By Dr. Ashiq Hussain, *Kashmir dispute: A brief history* - Meri News - New Delhi, IndiaWednesday, August 26, 2009
In August 1947, India became independent and like other princely states, Kashmir too had the choice to accede to its preferred dominion - India or Pakistan. It was this decision that became the dispute's keystone, which has existed for five decades.
In August 1947, India became independent and like other princely states, Kashmir too had the choice to accede to its preferred dominion - India or Pakistan. It was this decision that became the dispute's keystone, which has existed for five decades.
Kashmir is one of the most beautiful places on earth with equally beautiful people. Its a centre of Sufism - a culture created by liberal Islamic and Hindu traditions. Even though this region has a Muslim majority, it is almost divided into three equal sub-regions with majority Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim areas. It is painful that the unrest in valley (one of the three regions) has dragged for two decades now and has been a flash point among unresolved disputes.
The state was created under the Treaty of Amritsar between the East India company and Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu who bought the Valley from the former for Rs 75,00,000 (in 1846) and added it to Jammu and Ladakh already under his rule. The Valley is a muslim majority region with a composite cultural identity called 'Kashmiriyat' transcending religious barriers. Moreover, the people are hospitable and engage in Sufi tradition.
The unrest began in 1931, with the movement against the repressive Maharaja Hari Singh. Singh, a part of the Hindu Dogra dynasty was ruling over a majority muslim state, while there was no representation of the latter. In 1932, Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah started the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference to fight for Kashmiri freedom from the Maharaja's rule, which eventually became the National Conference in 1939.
The Glancy Commission appointed by the Maharaja in its report in April 1932, confirmed that the subjects had grievances and suggested recommendations. These were accepted but not implemented, leading to another agitation in 1934. These culminated in a Quit Kashmir movement in 1946, led by the National Conference, to restore the sovereignty of the people.
The state was created under the Treaty of Amritsar between the East India company and Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu who bought the Valley from the former for Rs 75,00,000 (in 1846) and added it to Jammu and Ladakh already under his rule. The Valley is a muslim majority region with a composite cultural identity called 'Kashmiriyat' transcending religious barriers. Moreover, the people are hospitable and engage in Sufi tradition.
The unrest began in 1931, with the movement against the repressive Maharaja Hari Singh. Singh, a part of the Hindu Dogra dynasty was ruling over a majority muslim state, while there was no representation of the latter. In 1932, Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah started the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference to fight for Kashmiri freedom from the Maharaja's rule, which eventually became the National Conference in 1939.
The Glancy Commission appointed by the Maharaja in its report in April 1932, confirmed that the subjects had grievances and suggested recommendations. These were accepted but not implemented, leading to another agitation in 1934. These culminated in a Quit Kashmir movement in 1946, led by the National Conference, to restore the sovereignty of the people.
In August 1947, the Indian subcontinent became independent and like other princely states, Kashmir also had the choice to accede to its preferred dominion - India or Pakistan, taking into account factors such as geographical contiguity and the wishes of their people. The Maharaja delayed his decision, attempting to remain independent. However, the people expected to accede to Pakistan.
In a controversial move, the Maharaja handed over control of the kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir to India, despite Pakistani protests and calls for a referendum that would allow the Kashmiri people to decide. Barring National Conference, other parties like the Muslim Conference and the Chiefs of Gilgit region, advised against this move. While in prison, Sheikh Abdullah wrote a letter to a friend in Jammu (which was published in the Congress press) in favour of accession of Kashmir to India. Abdullah was released from prison on September 29, 1947, after which he alternated his demand between an Azad Kashmir and one belonging to either nation.
The Indian army entered the state on October 27, to repel invading forces, and Abdullah endorsed the accession as unplanned which would otherwise be ultimately decided by a plebiscite. He was appointed as head of the emergency administration. Pakistan retriated that the accession is illegal and the Maharaja acted under compulsion.
In November 1947, India proposed to Pakistan to withdraw all its troops first, as a precondition for plebiscite, which Pakistan rejected stating that the Kashmiris may not vote freely given the presence of Indian army and Abdullah's friendship with the Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Thus Pakistan too proposed simultaneous withdrawal of all troops. On January 1, 1948, India took the Kashmir problem to the United Nations (UN) Security Council.
A year later, a ceasefire between the two was forced, which left India in control of most of the Valley, as well as Jammu and Ladakh, while Pakistan gained control of part of Kashmir including what Pakistan calls "Azad" Kashmir and Northern territories. Pakistan claimed it is merely supporting an native rebellion in "Azad" Kashmir and Northern Territories against repression, while India terms that territory as POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir).
Four days later, UNCIP (United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan) resolution stated that the question of the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through a free and impartial plebiscite. As per the 1948 and 1949, UNCIP resolutions, both countries accepted the principle that Pakistan secures the withdrawal of Pakistani intruders followed by withdrawal of Pakistani and Indian forces, as a basis for the formulation of a Truce agreement whose details were to be arrived in future. However, both countries failed to arrive at a Truce agreement due to differences in interpretation of the procedure.
On October 17, the Indian Constituent Assembly adopted Article 370 of the Constitution ensuring a special status and internal autonomy for the state with central jurisdiction limited to the three areas - defence, foreign affairs and communications.
Later on in 1951, the first post-independence elections were observed here but the UN passed a resolution stating that these were not substitutes for a plebiscite because a plebiscite offered the option of choosing between India and Pakistan. Sheikh Abdullah won, mostly unopposed. There were widespread charges of election rigging.
In 1952, he drifted from a position of endorsing accession to India to insisting on self-determination of Kashmiris. In July, he signed the Delhi Agreement with the Central government on Centre-State relationships, providing for autonomy of the state within India and of regions within the state; Kashmir was even allowed to have its own flag.
This issue continued to reel in one or other group and then ultimately, Jawaharlal Nehru on August 7, 1952, quoted that "Ultimately - I say this with all deference to this Parliament - the decision will be made in the hearts and minds of the men and women of Kashmir; neither in this Parliament, nor in the United Nations nor by anybody else.”
Since then and over half a century later, there is no sign of an end to this dense and complicated dispute. A series of wars and ongoing guerilla operations have ensured that the state has remained one of the most volatile and bloody regions of the world. Further demands and new conflicts have added twisted complications to an argument that has not been resolved.
In a controversial move, the Maharaja handed over control of the kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir to India, despite Pakistani protests and calls for a referendum that would allow the Kashmiri people to decide. Barring National Conference, other parties like the Muslim Conference and the Chiefs of Gilgit region, advised against this move. While in prison, Sheikh Abdullah wrote a letter to a friend in Jammu (which was published in the Congress press) in favour of accession of Kashmir to India. Abdullah was released from prison on September 29, 1947, after which he alternated his demand between an Azad Kashmir and one belonging to either nation.
The Indian army entered the state on October 27, to repel invading forces, and Abdullah endorsed the accession as unplanned which would otherwise be ultimately decided by a plebiscite. He was appointed as head of the emergency administration. Pakistan retriated that the accession is illegal and the Maharaja acted under compulsion.
In November 1947, India proposed to Pakistan to withdraw all its troops first, as a precondition for plebiscite, which Pakistan rejected stating that the Kashmiris may not vote freely given the presence of Indian army and Abdullah's friendship with the Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Thus Pakistan too proposed simultaneous withdrawal of all troops. On January 1, 1948, India took the Kashmir problem to the United Nations (UN) Security Council.
A year later, a ceasefire between the two was forced, which left India in control of most of the Valley, as well as Jammu and Ladakh, while Pakistan gained control of part of Kashmir including what Pakistan calls "Azad" Kashmir and Northern territories. Pakistan claimed it is merely supporting an native rebellion in "Azad" Kashmir and Northern Territories against repression, while India terms that territory as POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir).
Four days later, UNCIP (United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan) resolution stated that the question of the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through a free and impartial plebiscite. As per the 1948 and 1949, UNCIP resolutions, both countries accepted the principle that Pakistan secures the withdrawal of Pakistani intruders followed by withdrawal of Pakistani and Indian forces, as a basis for the formulation of a Truce agreement whose details were to be arrived in future. However, both countries failed to arrive at a Truce agreement due to differences in interpretation of the procedure.
On October 17, the Indian Constituent Assembly adopted Article 370 of the Constitution ensuring a special status and internal autonomy for the state with central jurisdiction limited to the three areas - defence, foreign affairs and communications.
Later on in 1951, the first post-independence elections were observed here but the UN passed a resolution stating that these were not substitutes for a plebiscite because a plebiscite offered the option of choosing between India and Pakistan. Sheikh Abdullah won, mostly unopposed. There were widespread charges of election rigging.
In 1952, he drifted from a position of endorsing accession to India to insisting on self-determination of Kashmiris. In July, he signed the Delhi Agreement with the Central government on Centre-State relationships, providing for autonomy of the state within India and of regions within the state; Kashmir was even allowed to have its own flag.
This issue continued to reel in one or other group and then ultimately, Jawaharlal Nehru on August 7, 1952, quoted that "Ultimately - I say this with all deference to this Parliament - the decision will be made in the hearts and minds of the men and women of Kashmir; neither in this Parliament, nor in the United Nations nor by anybody else.”
Since then and over half a century later, there is no sign of an end to this dense and complicated dispute. A series of wars and ongoing guerilla operations have ensured that the state has remained one of the most volatile and bloody regions of the world. Further demands and new conflicts have added twisted complications to an argument that has not been resolved.
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