintained in every area.

N N Vohra on 7 August appointed three non-Kashmiri advisors, retired IAS officers of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre and have held important assignments in the State and at New Delhi , to assist him in the effective administration of the State. The Government also approved the constitution of State Administrative Council under the chairmanship of the Governor. However, there is no representation to Kashmir province in the advisory panel. These three newly appointed advisors to the Governor would be the members of the State Administrative Council. The Chief Secretary will be the secretary to the council. It is considered to be an alternative to the State cabinet which normally decides about the policies and programs of the government under the Schedule 2. The SAC existed for about seven years from 1990 to 1996 when the State was under the President's rule.

This would mean that there would be no say on behalf of Kashmir in a any policy matter regarding the State. Needless to say, this news has come as a shock to the people in Kashmir . But India could as well have brought in a pro-India Kashmiri or Indian Muslim whom they could have used the way they like.

Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik ended a hunger strike on Aug 10 after authorities assured him they would work to stop the economic blockade of a Muslim-majority region by Hindu protestors. "I was assured no economic blockade shall be allowed and every effort will be made to keep the highway open," said Malik whose group is politically fighting for complete independence for Kashmir from both India and Pakistan. Geelani said, "We differ with the idea of fast unto death as it is not an Islamic way." Geelani said that we must pray to the almighty for the continuity and eternity of the unity we have showed this time. Malik started his fast unto death against the sectarian attacks on Muslims in Jammu but on request form fellow freedom fighting patriots broke his fast, lest Kashmiris would have lost one more valuable life, since India would not have bothered to help the Kashmiris come what may.

One is not very sure if Governor is trying to see Kashmiris are given back their freedom, independence and sovereignty. Or, he is only trying to smart with Kashmiris as his predecessors have done for decades.

Illegal land dispute to support gods

Hindus in Jammu, demanding the state government transfer forest land to a Hindu shrine trust, have attacked lorries carrying supplies to the Kashmir valley. The land row has sparked some of Kashmir's worst religious riots since a separatist Muslim revolt against New Delhi broke out in 1989. At least eight people have died and hundreds have been injured in protests. The land row has polarized Indian Kashmir, split between the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley and the Hindu-dominated region around Jammu city.

The dispute began after the Kashmir government promised to give forest land to the trust that runs Amarnath, a cave shrine visited by Hindu pilgrims. Many Muslims were enraged. The government then backed down on its decision, which in turn angered many Hindus in Jammu, which is under curfew for most of the week. Traders say Muslim-majority Kashmir valley is running short of essentials, including fuel and medicine.

Hindu India is keen to have full control over every Kashmiri with force. Kashmiri's main freedom  fighters alliance, All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference, has said it will lead a fleet of lorries carrying fruit and cross over to Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, to sell their produce which was rotting because of the "economic blockade". But Home Minister Shivraj Patil urged Kashmiris not to cross a military control line that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan. "I request you don't go by the other road. It is not good for us and not good for you as well," Patil told a news conference. Political leaders led by Patil held talks with Amarnath Yatra Sangrash Samiti, a Hindu group leading the protests, but has so far failed to arrive at a solution.

Over decades of arrogance by Indian governments with regard to Muslims in the country, the Hindus have got much emboldened. to do what ever they please with Muslims particularly. They think they can do any thin the y want in India and abroad.  Undeterred by over a month of religious violence, Hindu pilgrims trekked daily through icy streams and frozen mountain passes to 3,800 meters high Amarnath shrine. Officials say a record number of nearly 550,000 Hindu pilgrims traveled to the cave shrine this year to worship an ice stalagmite, believed to be the symbol of Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and regeneration.  

Seemingly a pro-Hindutva leader, Kashmir governor N.N. Vohra (the board's ex-officio head) had immediately after taking charge stopped the transfer initiated by his predecessor Lt. Gen. S.K. Sinha (Retd), and instead said facilities would be provided for the pilgrims. Instead of solving the problem, this sparked off a whole new agitation in Jammu, leading to widespread violence. The right extremist party that thrives on anti-Muslimism alone BJP tried to cash in and consolidate its fading Hindutva vote bank.

Indian governments both at the centre and states behave like a group Hindutva leaders. And they consider and deal with Muslims as alien people.

March towards Muzaffarabad

All pro-freedom political parties including Hurriyat Conference (G), Hurriyat Conference (M), traders, fruit growers and transporters on Saturday decided to march towards Muzaffarabad on August 11. "Economic blockade of Kashmir by fanatic and sectarian forces in Jammu has forced us to move to our natural route of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad. We support the call of fruit growers and believe that this program will be a great success. This program will sensitize the international community about the pathetic situation in Jammu Kashmir and also raise curtain from the farce democracy of India."Geelani said: "New Delhi is maintaining criminal silence regarding Jammu situation and supporting the extreme terrorism there. Hooligans and rioters are being transported from other areas to create and manifest the sectarian designs in Jammu. They are being fed and sheltered in different camps in Jammu."
"

This is an orchestrated violence from occupational forces and we have to be cautious enough in this regard," He clarified that "some rogue elements in collaboration with police in Sopore were trying to damage the trucks of Sikhs and non-Muslims with batons and petrol bombs in Sopore Mandi. Geelani appealed to the people of Jammu (Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists) for maintaining restraint and work for ending this "unmindful violence".

No one will care in New Delhi even if entire Muslim community is in Kashmir on hunger strike until death. India promotes genocide in Kashmir , after all.  

Deliberate genocide: Human Watch

A few human rights organizations of India that conducted an investigation into the economic terrorism or  blockade of Kashmir and curfew and its aftermath in its report said freedom is the primary demand of Kashmir and firing incidents between August 11 and 14, in which over 35 people were killed, were "unprovoked and aimed to kill". The survey was conducted between August 22 and 25 into the "economic blockade" in Kashmir and its aftermath and toured the central Kashmir districts of Srinagar and Budgam and north Kashmir districts of Baramulla and Bandipora. There is a deliberate blockade of supplies to Kashmir valley and that the government is handling it indifferently;  It said that the main findings of the team were: "Azaadi is the primary demand in Kashmir ; Curfew is used to create a confrontation.

 The firing incidents between August 11 and 14 were unprovoked and aimed to kill; Paramilitary CRPF troopers attacked ambulances of hospitals carrying the injured people; The CRPF troopers entered into SMHS hospital and fired tear smoke canisters and bullets inside the casualty ward; The CRPF troopers also attacked the funeral processions; Carried raids and attacks on residents; Police refused to file FIRs against the policemen and CRPF men who committed atrocities and troopers and Police used curfew to carry atrocities on the people.

EU supports Kashmiris  

Discovery of mass graves in Kashmir is an eye opener for Kashmiris and the world at large about what has been happening in Jammu Kashmir ever since India captured it tactfully and militarized it since then. Expressing shock over the revelations about mass graves in Kashmir, the participants of the two-day Global Discourse on Kashmir organized by European Union's Parliamentary Group on Kashmir and Kashmir Centre in Brussels- fourth in succession since 2004-  which concluded on 06 July demanded setting up of an independent commission to probe the issue. The Discourse was attended by political leaders, lawyers, activists and journalists from India , Pakistan and both sides of Kashmir . 

India wants to bludgeon Kashmiris into submission, without worrying that it only adds to Kashmiris alienation. Earlier the former foreign secretary of Pakistan Riaz H Khokhar said that peace process had not achieved what was expected of it. He reminded the Government of India that it was claiming to be the largest democracy and a nation following Gandian philosophy but added: "It does not exist in Kashmir ." Discrimination against Muslims was at its peak." Pogroms like that of Gujarat and genocide of Sikhs in 1984 stand testimony to the fact how minorities were being treated. Police in India had unbridled powers and they were using the same and the leaders are keen to add more powers to them to crush the Muslims in India and Kashmir.

While the urgency to put an end to human rights violations in Jammu Kashmir stressed was emphatic in the presentations the declaration issued at the end pointed out the promise of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to have "zero tolerance" on the issue must be adhered to.

Promoting peace and dialogue between the concerned parties and strengthening the civil society was other area on which the participants laid emphasis. Pakistan administered Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmad Khan called for pursuing a comprehensive approach to resolve the Kashmir dispute and said it was also in the centre of 1998 Lahore Declaration. Pakistan said that trade and commerce across the LoC should start soon and called for a free movement of political leaders across LoC and demanded all the political prisoners in Indian jails be released. Pakistan is ready to host an intra-Kashmir conference in Muzaffarabad.

  A Word

Discourse can be global but actions have to be local and India has to quit Kashmir and let the Kashmiris live peacefully. Kashmiris don't require Indian military to kill them systematically any more. They should have their own free nation, sovereign government and both India and Pakistan should support them positively to over come their difficulties and emerge as a strong nation working for the welfare of the Kashmiris. No country has any right to invade interfere an, destroy a neighboring nation on fictitious pretext. It is unfortunate that UN and UNSC are still keeping their mouth shut on illegal occupation and genocide by India in Kashmir. Are these global bodies also pro-Hindu and pro-India organizations, when Hindus kill even their own tribes in the country? That is indeed shameful.

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 Dr.Abdul ruff Colachal

Researcher in International Affairs

SAsia.

27/8/8

abdulruff_jnu@yahoo.com