Amarnath Land Deal

ramana · 08-08-2008, 11:16 PM

Three op-eds in Pioneer, 9 August 2008

QUOTEJammu Vs. Kashmir 

Lookback: Khursheed Wani

Saturday Special focuses on the unique trajectory acquired by Kashmiri separatism thanks to the Amarnath issue. With the Hindus of Jammu striking an uncharacteristically tough posture, one wonders if its time to reexamine the Owen Dixon plan.

Barring two districts of Leh and Kargil of Ladakh region, the entire Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has been hit by the aftermath of the controversial land transfer order of May 26, 2008 diverting a chunk of 39.88 acres of land to Shri Amaranth Shrine Board (SASB). Even though the order was cancelled on July 1 following an unprecedented resistance in the Kashmir Valley followed by the breaking of the five-and-a-half-year coalition and fall of Ghulam Nabi Azad led government, the issue refused to die down. As Kashmir returned to normal after the celebrations on the cancellation of the order, the people in Jammu started exhibiting their strength to oppose the government's move. Against the nine-day-uprising in Kashmir, the social, political and religious groups in Jammu under the banner of Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (AYSS) started a new agitation which resembled a Hindu Intifada to compel the Governor's administration to reverse the cancellation order. It accused the Government of prostrating in front of "anti-India and separatist elements backed by terrorists".

Governor NN Vohra, whose involvement in J&K affairs since 2002 as the Centre's interlocutor qualified him to occupy Raj Bhawan in Srinagar, failed to sense the fallout of the land transfer issue. Eventually, he ignored the brewing resentment in Jammu city and its Hindu-dominated adjoining areas. The situation became apparent, at least for the Governor, when it took a communal turn. :?:Â The agitators in Jammu warned the Kashmiris to leave the area and announced to block the 300-kilometer Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the lone fair-weather lifeline of the Valley. Dozens of vehicles were torched and supplies to the Valley including those of essential commodities were stopped. The worsening situation forced the authorities to clamp curfew in Jammu and the police resorted to firing at Samba that killed two protestors, an incident that was witnessed in Jammu first time in several decades.

The Jammu agitation took place at a time when fruit season was at its peak in Kashmir. Each day, dozens of fruit-laden trucks were making their way to markets in Delhi and other states through the volatile parts of Jammu. Elements in the Jammu agitation targeted these trucks to make their voices heard and felt.

This evoked a chain reaction in the valley. The separatists, as also the mainstream political parties including the PDP and the National Conference, were quick to refer the emerging situation to as "economic blockade" of Kashmir. The separatists attempted to give the situation an international colour. Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, head of a faction of Hurriyat Conference appealed to the UN and the OIC to help Kashmiris out of the "grim situation". The traders and the fruit growers, backed and encouraged by the separatists, warned the government that failure of providing their vehicles a safe passage through would force them to divert their trucks towards Muzaffarabad and Rawalpindi. They even announced this on August 6.

The "Muzaffarabad chalo" slogan is gaining currency in the Valley. The mainstream parties, which are cashing in on the situation to set agenda for the forthcoming assembly elections, are identifying themselves with the slogan. Mehbooba Mufti, chief of the PDP, boasted that the Muzaffarabad road, which has been opened by "my father" would be the last resort for Kashmiris if the Jammuites did not lift their blockade. Farooq Abdullah, the patron of National Conference, began publicly questioning the wisdom of his father, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, who had decided to J&K joining India.

The administration is caught in a Catch-22 situation. On the one hand, the situation in Jammu is going out of hand with the Samiti gaining more public support. On the other, the separatists in Kashmir, emboldened by the outcome of June-end resistance, are ready to resist any decision by the government to tamper with the cancelled land transfer order. So, quite naturally, the all-party meeting convened by the Prime Minister in New Delhi failed to take any concrete step on the resolution of the crisis. Ironically, the politicians in Kashmir Valley as also in Jammu have least control on the diametrically opposite public sentiments. They follow the public rather than leading them, creating a precarious situation for the governor administration to handle.

The Governor's administration has started addressing the root of the problem to get out of the crisis. On Thursday, eight of the 10 members of the SASB tendered their resignations to him, paving the way for the reconstitution of the Shrine Board. One opinion is that that Governor would hand over the Chairmanship of the Board to an eminent Hindu personality of the state, preferably from Jammu, like the former Sadr-e-Riyasat, Karan Singh, or the former Chief Justice of India, Justice (retd) Adarsh Sen Anand, and include in the board representatives of the Kashmiri Pandits. The reconstituted Board would be given the overall responsibility of the conduct of annual yatra, besides authorising it to temporarily use the controversial land for erecting makeshift facilities for the pilgrims.

Observers say that the Governor's administration should use back channel methods to coax the Sangarsh Samiti as also the separatists in Kashmir to arrive on a compromise on the issue. Otherwise, it has the potential not only to disintegrate the state but also put a question mark on Kashmir's future with India.
-- The writer is The Pioneer's Srinagar Correspondent



and

QUOTEThey forget their history

Arif M. Khan

The Kashmir Valley people seems to have sacrified their unique culture at the altar of separatism

Kaabe mein budkade mein hai yeksan teri zia

Mein imtiaze dero haram mein phansa raha

(The divine light equally illuminates the Kaaba and the house of idols (temple), but woe to me that I remained obsessed with the differences and distinctions between the two)

(Allama Iqbal)

Jonaraja, the 15th century chronicler of Rajatarangini, has recorded an interesting dialogue between Sultan Shihabuddin (1354-73) of Kashmir and his Minister, Udaysri. The Minister had suggested to the King to melt a grand brass image of the Buddha and use the metal for minting coins. The infuriated Sultan remarked: "The past generations have set up images to obtain fame and even merit, and you propose to demolish them. Some have obtained renown by setting up images of Gods, others by worshipping them, some by duly maintaining them and some by demolishing them. How great is the enormity of such a deed."

The words were the Sultan's, but it was the soul of Kashmir speaking through him. It is a soul that is steeped in the ethos and morality of the Rishi Movement. Kashmiris, regardless of their religious affiliation, revere Lalleshwari (Lall Ded), the wandering Saivaite mystic woman, and Nund Rishi, (Sheikh Nuruddin) the Muslim saint. This Guru -- disciple duo of the 14th century have deeply impressed the collective Kashmiri psyche. Their sayings in simple Kashmiri language are short, sweet, inspiring and laden with moral and spiritual insights and are described as the 'pearls of Kashmiri literature'. Two small couplets could help us appreciate their life-long mission and the humanism they instilled in Kashmiris.

Lall Ded said:
Shiva abides in all that is, everywhere

Then discriminate not between a Hindu and Muslim.

Nund Rishi said:
We belong to the same parents

Then why this difference

Let Hindus and Muslims worship God alone

We came to this world like partners

We should share our joys and sorrows together.

This is the glorious heritage of Kashmir; a heritage rooted in the concept of fellowship of adherents of various religious traditions. It is true that the history of Kashmir mentions about the excesses of Suha Bhatt, an overzealous neo-Muslim minister of Sultan Sikandar, but same accounts show that Rishi Nuruddin boldly stood against 'forced conversions and orthodoxy'. Till date, the name of Rishi Nuruddin commands respect and inspires Kashmiris, whereas Suha Bhatt has been relegated to the dustbin of history.

The recent blooper by the J&K Government in the case of the Amarnath shrine, when viewed in historic perspective, clearly shows a stark contrast between the inanities of government and the sanity of public mind. The Muslim family of Buta Malik has been guarding the Shrine of Amarnath since 1850 and looking after the devout pilgrims. But the government of the state charged with the responsibility to look after the welfare of any visitor not just the pilgrims shamefully abdicated its duty in the face of threat from the divisive and separatist elements.

On behalf of the outgoing government it has been asserted that the order diverting land to the SASB was revoked "because of mischievous propaganda." Further, it has been asserted that "while revoking it, the Cabinet gave an equally good order which should have been hailed by the Hindu community. As per the Cabinet decision, the Government made full commitment to discharge all responsibilities of undertaking the creation of required infrastructure and facilitating the welfare, safety and security of pilgrims during the entire period of the Yatra."

The issue at stake is not about some facilities for the pilgrims or lack of it. In fact the mindset of pilgrims is such that they equate physical discomfort with religious merit. But the crucial question is whether the governments will take their decisions on merit or vacillate whenever faced with communal and separatist threats. To dub these threats as 'mischievous propaganda' is itself mischief and an attempt at diverting attention from the real aim and object of forces inimical to the unity and integrity of India. Secondly if those who were at the helm of affairs knew that the opposition to the 'land order' was nothing but 'mischievous propaganda', then they should have exposed the mischief by firmly enforcing their decision. It defies all logic that the government should revoke its decision under their pressure and thus vest them with enhanced credibility and respectability.

George Santayan has said that "progress far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." If there is one basic lesson that we can learn from our recent history is that you cannot ensure peace and harmony by accommodating the demands of communal and separatist forces. All through the first half of twentieth century we were given a choice between accommodation and separatism, we kept making accommodation and finally we had accept full blown separatism in the form of partition of the country.

Similarly, in 1986 when the Supreme Court judgment in the case of Shah Bano was opposed, the government succumbed to the pressure and decided to bring a new legislation to render the court judgment ineffective. On that occasion it was worth noting that every Minister of the Government who stood up to speak in Parliament defended not the new measure on merit, but talked about intelligence reports and apprehended threats to the security. The result is for everyone to see, the threats have increased multifold, the politics has become totally communalized and Congress that had more than 400 seats in Lok Sabha has never recovered since then. The present imbroglio created by the Jammu and Kashmir government is another Shah Bano in the making and can have very serious and unpredictable consequences for the country if corrective measures are not taken at the earliest.

Finally it must be said that the common man should not be made to suffer on account of the follies of politics and politicians. It cannot be accepted that the good commonsense of Indians has come to an end. India is gifted with the quality of producing right man at the darkest hour to retrieve the situation. The situation is grim but there is no reason to give up hope and confidence that we shall come out of this mess and shall emerge as a nation more united and integrated.

As far as Kashmir is concerned, the eclectic and syncretic teachings of the Kashmiri Rishis had produced a tremendous social, moral and spiritual movement and fashioned a distinct Kashmiri way of life, that was almost totally free from any communal hatred or violence. It was not just the physical beauty but the peaceful Kashmiri way of life that Kashmir gained the reputation of being paradise on earth. The last two decades of violence and terrorism have caused a temporary setback to centuries old Kashmiri values of peace, harmony and goodwill, but again there is every reason to believe that the ever living influence of the Rishis shall reassert itself to claim the paradise back to its old way of life.

--The writer is a former Union Minister


Finally

QUOTEThis is Kashmiri baiting at its worst

The other voice: Sajad Lone | Chairman, J&K Peoples Conference 

If the outcry against land transfer revocation was 'anti-Hindu' then why aren't Hindus all over India protesting? The ongoing blockade is an act of war against the Kashmiri nation.

The Amarnath Yatra has been facilitated by the Muslims of Kashmir for nearly two centuries now. The Yatra had was going on in both the colonial and post-1947 periods. The relationship between the Yatris and the people of Kashmir came into existence before the current geographical concept of India came into existence. The people of Kashmir treat the Yatris as their revered guests and are honoured to host the yatra.

The Government passed an order in May 2008 transferring approximately 100 acres of land to the Amarnath Shrine board. The people of Kashmir resented the land transfer order as it amounted to gross interference between the guests (Yatris) and the hosts (Kashmiris). The people of Kashmir agitated and the government relented and revoked the order.Â <!--emo& Sad

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Now we have an agitation in Jammu where the demand is to cancel the revocation order. Where does Jammu come in? In the entire history of the Amanath Yatra have the people of Jammu ever conducted the yatra? Did they ever make a demand that land be transferred to the Amarnath shrine board? A dispute arose between government, the people of Kashmir and the Amarnath shrine board -- which was duly resolved. Jammu was never a party to that dispute. {He thinks kashmir is separte from the state itself!}

Now, if it was not a party to the dispute why should it be bothered about its outcome and start agitating ? One of the arguments being put forward is that the agitators in Kashmir were Muslims protesting against transfer of land to a Hindu shrine. Assuming this is true -- why are only the Hindus in Jammu protesting. If people of Kashmir have shown disrespect for a Hindu shrine, Hindus all around India would have protested. It is not a matter of Hindu versus Muslim, neither is the agitation in Jammu pro-Hindu. It is plainly a reflection of anti-Kashmiri venom. {He suffers from half truths. All of Jammu is protesting an not just the Hindus}

The current agitation was initially facilitated by the state administration and now it seems to have gone out of hand. It is a free for all. Fanatic versions of Hindu demagoguery are openly on the show across Jammu. Rhetoricians are being pooled in with the help of Hindu nationalist parties to vitiate the environment and ensure communal turbulence. {Conspiracy theory(CT) at its best}

The anti-Kashmiri venom in Jammu has been allowed to foment by the state administration and only after active facilitation have the hooligans and vandals been able to impose an economic blockade on the people of Kashmir. The economic blockade by the hooligan sections of the Jammu society is an act of war against the Kashmiri nation. {Wow! A big leap into the dark}

If a nation is forced into starvation by imposing a blockade it is an act of war. There is an unofficial embargo against the Kashmiris. Economic blockade constitutes an instrument of economic warfare as per international law. This particular mode of war has been historically used by sovereign states and by the UN Security Council. The only difference in the current economic blockade is that it is perhaps for the first time that hooligans and not sovereign states are imposing and enforcing an economic blockade. Economic pressure is being exerted in order to gain supremacy in the conflict. Even the most fascist states have exempted medicines and essential items from an economic blockade.

The current economic blockade imposed on the Kashmiris nourishes no such pretensions. Even baby milk powder and medicines are not being allowed. The export of horticulture products like apples has been strategically stopped to demolish the horticulture industry by ensuring that the apples are stranded into rot. This reminds us of the demolition of the horticulture industry of Gazans including the famed strawberries when Israelis enforced an economic blockade and strawberries worth millions of dollars rotted away.

The roots of the current malaise can be traced to coercive demography. The current demographic set up in the state of J & K is a hangover of the colonial era and has not evolved naturally. While the demographic structure in the colonial era was tailored to suit the erstwhile Maharaja of Kashmir. Post-1947, the demography was left unchanged to suit the political interests of the Indian state. The majority of the inhabitants of Jammu district, Kathua district and Udhampur city do not ethnically identify themselves with the rest of the state of J & K. These three areas have been redefined as the Jammu region and areas with intense Kashmiri ethnic roots like Doda, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri, Basholi, Bani, Gool, Arnas have clubbed along with the Jammu region. This serves the purpose of marketing the concept of mismatch in regional aspirations.Â :?:

So, if Jammu and Kathua agitate, the marketing version is that the entire Jammu region is agitating. Even in the current agitation it is only the two districts of Jammu and Kathua and Udhampur city which is basically on the boil.

{Wasn't that Cleopatra Mufti saying the same avout two and half districts agitation! Cleopatra Mufti= Mehboba Mufti for nutrturing a nest of snakes}

The solution to the current conflict does not lie in resolving the land deal issue. The land deal issue is a convenient excuse and typifies the symptom not the disease. Treating the disease would mean allowing the nurturance of demography, defined by history and ethnicity.

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