Bangkok Conference on Kashmir: Opinion leaders or mercenaries
by Hari Om on 23 Oct 2010 14 Comments

It is an established fact that the root cause of trouble in Kashmir is Pakistan. Islamabad has been fomenting trouble in Jammu & Kashmir since its creation. It waged four full-scale wars on India in 1947-1948, 1965, 1971 and 1999 in order to grab Kashmir, but faced humiliating defeats at the hands of the Indian Army and a determined Indian leadership. There have been many other acts of omission and commission.

 

Islamabad has been carrying on a low-intensity proxy war since 1989 to achieve the same objective, again without any success. It has additionally been soliciting the support of foreign countries, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom, in order to accomplish its anti-India design and capture the Indian Jammu & Kashmir, but has not gained anything substantial, notwithstanding the fact that both these countries have by and large sided with an aggressive Pakistan. The formal position of the United States and United Kingdom, besides the European Union, is that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan and they could play the role of mediator if both countries so wish.

 

It is also an established fact that Kashmiri leaders belonging to the separatist camp and “mainstream” political outfits like the National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) draw their inspiration from Pakistan and depend on the dreaded Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) and other Pakistan-based terrorist outfits to keep the pot boiling in Kashmir.

 

The NC and the PDP may say they are against the cult of terror and seek a solution to the so-called Kashmir problem within the Indian constitutional framework. But the truth is that both outfits function as Pakistani agents in Kashmir. The PDP is a votary of what it calls shared sovereignty, joint management, joint control, and so on, and consistently urges New Delhi to take Pakistan on board, arguing that if lasting peace is to be forged in South Asia, Pakistani concerns have to be addressed. What is the Pakistani concern? It wants to de-link Jammu and Kashmir from India and merge it with Pakistan on the ground that the state is a Muslim majority area.

 

As for the National Conference, its leadership speaks differently on different occasions, depending on the nature of the situation. But one should go by what Chief Minister Omar Abdullah says. He says dialogue between New Delhi and Kashmiri separatists would not produce the desired results unless Pakistan becomes part of the dialogue process. His Oct. 6 accession and merger statement in the Assembly, which has angered and alarmed the nationalist camp in Jammu and elsewhere in the country, clearly establishes that his views are no different from those of the PDP and all other Kashmiri separatists, without exception. (Omar Abdullah then said that the state had only acceded to India and not merged with it, and that the state acceded to India under an ‘agreement’ which he could not place on the floor of the Assembly as there is no agreement, only an irrevocable Instrument of Accession). 

 

My point is that all Kashmiri leaders, without exception, endorse without reservation the Pakistani viewpoint on Indian Jammu & Kashmir, notwithstanding some minor differences in approach to the resolution of the Kashmir issue. These differences do not merit consideration as the ultimate objective of the Kashmiri leaders is the same: Separation of Jammu & Kashmir from India on the basis of religion or two-nation theory. Their differences may be legitimately construed as part of a meticulous strategy to beguile a weak-kneed and confused New Delhi and obtain political concessions in stages, leading ultimately to the segregation of Jammu & Kashmir from the constitutional and political framework of India.

 

It would be appropriate to say that the Kashmiri leaders operate from different platforms and speak the same language to create an impression the world over that Kashmiri leaders of all shades of opinion agree on one point: Indian presence in Jammu & Kashmir is unlawful and there exists in the state a political problem that needs to be addressed politically.

 

Paradoxically, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and others like the uninspiring Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, also uphold this outrageous view. Chidambaram has gone to the extent of telling the three interlocutors (Dileep Padgaonkar, who was once member of Ram Jethmalani’s controversial Kashmir Committee that did its best to persuade New Delhi to accept Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s break-India four-point Kashmir formula); Radha Kumar (a known protagonist of self-rule with some minor modifications in the PDP’s self-rule document) and M.M. Ansari (Central Information Commissioner) that they “have been tasked with a job to chart a course towards finding a political solution and that there are no red lines to the panel.”  

 

This is one part of the story that seeks to create an impression that Jammu & Kashmir is an unsettled issue and that the Pakistani establishment and Kashmir-based leaders are one as far as their insistence on resolution of the Kashmir problem on political lines is concerned. All of them speak white lies and talk in terms of human rights, overlooking the fact that those who seek political exit from India are the worst kind of human rights violators.

 

The other side of the story is even more alarming. Both Pakistan and the Kashmiri leaders say day in and day out at every available forum that what has been happening in Kashmir is indigenous and Pakistan has nothing to do with it. Pakistan is innocent; Pakistan is peace-loving; Pakistan believes in cordial relations with India; Pakistan is just and impartial; Pakistan doesn’t believe in expansionist policy; Pakistan is a victim of terrorism; Pakistan only gives moral and political support to “freedom fighters” in Kashmir; Pakistan has never exported terrorism to Jammu and Kashmir; Pakistan has never engineered any kind of infiltration of mercenaries and dreaded terrorists; Pakistan is clean and above-board… In other words, the ongoing separatist movement in Kashmir is utterly indigenous.

 

One can understand the reasons behind the desperate assertion of Kashmiri rabble-rousers and frustrated separatists, including leaders of the National Conference and the PDP that the prevailing strife in Kashmir is not because of Islamabad; it is “indigenous.” But one fails to understand why our “opinion leaders” contribute to such motivated propaganda unleashed by Pakistan and its agents in Kashmir. Should we take these “opinion leaders” as mercenaries who barter Indian interests for money and tours to foreign countries known for organizing anti-India seminars and conferences? Indeed, they are mercenaries whose single-point agenda is to further the cause of Pakistan and Kashmiri separatists and communalists for their own selfish interests. Almost all of them are belong to the Indian Left that considers India a congregation of nationalities, with each nationality having the right to secede from India. 

 

Recently, a Track-II Chaopraya Dialogue took place in Bangkok. It was named after what former Pakistani Information Minister and PPP leader Sherry Rehman, who is also president of an Islamabad-based think tank, Jinnah Institute, calls the “turbid, arterial river that runs through the heart of Bangkok.” The Jinnah Institute and an India-based Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies jointly organized this Track-II dialogue.

 

According to Rehman, “opinion leaders and policy-makers in India and Pakistan took part in this dialogue on Kashmir.” She would not disclose their names. Reflecting on the role of Indian “opinion leaders” in the dialogue, she commented in the Pakistan Observer: “Indian participants acknowledged that the current trouble in India-administered Kashmir is not because of Pakistan… After official talks came to a halt, we initiated the unofficial dialogue to explore opportunities that the two states fear to publicly approach. At best, informal dialogues help construct confidence-building measures and shape public discourse. At worst, such interactions between foreign policy mandarins, academics, and media mavens from both countries narrow space for conflict through their embrace of ‘rational nationalism.’ But this latest dialogue was unique because opinion leaders from India took the unprecedented step of conceding that the strife in Srinagar - with its moving scenes of young men armed only with stones facing off Indian soldiers, and housewives wailing and protesting against Indian rule - is purely indigenous. As talks progressed, a consensus emerged: India has fueled this crisis by ghettoizing Kashmir as a non-political problem. Instead of attempting to defuse the uprising through political means, New Delhi deployed yet more troops into an already heavily militarized area. Repeated failures to read the pulse of India-administered Kashmir have led to widespread unrest, including previously peaceful areas of Jammu. Long seen merely as the heart of the dispute between Islamabad and New Delhi, some in India are beginning to see that Kashmir now has its own politics, its own identity, and its own genuine aspirations.”

 

Rehman asserted in her political essay, based on inputs from Indian “opinion leaders,” that “the new, post-jihadist generation has not been radicalized by religion, but by incessant violations of rights and dignity, by the absence of justice, and by the deprivation of amenities and opportunities that are available to Indians. These lost tribes living on the margins of Jawaharlal Nehru’s narrative of plurality have become the unarmed soldiers of the intifada against Indian rule… This time Indian officials bunkered in New Delhi cannot blame the non-violent mass protests in Kashmir, which have claimed at least 100 lives since June, on jihadist thought or on Pakistan. Kashmiris are weary of the curfews, the disappearances, the political disengagement, and the state oppression. They are asking for that most fundamental of liberties: the right to govern themselves.”

 

The operative part of her essay reads like this: “For its part, at this sensitive moment, Pakistan should do nothing more than press for diplomatic and political support for the aspirations of the Kashmiri people at forums that have failed them in the past. Kashmiris are coming in loud and clear. They want respect. They want peace. They want azadi.”

 

What does all this indicate? It indicates that India has elements in and outside the political establishment who are helping Pakistan and its agents in Kashmir to beat the Indian nation mercilessly; they are squarely responsible for Indian woes in Kashmir. The Indian nation can tackle Pakistan and separatists in Kashmir in no time, as it has done in the past umpteen times. The real challenge the Indian nation faces today is from Indian mercenaries, most of whom bear Hindu names, viz., Arundhati Roy, Burkha Dutt, Praful Bidwai, Amitabh Mattoo, Kuldip Nayar, Rajinder Sachar, Gautam Navlakha, Vidya Subramanium, Prakash Karat, M.G. Vaidya, Malini Parthasarthy, Madhu Kishwar, etc.

 

But what do we do with the likes of the Union Home and External Affairs Ministers, who are under the baneful influence of the Congress high command, which can go to any extent to pander to fanatics in the Muslim and Christian communities?


The author is former Chair Professor, Maharaja Gulab Singh Chair, University of Jammu, Jammu, & former member Indian Council of Historical Research

 

User Comments Post a Comment
Very convenient,people who talk sense,are realist,know the root of the problem have been declared mercenaries and ones who are bigots,fascists and racists are holding the whole Indian nation hostage,what a shame!
observer
October 23, 2010
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Observer Anonymous is a toxic virus gloating in hatred of everything that is good, noble, decent,human. Instead of enjoying with gratitude God's wonderful, beautiful, universe he is wallowing in hatred. He is abusing a serious forum like Vijayvaani to express generalised hatred against everyone. There is good news for all the readers of Vijayvaani who are disgusted particularly with his brazenly blasphemous attitude towards Hindus. God makes absolutely sure that evil thoughts and deeds are
punished. In nature such viruses implode and
self-destruct and good and decent people have
a natural immunity against them. So,the more he wallows in his hate stuff- stuff-courtesy Vijayvaani-the better for all good and serious people: The implosion of hate will come sooner
and Observer will become a nice guy without
blinkers and happy to look at himself in the mirror. Let us all pray that he is liberated from
the brainwashing which must have suffered as a child.
damocles3
October 23, 2010
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A conglomeration of Anti-India forces is systematically executing a plan to break up India
This is happening openly under the nose of the central govt. like it happened yesterday in N.Delhi where Geelani,Arundhati Roy and the anti-Indian cabal loudly made seditious speeches. The kind of statements being made by Congress spokesmen like Digvijay Singh, R.G. etc. and seditious seminars being allowed to be held in Delhi, clearly points to a Congress-Jihadi nexus for vote bank politics. Patriots like Hari Om and
all the wonderful Panun Kashmir leaders have
been trying to caution the Congress for years against their
suicidal policies particularly in J&K. Every step the Congress takes in the so called peace process
triggers even more terrorism. Congress still does not know the difference between militant and terrorist; also that jihad and peace cannot coexist.
swamydas
October 23, 2010
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It is strange how ethnicity is a major issue in Asia and Africa. But you never hear of ethnic areas in america or europe.Ever seen a map showing Black and white ethnic areas in the state of Newyork or Birmingham. But it is not unusual to see maps of kurds/arabs/sunnis /shites areas in Iraq or areas where pastuns/punjabis/sindhis/sunnis /shites etc live in Pakistan.The emphasis of ethnicity in western media is the WMD to destroy societies that lived together peacefully for centuries. The question that these countries need to understand is whether there is a hidden hand in these social disruptions. Interestingly of course all separatists have a ready made home in London,Europe be it the Tamil Tigers or Kashmiri separatists. Is this another reflection of the age old policy of divide and rule?
vas
October 23, 2010
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Ha Ha Ha. @Observer!! So people who advocate division of the nation on religious lines and pander to the whims and fancies of Gaddars and Pakistani stooges like Geelani are REALISTS AND SENSE TALKING PEOPLE. And those speaking for the soveriegnity of India are fascist. Who are you trying to fool??/
ashok
October 23, 2010
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Observer, who is first off the blocks to post any comment speaks like a typical muslim and diplays all the characteristics of indoctrinated schizophrenia. The guy thinks he's good at the practice of Al-Taqiyya (the concept of lying and dissimulation). But the people in this forum are not so dumb to fall for these Al-Taqiyya tactics. Good luck buddy keep trying till Qiyamah cometh :-).
Ponderer
October 23, 2010
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The thought virus which Observer unleashed has
bounced back on him without hitting his hate targets. His verbal outrages have been xrayed and
exposed again and again but he continues to spew the venom "with best regards" and invocations to
peace and harmony. He stalks and haunts multiple sites under benign pseudonyms. He seems so frenetically active that he must be an insomniac. He desperately needs prolonged rest and recuperation. God will cure him!
shan579
October 23, 2010
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The likes of Geelani are namak-harams like fundamentalists of his ilk, all across the world. This is the payback for 60 years of looking after Kashmir as jamaai of the country.
We Indians have made strategic mistakes from Nehru's days. Like calling for ceasefire in '48. We never even campaigned for getting back our land in POK from Pakistan. Nehru was a fool; were the other Congress leaders cast in his mould too, not to agitate for getting lost land back ? This party has been the cause of all of India's woes.
Ganesh
October 23, 2010
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We need new world order.Its time native culture of each land should be restored and protected. ISlam is an alien culture birth place is saudi arebia Its time all practitionors or followers of islam should be shipped to saudi arebia.Culture promoting is causing today all the evils in society and world.Human being need love peace these culture promotions is a cause of all conflicts. Stop the promotion and conversion all evils gone..
sahani
October 23, 2010
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Beware of fifth column.They have damaged our Holy Motherland more than any external enemy.Pakistan should be defeated along with the anti-Indian elements residing in this country.
Kuna Kayasth
October 23, 2010
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BHARAT BACHAO
SAANP HATAO

God Bless Bharat.
Trishool
October 24, 2010
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KASHMIR IS INDIA, THERE SHOULD BE NO DISCUSSIONS ON KASHMIR. LET PAKISTAN DISCUSS THE FATE OF SINDH AND BALOCHISTAN, WHICH WERE NOT A PART OF PAKISTAN.

BALOCHISTAN WAS FRAUDULENTLY ANNEXED TO PAKISTAN, SINDH JOINED WITH PAKISTAN ON THE BASIS OF LAHORE RESOLUTION OF 1940, WHICH WAS NEVER IMPLEMENTED BY PAKISTAN. I HAVE POSTED THE TEXT OF LAHORE RESOLUTION MANY TIMES ON THIS FORUM.
Sirish
October 24, 2010
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The root of the Kashmir problem is Islamic expansionism and unending march of Arab imperialism. In fact this is the single largest problem in the world for about 1400 yrs. But it has to go with the spread of scientific spirit,detoxification of the prejudiced thought process and occasional display of force. Surely people who have been held captive to such an ideology of hatred and fanaticism would return to the fold of their forefathers.
Dr.S.Mukherji
October 24, 2010
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Our polity is reinforcing their inability to focus on realities of our National Interests. They lose sight of it & FAIL to react effectively when provided with oppurtunity i.e.Kargil Intrusion, 26/11 attack. The world opinion supported us more than our polity. Col H S Pathania,SM,SPC Veteran
Col H S Pathania,Sm,SPC Veteran
November 04, 2010
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