Arguing that the matter of accession could not be left to the whims and fancies of rulers, but must reflect the voice of the people, he gave public expression to the popular Kashmiri view in a speech on October 4, 1947 at a historic rally (some three weeks before the tribal invasion):
We shall not believe in the two-nation theory which has spread so much poison (cf to the communal killings that had been underway in the Punjab and in Bengal). Kashmir showed the light at this juncture (Gandhi was famously to say that the only light out of the darkness of communal killings he saw was in Kashmir where not a single incident took place). When brother kills brother in the whole of Hindustan, Kashmir raised its voice of Hindu-Muslim unity. I can assure the Hindu and Sikh minorities that as long as I am alive their life and honour will be quite safe.
Vide the Maharaja’s proclamation of March 5, 1948, Sheikh Abdullah took over as the Prime Minister of the state, and on the next day, he told a press conference:
We have decided to work and die for India . . . We made our decision not in October last, but in 1944, when we resisted the advances of Mr. Jinnah. Our refusal was categorical. Ever since the National Conference had attempted to keep the State clear of the pernicious two-nation theory while fighting the world’s worst autocracy (The Statesman, 7 March, 1948).
On December 3, at a function of the Gandhi Memorial College at Jammu:
Kashmiris would rather die following the footsteps of Gandhiji than accept the two-nation theory. We want to link the destiny of Kashmir with India because we feel that the ideal before India and Kashmir is one and the same.
Those ideals—secularism, democracy, end to feudal landlordship—became the basis for the adoption of the “provisional accession of the State to India” by the National Conference in the same month of October.
II
The Betrayal
Although Accession vide Article 370 which conferred a “special status” on Jammu & Kashmir had, as stated above, received approval both from Patel and Shyama Prasad Mukerjee, a new situation was to develop as the Abdullah government in the State launched the New Kashmir Manifesto, bedrocked, among extraordinarily progressive pronouncements—equal status of women in education and employment being but one— on the promise of giving land to those who tilled it.
Thus, disregarding Clause 6 of the Instrument of Accession (“Nothing in this Instrument shall empower the Dominion Legislature to make any law for this State authorizing the compulsory acquisition of land for any purpose,” and should land be thus needed, “I will at their request acquire the land”), Abdullah declared a maximum land ceiling of 22.75 acres, set up a Land Reforms Commission, and set about distributing surplus land thus acquired to those who actually were tillers on the soil. Abdullah was to rub home the point that such land reforms would never have been possible in a feudal Pakistan.
This was trouble royal.
Most of the land then was in possession of Hindu Dogras, and most of the tillers were Muslim Kashmiris.
Thus it came to be that the material loss of landholdings was sought to be converted into a communal question vide an opposition now to Article 370 by a newly organized forum called the Praja Parishad which came to be led by the very Mukerjee who had been a willing party to the adoption of the Article as a member of the Union Cabinet.
Under stipulations of the “special status,” Jammu & Kashmir had been granted to form its own Constituent Assembly. When elections to the CA took place in 1951, candidates picked by Abdullah’s National Conference won all 75 seats. The Assembly met on October 31, 1951. On November 5, Abdullah outlined the major agenda before it:
To frame a Constitution for Kashmir;
To decide on the fate of the royal Dynasty;
To decide whether there should be any compensation paid to those who had lost their land through the Land Abolition Act;
To “declare its reasoned conclusion regarding accession.”
Abdullah noted: “The real character of a State is revealed in its Constitution. The Indian Constitution has set before the country the goal of a secular democracy based upon justice, freedom and equality for all without distinction. This is the bedrock of modern democracy. This should meet the argument that the Muslims of Kashmir cannot have security in India, where the large majority of the population are Hindus. Any unnatural cleavage between religious groups is the legacy of imperialism…. The Indian Constitution has amply and finally repudiated the concept of a religious State which is a throwback to medievalism…. The national movement in our State naturally gravitates towards these principles of secular democracy.”
And, on Pakistan:
The most powerful argument that can be advanced in her favour is that Pakistan is a Muslim State, and, a big majority of our people being Muslims the State must accede to Pakistan. This claim of being a Muslim State is of course only a camouflage. It is a screen to dupe the common man, so that he may not see clearly that Pakistan is a feudal State in which a clique is trying by these methods to maintain itself in power. . . .Right-thinking men would point out that Pakistan is not an organic unity of all the Muslims in this subcontinent. It has, on the contrary, caused the dispersion of Indian Muslims for whom it was claimed to have been created (a perception first voiced by Maulana Azad in a prescient interview given to the Covert magazine in 1946, a year before Partition).
Abdullah considered the third option of Independence (Kashmir as an “Eastern Switzerland”), and concluded as follows:
I would like to remind you that from August 15 (the day of Indian Independence) to October 22, 1947 (when the tribal invasion began) our State was Independent and the result was that our weakness was exploited by the neighbour with invasion. What is the guarantee that in future too we may not be victims of a similar aggression?
All that notwithstanding, the Hindu right-wing assault began also to gather force, as it launched the Jana Sangh (precursor of today’s Bharatiya Janata Party, the BJP) in 1951—the same year as the establishment of the Constituent Assembly in the State. And its leader became Shyama Prasad Mukerjee, with the RSS lending two of its leaders for support, namely Atal Bihari Vajpai and L.K. Advani.
In this well-documented paper Badri Raina has presented the main course of events with regard to the Accession of the princely State of Jammu & Kashmir to India at the end of the British Raj and the partition of India in 1947. His political and historical understanding of the Kashmir problem makes him one of the clearest voices of secularism and democracy in the Indian subcontinent. Being a Kashmiri himself, he has witnessed and followed up what Kashmir has gone through since 1947. His passionate defence of democratic and humanist values within the Union of India has made him one of the formidable opponents of the communalist forces in India which at present are broadly branded under the rubric of the Hindutva.
The killing of more than 51 Kashmiri youth over the last two-month period and the killing of more than 80,000 Kashmiris since 1989 by the Delhi rulers has been to suppress the population of the Kashmir Valley by force of arms. But this brutal suppression has failed to stifle the demand for Azadi (freedom) and people are dying to gain freedom.
I agree with Raina that the present situation in the Kashmir Valley is fraught with great dangers for the whole region. What is needed is a change in direction of the Indian policy in Kashmir. The old official mantra that Kashmir is an internal matter and full stop never had any validity. It has been a ruse to perpetuate Indian rule over Kashmir against the will of the majority of its people. No doubt a handful of Muslim elite, especially the descendants of Sheikh Abdullah, have been the beneficiaries of the Indian patronage and they will continue to be treated thus for their allegiance to the mantra of Kashmir being an integral part of India! Well, the answer to such people is that the vast majority of the people of Kashmir reject their policies and the Indian rule. That should not be difficult for anyone to see or understand.
To assert that Pakistan is not a party to the affairs of Jammu and Kashmir State, as Sheikh Abdullah is reported to have said, does not help much. The State of Jammu and Kashmir is divided; one part is under Pakistan and the other under India. Many divided families live on both sides of the Line of Control. Again, there is little comfort to hear that ‘Pakistan occupied Kashmir’ is an illegal entity while the Indian held Kashmir is free! Such a view is illusory. The people of Pakistani held Kashmir (Azad Kashmir) do not regard themselves occupied by Pakistan. But the people of Indian Kashmir reject Indian rule and they want Freedom from Indian rule.
However, it does not mean that I support or have ever supported the two-nation theory that became the basis for the partition of India. I still look at the whole of the subcontinent as a physical and cultural unity. Unfortunately, the two-nation theory won the day in the last century and the unfinished task of partition is still on our backs.
In the end, I consider Raina’s sagacious views a serious effort to grapple with the tragic situation in the Kashmir Valley. It is a voice of reason and all those who have thought of silencing the demands of Kashmiris with state violence and armed forces need to re-think.
No matter TONY Abbott has agreed to submit the Coalition’s election promises to three rural independents to form minority government
Hung parliament result the fact people wanted fairer live resources supported in demand an honest government
“Health Olympic Australia” is a nationally and international significant movement in the 21 century “knowledge economy” in “Health Economy Gold Rush”. “Health Olympic Australia” project will not only assist the Australian Government to shape a better health system for Australians but will also improve the general health of Australians. This will put Australia in a strong position for long term wealth generation and prosperity.
● By pass all economy in human history that benefit to every habitant on earth;
● All habitant must to face either lost, or to win;
● The dead lock situation either lost health supply, or getting enough supply to win the battle of health demands in health rebuilding in her/his own right efforts to achieve wealth creation.
There are at least five economic productivity outcomes will resulting significant GDP progressing from a “Health Olympic Australia” as follow:
1. Reductions in Australian Health Workforce cost;
2. Reduction in Healthcare cost;
3. Reduction in lost productivity cost;
4. Increase from agriculture outcome;
5. Increase from “Health Olympic Australia” creation in goods/products exportation.
Ma kee wai
(Member of Inventor Association Queensland since 1993)
Mr, Badri Raina, has given a glimpse of pre and post partition’s scenario, Unfortunately, the element of accession is not as simple as we put across, and we haven’t yet understood honestly the feelings of kashmiri. I think, we can dig historical events which has heavily contributed to this Unrest.
Sheikh’s arrest in 1953, ti self is an eye opener and the followed by arrest of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad and the intervention of political bosses and policy makers siting in the center, has always tried to sell the future of Kashmirees as British did. British did for 75,00000 Nanuk Shahi Takas and they did for petty interests. I think this note could have ironed out certain fact which it hasn’t done. , respectfully submitted.
Zamir Ahmad
Reasearch Scholar
University of Hyderabad.
Badri Raina’s views are respected. The only way to resolve the matter is to hold a UN supervised, free plebiscite in Kashmir and listen to the Kashmiris … whose home it is. The more time India loses, and employs Israeli style occupation tactics, the lesser the chances of anyone … including the Pandits … of voting for accession to India (if already not, nil).
Kashmir isn’t about history, accession to India, Pakistan’s invasion, UN intervention, plebiscite, ethnic groups, or Islam. Handing over any part of Kashmir to a weak Pakistan would be akin to handing it over to China over the long run and is as good as the Indian subcontinent committing “water suicide”. Read more here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/discussion/user-comments/freetibet
What democratic societies should learn a lessen from Australia election 2010:
1. What time bombs will rock Australia democratic society?
The Australia historical hung parliament demonstrated the big gap of inequality society between the small educated elite groups who get highest pay by talk feast used mouth work controlling live essential resources of the country in every social platforms against the biggest less educated groups who get lowest pay by hands work squeezed by discriminative policies that sucking live blood from poor/less wealth off?
Voters’ voices do not hear?
Voters’ pains do not ease?
Voters’ cries do not care?
1. Poverty will not be phase out if no fairer resources to share;
2. Illness will not be reducing if no preventive measurement in real action;
3. Agriculture will not be revitalize if urbanization continuing its path;
4. Housing affordability will not be reach for young generation if government continues cashing from young generation debt by eating out the whole cake of education export revenue without plough back;
5. Manufacture industry will shrink smaller and smaller if no new elements there to power up to survive;
6. Employability will not in the sustainable mode for so long as manufacture and agriculture not going to boost.
Ma kee wai
(Member of Inventor Association Queensland since 1993)
Why believe coalition economic plan works without revitalize agriculture and manufacture industries??
It’s all about power and money most Politicians and parties wanted above all and after all election?
Just listen how Barry O’Farrell convincing voters: “People are our asset. They are our greatest wealth and they should be given the opportunity to pursue their dreams?” On the issue of economic management, Mr O’Farrell was asked what he thought was the state’s greatest source of wealth, given NSW lacked a resources industry.
Take a look below the link subject: “Time for Action” in “Healthy Active Life” program that convert Broken hill into a Healthy Las Vergas Broken Hill economy? Link with http://www.streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=20747&mycomm=ES
… .
When we look at what today’s shrinking industries, such of agriculture (34% of fruit and 19% of vegetables imported); manufacture (10.5% by 2005–6) destructed by John Howard’s coalition government.
Will you then still believe Mr Barry O’Farrell’s coalition opposition announced positive and practical policies which will help revitalize agriculture and manufacture industries for create more sustainable jobs, and innovative export products?
Remember, it’s not one person to construct or destruct the whole lots of industries, it’s the matter of whole political party/government?
Will you also believe there were only 1-2 Politicians responding to this greatest “Healthy Las Vergas Broken Hill economy model”?
Why the most Politicians do fail their own test in spend little brain work to revitalize agriculture and manufacture industries who with $1.65 million Tax payer’s money each annual spending for?
Masealake (Member of Inventor Association QLD)
Hey! I simply noticed another message in one other blog that seemed like this. How have you learnt all these things? That’s one cool post.
Labor will not win in next states and federal election without a new direction to sooth voters broken heart, following a 70 years hung parliament eruption.
KARL Bitar has resigned as the ALP’s national secretary after strong internal criticism of his management of Labor’s 2010 election campaign.
The voters’ hearts broken not only anger the one or two in election conducted, if we take a look at the careless tested below an example of what our $1.65 millions spending each of Politician care for community development are liked?
It really should surprised to all communities very much when there was no one MP responds to such greatest health/economic development from previous two letters sent through to all MPs in nation wide.
This important step could be seen of a foundation work that in the possible exploration of opportunities in innovative health/economic convergence development for the mining depleted and aging Broken Hill, and Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobra, Ivanhoe and Wentworth surrounding communities to catch of:
“A healthy Las Vegas economy model” with capacity to by passes the 100 years old economical pattern of Las Vergas US if achieved?
This step of health/economic convergence development opportunities are by far the largest in national, and international significance if we have our innovative knowledge, elements, resource and supported by this land, people and government;
Again, what are innovative ideas of politicians, political parties, and governments have been in efficient, effective, and economical governance in their best efforts to enable communities to reach these goals?
Masealake
(Member of Inventor Association QLD since 1993)
purplehealthy@gmail.com
Full details are linked to the following web site: http://www.streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=20747&mycomm=ES
Why believe coalition Supporting Local Communities?
It’s all about power and money most Politicians and parties wanted above all and after all election?
Just listen how Barry O’Farrell convincing voters: “Over the last four years I announced positive and practical policies which will help support local communities……..” .
Take a look below the link subject: “Time for Action” in “Healthy Active Life” program that convert Broken hill into a Healthy Las Vergas Broken Hill economy? Link with http://www.streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=20747&mycomm=ES
… , will you then still believe Barry O’Farrell’s announced positive and practical policies which will help support local communities……..” ?
Will you also believe there were only 1-2 Politicians responding to this greatest “Healthy Las Vergas Broken Hill economy model”?
Why the most Politicians do fail their own test in support community health/economic development who with$1.65 million Tax payer’s money each annual spending for?
Masealake (Member of Inventor Association QLD)
Why believe NSW coalition health plan works just by add a few dollars in hospital without innovative ideas?
It’s all about power and money most Politicians and parties wanted above all and after all election?
Just listen how Barry O’Farrell convincing voters: “The key to our program is giving medical professionals a bigger say in how health services are delivered in their area. These are the people who know what their patients need…so we will be listening to them”.
Where the Preventive Health program under coalition government’s 8 years health plan is proved that a political mouth show in which spent millions dollar only produced a book for sale, people who have to pay for reading, but not benefit taking.
Will you then still believe Mr Barry O’Farrell’s coalition opposition is committed to health reform (put some money in some hospital if you liked)? Then call it rebuild the hospital system through Better Hospitals and Healthcare program? The coalition put it up simply as a truly health reform that would fix NSW health problems?
Will you also believe there were only 1-2 Politicians responding to this greatest “Healthy Las Vergas Broken Hill economy model”?
Why the most Politicians do fail their own test in spend little brain work to come up some innovative idea that truly achieve the health reform materialized that benefits to all voters?
Take a look below the link subject: “Time for Action” in “Healthy Active Life” program that convert Broken hill into a Healthy Las Vergas Broken Hill economy? Link with http://www.streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=20747&mycomm=ES
… .
Masealake (Member of Inventor Association QLD)