Kashmir - The perennial issue

 (Though published now, this article had been written long before the controversial bifurcation of the State)

Mohammed Aslam, holding his 10 day old daughter in his arms, sat on the steps of the hospital reminiscing what has been going on. He remembered his father telling him how his great grandfather had been killed by the Pathan tribals in October 1947. Angered by this, his grandfather joined the Indian Army to fight against the neighbours and was killed in the war of 1971. Following his father, and hoping for an end to the dangerous situation, Aslam’s father too joined the Army only to be martyred in December 1999. Shocked by his father’s death and radicalised by the clerics, Aslam’s brother joined the separatist militant movement. At the age of 30, he was killed in 2017 by the Indian forces. And Aslam sat here, with the lifeless body of his 10 day old daughter who he didn’t even get the fortune of naming, wondering when this saga would end. He wondered if any member of his family would complete his life and die a natural death. More than 47,000 people have already lost their lives in the past 7 decades in the Kashmir conflict. Aslam, and his brethren all across India, wonder when the list would end. 

“If there is any heaven on earth, it is this! It is this! It is this!” 

When Jehangir proclaimed this, he had no idea what the scenario would be 3 centuries later. The heaven on earth, has become a pathway for the heaven above.

Evolution of the conflict

In 1947, when India was to be partitioned, the Maharaja of Kashmir, a Hindu, was confused whether to join India or be grouped, on the basis of the religious beliefs of his populace, with Pakistan. His indecisiveness made him sign the ‘Standstill Agreement’ with Pakistan. However, as India was reeking of the blood of the Partition, in its so called attempt to ‘rescue Muslim brethren’, Pathan tribals stormed into Kashmir and captured ground. Considering the situation, the Maharaja appealed to India for help. Upon signing the ‘Instrument of Accession’, India sent it troops to protect the sovereignty of Kashmir. Thus began the conflict that has existed for decades.

Attempts by the United Nations to hold a plebiscite could not be materialised as Pakistan failed to comply with the requirements of the UN resolution, Following the formation of the Constituent Assembly, Jammu and Kashmir formalised the Accession as it’s Constitution mentioned that it was an integral part of India.

Article 370 of the Indian Constitution granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and Article 35A spelt out the provision of this special status. Jammu and Kashmir was to be an autonomous state of India, having its own Constitution. However, the issue was not to be resolved so simply. Motivated by the conquest of China at Aksai Chin in the West, Pakistan declared war to cut off another part of Kashmir in the East. Despite being humbled, Pakistan declared another war in 1971, only to be defeated again and losing East Pakistan too! Appealing for peace, Pakistan signed the Simla Agreement.

However, the radical elements had succeeded in converting this border into an issue of Hindus versus Muslims, thereby gaining support of other Islamic nations. The Kashmiriyat (feeling of amity between Hindu and Muslim community) was battered when Kashmiri Pandits residing in the valley were driven out by their Muslim brethren.

Changing situations in the 90’s and the increasing demand for peace, led to the singing of the signing of the Lahore Agreement. The Indian convoy, led by the Prime Minister travelled in the Sada-e-Sarhad bus with hopes of boosting possibilities of peace. However, barely had the ink on the document dried, that Pakistan launched another offensive in Kargil only to lose yet again. Despite the acts of Pakistan in creating tensions, India was hopeful that this issue could be resolved on the basis of ‘Insaniyat (humanism), Jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat’. Resting on this belief, the issue was controlled and cross border trade had begun to boost both sides of the border. Hopes of a resolution had started emerging,

The changing political scenario in both neighbours, India and Pakistan challenged time status quo. Following a hard line, the Indian government started reigning on the conflict purely from a security point of view. Disturbed by the Armed Forces Special Forces Act, motivated by separatists within and across the border, and insulated by the killing of Burhan Wani, a child of Kashmir, by the Indian forces, the people of Jammu and Kashmir flared up the issue like never before. The fight was no longer just external, but also internal. The situations worsened enough, not just for Kashmiri youth to throw stones at the Indian Army, but also for a 20 year old Indian citizen blow himself up with 350 kg of RDX to kill 44 CRPF jawans and stun the nation. Existing almost as long as independent India has existed, the Kashmir issue has become a perennial problem for India.

The stakeholders

The conflict has pitched people of the 2 nations, India and Pakistan into 4 camps.

1. Those who favour Kashmir joining India
2. Those who favour Kashmir joining Pakistan
3. Those who favour an independent Kashmir (Azad Kashmir)
4. Those who favour greater autonomy for J&K within the Indian union

A peaceful resolution of the conflict will come only through talks between these 4 camps. 

Political Debate

There is yet another issue within Indian politics over the special status that J&K enjoys. The special status prohibits Indians from outside the state from owning land in J&K, while there is no such prohibition on the citizens from J&K on owning land anywhere in India. This inequality has pitched Indians into 2 camps - those in favour of upholding the Article 370 and 35(A) and those in favour of repealing the acts (though Constitutionally impossible now considering that the required consent from the disbanded Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir cannot be obtained).

Economic impacts of the issue

The conflict has adversely affect the economy of J&K

• Loss due to destruction of infrastructure 
• The special status prohibits entrepreneurs from other states establishing businesses in J&K, thereby eluding the region of possible business.
• Tourism to the heaven on earth is controlled by threats of militancy
• The unrealised talent of a Kashmiri youth is lost in the conflict
• Access to the Wakhan corridor could have possibly boosted Indian trade
• Employment rate has reduced from 44% in 1981 to 36% in 2011

Social Issues

Control of the Centre over administration in J&K, through political dynamics, Armed Forces Special Forces Act, etc have caused fatigue and dissent among Kashmiri youth. The religious character of the issue has killed then secular character of pre-independence Kashmir.

Efforts from the India

Unlike the militant solution that a Pakistan yearns for, India has always followed a development based strategy to resolve the issue. Opening the orders for cross border trade, developmental efforts to boost the Kashmiri economy, security provisions to ensure tourist safety, etc. educational initiatives within Kashmir like the super-30 initiative of the Indian Army, reservations in educational institutions across India, cultural missions like the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat, various tours of parts of India, etc are undertaken to help Kashmiri youth assimilate within the larger Indian picture.

The world needs to see not what Kashmir is, but what Kashmir can be - a heaven on earth. And the solution lies within the ethos of Kashmir - Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat. The delicate issue of Kashmir must be cooked on a slow flame, raising the flame has shown adverse effects in past few years. Kashmir is an integral part of India, and we hope to see a peaceful Kashmir in the near future.