KASHMIR SITUATION

Nikhil Chakravartty on the Promises to the Kashmiris

The re-installment of Dr. Farooq Abdullah as the Chief Minister of J&K was certainly an important occasion in the chequered journey of the trouble-tossed State. Particularly significant was the splendid poll victory of the National Conference (NC) under Dr. Farooq Abdullah's leadership, which now dominates the Assembly with more than a two-third majority.

The successful completion of the election process has been an achievement in itself, falsifying many of the critical observers, both foreign and indigenous. Obviously, the militants have not yet given up their objective, and it would be futile to think that they would quietly accept the poll verdict and turn away from the path of armed confrontation.

 The common folk in the State, and even in the Valley, were tired of the strains of abnormal conditions and seemed to be pining for peace and normalcy. The people are now wistfully looking forward to peaceful conditions. A significant development is that this time the NC has made heavy inroads into Jammu and thereby has exploded the myth of the NC being a peripheral party insofar as Jammu is concerned. The underlying theme in the Valley during the election campaign was the demand for autonomy of the State of J&K.

Now that an elected Government is in office in Srinagar it would be proper for New Delhi to start discussing with him the nature and quantum of autonomy to be given to the State, it is imperative that the Prime Minister make a clear-cut declaration about his government’s readiness to discuss the question of Jammu and Kashmir getting autonomy. That peace has to be consolidated before any talk of autonomy would be a thoughtless approach which may destroy most of the goodwill secured through the elections. There can be no peace in the Kashmir unless the question of autonomy is seriously taken up by the Centre.

The goodwill generated on trust would melt away the moment Kashmiris get the impression that the Central Government has no immediate intention of extending autonomy to the State. New Delhi is committed to grant a greater degree of autonomy to J&K than to the other states. For reasons which are now history, the State has a right to be treated with special consideration. That was the origin of Article 370 of our Constitution. Precisely in this background the question of autonomy has to be placed before the Government and the people of Kashmir. A sense of disillusion with New Delhi that it was not ready to keep to its word would weaken the position of the Farooq Government (and) may even touch off a new round of militancy in the State.

(The) breathing space if squandered, can bring fresh threat to the integrity of our Republic.

(Source: The Ploneer, 11 October, 1996)  

Bee Kay On Assembly Elections

Galbraith is once reported to have remarked that "India is not a nation, it is a notion". Probably, he was more influenced by the complex diversity on the surface. Obviously, he had not experienced and felt the strong under-current of a civilizational unity existing in this country. The Indian civilization, dating back to more than 8500 years, has woven strong threads of bond between the various groups in spite of ethnic and other differences. No doubt, groups and sections jealously guard their own sub-cultural existence. Yet (they pay) the final tribute to the core of the civilization. Each community had its own god, each family it deity, yet the ultimate reality of the divine trinity reigned supreme. Our two great scriptures, Ramayana and Mahabharata, have been held sacred whether it was east, west, north and south. We are a one people with diverse cultures but one common civilizational focus. The moment we tend to lose the sight of our rich past local conflicts begin to appear. A people who are not aware of their past and who find no pride in it cannot lay foundations of a great society.

The Jammu and Kashmir State has successfully undergone Assembly elections. Looking at the overall turnover which has been in the vicinity of 50 percent, one can say that the people of the state have delivered the first determined blow to senseless terrorism which brought about nothing but death and destruction. There is, however, no room at the moment for believing that all the troubles for Kashmiris are over. This is only a small but positive beginning.

 (Source: The Salook, October, 1996)

World Kashmir Freedom Movement, International Conference, Leicestershire, UK,

6 August, 1996 Extracts from Inaugural

Address by Dr. Ayyub Thakur

More than a year has passed since the four foreign tourists were kidnapped and there are unconfirmed reports of their death. The entire Kashmiri nation and to protest against the kidnapping and killing of the observed a strike on 16th August last year to condemn Norwegian hostage. We firmly believe that Indian Intelligence is behind the kidnapping for which it set up a taking by Al-Faran has served India's cause admirably. fake militant group Al-Faran. Kidnapping and hostage- since it did as it was meant to, heap denunciation on the Kashmir freedom struggle. It has given a bad name to the struggle.

(Source: The News from India)