Brief History of Kashmir Conflict:-Maharaja Hari Singh, the last autocratic ruler of erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, had signed the Instrument of Accession with Indian Union with respect to defence, foreign affairs and communication on 26th October 1947, following the Pakistani tribal raid in Kashmir on 22nd October 1947 and the declaration on 24th October 1947 by local warriors of Poonch-Mirpur region to have formed the Azad Government of Jammu and Kashmir led by Sardar Mohammad Ibrahim Khan. More importantly the political support rendered by Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah the most popular leader of Kashmir in October 1947 to Maharaja Hari Singh’s Instrument of Accession of Jammu and Kashmir State with Indian Union was based on the empirical realities at that point of time in the Indian subcontinent. At that point of time the Government of India was led by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, by origin a Kashmiri Brahmin and the most secular leader of the Indian National Congress. In Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah was also the most secular leader of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference. Contrary to it the supreme leader of Muslim League, Mohammad Ali Jinnah was personally not a religious minded person but he was a staunch believer of the Two-Nation Theory. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was a democratic leader who recognized Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah as the popular leader of Kashmiri nation. Contrary to it Mohammad Ali Jinnah had the mentality of a lawyer who recognized Maharaja Hari Singh as the only competent authority having the powers to sign the Instrument of Accession of Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan and thereby undermining the importance of National Conference led by Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah in the Kashmir politics. More importantly in mid-1940s National Conference under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah was struggling against the Dogra autocracy, Hindu landlordism and the communal politics of Muslim Conference much like Indian National Congress led by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was struggling against the British rule, landlordism and the communal politics of Indian Muslim League. In such circumstances National Conference and Indian National Congress were natural allies to lead both Kashmiri nation and the British India on democratic, secular, socialist and plural principles respectively. It is a historical fact that Lord Mountbatten the Governor General of India wrote back to Maharaja Hari Singh on 27th October1947 that once the Pakistani nationals are taken out from the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir and the law and order restored, the subject of the accession of the State with Indian Union shall be referred to the people there. Similarly on 2nd November1947 Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru made a commitment to the people of Jammu and Kashmir on All India Radio that once law and order would be restored in the State the wishes of the people on the subject of the accession would be determined through internationally recognized democratic method. However, the reference of Kashmir conflict to the United Nations on 31st December 1947 and the non-cooperation of Pakistan with the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan to demilitarize the territory of the erstwhile princely of Jammu and Kashmir under its control as mandated by the United Nations Security Council Resolution No 47 as a prerequisite for holding two-option plebiscite in the entire Dogra kingdom under the supervision of United Nations could not be held in held.
Response of Kashmiri People to the Instrument of Accession:-
The people of Kashmir under the banner of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference had became highly conscious about Kashmiri nationalism from 1939 onwards. The Naya Kashmir Manifesto released by National Conference in 1944 had advocated the goals of establishing a sovereign, secular and democratic constitutional monarchy in the Dogra princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. However, in May 1946 Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah did launch the Quit Kashmir Movement against the Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh to liberate Kashmir fully from autocracy and Hindu landlordism. The Kashmiri nationalists were chanting the slogans Bainanama Amritsar tod do, Kashmir hamara chhod do. At the time of Pakistani tribal raid in Kashmir on 22nd October 1947 the National Conference volunteers guarded the Srinagar City against the raiders. The volunteers were shouting hamla awar khabardar, hum Kashmiri hein tiyar. When the Indian troops reached Srinagar on 27th October 1947, the local people standing at the Amira Kadal Bridge cheered upon the friendly protection forces. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah described the importance of Indian troops in Kashmir like that of tuiran ababil referred to in the Quraan. Similarly when Pandit Ramchandra Kak was accused in 1948 that he was involved in conspiracy with Muslim Conference leaders and Pakistani agencies to have accession of Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan, the local people tied him with grass ropes and took him out in the streets of Srinagar at the local people were spitting at him and demanding his imprisonment. The Sheikh Abdullah Government put him in prison for two years. The Kashmiri nationalists did not support the Pakistani warriors in 1965 when a large number of Pakistani Mujahideen were handed over to the police by the local residents in Srinagar and elsewhere, with the result Pakistan lost the 1965 War with India in Kashmir for the lack of popular support among the Kashmiri people. The situation however changed quite drastically since the death of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964 and Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah in 1982 both within Indian Union as well as in Jammu and Kashmir State. The Hindu nationalist and communal forces have became comparatively strong enough in India to dilute the Nehruvian secularism much like the Muslim nationalist and Islamic forces have became stronger in Kashmir to challenge the Kashmiri nationalist and secular ideology of Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah.
Realistic Strategy for Conflict Resolution in Jammu and Kashmir State:-
The strategy of referendum or plebiscite suggested for resolving the Kashmir issue has became obsolete because the generation of Kashmiri people that struggled for political rights of Kashmiri nation from 1931 to 1947 is no more alive now. In 1947 the secularism and asymmetrical federalism of India was the main hope for the Kashmiri nationalists to support accession of Jammu and Kashmir State with Indian Union. In the contemporary India when the Hindu nationalist and assimilating forces are openly challenging the constitutionally safeguarded internal sovereignty and Kashmir identity of Kashmiri nation, the referendum or plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir State means promoting the agenda of Hindu nationalist and communal forces of India and the Muslim nationalist and Islamic forces in Kashmir. The compromise on secularism and asymmetrical federalism of Indian Union has the potential to create circumstances favourable for communalism, religious fundamentalism and theocracy both in Hindu majority Indian Union as well as in Muslim dominated Kashmir. It is therefore very important to find a negotiated settlement of the Kashmir conflict to ensure the creation of the Republic of Jammu and Kashmir as a protectorate of India having a Comprehensive Defence Agreement with Indian Union. The Comprehensive Defence Agreement would ensure the control of New Delhi on Strategic Defence, Hard Foreign Affairs and Physical Communications of Jammu and Kashmir State.
Prof. G.M.Athar can be reached at ghathar@yahoo.co.in
