The January month of each new year reminds the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community about the circumstances under which it was violently forced into exile.January 20,therefore has a special significance in their community life.This day is observed by Kashmiri Pandits globally as the exodus day and same thing will be repeated this year too which more or less,has become a ritual.This way thirty new year Januaries have come and gone without any noticeable effort on the part of powers that be to recognise the pain and trauma of the beleaguered community though their displacement has received a lot of lip sympathies.

Even though no different from previous years,this January 20 too they find themselves at the same place where they stood thirty years back.Is there any change in them in whatever manner.yes there indeed is a big big change and that is when they left Kashmir,it was a homogenous mass of about 4 lac people but now they are spread globally with tiny pockets of few Kashmiri Pandits scattered here and there.There also has been a shift in the perception of its distinct cultural identity – from ‘Kashmiri Pandits’ to being a part of the larger ‘Hindu identity’ of India.So how to see and perceive this change from being Kashmiri Pandits before exodus and now global Kashmiri Pandits as a part of larger Hindu family of India.The difference cannot be measured from physical spread but by its assertiveness of not giving up on Kashmir from their socio-psychological memory.Had it not been so,there would never have been a near unanimity on the eventual rehabilitation of displaced community in Kashmir a rare commodity though.It is ostensibly motivated by unsuccessful concerns about the progressive decline of their socio-cultural identity in the multicultural world were it finds itself as of now.

It has had a deep influence on their state of mind like that of an unsure Arjuna on the battle field.it captures the most striking aspects of its thought and conduct as regards the socio-political themes of particular importance to the idea of a Kashmiri Pandit in Kashmir.It is not about the past,it is about the future,in the light of the painful lessons of the past.To be precise,Kashmir’s relation with kashmiri Pandits has long been a fraught one,ranging from antagonism to contestation.In the event,the issue has proved irresolvable.On the one hand the immediate political fallout revealed a striking resistance amongst displaced community to any process of rehabilitation and on the other hand there is a strong rejection by combatant and communal forces to the thought of re-connectivity of displaced with the mainland Kashmir.The question remains as to whether the possibility of a large scale intra-community mobilisation on the issue could be conceived.

Nevertheless,due to the long running exile,KP society acquired certain negative and thoroughly indefensible features which unfolded as misconceived and misperceived distrust.Fuel for it was provided by a mass discontent which encouraged sweep of anger and resentment across the length and breadth of the society.It definitely impacted the rhythm and flow of the community and in the coarse of time started being perceived as a community at war with itself.Notable to mention here is that a bunch of few disgruntled young men under the guise of pro-community activists took advantage of this unhappiness in the community but in actuality used it to further their political interests which lie in acting as the proxies of the separatists.To exploit the situation arising out of anger in the community,it provided them a platform to pose as the genuine KP representatives.Quite naturally,It became easy for them thereafter to defame the KP organisations and their managements for a fractured and disunited community.To maximise their visibility,the skilful manipulation of displacement blues brought if not success but not even failure from extracting the maximum from the present predicament.

It has meant a considerable redefinition of the ways in which KP’s have come to see themselves and their place of origin.Among the important questions that this paper seeks to deal with are the different ways in which the intra-community debates have constructed the opposition to their marginalisation and indifference of majoritarian theocracy of Kashmir towards them.Denial of any form of community representation is symbolic of its cascading effect.Ironically the very core of this analysis is that Kashmir has never managed to librate itself from the fault lines of religion and has always been run on Muslim supermacy which manifested itself by purging the muslim society of the so called unislamic accretions by undermining the influence of pluralty.Significantlly,it is invoking its own version of politics and identity.As a fallout,it witnessed the erosion of communal harmony and inter-religious relations.It is however crucial to note that it became a template to be instrumentalised for political purposes.The immediate necessity therefore is to avoid the pitfalls of an approach based on manipulative agenda and deliberate distortion of facts to suit the ideological compulsions.

Looking back at the facts,more stress has been laid on the relationship between Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits.The exodus forced on Kashmiri Pandits had a negative impact on this relationship resulting in widening the gap.It is one of those sad chapters in the inter-religious relations which yielded bitter fruits. However the important thing to note is that the new found islamic identity of Kashmiri Muslims instead of Kashmiri identity sees them as a part of large Muslim community.Allied with narrow political passions,this religious feeling has exhibited its most brutal aspects.An enduring challenge and unsafe for minorities like Kashmiri Pandits therefore the relationship has come under moral scanning.

In the face of new militarised politics of post 90 Kashmir which goes beyond the conventional muslim concerns is posing an enormous challenge to Kashmiri Pandits.Reusltantly with their diminished influence,the manner in which Kashmiri Pandit’s seek to organise,protect and promote their interests is enormous and challenging too.Consequently their engagement with the State,society and politics is defined by the present day ground realities.Their issues and concerns however attract discrimination and ensuing handicap.Eventually it has become a crucial cog in the wheel of discord and the seeds of the piecemeal micro- aggression resulted in the political representation of Kashmiri Pandits becoming one of the most contested questions.Given the actual facts of the history what are the options therefore available to a religious minority like Kashmiri Pandits and how can they be effectively represented and counted.The choices available include either to join one of the political parties sympathetic to minorities or secular in orientation or to work through a non partisan pressure group that ensures the election of individuals sympathetic to their cause regardless of the affiliations.

In conclusion,Kashmiri Pandit society cannot regain its full vigour or progress to its full potential unless it fights its ills from within as it tends to restrict the scope of a functioning community.Last but not the least destiny of displaced community of KP’s lies in relating to Kashmir.

Mahbooba Mufti,the former chief minister of J&K told news channel Al Jazeera that the compelling reason behind the formation of PAGD was not to leave “space open for the  BJP“.If we stay away from it (election) then those elements will occupy the space who will be detrimental to the interests of Jammu and Kashmir….  We have to resist”; Said Mufti, who last served as chief minister in a coalition with the BJP. The most simple message that flows from it is that there is a palpable sense of insecurity in the vested interests who have kept the dynastic politics and unending separatist narrative alive in a dominant position.It is no secret that the politics of Kashmir has been propelled by one party system and these elections have shaken its foundations. 

           Coming straight to the point, linking Panchayat, Municipal and DDC elections with the Country’s Kashmir policy, has send a shiver down the spine of  political parties especially the ones milking autonomy and special status to their political benefits.The directly elected district councils will replace the district development boards originally envisaged as the third tier of local government by the 1989 Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act. As expected the boards were to consist of the block council chiefs, local MPs,MLAs and municipal council members.With the change in the scenario, the DDC will have a five year term and 14 directly-elected members and five standing committees to be constituted for finance, development, public works, health and education and welfare.

          The jurisdiction of such councils will not extend to those  areas notified as municipalities and the areas falling outside municipalities. With the Chairman of such Councils enjoying a Junior Minister’s status, these councils will oversee the functioning of Halqa Panchayats and block development councils.The role of the council members is expected to remain confined only to supervising day to day developmental requirements  of the district and  will have no say in larger political issues such as special status, land laws and industrial policy. This is the summum bonum of the present exercise.

           The just concluded local electoral battle saw the contest directly between BJP and mighty PAGD wherein the former turned out to be the single largest party with 75 seats falling in its kitty followed closely by NC with 67 seats and PDP 27 seats. But more significantly while making its debut on a hostile terrain, BJP won three seats one each in Srinagar, Bandipora and Pulwama, while retaining  its consolidated Hindu base in Jammu province. In the backdrop  of a vicious propaganda mounted against it as  a communal party, it was a tall order for it to avoid the political rejection by the people of Kashmir and  necessitated contesting such challenges at the local level. Pertinent to mention its strategically coined slogan being the development of UT as core programme for its onward journey in Kashmir did catch the fancy of some of the voters. Going by the percentage of votes in its favour, it indeed is unimpressive as it polled mere 3% in North and 4.3% in South Kashmir.

       Then what makes its performance in the valley so spectacular, as its official Spokesman that says it all“The lotus has bloomed” in the Valley.The political slogans did matter in Kashmir as the mighty PAGD alliance fought on the restoration of Article 370 and Statehood and BJP as a single entity harped on  development mantra as its core theme.Both got rewarded in their respective provincial constituencies. Regional divide between Kashmir and Jammu has surfaced once again with BJP gaining mostly from Jammu and Gupkar Alliance holding onto Kashmir. But the surprises like Tral,a hot bed of militancy and stronghold of Jamaat, rejecting NC or PDP candidates and reposing faith in an independent Sikh backed by BJP.Yet another surprise thrown in is that a BJP candidate makes it to victory in Shopian, another militant infested area.And surprise of the surprise was a BJP man winning in Bandipora, an area close to LOC where militants flit in and out of territories at will. All this matters a lot and despite its poor voting percentage in Kashmir its significance is huge.Being seen as an untouchable party in the Valley,the winning there breaks the perception and lends credence to the statement that Lotus has indeed bloomed in Kashmir.

     Though described as the B team of BJP,emergence of Apni Party on the political scene is yet another political force in the making.Its impressive show at the hustings should not be undermined and not go unnoticed as its 12 seats in its maiden venture makes it a serious political player.It also harped on the theme of development as a way forward.Pursuant to it is that possibility of it becoming the template for future polls is greater.With 50 independents winning the elections is yet another unexpected take from these elections.Though it is not hidden that some of them are disgruntled party men and consequent, to the denial of tickets by their respective parties fought as individuals.

      Despite the GAPD alliance describing the verdict in favour of alliance and rejection of scrapping Article 370 and robing the place of its statehood,the message is simple and clear that the crucial political spaces stand open for new political players destined to play a major role in days to come.Leaving behind a knotty legacy,the socially and politically stagnated political parties stand to guard their forte lest be overrun by new players.Another seemingly strong take from this verdict is a possibility of likely fractured verdict in the Assembly elections as and when they are held.This means that it is highly unlikely that BJP would hold Assembly elections anytime soon.To get over the delimitation process,BJP would ideally wait till then.

Most of the times human history does not follow a linear path and it seldom unfolds according to a predetermined script.But the before hand manipulation to change its coarse midway tantamount to misrepresent the human history.its writing or rewriting does not make necessarily anybody feel guilty.But one can be guilty for remaining ignorant and not learning about his own history and then repeating the same mistakes in the future.That’s why history is so important.The role of dramatis personae affecting the flow of events and incidents is complex therefore open to public judgement.To charge sheet and open them to public scrutiny becomes significant and I believe this is the greatest moral challenge of our times.

A single event should suffice to drive home the point that how a desire of meeting ‘a few Kashmiri Pandits’ in Delhi NCR,by Mufti Mohmmad Sayeed the then Chief Minister of J&K in early 2000 was bungled by the then leadership of the Kashmiri Samiti Delhi.Its narration becomes important because Kashmiri Samiti Delhi remained a dominant force of Kashmiri Pandits for a long time.For proper sequencing of the whole episode,therefore it is important to situate the whole thing in a proper perspective.Given the Mufti’s anti-KP image because of his alleged role in 1986 Anantnag riots,seen as a precursor to 1990 exodus of the KP Community,the meeting proposal as such generated a cautious optimism.An underlying idea behind it was to open the communication with the displaced community,long seen as neglected.Its execution involved series of pre-event meetings with who’s who of the community.The theme involved in such meetings was to invite him to a community meeting at Kashmir Bhavan and present him with a routine memorandum,not withstanding his urge to meet a’select group of few Kashmiri Pandits’.The bias of the Samiti leadership came to the fore after holding a prolonged spell of pre-meeting consultations to derive a pre-ordained outcome in its favour and use that as an initial outline of the meeting.In view of the misconceived and misperceived assessment,emergent situation thus was pregnant with probableties and too challenging for the smooth conduct of the proposed meeting.

However the stage was set for the D day,Kashmir Bhawan bore a festive look and as expected it witnessed a huge participation to watch the proceedings of the programme.upon seeing such a big gathering,the surprise was writ large on the face of the Chief Minister definitely not to his liking and contrary to his intention of meeting’a few people’.Consequent,to it most of the speakers used the platform for a mixture of insinuation,criticism and discriminatory attitudes of his Government towards the displaced people.With the opening of the programme and its subsequent flow on a questionable note,it encouraged a tasteless argument with the CM from the audience.Not a good augury indeed.Responding to the posers,he said” Mene insey kaha tha,mein chand logon kay saath milna chahta hoon,magar muje nahi pata tha yehan itna bada ijlas hoga”.With these words he concluded his speech but not without disappointment.The dismayed CM was seen asking for a cigarette puff from an acquaintance at the high tea kept in his honour.

In the specific context of the event i,though as an insider yet a distant observer had communicated to the leadership that the Chief Minister of the State means Government of the State.Mufti Mohd Sayeed therefore was the Government of the State,Samiti as such must stick to the exigencies of the time.The rigmarole of refusals led my protestations to be taken casually and the day carried as per the whims and fancies of the leadership.  

Reopening some crucial pages of the event,it needs to be stated that several questions remain as its cascading effect and unmanageable consequences remind yet again that a meeting with small group of tall community leaders with the CM would definitely have had a desirable outcome.With the passage of time,the images of the event have certainly dimmed in the collective memory but its discernible impact resulted in the progressive decline of once a thriving KP organisation.Subsequently,the organisation failed to sustain its dominance which was exacerbated by a dysfunctional work culture.Nurturing of a culture to allow the contemptuous disregard for basic civilised norms has shaken the moral foundations of the organisation and leaving it as a pale shadow of its past,shrunk in size and influence. 

 

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Youth is young and bold and that is the crux of College life.Rewinding and remembering the memorable days spend in College gives one a peep into his glorious past.Similarly,today I am confronted with a story at a time when it was too trivial to take a serious note of.Not withstanding the unseen pain and trauma behind the incident,i made it a point to discuss it with my friends in College canteen over a cup of tea which though concluded on a haughty laugh.However,when the episode rekindles my memory now it looks like i wake up from a slumber.
One afternoon,in the late seventies while proceeding towards my home from Medical College Srinagar Kashmir,few street dogs on noticing me with a white Apron hanging from my arm,started running fast as if somebody was chasing them for a kill.Initially it did not catch my attention but what surprised me was that i found them hiding in an adjacent lane near Medical College in order to stay out of my sight.Incidentally I too had to pass through that lane and the moment they saw me and my white Apron again,they once again were on their feet to run as fast as they could.Now it made me conscious that something was amiss.Without telling anybody about it,i out of sheer curiosity left the College same time next day,only to witness once again the dilemma of street Dogs about me and the white Apron in particular.To my surprise it was the repetition of same scene as observed earlier.It was becoming increasingly difficult for me to connect the relationship of white Apron with the Dogs.It was an unending story of the white Apron induced scare in Dogs.
It only hardened my resolve to uncover the secret behind their now well understood White Apron phobia.I obviously discussed it with my colleagues,who initially taunted and poked at me but I convinced them to accompany me and look for themselves.On seeing the sight,truth of phobia by now got registered in them.All our friends discussed endlessly about its probable cause.Some discussed it for the time pass,for some it was only a recreation but for me it was challenging as also baffling.To know its reason,therefore became too important for me.
It took quite sometime to get an answer,when suddenly one day I noticed a Safai Karamchari of Medical College with his long white Apron uniform in corridor dragging a reluctant and a hesitant street Dog forcibly towards the Pharmacological Laboratory for experimental purposes.These Dogs had to undergo a painful procedure and ultimately embrace death under most trying circumstances,definitely not a making of their choice.It opened my eyes and i could do nothing to help them,even if i wanted to.But yes it gave me an opportunity to have a first brush about the cruelty inflicted on the Animals.It led me to probe further from the Laboratory Technicians about the process of procuring Dogs for experimental purposes,each Safai Karamchari would be paid Rs.5/- as an incentive for the purpose,they said.
It unraveled the whole mystery behind the phobia as white Apron genuinely acted as a ticket of their death.Though from that day onwards,i left the Apron in College Locker never to carry it with me again but that was too little.It is a nostalgic story that has occupied a space in my mind and never lets me go off its hangover

Love-jehad in present times has become a new addition to the popular vocabulary,in fact a new lexicon.With India waking up to this challenge,though late when its hard edges are unpleasantly affecting the peace and tranquility of the society badly.Deep down the skin it is part of a multi dimensional ideological war inflicted as it carries with it a sense of victory.That is what the religious conversion either through allurement or force means to its authors and practitioners.This is a hard reality that went unnoticed for a long time but now with the significant complexities arising out of it,engineering religious conversions using interfaith marriages as an alibi has come to the fore.Thus giving a new palatable and humane meaning to love-jehad.In this regard,conversion of Parmeshwari Handoo,a minor Kashmiri Pandit girl fifty years back presents as a classic example of love-jehad who was converted under the most telling circumstances despite strong protests by Kashmiri Pandits who even lost scores of people during the agitation but their outcry was of no avail as it did not yield results.The power centres of the time remained unmoved and the agitation was given an unceremonious burial by alleging”Panditon ko Chokri Nahi,Naukri chahiye”.It left its permanent footprint in the psyche of Kashmiri Pandits.Nevertheless a lot of water has flown down the Jhelum since then,when many such conversions either remained unreported or hidden under the carpet for fear of social ostracisation.

However,i am reminded of a conversion of a married Kashmiri Pandit woman with two daughters in Delhi immediately after migration and the colleagues from Kashmiri Samiti Delhi including me displayed a perfect Bollywood style valour by carrying out a herculean and hazardous search and rescue operation.One afternoon,on reaching Kashmiri Samiti Delhi as was usual those days because of the exigencies of the time,there was a pal of gloom in the meeting hall of Kashmir Bhawan.Gadoo Sahab the President was flanked by about 30 people in addition to a person weeping and sobbing hysterically.While trying to ascertain the reason,Vir Ji Kher(Former Sen.Secretary Kashmiri Samiti Delhi) informed me that the wife of the gentleman has eloped with a muslim,married him and converted to Islam along with her younger daughter.The elder daughter however stayed with her father at Jammu.I was taken aback,as deep inside me my conscientious was telling me that the shadow of Conversion haunts the exiled community even in the heart of India.However,according to the narration of the husband,the couple along with two minor daughters lived in a rented accommodation at Lado Sarai South Delhi.The wife had got a job in a nearby Shoe factory where Islam-ud-Din was her supervisor who lured her into marrying him and subsequently converted her to Islam.

It was a crisis like situation which needed immediate organisational intervention but with a cautious approach.Since it was a delicate situation,the watch word therefore was caution and the whole mission had to be carried out surreptitiously.Finally Kashmiri Samiti Delhi swung into action and a delegation of Samiti including myself and Vir jee Kher in addition to other members called on Chowdhary Prem Singh the then President of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) who incidently was a resident of the same place Lado Sarai and apprised him of the whole situation.He instructed Samiti to lodge a compliant with Police Station Malviya Nagar but not before speaking to SHO Malviya Nagar telephonically.The blank refusal of SHO Malviya Nagar to register a compliant in view of the conversion left us aghast.After his denial,the members broached with him the idea of Samiti delegation calling on the lady to persuade her to reunite with her family under police protection.Refusing the police protection outrightly,but after some gentle persuasion,the officer agreed to provide two uniformed officers on the condition that they will only have a symbolic presence and nothing beyond that and should there be any law and order problem,police will swing into action.Here I must confess the guts of Vir jee Kher,who after her persistent refusal to heed the saner voices,was quick enough to put her and the minor daughter into his waiting Maruti Van and drove straight to the Malviya Nagar Police Station.

The theatre of action now had shifted to the Police Station Malviya Nagar which provided an ample elbow space for well wishers present to try their hand to convince the bad mouthed and abusive lady to reunite with her family for the sake of her children.The ice was broken when her own little daughter refused to stay with her as a Muslim and in a muslim home after realising the pain of her crest fallen father.The thaw resulted in housing the lady along with her daughter in the house of one of the respected leaders of the Community at Kalka ji for the night to be deported to Jammu the next morning along with her husband and some community well wishers.

The mission lasted almost the whole night and upon reaching back Kashmir Bhawan we found anguished Gadoo Sahab along with late Nehru Sahab (Former President Kashmiri Samiti Delhi) anxiously waiting for us.Consequent to it,the free flow of love jehad stories in media now a days doesn’t amuse me but its proposed legal contestation is a good augury.

To preserve the Muslim rights,Sheikh Abdullah came to the political fore by defying the Monarchy of Kashmir.By fuelling anti-Dogra sentiment,linked Kashmir to the larger sub-continental anti-British struggle.He played the Islamic card to mobilise the political dissent in Kashmir leaving only the Kashmiri voices to be heard again and again.Formulated along religious lines,it was essentially a Muslim political movement  designed against the Hindu Dogra regime.Consequently,it helped Kashmiri victimhood narrative to be peddled for decades and used as an instrument to fill Kashmiri minds with hate.It is against this backdrop he set the ball rolling by laying down his agenda at a time,when the winds of change were howring all over India and the State of J&K being no exception.The unfavourable political climate all around rendered the Monarchy vulnerable and its departure from the scene quite eminent.With his ascendancy therefore to power in post-1947 after a chain of events,the fate of Dogra Monarchy was sealed permanently which saw an end of imperial history of the State.

DISMANTLING THE EDIFICE OF MONARCHY

In his speech on May 17 1946,Sheikh Abdullah said“The tyranny of Dogras has lacerated our souls.It is time for action.you must fight slavery and enter the field of ‘Jihad’ as soldiers.Every man,woman and child will shout ‘Quit Kashmir’.The Kashmiri Nation has expressed its will.I ask for plebiscite on this question”.The religious based Muslim Confernce,precursor of National Conference spearheaded the hate Maharaja campaign and a political agitation against the Hindu Monarchy by arousing the Muslim identity of Kashmir to the discomfort of minorities.By demonising the State as’Dogra Raj’,it came to be viewed as overwhelmingly an anti-minority dispensation,prompted Sikhs and Kashmiri Pandits to show solidarity with Dogra Rajputs.Frightened at the prospect of being pushed to the brink as it evoked the images of dreaded persecution of minorities in the past.The displeasure in the minorities therefore became too apparent at the sharpening and shaping of the muslim minds and likely hood of religious polarisation and communal hate a great possibility.

These were turbulent times for Kashmiri politics as it lies at the root of what went so wrong afterwards.In any case it exposed the flaws that played on the minority fears.Consequently,the cracks in the whole construct started becoming too apparent and to prevent any further damage,the membership of Muslim Conference was opened to all on March 26,1938 irrespective of caste, creed and religion.Subsequently,it was compelled to rename Muslim Conference as National conference on June 11,1939,though it remained overwhelmingly Muslim in membership and symbolism.

With the accession of the State to India,events moved swiftly which resulted in appointing Sheikh Abdullah as the head of Emergency Administration and later as Prime Minister alongside Council of Ministers.It was a momentous change that saw the birth of India’s Kashmir policy.The situation that unfolded was followed by convening the elected Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly in 1951.In any case,Abdullah got three crucial things from Nehru’s India-Prime Ministership of the state,an autonomous status for J&K (Read Article 370) and a promise for a plebiscite to satisfy public ego.In the early years of his administration, Abdullah managed to secure a formal end to the Hereditory Dogra monarchy and it was curtains down for Hindu Dogra rule permanently.

FOUNDATIONS OF POWER POLITICS

Napoleon Bonaparte said“Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand people who are silent”.Nothing can be more true than the quote as regards Kashmir.Coming straight to the point,the meaning of Accession therefore for Sheikh Abdullah was that Kashmir was not in any legal sense part of Pakistan.Consequent to it,he was driving the transformation of Kashmir from Monarchy to“Naya Kashmir”,a vision document of National Conference.He played an interesting interplay of victimhood and politics therefore aquired centrality in the popular narrative.His magna carta for the people was to  give a separate distinctive constitutional personality to the State.Because of the constant and forceful struggle the aspirations of Kashmiri Nationalism have been spelt out in Article 370 of the Constitution of India.It inculcated a sense of achievement deja vu in the political actors of the time.

With him being at the helm of affairs,the post 1947 politics of J&K has followed different directions in its three regions.While the Kashmir region has been involved in the politics of contestation of the state’s relationship with India,Jammu’s politics has been scripted by the politics of regional deprivation and regional discrimination.Ladakh’s dominant politics has been characterised by the demand for Union Territory.

The transformative politics played by National Conference left the state where religion and the status of the region became the primary dimension of polarisation which became the foundational text of its politics.It can be explained by taking into account the 75 years of post accession Kashmir separately in first 25 years,second 25 years and third 25 years. 

The immediate fall out of first 25 years of post accession Kashmir marks the crucial transfer of political power from Jammu to Kashmir (read Kashmiri Muslims).Fuelled by a shift in political landscape,It marks the beginning of a change in its ideological and political power structure both in substance and complexion.It is further reignited when the Constituent assembly witnessed all its 75 elected legislatures from National Conference,leaving no doubt about the things to follow.Subsequent to it,Sheikh Abdullah gave a different meaning of its powers and scope,when he asserted that“it was one hundred percent sovereign and that no Parliament,be it that of India or of any other Country has authorisation here” (Kashmir: The Storm Centre of the world:Chapter XI).He propagated it as a means to build a State that is outside the constitutional structure of India.The thinking is motivated by retaining a separate identity for the State with emphasis on its Muslim character.Implicit in these measures was a vision for independant Kashmir which was re-enforced on July 10,1953 while speaking at Mujahid Manzil,Sheikh Abdullah said“.A time will therefore come when I will bid them goodbye” .Re-iterating again on Martyrs Day on July 13,1953 that“It is not necessary that our State should become an appendage of either India or Pakistan”.

It sowed the seeds of separatism and from then on separatism became a determinant factor and a dominant political currency in the politics of Kashmir.It sought to reframe the very foundation of Indo-Kashmir relations.The cumulative effects of all these disabilities was that an atmosphere of extreme hostilities and suspicion was built which eventually became an instrument to fulfil his political agenda to determine the finality of accession with India.This positioning and attitude was of great concern to the Central leadership resulting in the dismissal of his Government in 1953 but not before the damage had been done.

The entry to the next 25 years period is marked by what  Antonio Gramsci famously wrote in 1930“The old is dying and new cannot be born”.In this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear accompanied by unwillingness to accept Kashmir’s embrace of Indian identity.With the firmly rooted political dilemma and equally supported by”Rai Shumari” movement (Plebiscite) the presentation of next 25 years becomes more understandable in terms of its unmistakable shift.The successful political transition therefore looked like a mirage with symptoms of dysfunction  multiplying at a rapid pace.However the Beg-Parthasarthy political accord of 1975 between Sheikh Abdullah and Indira Gandhi constitutes the high point of this period in terms of his political rehabilitation.In essence the accord did not change the constitutional relationship between the State and the Centre but succeeded in laying down some guidelines regarding Article 370,its limitations and scope.It was a unique  arrangement where a non Congressi was the Chief Minister with Congress  support. Not content with the arrangement,Sheikh Abdullah revived National Conference,seen as an unwelcome step by Indira Gandhi,Congress party on March 26,1977 withdrew its support to Sheikh Abdullah who responded by calling Congress leaders as“dirty insects in a street gutter”.

With his monoply and total control over power structure,Sheikh Abdullah was returned to power with a massive mandate bagging 50 seats out of 75 in J&K Legislative Assembly elections held in 1977.The mandate strengthened his authoritarian streak and with the adoption of “The Jammu & Kashmir Grant of Permit for Resettlement in (or Permanent Return to) the State Act 1982”, added fuel to the already strained Centre State relations.As per the bill “any person who was a state subject before 14 May, 1954 and has migrated to Pakistan after 1947 could be recommended for resettlement in the state on scrutiny by the state authorities”.Subsequent to it,the Islamisation of Kashmir began with full force and the names of about 2500 villages were changed from their original names to Islamic names including Anantnag to Islamabad.Not only that but withdrawal of cases against 30 hardcore Al-Fatah activists left deep scars and were never seen as a good augury.

After leaving his footprints on the politics and an indelible mark on the history of Kashmir,Sheikh Abdullah breathed his last on September 8,1982.

The succeeding 25 years are overshadowed by the hubris of power of previous almost 50 years.Subsequent to it,the divisive narrative already in place attained great momentum and the most disconcerting outcome is the politically wounded status quo.In the meantime Kashmir witnessed substantive political changes,its main elements include change and emergence of new political leadership of National Conference,Rajiv-Farooq Accord and militarised Muslim insurgency.Resultantly the finality of accession came to the fore once again this time but in a combatant militarised shape and continues to occupy the centerstage thenceforwards.Eversince the Valley continues to be in a war mode.

History’s pitfalls and blood stains are not unique to Kashmir.Thus the study and honest introspection of the past will only bring discomfort and pain.In contextualising and analysing therefore the political dynamics of Kashmir is the National Conference steering the Valley towards one party State an unpalatable reality. 

GUPKAR DELUSION

The Prime Minister Narinder Modi said“The problem in Kashmir is largely due to 50 odd families there.They have been milking the issue.They don’t want any benefit to be given to ordinary Kashmiris”.With the decision to rescind the article 370,Government of India has radically altered the status of Kashmir and a beginning of an entirely new narrative.When seen from the context of Gupkar declaration,National Conference its dramatis personae ensues the edifice built on patronage and corruption crumbling.With this view,forging of the new ruling Muslim elite mostly confined to Muslim politicians of Kashmir becomes understandable.

In this giant rigmarole of refusals,the shrinking space for National Conference becomes too apparent.To understand the phenomenon,one needs to have a quick look at its inceptional history which starts with its giant political entry without conceding any political space to the opposition.With its political rigidities at crucial times,increased its existential threat perception and to stay afloat in changing realities it sometimes merged with Congress to become its branch in J&K and sometimes ruled in alliance with it but its core constituency remained Kashmir.It therefore ceased to be a state level party which becomes clear from the fact that it could not find even a single candidate in 2014 and 2019 for Parliamentry elections either from Jammu or Ladakh.In 2014, the NC supported both the Congress candidates in Jammu, including Ghulam Nabi Azad and both,lost the election to the BJP and suffered a humiliating defeat.With 84.27% land area of both Jammu and Ladakh,the lack of its visible support base there is self explanatory in terms of its representative character.The resultant polluted political environment led to the emrgence of anti-accession forces in a big way. The cascading effect and its unmanagible consequences on the ground are that the National Conference is a pale shadow of its old self,shrunk in size and influence. 

Formation of Gupkar alliance is situated in the apprehension of its political isolation like Congress in the rest of the Country.By forging an alliance,protestations for the return of artcle 370 is largely an exercise for its self preservation at the same time to whip up the anti-centre hysteria.The realities in Kashmir are changed and to re-invent mainstream politics there the polity has to evolve a pragmatic political agenda,not necessarily a Muslim centric and Muslim specific.     

Urdu Bulletin,All India Radio,1942 (During World War II)”Bartania Ki Faujain Bahut Bahaduri Ke Saath Ladte Ladte Peecchey Hut Gayeen”

Lethargy and Kashmiri are the twin brothers,therefore share an intimate relationship.Kashmir is full of such incidents which tell the story of lethargy of a Kashmiri.A famous proverb of Kashmir still in vogue”Bhota Buth chhal,Garib Chus”A Ladakhi in Kashmir is referred to as Bhota and in response to why don’t you wash your face,because I am poor explains the easy go life of a Kashmiri.A somewhat similar response of a Kashmiri when faced at the prospect of joining army and his treatment comes on the expected lines.

The story is about the world War I and World War II,when British empire at its zenith,was the numero uno power of the world in terms of its reach,military might over and above ruled the world by colonisation overtly or covertly.During the period British armed Forces were known as Imperial Service Forces.Being involved with various theatres of war,the crown needed to constantly reinforce the Imperial troops.Keeping reinforcements into view,the British Crown had an arrangement with Indian Princes for the constant supply of troops during World War I.Princely State of Kashmir was no exception and provided its troops for Middle East and France.The same story about the replenishment of Imperial Forces was repeated during World War II.Consequently,in addition to the troops,State of Kashmir contributed financially also.

confronted with the spectre of troops shortage,recruiting parties were touring around to train and recruit people as soldiers for the war that was underway.The J&K infantry though small but had made a name for itself as an efficient force.The interesting part of the story is that its recruits came either from Muzaffrabad or Jammu districts like Poonch,Rajouri and some parts of Himachal Pradesh as Kangra,Mandi Palampur etc.Kashmiri’s had no appetite for Army and their reluctance to volunteer as soldiers became too apparent.In continuation of their search for new recruits,recruiting party arrived in Kashmir also and started their job right earnestly.They first toured urban Kashmir only to get frustrated and disappointed at the reluctance of the youth to take the bait.On the next leg of their tour,the party started its exploratory exercise in rural Kashmir and after great persuasion suceeded in cobbling a small number of young people for the job.

TRAINING AS SOLDIERS

Before sending them to frontiers,the new recruits had to be trained for the job.Commencing from next day,the new recruits were already apprised of their training schedule in advance.The broad contours included three bugles.At the sound of first bugle soldiers had to get up and wash their faces and remain in a state of preparedness.Breakfast at the sound of next bugle and third sound present themselves for parade on the ground.As a follow up the new recruits were made to sleep in the barracks.At the sound of first bugle at 6 am in the morning,they pretended not to hear it,second bugle some of them woke up and in a typical post sleep hangover started yawning and stretching their bodies forgetting all the mandatory instructions for the training.Though some woken up youngsters did try to wake up their other colleagues but in vain.At the sound of third and the last bugle, one of the recruits in the group got nervous and sought the advice from the oldest member of the group after waking him up.The wise man after overcoming his initial irritation at being disturbed conveyed that“YEMEN HOW JUNGUS ASI GACHON,THEMEN HOV GACHE ARAM” (Those who have to go to frontiers need rest)

(For original text in Sanskrit see Lokprakasa,Book ll,and Indische Studien XVlll,p.378)

In the victorious reign of the most devout worshipper of the Primeval Divinity,the most respected,supreme ruler,overlord of Kings,illustrious among emperors,protector of his subjects,the glorious Shahjahan-in the year so and so,in the month so and so,on the date so and so,on the day so and so,this marriage deed is executed in Village Gunda district Mannaka(?)between so and so Bhatta,son of so and so Bhatta(on the one side)and so and so Pandit of Village Chandraka,district Nagrama (on the other side),under these provisions
1 that my daughter,who is a virgin named so and so,is given in marriage by the religious law pertaining to the Brahmans,in the presence of the gods Soma,Surya and Agni as witnesses,to your son named Pandit so and so;
2 that the bride’s side will provide(a)one thousand dishes(cooked rice and meat) to the guests as promised by the cook,(b)one full dress of cotton cloth for the bridegroom,(c)one garment for the bridegroom’s father,(d)one single-bhari turban for ‘Potmaraja’,(e)one umbrella,one garment,one garment for the foster father,and(f)one cow,two heifers,one bronze dish,one vessel,one wooden sandal with straps(pushtakhas),ten thousand dinnars,one walnut tree and two prasthas of land.This is to be given by me(the father of the bride of the bride)as dowry and is accepted by you,the father of the bridegroom.From the bridegroom’s side will be given(to the bride) twenty thousand dinnars according to the Kashmiri system,one Shri-angaka one woollen garment(phiran),one davanika,paaukavartika, one Silver ring,one blanket(or shawl)and one toilet box.All this is to be given by you (the bridegroom’s party) as is usual with the Kashmiris and I accept it.Witness Almighty.

YEH SAB US NEHRU KA KIYA KARAYA HAI

Travelling down the memory lane is not always nostalgic,the mental picture attached with it brings to the fore some unforgettable remembrances of vivid past incidents.The present story too is related to an unexpected situation of the past which refuses to fade away from the mind as it generates a good amount of interest,a reason enough to be retold.

With the deep cut wounds of exodus fresh and still oozing blood,life in early nineties was not easy for the community.The extreme psychological injury inflicted on the community due to displacement led to the foisting of not so pleasant changes which eventually became difficult to accept and adapt.Consequently,to give vent to the feelings,Coffee Home in Delhi the only venue known to meet and assemble turned out to be a good place for exchanging views and to know welfare of each other.It therefore became a hub of Kashmiri Pandits and people of all the generations and walks of life used to meet and exchange pleasantries there.Given the academic nature of the community,it eventually became the nerve centre of Kashmir centric and specific political debates.Such debates from well known Kashmiri Pandit academicians,intellectuals,politically connected and conscious people would attract large number of people to the place.At any given time,a group of about 40 to 50 Kashmiri Pandits invariably would be seen engaged in vigorous animated,and sometimes acrimonious discussions.At the end of the day it helped the people to remain in a state of good mental health as also to tide over their frustration.

Kashmiri Pandits known for their scholistic nature,acted as a source of inspiration to a large number of people irrespective of their religious affiliation.It influenced and encouraged large number of people of their generation and generation much younger to them to participate in academically rich debates in local mohallas and Nukads.It also acted as a great stabilising and cementing societal force at a time when it was needed the most.It engaged local people constructively and helped them to stay away from distraction.Such big gatherings would also attract academic addict Muslims to travel all the way from Kashmir merely to attend missing discourses of the kind in Kashmir in the initial years of exodus.

One afternoon as usual a scholastic discussion about the prevailing situation in Kashmir was underway and a retired Professor was making his point loudly in a group of about 50 attendee’s.He was at his oratorical best.There was a pin drop silence as all the people were patiently listening him with rapt attention.He was powerfully presenting his arguments which invariably appeared convincing but at the end of the day he would brook no disagreement to his opinion.The contestation to his speech therefore was completely ruled out.None the less,to listen to him and be part of the intellectual gathering was like satiating academic thirst.To satisfy his ego,he would often leave his footprint by imposing his authority on the subject of debate.

One afternoon something unusual happened. A non Kashmiri old man around mid-eighties wearing a Gandhi cap, Khadi kurta and dhoti and carrying a stick in his hand, was constantly gazing at the gathering and Professor.To listen to the ongoing deliberations,with angry looks repeatedly crossed the group but closely followed the ongoing conversation which was mostly in English.No body from amongst the present got a whiff of him until he suddenly raised his stick pointing towards the Professor who was at the centre of the discussion.The attention of the entire group got suddenly diverted towards him when he yelled at him and all the persons there that”yeh sab us Nehru ka kiya karaya hai”.Implicit in it was that the whole Kashmir Issue was of Kashmiri Pandits making.Unexpected as it was surprising too and everybody there stood motionless for awhile without knowing how to respond to this gentlemen.

Again,the onus to defend fell on the professor who spontaneously responded by observing that Nehru had left Kashmir about 200 years back and you were the people who made him the Prime Minister.Not content with that,you made his daughter the next PM,”us say bhi jee nahi bara phir uske potey ko PM banaya. hamen kyon dosh dete ho”.For a moment it looked as if some unpardonable act had been committed and all the presentees as culprits but the ready wit and alert Professor saved the grace and brought the life back.

The old man was left speechless.It had to be seen to believe how low he felt at the end,that was visible from his face and the way he exited from the scene.