Your letter of 22.10.2000, received yesterday. I regret that you have misunderstood my idcological position. I do not believe in religion-based nationalism, though I do stand for the rights of religious minorities within a territorial nation-state.

However, that is beside the point. Much water has flown down the Jhelum since 1947, and much blood since 1989. So one simply cannot go on shouting the old slogans and playing old records.

I agree with you (but not necessarily for the same reason) that it is in the interest of the Kashmiris, the Muslim Indians and the Indians, as a whole for Kashmir to be a part of India. But no one, neither the Muslim Indians, nor the Indian people, as a whole, nor the Indian State has a right to impose this status on the people of Kashmir, if they do not want it. Hence the solution of the problem has to be primarily in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir.

The Kashmiris do not regard themselves as Indians or Pakistanis. They, therefore, want independence. 1 am prepared to persuade them that independence is neither possible nor desirable nor in the larger interest of the Sub-continent.

Neither India nor Indian people nor the Muslim Indians can stop Pakistan, a nation-state, to pursue its policy of territorial aggrandizement by all means at its disposal. So one has to find a solution which is also acceptable to Pakistan. That is how, many years ago, I proposed a separate status for the Valley – full autonomy under the joint control of India and Pakistan.

On my last visit to the Valley in June, 2000, 1 issued a statement, I am sending you a copy. I am trying to form a Muslim Study Group on Kashmir to keep in touch with developments in Kashmir.