Kashmir – Facts and fiction

There’s a popular news channel whose anchor’s staple line, “the nation wants to know”, caught the imagination of the nation, till the boisterousness and noise of this channel was replicated by almost all other news channels and the novelty wore off. But a nation that boasts of a fiercely independent media, especially press, it beats me as to why the issues don’t get discussed and clarified on merits ? Why important issues concerning the nation get lost in rabble rousing and unnecessary political/philosophical alignments? Why each issue has either a BJP or a Congress view point and not a National view point?

If congress is seen opposing, does it imply that they preferred continuance of Articles 370 and 35(a). Don’t think so! Congress is opposing because what it couldn’t do in 70 years , could be done by a Government in its second term only! Congress is just opposed to the manner in which this abrogation of these articles has been brought about and not to the very philosophy behind it. I think same is true for some other political parties opposing this action.

In spite of fact that this year we are celebrating 73rd Independence Day and that Indian electorate has matured over all these years, we continue to feel the need for appeasement of vote banks. BJP feels that this act could appease right wing ideology as furthering the cause of hindutva, while opposition parties feel that by supporting this act they may lose favour with minorities, especially Muslims! It’s most unfortunate that a great move towards integration of Kashmir into Indian mainstream is being looked at as a narrow political agenda rather than a national agenda! Why do we still presume that Muslims are not happy with this act by BJP Government? By this presumption, we are alienating majority of Muslims outside Kashmir from this important issue of national importance. In the process we are polarising communities also.

I have come across some interesting historical facts about the genesis of Kashmir issue. That Articles 370 and 35(b) were not the part of original accession document signed by Maharajah Hari Singh, but agreed later on through a pact between Shaikh Abdullah and Nehru. That fleeing Kabailis and Pakistani forces could have been thrown completely out of Kashmir leading to the accession of the entire Kashmir with India, instead of POK and IOK! But my view is that placing ourselves today in the shoes of Nehru is impossible and therefore instead of painting him as villain, let’s live with the history as it is and instead see the facts on their current merits! After all it’s not only India’s or Kashmir’s history but the histories of world around that are replete with errors, blunders, indecisions, wrong decisions, ifs and buts and there’s no point in panning these historical characters and murdering their characters as some of these have done several other good deeds earning them the status of national icons! Nehru is definitely a national icon, maligning whom post his demise is futile for he would not be able to explain his view now.

Let’s now spread love and compassion instead of claiming victory, downing people with other perspectives and painting social media with hatred and expletives.