M L Gupta
Historically all the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir State of India namely (a) Jammu (b) Kashmir (c) Ladakh were independent kingdoms. While Britishers were gaining control over other parts of Indian territories, the Sikhs were capturing power in Punjab and adjoining hilly regions with capital at Lahore. Then Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh annexed Jammu Kingdom in 1812 and appointed Mian Mota a local of Smailpur, Jammu as administrator. Later’s nephews Gulab Singh and Dyan Singh distinguished at Lahore Darbar. While Gulab Singh climbed the ladders of success in soldiery, his brother Dyan Singh excelled in administration. The Sikh rule in Jammu came to be resented and Jamwals rose in rebellion under Mian Dido. When various expeditions sent by Ranjit Singh failed to sub due rebellion recognizing special services rendered by his general Gulab Singh in reducing Multan and Peshawar in Punjab and in 1819 Kashmir valley he decided to crown this local as King of Jammu in lieu of fixed revenue he shall pay Punjab Kingdom annually. Ranjit Singh had also leased out vast territories of Wazirabad & Gujrat regions of Punjab known for timber trade and boat industries to these dogra brothers Gulab Singh and Dyan Singh on the lease rent of Rupees seven lacs per annum. Gulab Singh eliminated Mian Dido and conquered for his master Ladakh in 1834 and later added Baltistan and Shardu too to his controlled territories. Sikhs after the death of Ranjit Singh in 1839 indulged in intrigues and were defeated by British India forces in the battle of Sobran fought on 10th of Feb, 1846. As per treaty of March 9, 1846 signed at Lahore Sikhs were required to pay British India Govt. war indemnity of Rupees one hundred & fifty lacs. As Sikhs were able to pay rupees seventy five lacs only they ceded to Britishers all hill territories including Kashmir. Gulab Singh the arbitrator signed a separate treaty with Britishers at Amritsar on 16th March 1846 paying balance rupees seventy five lacs to gain direct control of all hill territories of Jammu Kashmir & Ladakh. Thus the state of Jammu and Kashmir came in to existence on this day. On 15th August 1947 Britishers left India giving birth to Pakistan for Muslims out of Muslim majority areas of India directly ruled by them. For the princely states the rulers were to decide for ceding to Indian union or Pakistan depending upon the contiguity.
In Jammu and Kashmir the Jammu & Ladakh regions were Hindu and Buddhist dominated whereas Kashmir valley was Muslim dominated, then King Hari Singh belonging to Jammu region was still undecided. On October 22nd 1947 Pakistan sent under the command of their army major general Akbar Khan, armed tribal raiders in 300 lorries to Muzaffarabad in J&K. After looting and arson there the invaders continued their march toward Srinagar the summer Capital of State. Pakistan had also sent its forces in certain parts of Jammu region resorting to wanton killing of non Muslims in Mirpur, Kolti, Rajouri and Poonch etc. This made the ruler Hari Singh to cede Jammu and Kashmir to India on 26th October 1947. Then Indian Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru a Kashmiri by origin forced the King to appoint his friend Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah as head of emergency administration and later on March 4th 1948 as Prime Minister of the State. Enjoying unprecedented support of Indian Prime Minister the Sheikh not only looked down the Dogra King but also dogras (Jammu people) who had ruled over Kashmir for hundred years. On June 20, 1949 the humiliated King Hari Singh vested all king’s powers in his son Yuvraj Karan Singh and left the State forever to settle at Mumbai. Then came Delhi agreement between Nehru and Sheikh announced in the Indian Parliament on 24th July 1952 giving state administration the special powers under article 370 of the Indian Constitution.
The Jammu and Ladakh people already sulking under discriminatory attitude of the Sheikh resorted to long drawn agitation and protests against him desiring complete merger of the state with India by undoing article 370. Dreaming Sheikhdom for himself & his family Sheikh even ignored Indian Prime Minister and made public statements as well interview to foreign press threatening undoing succession with India. His deputy Bakshi Gulam Mohammad supported by other Cabinet Colleagues issued on August 7, 1953 an open statement accusing Sheikh of making arbitrary decisions and for being responsible for deteriorating administration & generating uncertainty and doubts in the people of state in general and those of Jammu & Ladakh in particular. Bakhsi was made on 9th August 1953 the Prime Minister by head of the state (Sadr-i-Riyasat) and was confirmed by constituent assembly which met at winter capital Jammu in Feb, 1954. His first act was to arrest Sheikh and his trusted friend Mirza Afzal Beg putting them under preventive detention at Govt. guest house in Jammu’s hill resort of Kud. The State witnessed allround progress under Bakshi and later under G.M. Sadiq who had merged Sheikh’s national conference into Indian Congress party renaming P.M of the state to Chief Minister. G.M. Sadiq also as bold decision of withdrawing all charges against Sheikh and his associate releasing them in April 1964. In August 1965 Pakistan infiltrated large number of its regular army men into the Valley who took shelter with supporters of Sa Geelani’s of Kashmir.
Thus started 2nd war with Pakistan in which locals of Kashmir and Indian army jointly eliminated them. Thereafter Pakistan made regular invasion of Jammu region through Chambb sector on September 1, 1965. To reduce pressure in this sector the Indian army opened new fronts in Punjab and Rajasthan putting the enemy on the run. The captured territories were returned after Tashkent agreement of January 10, 1966. Sheikh returned to power in Feb, 1975 after an accord with then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. After his death on Sept 8, 1982 his son Dr. Farooq Abdullah became new Chief Minister of the state. During the course of assembly elections of June 1983 serious conflict developed between Congress and National Conference. Congress had won 32 seats mainly from Jammu and Ladakh regions. A group of 12 National Conference MLAs from Kashmir valley led by Farooq’s own brother in law G.M. Shah defected and formed new Govt. in the state with support of Congress. In fact Farooq was looking like his father for Sheikhdom and had released 60 hard core terrorist of Al-Fatah outfit promoted during Sheikh’s exile from power. He was also accused of whipping up regional, religious and parochial emotions of Kashmiri people to keep Indian Govt. at bay. He was hand in glove with separatists led by Jammat-i-islami etc. and was manipulating the system to keep separatist forces alive in the state.
Pakistan having failed to annex Kashmir in wars of 1947, 1965 & 1971 promoted since 1989 proxy war against India, infiltrating hard core terrorist into Indian territories particularly J&K and Punjab. Infact it’s army had been responsible for giving birth to many terrorist organizations during 1979-89 including Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-toyibba and later Jaish-e-Mohammad. Pakistan has emerged as breeding ground of terrorism as realized by world powers. More than half a million Hindus had left the valley in 1990 and Pakistan is still fueling Islamisation through infiltrators & separatists including Huriyat Conference. Therefore there is urgent need to re-organize the state of Jammu and Kashmir providing home land to Kashmiri Hindus within the valley and freeing Jammu and Ladakh regions from Kashmiri dominance. Kashmiries in Jammu & Ladkah irrespective of religion and date of migration should be taken back into the valley. The demand has already been put forth during the recent visit of all parties delegations led by Indian Home Minister Raj Nath Singh to Valley, Jammu and Ladakh. There is no other option in view of Islamisation of Kashmir valley.
(The author is former MD J&K Minerals)
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