Prof. M. K. Bhat
Azadi is a buzz word in Kashmir. Though the general public emotively shouts Azadi, in fact it bears no clarity about it. They generally fail to convince Azadi from whom? When you question them; does it mean alignment with Pakistan? You get a bold No as answer as they are well aware about the attitude of Pakistan towards Bengali Muslims, Balauch and Sindhi people. They are not ready to accept the Punjabi domination. Then you put another question: does it mean occupation by China? Again you get No as answer. Someone may crib that it means independent Kashmir, you question about indigenous resources and will China and Pakistan allow you to be free on your own? The person turns clueless and has no answer with him.
The appeal of Azadi has been productive since independence and it yielded good results for certain sections of society at the cost of average Kashmiri. These sections have tried to keep this slogan evergreen for their political and other interests. The political leaders have used it to their convenience in last seventy years of independence, leading to their political fortunes and some made a good earning out of it, still others used it as a tool to blackmail the center for their ulterior motives. Political leaders use Azadi slogan to enjoy the best in the country with no one from their family pelting stones or taking gun in his own hands. The amalgamation of political parties and extremist organizations is such that no one dares to speak about the autonomy from corrupt political parties, separatists and terrorists. Azadi is nothing more than the emotional befooling of commoners and has become enjoyment for those with vested interests. This term is in vogue at various other places of the country, mention can be made of JNU and other left bastion in various universities. Strategies for Azadi from poverty, inequality unemployment and social harassment is least talked about.
Politicians in Kashmir since independence have been using emotional appeals to woo people to their side and the latest in this row are the outbursts of various leaders from the Congress. Congress leaders like Gulam Nabhi Azad, leader of opposition in Rajya Saba, says that Army operations in Kashmir killed more civilians than terrorists ,another Congress leader Saffuidin Soz says Musharaff the former Pakistan president had explained that” if Kashmiris were given a chance to exercise their free will, they would prefer to be independent .In fact this assessment of Musharaff seems correct even today.”As elections are near it becomes difficult to segregate whether they act as Indian leaders or Pakistani stooge. The same technique to woo the voters is used by National Conference and PDP by displaying green flag, uttering certain words in the honor of Pakistan. These leaders use the slogan of Azadi when out of power and once in power they enjoy it to its fullest. They calculatedly use picaresque to further their own interests and befool the average by their double speak one for center and the other for the people of the state. This double speak has been the root cause of the current crises in J&K. This lead to their personal prosperity at the cost of the faith of the people of J&K in the democratic set up of the country. The electoral defeat of MUF by NC in a dubious manner made people to think about the futility of voting. NC got elevated to higher levels both in the state and center enjoyed power and after defeat are chanting a different song. The same experiment was applied by PDP by turning the sympathizer of terrorists and close to center at the same time. The double standard of the political parties shrunk the confidence of the people in them.
The Center Government too never tried to patronize the patriotic people of the state. It simply tried to rule through puppets with little or no mass base and tried to bestow every blessing on J&K without accountability and fairness.
The puppet Governments used threat techniques to get more for themselves and their loyalists. The threat of losing Kashmir if their legitimate and illegitimate demands were not met always was raked to extract maximum from center at the cost of millions of the innocent people of the country. This murky deal acted to the benefit of both the center and the state but shook the confidence of people. It was in this state that Mahatma Gandhi had seen the ray of hope in 1947 when whole of India was on fire. Why this ray of hope got extinguished is least debated in any forum? Was it a creation of people with vested interests or due to the negligence of the concerned authorities? Why Kashmiriyat the epitome of human relations got tattered in 1990? Was it due to foreign influence or internal confusion?
The common minimum program of PDP and BJP, an alliance of North pole and south pole, for the equal development of the three regions also lasted with little or no progress on vital issues. The unholy alliance borne out of a polarized verdict led to nowhere in the three regions rather it gave somewhat legitimacy to stone pelters and terrorists. The disenchantment of people compelled BJP to withdraw its support.
The militancy striving for Azadi supported by the enemy country for its own interest to avenge the formation of Bangladesh at present is confined to Kashmir region, Jammu and Ladakh regions have never been a part of Azadi brigade. It is just 25 percent of population which gets swayed by azadi brigade rest 75 percent population of the state has nothing to do with it. How Kashmir region with just 5 districts can survive without the support of any neighbor can be any one’s guess work. The minuscule group of people working at the behest of their masters beyond the boundaries has put everything to ransack. This group neither cares for human lives, economy, culture or anything else except the command they get from the other side.
The biggest question at present remains Azadi from whom? Who has obstructed Kashmiries from enjoying the best available in the country? Who is treating them as slaves? Radicalization engulfing Kashmir can lead to nowhere except polluting its great culture. The devastation of Sufi /Rishi culture of Kashmir at the hands of radicals should be the cause of concern. The terror stricken majority or the refugee Kashmiri pundits are a blot on the age old traditions of Kashmir. The unequal distribution of income in the State and the equal development of all the three regions needs attention. Azadi shall mean getting rid of poverty, illiteracy, unequal distribution of wealth and equal opportunities for all.It shall not mean religious fanaticism and befooling of people for self interest. It shall mean getting education to poor children rather than giving stones in their hands.
Kashmiries need development like any other citizen of the country rather than false assurances/misguidance from leaders with dubious intensions. They stood by the side of India in every respect and need a genuine redress of their problems which can be possible in an amicable environment only.
(The author is Director (MAIMS) Guru Gobind Singh Indiraprastha University Delhi)
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel