| Since the dawn of independence, Kashmir is the main | | | | cabinet decision cleared by the state forest ministry |
| cause of disagreement between India and Pakistan. | | | | and the deputy chief minister, both top notches from |
| The only difference today from what it was in 1947 | | | | the PDP leadership. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti's |
| is, that the state seems to be more divided and | | | | remark that she came to know about the decision |
| communalized. Regular attempts by both countries | | | | only from newspaper reports were a full-size lie. The |
| took place to resolve the dispute through various | | | | fact is that the PDP leadership could not foresee the |
| means: from bilateral talks, wars and state sponsored | | | | huge public protests following the order and when |
| militancy but the crisis sustained as the major source | | | | the situation turned worst did a volte-face to |
| of tension and dispute between them. Today the | | | | safeguard its political ambitions in the coming election. |
| divide among the Hindu and Muslim communities has | | | | After the government revoked the land transform |
| enormously widened up in the region, credit goes to | | | | order, PDP started demanding a credit for it. This is a |
| the intensified promotion of religious politics by major | | | | clear example of the politics of opportunism being |
| political parties from both sides. When one side | | | | played by political parties jeopardizing the life of the |
| desires to justify the 'Two Nations theory' that | | | | ordinary people of Jammu and Kashmir. |
| emphasizes that Muslims and non-Muslims cannot live | | | | The aftermath |
| together, the other side promotes jingoistic | | | | The present turmoil has clearly shattered the myth |
| nationalism and demands Muslims to be treated as | | | | of Jammu and Kashmir as a single entity. The |
| second-class citizens. Religious sentiments are | | | | deep-rooted religious and social divide prevailing in the |
| repetitively injected to both communities, as it is a | | | | region is entirely exposed now as a 'Jammu versus |
| well-known fact that religion is the only topic that can | | | | Kashmir' dispute. In the Jammu region, the Muslims |
| easily rouse the ordinary people to fight against each | | | | are a minority compared to Kashmir where the |
| other. History confirms again and again the famous | | | | Muslims are the majority. Therefore, while protesters |
| Karl Marx maxim "Religion is the opium of the | | | | in Jammu enforced an economic blockade of the |
| masses". An elderly Muslim shopkeeper in Udarana, a | | | | Kashmir Valley by stopping traffic on the |
| mixed Hindu-Muslim village near the town of | | | | Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, on 11 August |
| Bhaderwah, expresses this enormous divide "Now we | | | | separatist leaders of the Kashmir region instigated a |
| hardly visit each other's homes or patronize each | | | | march to Muzaffarabad (the capital of |
| other's shops. ...We really don't have love in our | | | | Pakistan-occupied Kashmir referred as PoK) bypassing |
| hearts for each other." From the early nineties, | | | | Jammu. The intention was to explore new trading |
| Hindu-Muslim relations have rapidly been diminished in | | | | options by crossing the Line of Control, the |
| the state. | | | | temporary border dividing Kashmir between India and |
| Jammu and Kashmir's first political party, the 'Muslim | | | | Pakistan. The march violated the imposed curfew, |
| Conference' was founded in 1932 with Shaikh | | | | clashed with the security forces leading to ten more |
| Abdullah as its President. While a student at Aligarh | | | | deaths including All Parties Hurriyat Conference |
| Muslim University, Shaikh Abdullah was influenced by | | | | (APHC) leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz. The polarization in |
| liberal and progressive ideas. He became convinced | | | | the state became absolute and there is no space of |
| that the feudal system existing in the land was to | | | | suppleness visible from either side now. |
| blame for the miseries of Kashmir, which was ruled in | | | | My memory is again in the way of your history. |
| an oppressive and autocratic manner by a Hindu | | | | Army convoys all night like desert caravans: |
| monarchy. 'Muslim Conference' changed its name to | | | | In the smoking oil of dimmed headlights, time |
| 'National Conference' in 1938 on the objective to | | | | dissolved- allwinter- its crushed fennel. |
| create a broader platform and allow people from all | | | | We can't ask them: Are you done with the world? |
| communities to join the struggle against the | | | | In the lake the arms of temples and mosques are |
| monarchy of Maharaja Hari Singh. At the time of | | | | lockedin each other's reflections. |
| partition, when the Maharaja was hesitating over the | | | | Have you soaked saffron to pour on them when |
| choice of acceding either to India or to Pakistan, | | | | they arefound like this centuries later in this country |
| Shaikh Abdullah supported India. He was appointed | | | | I have stitched to your shadow? |
| Prime Minister of Kashmir on March 17, 1948. Until the | | | | In this country we step out with doors in our arms. |
| monarchy existed, most Muslims in the region were | | | | Children run out with windows in their arms. |
| landless laborers. Along with the Dalits, they were | | | | You drag it behind you in lit corridors.if the switch is |
| also treated as untouchables by the 'upper' caste | | | | pulled you will be torn from everything. |
| Hindus. Under Shaikh Abdullah, radical land reforms | | | | - Farewell: Agha Shahid Ali |
| were introduced in the state, through which | | | | Political gambits have caused a colossal damage to |
| sharecroppers, mainly Muslims and Dalits, got land | | | | the economy, education system and social fabric of |
| previously owned by Rajput and Brahmin landlords. | | | | Jammu and Kashmir. The once tranquil and gorgeous |
| His effort made him a hugely popular mass leader. In | | | | land has turned into a 'valley of fear'. It has turned |
| 1953, the Indian government betrayed Shaikh | | | | into a land of orphans and widows, a land of |
| Abdullah by sacking him from the Prime Minister's | | | | graveyards. After frequently witnessing violent |
| post. He was accused for conspiring against the | | | | deaths and funerals of near and dear ones, the |
| State and jailed from 1953 to 1975. Meanwhile, the | | | | people here has lost their normal human feelings. |
| Indian Constitution, vide Article 370 had granted a | | | | Violence has affected all sections of life. It has in fact |
| special status to the state guaranteeing it autonomy | | | | become a way of 'communication'. Human lives are so |
| except for defense, foreign affairs and | | | | devalued that a few killings hardly shock anybody. |
| communications. After his release, he had sworn in as | | | | Students have lost their inquisitiveness to learn. |
| the Chief Minister in 1977 with a massive mandate. | | | | Teachers lost their enthusiasm to teach. To visit |
| For the next five years, until the death of Shaikh | | | | homes of friends and relatives people has to prove |
| Abdullah in 1982, Jammu and Kashmir was politically | | | | their innocence before security personals. Everyone |
| calm and stable. The separatist movement in the | | | | has to carry an identity card, which is regarded |
| Kashmir Valley restarted from April 1988. The | | | | almost as oxygen. The situation is best described by |
| movement gathered momentum through a close | | | | Agha Shahid Ali in his poem, "everyone carries his |
| nexus between Jammu & Kashmir Liberation | | | | address so that at least his body will reach home". |
| Front (JKLF) and Pakistan, which reached its peak in | | | | Anxiety and tension has become a part of the daily |
| the mid nineties. The present controversy on the | | | | life here. A very disturbing psychology of suspicion |
| Amarnath Shrine Board land transfer and the | | | | and fear has permanently etched in the minds of local |
| subsequent incidents must be read based on this | | | | people. |
| history. | | | | Though located within free and democratic India, |
| Amarnath Shrine Board land transfer fiasco | | | | Jammu and Kashmir no more signifies to be a free |
| The Amarnath Caves are one of the most famous | | | | place. The presence of army and security forces in |
| Hindu shrines located in the Himalayas at the altitude | | | | every nook and corner has developed a feeling of |
| of 12,760 feet. The caves are about 88 miles away | | | | confinement and repression. To the ordinary Muslim |
| from Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and | | | | minds in particular, the most humiliating feeling must |
| Kashmir (Jammu is the winter capital). It is one of the | | | | be to live under regular scrutiny about their |
| most significant pilgrimage destinations for the Hindus | | | | 'patriotism' and allegiance to the Indian state. Armed |
| and attracts about 400,000 pilgrims (Yatri) every | | | | conflict and disputes has halted the economic |
| year. In the year 2000, the 'Shri Amarnath Shrine | | | | development of the state. In the last one and a half |
| Board' was set up to take care of the pilgrims | | | | month following the Amarnath Shrine Board land |
| passage (Yatra) to the caves that was previously | | | | dispute, the local economy suffered a loss of nearly |
| conducted jointly by tourism department of the | | | | Rs. 200-250 crores. |
| state government and Dharamarth Trust. The Yatra | | | | We shall meet again, in Srinagar,by the gates of the |
| and Yatris were largely assisted by the local people | | | | Villa of Peace,our hands blossoming into fiststill the |
| of the region, who are Muslims. Apart from the | | | | soldiers return the keysand disappear. Again we'll |
| obvious gesture of religious harmony, the Amarnath | | | | enterour last world, the first that vanishedin our |
| Yatra is also economically important for the local | | | | absence from the broken city. |
| people. | | | | We'll tear our shirts for tourniquetsand bind the open |
| On 26 May 2008, the Congress-led coalition | | | | thorns, warm the ivyinto roses. Quick, by the |
| government of Jammu and Kashmir decided to | | | | pomegranate-the bird will say-Humankind can |
| transfer 100 acres of forestland to the 'Shri | | | | beareverything. No need to stop the ear |
| Amarnath Shrine Board' to set up temporary shelters | | | | - A Pastoral: Agha Shahid Ali |
| and facilities for the pilgrims. The government decision | | | | There is very little hope left over for the ordinary |
| snowballed into a huge public outcry in the Kashmir | | | | people of Jammu and Kashmir today, the hope for |
| valley. During protests, six people were killed and 100 | | | | an exuberant future. In the present circumstances, it |
| injured in police firing at Srinagar. The coalition partner | | | | is almost impossible even to dream about a |
| PDP pulled out its support and the government was | | | | brotherhood involving the two communities, as the |
| reduced to a minority. Keeping in mind the coming | | | | poet Agha Shahid Ali did in his deeply emotional poem |
| state election and under pressure from different | | | | A Pastoral dedicated to his Kashmiri Hindu friend Suvir |
| quarters, the government revoked the order on 1 | | | | Kaul. To hope, one should regain trust and rely on |
| July. Immediately, violent counter protests sparked | | | | truth. Who will bring back trust and truth among the |
| off in the Jammu region spearheaded by 'Shri | | | | people of Jammu and Kashmir? Time after time, |
| Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti', a conglomeration | | | | people's trustworthiness has been used by fraudulent |
| of several Hindu chauvinist groups but with a large | | | | leaders for their own wicked causes. Who will tell |
| mass support. Here also at least three people were | | | | them that division is greater a problem, not a |
| killed by police firing. Questions are raised by the | | | | solution? We really do not know. Truth is the most |
| 'Samiti', which was formed around the Hindu | | | | politicized commodity in today's Jammu and Kashmir. |
| sentiment, that if the decision to transfer the land | | | | Truth is perilous because it badly damages the vicious |
| was revoked after the protests in the Kashmir | | | | interests of the various players in this unfortunate |
| region, why not it is further restored after the more | | | | state: governments, mainstream political parties, the |
| aggressive Jammu counter protests? On 7 July, Chief | | | | separatists and the nationalists. |
| Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned after loosing the | | | | Notes: |
| trust vote in the state assembly and Governor's rule | | | | * The article title derives from the Kashmiri-American |
| was imposed in the state. | | | | poet Agha Shahid Ali's book 'The Country Without a |
| In this political chaos, the role of the PDP (Jammu and | | | | Post Office' published by W. W. Norton & |
| Kashmir People's Democratic Party) was the most to | | | | Company in 1998. The book was originally published |
| condemn. The decision to transfer the forestland to | | | | as 'Kashmir without a Post Office' in the Graham |
| the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board was a unanimous | | | | House Review. |