Sir,
This has reference to the article – “Is Article 370’s political bubble deflating?”- (DE Oct 31,2019) by B L Saraf. What surprises one the most in the said piece of writing is the fact that the learned writer, though himself belonging to a minority community of Kashmir valley that was ethnically cleansed off from Kashmir valley in early 90’s by the radical islamic bigots, seems to have been so much in love with now abolished articles 370 and 35-A that their very erosion has caused deep ache in his heart and prompted him to term the Union Govts move as merely to woo electorate across country to garner political dividends.
May 1 remind the learned author that despite enjoying special status for 70 years leadership in Kashmir valley, whether mainstream or separatist (only their terms of reference may be different they are the chip of the same block) remained anti India.State’s (which now stands bifurcated into 2 Union territories) accession with the Union was always questioned/disputed. Whenever the Govt of India tried to bring these so -called representatives of Kashmir to the negotiating table for talks they (Kashmiri leaders) sabotaged such efforts by raising pro azadi, autonomy or self rule slogans and even insisted on holding tripartite talks, making Pak a party to the so-called Kashmir problem much to the annoyance of Govt of India in particular and the Indian public in general.
The learned writer fails to take cognizance of this fact that the so-called genuine stakeholders in Valley never missed any opportunity to unleash false propaganda against India by highlighting fabricated atrocities of Indian security forces on Kashmiris thereby tarnishing Indian secular and democratic image globally. The learned author should also take note of the fact that migration of Kashmiri Pandits and other communities of Jammu province took place much before the tinkering of article 370. Kashmiri Pandits are still languishing in migrant camps at Jammu and rest of India and may of them are even now making their both ends meet through the subsistence allowance and ration being provided the Govt. Even their return in segregated townships in Kashmiri valley was opposed by the so-called genuine stakeholders of Kashmir who termed and equated this move with creation of jewish ghettoes in Palestine.
The pain, anguish and agony of Pak and then supporters in Kashmir over the abrogation of article 370 and 35-A is quite understandable but neither reason nor logic justify the anguish of a person whose entire community was displaced of Kashmir Valley purely on religious grounds.
Lastly my only submission is that we have borne the brunt of the so-called constitutional provisions viz a viz Articles 370 and 35-A, which to many were un-constitutional, for 70 long yrs. Now can’t we wait for just another 5 yrs. to assess for ourselves the probable benefits of abolition of these articles may possibly bring in days ahead. Aasman say Aagay Jahan aur bhi hain, Abhi Ishq ke Imtehan aur bhi hain (The unseen is much more pronounced than what meets the eyes). This is not end of the world.
Sanjeev Magotra
Laxmipuram Chinore
Bantalab
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