Let Kashmir be Kashmiris
OPINION | September 8, 2008 | Share
Within a week of my return from Srinagar, where I spent the better part of my summer holidays, the state I completely fell in love with, burnt up in flames of violence, protests, cries and pain! When I had met my friends distributing all the souvenirs I had brought for them, I described Jammu and Kashmir. Talking about Kashmir’s beauty, Jammu’s peace and the innocence and hospitability of its people. How their young listened to Bollywood songs on radio driving late into the night, how they followed IPL as intently as us, how women and children could freely walk around Dal lake at midnight (something that is unimaginable in Delhi). I even went to the extent of saying all they needed were Malls to be just like us!!
But one hasty decision and add to it late reactions from the Centre turned the state into a boiling point. The issue- transfer of land use rights for 39.88 hectares of forest land to Shree Amarnath Shrine Board sparked off differences between Jammu and Kashmir and started a fire!
Had I imagined the pride, the happiness, the look of peace on peoples faces when I was there? It all seemed a distant past or rather something I had “seen” because it was what I wanted to see. Because it made things so much simpler ! The images of fury, violent demonstrations made my trip, my chats with the locals, our jokes with our guides our long drive conversations with our hotel manager about J&K, about peace and good times seem so futile, almost dishonest, like a transparent veil which hides yet shows. Many Kashmiris truly believe that the defiant march to Muzaffarbad , to the LOC is going to serve as a landmark in the states history. Once again, after a break of 13 years, the ‘azadi’ slogans were ringing through the valley. Television screens and newspaper headlines screaming out Kashmir’s peoples cries of azadi, of people waving Pakistani flags was nothing less than a slap on my face, on my country’s face. But this time instead of feeling raging possessiveness or the easy hatred for Pakistan , I felt betrayed of what I had felt in the state, of my experiences there. I felt let down by my fellow brethren in Kashmir. The fact that an incident that should ideally be considered an internal matter between the country and the state could so easily be converted to cries of freedom made me question myself. Are these people really my fellow brethrens? Was what I saw really happiness and national pride?
People call my generation the ‘Rang de Basanti’ generation, one which believes in the gun. But however popular Churchill may have been, his words-‘War is the ultimate way to peace’ doesn’t go to well with me. We have fought wars, suffered attacks every month, lost men, women, children, land, money and stacks of paper to the so called talks and discussions. Many of my friends would argue Kashmir is ours& there is no doubt about it, so damn Pakistan. But is Kashmir really ours? Kashmir is Kashmiris and are they really a part of us? Do they want to be? Recent photographs and situations seem to contradict this. People of Kashmir should be the first priority. They should get to decide where their future lies. Pakistan and India are not the issue, Kashmir is. And as uncomfortable as it makes many, this time Pakistan had nothing to do with this. The trouble is this time the ISI didn’t start the fire.
So this time we need to look deeper and introspect. Should we continue to make this an ego hassle? Should we let politics- old brains in parliament with same rotten ideas, bruised egos continue to do as they have been doing?
So what does India have to lose? Apart from a reduction in its size in million hectares, and a change in its shape, I would say very little.
Jammu-Kashmir is the only state with a separate constitution. Any non-kashmiri Indian is not allowed to own land in Kashmir. For many years it has been a fragile state. It also has enjoyed many concessions, subsidies, special treatment. Like Vir Sanghvi said- “ Every Kashmiri might be an Indian, but every Indian is not a Kashmiri”. Kashmir has very little agriculture. In terms of GDP, it has very little to offer to India. On the other hand think about the lives, the money we would be saving. Expenditure on arms, defense would be significantly reduced. Lives of both would be saved. Let them decide. Do they want to go with Pakistan whose own future is undecided or do they want to complete independence in which case lets give them a chance to prove themselves( with little or no agriculture and industry). A week’s blockade showed the extent to which Kashmirs economy is dependent on India. True, Pakistan may inch closer, but this time they wouldn’t have an excuse. And I have enough confidence in my country’s army(with a large military base in Udhampur). Also hopefully much of the angst of the Kashmiri freedom fighters (or terrorists for India) would be solved. As far as its beauty is concerned, India is a country with 3.28 million sq kilometers. There is no lack of beautiful places. The argument of tourism too, is of no relevance as Kashmir contributes very little to India’s overall Tourism Revenue( with it being closed for most of the time). How many of us have even been there? I know as a county we really can’t be proud of what we have done for the state, but whatever “little” we have done, what have we got in return?
Its time we thought of Kashmir as Kashmir, a land of ‘its people’.. Its time we defined who its people are. Its time India grew, not only in numbers demographically and economically, but it is time it matures politically and socially. Its time India acknowledged Kashmir and its people.Its time we let Kashmir be Kashmiri’s.
Shruti Choudhary
(16 votes, average: 3.38 out of 5)
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@ the fake kashmiri… well Kashmir was founded by KASHYAP rishi.. after whome the valley is named… we, the kashmiri pandits are aboriginals of kashmir and all you muslims are converted ones… the place belongs to us.. not to you.. and SHIT is what you are… and the peace will prevail only when the SHIT.. (thats you) is out of the place..
if KPs were shit then peace would have prevailed when we left and you would have gotten to be with pakistan..
but it didnt happen.. Allah in whose name who fight cant see innocent people dying.. he is always with truth and justice.. he is with us..
and we are not angrez,.. we are well educated and cultured people who have survived the ethinic cleansing that you people can not digest
Twitter: TheKashmiris
says:
Well….India is named after river Indus…look who controls it now (Indus Water treaty)- samj gaya angrez ki aulad, educated and cultured aulad. How can peace prevail, why are you ignoring 700K Indian shits who are still struggling to contain the uprising,Once they are out..peace will prevail..Rest about your culture and education, I can judge by your writing and thoughts, you better not explain, if you are educated then we have delete the word illiterate from dictionary.
and moreover i dont need to prove that you are a terrorist.. the entire world knows that.. i think you skippd the documentry that was shown on NDTV two days back..
even pope bennadict in his first message said that evil happened to this earth when muslims started to form..
the entire world is against you people… i guess there is no TV at your home thats y u r deprived of world events..
and i know how much you people respect kashmiri pandits.. believe me i have the same respect for you guys
Twitter: TheKashmiris
says:
Yes, that is the problem,for you every Kashmiri is a terrorist, and what is this TV, NDTV..lol. Man, Now its too funny for a discussion like this…Are you a kid or you are just kidding…lol
and about etiquettes .. ha ha ha ha ha ha…. look who is talking..
atul sahab u ppl are a disgrace not only for urslf but India. Jab karnae ka time tha tab tamasha dekh rahe thae. u r jst cowards..and plz dont relate education with culture. if u ppl had any culture u wudnt have left ur homeland. jo apne watan se wafa nahi kar sakha woh hindustani kahlane kae layak nahi.
Good culture teaches bravery….not running away
@ NIKHIL.. i know this is a fake name… you are a kshmiri muslim disguising as Nikhil.. i can figure it our from your language.. so Mr. what whosoever you are… we people had culture thats y we didnt become terrorists .. good culture doesnt teach to kill people.. it teaches you to be civilized.. educated.. it gives you power to flourish whereever you go… please next time have balls to speak from your true ID.. i know you are Hurriyat and JKLF employees whose job is to spread lies about kashmir andindia…
and by god we wont let you succeed
Twitter: YouthKiAwaaz
says:
This comment is not directed to any particular person but is a general comment.
Only Kashmiris can understand their situation best. After what they have suffered, we are no one to comment on what kind of people they are.
Also, please understand that India is being run by the combined efforts of all its people. Please do not target people on the basis of caste or communities/religion.
An Indian who calls other communities as terrorists can never be a true Indian.
Thanks!
@ANSHUL… i dont know if it is a true id or not… but ya.. as you said that only kashmiris know the situation and have right to comment.. well yes. so just go n sleep like you people were sleeping when these terrorists were involved in mas killing of kashmiri pandits.. and do not comment if you dont know any thing. LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS TOO DANGEROUS my friend… i m labelling those people terrorists who actually are..
for those who think kashmiris r shit,
first of all i wud like to adress them as bastards.hw can they comment on such a sensitive issue wid which they r nt fully aware of.hw can a person whose living far away from place where people are literally slaughtered.innocents are sufferin because of the wrong doings of big fishes in the politics.
want to edit my comment,
hw can a person, who is living far away frm the place where innocent people are being slaughtered, judge sufferers as shits.this shows hw cultiured r they.religion has nothin to do wid the kashmiri struggle as evident from the harmony which used to previal between muslims and hindus living together in kashmir.the struggle is abt rights which they are being deprived of since decades.whatever is happenin in kashmir it is merely due to the wrong doings of big fishes in the politics.they jus want to hv power so that they can dominate world wid their evil deeds.try tyo b sensible and mature enough before u start commentin on sensitive issues.try to bring harmony among people not hatred.thats the mantra of todays youth!
Twitter: YouthKiAwaaz
says:
@Atul: Well if you are talking about little knowledge then I am afraid you have to take many, maybe including yourself, in this bracket. Be aware that a person who comments on other people’s lives is the one who is ignorant, not the one who chalks out ways to solve them.
I can proudly say that I am doing something for my nation, and I need not give details to prove my point. If you feel so strongly for Kashmir then why don’t you work things out for them. Why don’t you go there and then work for them, or probably join an NGO that has been working in Kashmir.
When the terrorists were involved in mass killings I was probably too young to act. But today if they strike back I know what to do, and I need not make it public. I am a part of India’s fourth estate (if you know what that is) and talking about knowledge, presenting just one side of the story is as dangerous as bringing a terrorist in your home.
I hope you will present all sides of the coin before writing a story and not only be a responsible citizen journalist, but also a responsible citizen.
Talking is easy, acting is difficult. So try it out. You might just be the next change maker.
All the best my friend.
@Anshul…. well talking about the knowlwdge and the two sides of the coin ..i wd like to remind you THAT I AM A KASHMIRI… by the way… i know what happens there and y that happens… so dude.. u check out your responsibility and stop arguing with the person who actually belongs to that place….
and about doing things for Kashmiris… and joining an NGO… sorry dode i didnt join any NGO because i have my own youth initiative group called SHARIKA FOUNDATION – A youth initiative who works for the children and migrants living in camp….
just keep your mouth shut if yoou dont know any thing and get your concepts cleared before arguing with a person who is the victim of what has happened….
@ SAM.. there was never any harmony between the muslims and kashmiri pandits… and it aint even political… our government does every thing in their hands to keep the kashmiri muslims happy… but they keep on demanding more…. what else can a government do?? they didnt even capture terrorists like YASIN MALIK and BITTA KARATE… if you know who they are…
they killed the people who actually belonged to the land… they craved for pakistaan right from the begning.. so it doesnt mean we shud allow them to get away with it… we people have a say in our state…. and we want to be with india…
most of the tax collected from jammu and kashmir is spent on kashmir only to keep those terrorists happy… and to add to your knowledge… kashmiri muslims do not pay taxes….
our taxes are spent on the development of madrassas.. were primary terrorism education is given.. under the disguise of islamic teachings… muslims dont want the money to be spent on improvement of schools.. bcoz most of the muslims refrain from goin there…
what else can our govt do to keep them happy.. what have they done to keep us happy… where were you people when mass murders of kashmiri pandits wes taking place???
pity on you
Get yourself a doctor you rude person.
you please reply from your true id mr. rahul… and dont sound gay please…. and i fail to understand where did i sound rude??
do u even know the meaning of rude or learnt this word from a frnd???