KEY ISSUES ON KASHMIR

(under continuous development)

At this site, the truth about the KEY issues around Kashmir will be analysed and discussed. All views, with verifiable content, are welcome. Material that is not written by LPI does not necessarily represent LPI’s views. This list does not meet the highest standards of referencing, copyright notices, etc., - it is an attempt to understand a very serious problem; apologies for shoddiness in these academic matters.

GANDHI

‘Gandhi visited Srinagar on 1st August 1947. Before leaving for Kashmir, he was asked whether he would ask Raja Harisingh, the then ruler of Kashmir, to accede to India. He explained, "The people of Kashmir should be asked whether they want to join India or Pakistan.  The ruler is nothing.  The people are everything." ‘ cited by S.R. Kelkar in Freedom First, July-Sept 2003, p. 16.

NEHRU

Nehru’s repeated promises to the people of Kashmir (see his full speeches)

 “we made a condition that the accession would have to be considered by the people of Kashmir later when peace and order were established.” Nehru, November 2, 1947

“We have declared that the fate of Kashmir is ultimately to be decided by the people. That pledge we have given, and the Maharaja has supported it, not only to the people of Kashmir but to the world. We will not and cannot back out of it.” Nehru,  November 2, 1947

FRANK MORAES

“both Nehru and Mountbatten in the course of the Junagadh episode had committed themselves to the principle of a plebiscite where accession was in dispute. This was reiterated in October, 1947, when the maharaja of Kashmir acceded to India.”

Issue	In favour of India	Against India
Accession of Kashmir	Yes. It is legally valid.	But Junagarh had acceded to Pakistan and we did not accept it - but insisted on armed action and plebiscite
Plebiscite promised to Kashmir and Junagarh	We held the plebiscite in Junagarh in 1948 and nullified its ruler’s accession to Pakistan.	We refuse to hold a plebiscite in Kashmir
Constituent Assembly in Kashmir ‘integrated Kashmir with India’		UN Resolution of March 1951 explicitly ruled out such a method

IN SUMMARY - Why are we backing out from Nehru’s promise?

(Personal view of Sanjeev Sabhlok as at October 2003)

It begins to look suspiciously like India is at fault, not with Pakistan and its belligerence, which is a continuing problem, but with regard to the people of Kashmir.

The two-nation theory is false (but having accepted it as the foundation of partition we need to remember that under that theory all muslim majority areas were to go to Pakistan), and what Pakistan did in 1947 in supporting the raiders into Kashmir is wrong, but we cannot deny the plebiscite to the people of Kashmir (in an appropriate way, under peaceful conditions).

Junagarh got a plebiscite at that time in March – June 1948 (exact date to be checked). Kashmiris deserve one too. Indeed, not giving them what we promised is a shame. No quibbling and nitpicking or beating around the bush can hide this fundamental shame. Do our promises mean nothing? I thought we were an honorable people.

I'm beginning to feel really sorry that Nehru's repeated commitment to the Kashmiri people has never been publicised by the media which harps instead on Pakistan's evils but does not talk of the basic commitment by India to honour the principle enunciated by Nehru tens of times (and approved by Gandhi).

Elections are no substitute for a plebiscite.

Plus, we cannot have the cake and eat it too (we got the Hindu-majority Junagarh and Hyderabad; we can't demand the Muslim majority Kashmir too! Else, at least let us give Junagarh back – since their ruler wanted to merge with Pakistan, and see what happens to the BJP govt. in Gujarat).

A view expressed in Freedom First, April-June 2000, page 6.

“There is a Kashmir problem and the only solution is to fulfil what we promised – a plebiscite.”

READING MATERIAL

LPI’s efforts to get the facts right

KASHMIR IMBROGLIO, by Alan Campbell-Johnson (Word doc, 120KB)

Kashmir documents

Pro-India networks

Indian army’s Kashmir website

Kashmir information network.

Jammu and Kashmir - complete knowledge base

http://ikashmir.org/Pakistan/

Pro-Pakistan networks

Kashmir information centre

Pakistan Muslim League

http://kashmir1.g2gm.com/

http://hellinparadise.150m.com/kashmirlinks.html

This web site is held by Sanjeev Sabhlok in trust. It will be transferred to the National Liberal Party of India when it is formed.

This is not a registered political party of India, nor it close to becoming a party.

It is the Ideal party promoted by the India Policy Institute in 1998-2000. It awaits your energy.