Amarnath Shrine Crisis in Jammu and Kashmir
Anurag Gangal
July 06, 2008
Amarnath Shrine Board´s land row is the latest nail in the coffin of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Government, especially, the rule of the Congress Party. First, land is granted and then it is taken back from the Protector of all beings ! Above all, the majority of Indian citizens and their wishes are ignored. The national perspective is being put into the din. J&K is thrown upon a blitzkrieg again. It is the backtracking of the Government´s decision and the Pakistani link through London that have brought this chaotic situation to the fore once more. Former Governor of the State, General S. K. Sinha is not responsible for this current muddle and mess. He, alongwith the Cabinet of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, had gone for a right and timely administrative and managerial decision in the interest of innumerable Amarnath pilgrims and countless unemployed youth of the State. Indeed, when a Cabinet decision is made then the entire Government and political machinery is responsible for it and not just the Governor or the Chief Minister.
U-Turn and Chaos
Government´s volte face on granting of the land to Amarnath Shrine Board and PDP´s sudden about turn after Mehbooba Mufti´s return from London has led to hundreds of common people facing untimely death, injuries, bandhs, lathi charge, police firing and near complete chaos. Even in this civil war like chaotic situation, political leaders are bothering more for their own political future and mileage and not for the protection and welfare of the common people in the State.
Under the circumstances and also in view of the history of Hurriyat, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC) in J&K, immediate imposition of Governor´s rule concomitant with banning of these three dangerous organisations and political parties are a few steps required rightaway. This appears to be the only emergent way for peace and normalcy in the State as of now. Otherwise, chaos will prevail ever more.
It is apparent, subject to an impartial judicial or gubernatorial inquiry, that Hurriyat, PDP and NC alongwith their senior leaders have indulged in anti-national, communal, divisive and subversive activities both overtly and covertly. This phenomenon has often led to sabotage on their part including the instigation for failure of constitutional machinery. All this has often ended up in disrupting the (still) nascent and fragile democratic setup and social and political peace in the State. It is this delicate democracy and recurring chaos that had once created the Pak Occupied Kashmir also. One never knows how many more "Pak Occupied Kashmirs" are already planted for prospective fruition.
History Rewinds
The present-day type of serious political, economic and civil disorder in J&K is a recurring feature almost every decade since the accession of Kashmir to India. J&K is just slightly less chaotic than the political anarchy in Pakistan since India´s partition. It seems as if the Pakistani political bedlam is having its reflection in J&K State. All this creates an uncalled for impression, rightly or wrongly, as if most of the leaders in Hurriyat, PDP and NC are on the payrolls of Pakistani intelligence agencies.
London, as of late, appears to have become the common meeting point for all such perceptible Pakistani agents in India. This is proving to be a factual reality since 1930´s when Mohammad Ali Jinnah started getting involved with Choudhary Rahmat Ali´s original scheme of India´s partition and creation of the ambitious Pakistani crescent.
As such, in J&K, as it were, history does not repeat but rewinds itself. Where will this rewinding of history lead us to? This is a serious question for the Central Indian leadership to consider. Otherwise, there can be several Pak Occupied Kashmirs in J&K.
Bankruptcy of Political Leadership in Jammu
The latest row over 800 canals of forest land to Amarnath Shrine Board after a well thought about Cabinet decision was an excellent gesture by the Government led by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. However, Government´s reversal of this decision is very unfortunate. It shows Cabinet Ministers´ immaturity and apathy to people´s cause and public interest.
There are several powerful ministers in the existing Cabinet in J&K from Jammu region and Jammu proper. What they are doing when J&K and Jammu are burning? Why they are not resigning from the Cabinet in the interest of the people of Jammu? Has the political (manipulating) glue fixed them on their seats of power for a few more remaining days? It seems they would like to stay there until they are literally thrown out by the people of Jammu. PDP leaders, on the other hand, have at least the courage of conviction to resign from the Cabinet in the avowed interest of their apparent Pakistani agenda. PDP leaders have acted in a manly way indeed. Where the courage of conviction of Cabinet Ministers from Jammu has has gone to? Why these political leaders from Jammu are lying low? Why they are not coming to help the common people of Jammu? Have they become spineless? What has happened to their, as it were, excellent political acrobatics and gymnastics? Why they are not performing when their support is most needed now? It is highly surprising that when people of Jammu need them the most, they are more likely to be found planning for their trips to foreign lands. Otherwise, they will hide themselves in their own protective shells. After all, their life is more important than the lives of their own and common people !
Dangerous Portents
The current state of affairs in J&K, with communal overtones, is not only very bad but it has highly dangerous portents for posterity to see. As of now:
1. Communal rivalry is at its peak;
2. Civilian violence and chaos is leading to deadly consequences;
3. Governmental machinery is not able to control the situation;
4. J&K is returning to the dangerous political turmoil of 1990´s; and now
5. Jammu is also getting engulfed in the socio-political conflagration of the Kashmir´s type;
6. This is what the Pakistani intelligence services also want to happen;
7. Congress Party in Government has failed to deal with the current situation for their appeasement policy is not in national interest; and
8. The advisors to Congress leaders on J&K affairs in the State and at the Centre are not doing their job sincerely and properly.
The present circumstances in the J&K State will soon lead to repeated imposition of curfews due to massive communal violence and subversive activities of the PDP, NC and Hurriyat at the behest of their apparent Pakistani links and clandestine financial, material and armed support from across the border through Al Qaeda´s and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) hobnobbing with local Kashmiri associates. Under the circumstances, even drug trafficking, human trafficking, armaments smuggling and fake currency racketeering will further widen its network for sabotaging the constitutional machinery of the State.
As such, it is a longer lasting civil war like situation in the offing. It is not only the constitutional machinery in the State but also the future of youth, and peace and development of the civil society at stake. Actually, the crisis of granting land to Amarnath Shrine Board and its aftermath has again brought to light other related matters of very serious nature. It is bringing to light the anti-national nexus and networking in the J&K State. This is a very sensitive aspect of highest national importance.
Despite this scenario, political leaders of J&K State still keep following either the
Pakistani agenda, immaturity, lack of courage of conviction, the policy of short sighted
political opportunism or policy of appeasement vis-à-vis saboteurs. Even in the case of granting of land to Amarnath Shrine Board, questions of environment protection are being used as a scapegoat to gloat over the hidden agenda from Pakistan. Questions of holistic development are being put to shelf instead.
Why Hurriyat, PDP and NC Oppose Granting of Land
The initial decision of J&K Cabinet to grant the relevant forest land to Amarnath Shrine Board was taken from an administrative and managerial view point, especially, to provide necessary developmental infrastructure and facilities to pilgrims coming to Amarnath Shrine every year. This was also done to ease so many related matters anent the yearly feature of Amarnath Yatra.
However, after the London´s visit of certain PDP leaders, they again apparently remembered their, as it were, hidden agenda of never allowing any permanent infrastructure and facilities for so many pilgrims visiting the Amarnath Shrine every year in the Kashmir region – now inhabited mainly by Kashmiris other than Kashmiri Pundits. Hurriyat´s call to oppose the Cabinet decision for granting land to Amarnath Shrine Board was, thus, joined by PDP and NC both. After the exodus of Kashmiri Pundits from Kashmir, it seems, remaining Kashmiri political leadership in the Kashmir region want to enjoy Kashmiriyat on their own ! They do not want to share it with Kashmiri Pundits and other Indian citizens any more. Why this xenophobia is there even at the cost of economic development of the region? What can be the reason behind this xenophobia? Is this xenophobia a historical necessity or a political agenda dictated by foreign lands?
In depth research into the circumstances leading to J&K´s accession to India can further show a hidden political agenda of several stalwart leaders in Kashmir towards keeping away the Kashmiri Pundits and other such communities from settling down in the Kashmir region through strategic planning over the years – without ever saying so openly and publicly. The covert attempt has been to throw out such communities from Kashmir in league with Pakistani influences. That is how, as it appears, even the Pak Occupied Kashmir was created. These types of subversive and divisive political manipulations in J&K are going on for the last sixty years.
That is why J&K is presenting before us a very unique political and economic scenario. Political parties like PDP and NC are converting J&K into a very weak institution as a State, politically and economically. Leaders and a few other people in the political and economic nexus are individually becoming very rich and prosperous. However, the J&K State is nearly bankrupt. This bankruptcy is further enriched by anti-national elements like Hurriyat and its collaborators in J&K. The current chaotic circumstances relating to the grant of land to Amarnath Shrine Board are also created by such subversive and anti-national forces only.
What Needs to be Done
Above mentioned perspectives, apparent political subversion and the latest chaos and anarchy in the J&K State cannot be resolved through backtracking and ephemeral decision making while hurting the sentiments of the majority of Indian citizens.
Bold policy options will have to be opted for. As such, first, it is necessary that subversive and anti-national elements like Hurriyat, PDP and NC are banned permanently. Secondly, Governor´s rule must be immediately imposed in J&K for bringing about not only instantaneous normalcy but also longer lasting political stability, justice, peace and prosperity on a wider plain for the sake of the common people in particular. Thirdly, Governor´s rule must continue at least for next ten years in order to deal with six decades old saboteurs and anti-national elements in the State. Fourthly, an impartial judicial or gubernatorial inquiry commission must be established and set up to submit its report to the President of India on all above mentioned contexts and clandestine anti-national activities and happenings in the J&K State during the last sixty years.
Otherwise, the events like the Amarnath Shrine Board crises cannot be prevented from taking an ugly turn on a much larger scale. Once, this Pakistani connection into various affairs of the J&K State is properly dealt with, all other things will fall in line on their own. This is required in order to prevent various divisive forces re-emerging again in the State to further weaken it politically, economically and culturally.
U-Turn and Chaos
Government´s volte face on granting of the land to Amarnath Shrine Board and PDP´s sudden about turn after Mehbooba Mufti´s return from London has led to hundreds of common people facing untimely death, injuries, bandhs, lathi charge, police firing and near complete chaos. Even in this civil war like chaotic situation, political leaders are bothering more for their own political future and mileage and not for the protection and welfare of the common people in the State.
Under the circumstances and also in view of the history of Hurriyat, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC) in J&K, immediate imposition of Governor´s rule concomitant with banning of these three dangerous organisations and political parties are a few steps required rightaway. This appears to be the only emergent way for peace and normalcy in the State as of now. Otherwise, chaos will prevail ever more.
It is apparent, subject to an impartial judicial or gubernatorial inquiry, that Hurriyat, PDP and NC alongwith their senior leaders have indulged in anti-national, communal, divisive and subversive activities both overtly and covertly. This phenomenon has often led to sabotage on their part including the instigation for failure of constitutional machinery. All this has often ended up in disrupting the (still) nascent and fragile democratic setup and social and political peace in the State. It is this delicate democracy and recurring chaos that had once created the Pak Occupied Kashmir also. One never knows how many more "Pak Occupied Kashmirs" are already planted for prospective fruition.
History Rewinds
The present-day type of serious political, economic and civil disorder in J&K is a recurring feature almost every decade since the accession of Kashmir to India. J&K is just slightly less chaotic than the political anarchy in Pakistan since India´s partition. It seems as if the Pakistani political bedlam is having its reflection in J&K State. All this creates an uncalled for impression, rightly or wrongly, as if most of the leaders in Hurriyat, PDP and NC are on the payrolls of Pakistani intelligence agencies.
London, as of late, appears to have become the common meeting point for all such perceptible Pakistani agents in India. This is proving to be a factual reality since 1930´s when Mohammad Ali Jinnah started getting involved with Choudhary Rahmat Ali´s original scheme of India´s partition and creation of the ambitious Pakistani crescent.
As such, in J&K, as it were, history does not repeat but rewinds itself. Where will this rewinding of history lead us to? This is a serious question for the Central Indian leadership to consider. Otherwise, there can be several Pak Occupied Kashmirs in J&K.
Bankruptcy of Political Leadership in Jammu
The latest row over 800 canals of forest land to Amarnath Shrine Board after a well thought about Cabinet decision was an excellent gesture by the Government led by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. However, Government´s reversal of this decision is very unfortunate. It shows Cabinet Ministers´ immaturity and apathy to people´s cause and public interest.
There are several powerful ministers in the existing Cabinet in J&K from Jammu region and Jammu proper. What they are doing when J&K and Jammu are burning? Why they are not resigning from the Cabinet in the interest of the people of Jammu? Has the political (manipulating) glue fixed them on their seats of power for a few more remaining days? It seems they would like to stay there until they are literally thrown out by the people of Jammu. PDP leaders, on the other hand, have at least the courage of conviction to resign from the Cabinet in the avowed interest of their apparent Pakistani agenda. PDP leaders have acted in a manly way indeed. Where the courage of conviction of Cabinet Ministers from Jammu has has gone to? Why these political leaders from Jammu are lying low? Why they are not coming to help the common people of Jammu? Have they become spineless? What has happened to their, as it were, excellent political acrobatics and gymnastics? Why they are not performing when their support is most needed now? It is highly surprising that when people of Jammu need them the most, they are more likely to be found planning for their trips to foreign lands. Otherwise, they will hide themselves in their own protective shells. After all, their life is more important than the lives of their own and common people !
Dangerous Portents
The current state of affairs in J&K, with communal overtones, is not only very bad but it has highly dangerous portents for posterity to see. As of now:
1. Communal rivalry is at its peak;
2. Civilian violence and chaos is leading to deadly consequences;
3. Governmental machinery is not able to control the situation;
4. J&K is returning to the dangerous political turmoil of 1990´s; and now
5. Jammu is also getting engulfed in the socio-political conflagration of the Kashmir´s type;
6. This is what the Pakistani intelligence services also want to happen;
7. Congress Party in Government has failed to deal with the current situation for their appeasement policy is not in national interest; and
8. The advisors to Congress leaders on J&K affairs in the State and at the Centre are not doing their job sincerely and properly.
The present circumstances in the J&K State will soon lead to repeated imposition of curfews due to massive communal violence and subversive activities of the PDP, NC and Hurriyat at the behest of their apparent Pakistani links and clandestine financial, material and armed support from across the border through Al Qaeda´s and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) hobnobbing with local Kashmiri associates. Under the circumstances, even drug trafficking, human trafficking, armaments smuggling and fake currency racketeering will further widen its network for sabotaging the constitutional machinery of the State.
As such, it is a longer lasting civil war like situation in the offing. It is not only the constitutional machinery in the State but also the future of youth, and peace and development of the civil society at stake. Actually, the crisis of granting land to Amarnath Shrine Board and its aftermath has again brought to light other related matters of very serious nature. It is bringing to light the anti-national nexus and networking in the J&K State. This is a very sensitive aspect of highest national importance.
Despite this scenario, political leaders of J&K State still keep following either the
Pakistani agenda, immaturity, lack of courage of conviction, the policy of short sighted
political opportunism or policy of appeasement vis-à-vis saboteurs. Even in the case of granting of land to Amarnath Shrine Board, questions of environment protection are being used as a scapegoat to gloat over the hidden agenda from Pakistan. Questions of holistic development are being put to shelf instead.
Why Hurriyat, PDP and NC Oppose Granting of Land
The initial decision of J&K Cabinet to grant the relevant forest land to Amarnath Shrine Board was taken from an administrative and managerial view point, especially, to provide necessary developmental infrastructure and facilities to pilgrims coming to Amarnath Shrine every year. This was also done to ease so many related matters anent the yearly feature of Amarnath Yatra.
However, after the London´s visit of certain PDP leaders, they again apparently remembered their, as it were, hidden agenda of never allowing any permanent infrastructure and facilities for so many pilgrims visiting the Amarnath Shrine every year in the Kashmir region – now inhabited mainly by Kashmiris other than Kashmiri Pundits. Hurriyat´s call to oppose the Cabinet decision for granting land to Amarnath Shrine Board was, thus, joined by PDP and NC both. After the exodus of Kashmiri Pundits from Kashmir, it seems, remaining Kashmiri political leadership in the Kashmir region want to enjoy Kashmiriyat on their own ! They do not want to share it with Kashmiri Pundits and other Indian citizens any more. Why this xenophobia is there even at the cost of economic development of the region? What can be the reason behind this xenophobia? Is this xenophobia a historical necessity or a political agenda dictated by foreign lands?
In depth research into the circumstances leading to J&K´s accession to India can further show a hidden political agenda of several stalwart leaders in Kashmir towards keeping away the Kashmiri Pundits and other such communities from settling down in the Kashmir region through strategic planning over the years – without ever saying so openly and publicly. The covert attempt has been to throw out such communities from Kashmir in league with Pakistani influences. That is how, as it appears, even the Pak Occupied Kashmir was created. These types of subversive and divisive political manipulations in J&K are going on for the last sixty years.
That is why J&K is presenting before us a very unique political and economic scenario. Political parties like PDP and NC are converting J&K into a very weak institution as a State, politically and economically. Leaders and a few other people in the political and economic nexus are individually becoming very rich and prosperous. However, the J&K State is nearly bankrupt. This bankruptcy is further enriched by anti-national elements like Hurriyat and its collaborators in J&K. The current chaotic circumstances relating to the grant of land to Amarnath Shrine Board are also created by such subversive and anti-national forces only.
What Needs to be Done
Above mentioned perspectives, apparent political subversion and the latest chaos and anarchy in the J&K State cannot be resolved through backtracking and ephemeral decision making while hurting the sentiments of the majority of Indian citizens.
Bold policy options will have to be opted for. As such, first, it is necessary that subversive and anti-national elements like Hurriyat, PDP and NC are banned permanently. Secondly, Governor´s rule must be immediately imposed in J&K for bringing about not only instantaneous normalcy but also longer lasting political stability, justice, peace and prosperity on a wider plain for the sake of the common people in particular. Thirdly, Governor´s rule must continue at least for next ten years in order to deal with six decades old saboteurs and anti-national elements in the State. Fourthly, an impartial judicial or gubernatorial inquiry commission must be established and set up to submit its report to the President of India on all above mentioned contexts and clandestine anti-national activities and happenings in the J&K State during the last sixty years.
Otherwise, the events like the Amarnath Shrine Board crises cannot be prevented from taking an ugly turn on a much larger scale. Once, this Pakistani connection into various affairs of the J&K State is properly dealt with, all other things will fall in line on their own. This is required in order to prevent various divisive forces re-emerging again in the State to further weaken it politically, economically and culturally.