KASHMIR UNDER COMMUNAL ATTACK?

By: Tahir Muzter

Amarnath is again in news, this time it is construction of Amaranth Road. As   a  researcher  of  Amaranth  Land  Row, with  400 pages   first   book on the  subject,  ready   for publication , I should like to  mention  that it is not just a road , it is much more   than that ------it  is    road   leading   to implementation of  a   big  conspiracy   against   Kashmir ----It is  road to  a  new  State  within  State .   This road is leading to Middle East like situation in Kashmir.  But   it is unfortunate,   it is a big   tragedy,   that those Hurriyat Leaders, who  were at the helm of affairs  of  peoples uprising   against   land   row (In  2008  )could   not  visualize  the   danger   in  shape   of  Shrine Act of  2000,  full of serious  flaws, ,  framed by  then  National  Conference  Government , perhaps   at the persuasion of  Delhi --   The issue is   also   linked  with ,  present  Governor’s accord   with  Sangash  Samti   of  Jammu,  restoring land    ,that  too  exclusively to  the  SHRIN BOARD , at   the dictation of  Sangh  Parivar . This   accord   was declared by   constitutional expert    like A.G.  Noorani, one sided,  immoral. Illegal--------and   worst than original land   transfer order of ---May. 2008.    It was  after  that  accord,  that   Singh Parivar  was   much  so  much  encouraged  , that  BJP National President Raj Nathan , in the National council  meeting  at Bangalore  demanded    nationalsation   of   Amaranth  route--- and it happened   just after a couple of days of Governor.s  appointed Panel accord   with    Sangrash  Samiti   of  Jammu  , as  referred above 

                          That   is   the    new  introduction of  my  one  previous  article of  October , 2008, , published  in  the Greater Kashmir    It was  at  that  time  I could  see  it  as a communal    attack on Kashmir  and  also  titled  my  article ---------“Kashmir  under  communal  attack” 

“AND   THE COMMUNAL TIME   BOMB IS TICKING”........ \

                             But alas   Hurriyat  Leaders , who were   then at the   helm of  affairs, could not understand  and did not took  notice  of the  development    then-----and the   result  is     that  the conspiracy  against    Kashmir   is now under implementation . According   to my information big   business    houses  in the country  -----  supporters of   Sang Parivar   are ready  to invest  in  Crores   in   making  Amaranth  Nagar In Kashmir, hinted    four years back , even before  LAND ROW OF  2008---, by  a renowned  journalist  son of  Kashmir  Armand  Husain Talib-------------My predictive   article  of  2008 , refereed above is reproduced  here in full, without   editing. 

       

    “This depressing and alarming simultaneously-----It is like Jewish approach to Palestine--------It is time to rethink before it is too late.  “Nationalization of Amaranth Yatra”(GK  26 Sep, 2008)-------- The need of the hour is to make leaders also  to understand, who are more concerned about their leadership, and trying to  surpass each other. In the most critical prevailing situation in Kashmir, Mirwaiz’s thoughts overlapped by distant dream of “Islamic banking system” as if Kashmir is free enough to indulge in this luxury.  Right to self-determination is alright; but political consciousness does not allow us   to be indifferent when presently Kashmir is under a serious and a planned attack. -------------

  “Na Samjogay  tum   ai Kashmir walo ---tumari dastan tak bhi  na hogi dastoonoo main”

                               Kashmir is under a dreadful attack from Sangh Parivar. Events explain that Congress with the nationalist and secular credentials at the helm of affairs at the Centre is also perhaps swayed by Sangh. Parivar’s nefarious campaign against   people of Kashmir. Or it suits to the government of India to follow suit.  It was not just a coincidence that Babri Masjid was demolished by Sangh Parivar when it was Congress Government at the centre. There   are enough indications from the centre of its tightening the noose on Kashmir to suppress the sacred sentiment of its identity, awakened in a collective form for the first time in 61- long years as a result of illegal transfer of forest land against the letter and sprit of the law of the land. The en-mass protest was not communal at all. But  handling    of  the situation    in Kashmir and subsequently in Jammu,  is  no doubt, manifestation  of communal mindset of the rulers  of  the State and  those   at the Centre. The handling can be termed discriminative in it worst form and direct contempt to the Kashmiri sentiment of identity, which is still going on in Kashmir. How can people of Kashmir expect airplay when the Governor of the State is at the same time Chairman of the Shri Amaranth Shrine Board under the blind Shrine Board Act? The recent situation and it discriminative handling in the State is obvious to every one and it suggests, that the Governor of the State should not   be the Chairman of the Sheri Amaranth Shrine Board. It may not be out of any sort of prejudice, but because national interest demands it. 

                       However it is a separate issue and demands threadbare discussion. Here it is the burning question of the attack, Sangh Pariwar has launched on Kashmir. And the ‘launching’ statement of BJP National president Rajnath singh is enough to bring it to home, that Shri Amarnath Shrine Board in its present form with its present obviously flawed Act. Is in the vanguard of the attack declared by BJP now. ---The worst apprehensions kashmiries were harboring against transfer or ‘diversion’ of land to the Shrine Board (SASB) is coming true.

BJP seeks to take over Yatra route” (GK Sep 14, 2008) A brief heading, but a big news. ---------   It needs to be read again and again together with “Panini Kashmir” Plan and thought of what is going to happen to secular Kashmir. when our basic identity is in danger.. And how can we fight it back. ----- As the Greater Kashmir has rightly described it---“The agenda is out. The link between the Amaranth agitation and behind the veil saffron plot is now exposed”------. ---Bhatia Junta Party has demanded nationalization of the entire route to Amaranth cave in the Kashmir valley. In his presidential address to the three day national executive meeting in Banglore.Rajnath Singh demanded that the road leading to the Amaranth should be nationalized. While demanding it to from the Central Govt., he has shamelessly said that it is needed “so that in future no attempt is made to disturb the social harmony.” As there is in no such instance  of  disturbance during  one hundred and  fifty years of Amarnath yare.--- And then how can the goal  of social harmony be reached  through a  nationalized  thoroughfare.? Or it is a veiled threat? 

The BJP has sought to compare the Amaranth issue with the situation prevailing just after demolition of Bari Mashed in Ajodhya. The BJP president said that the then congress government had been able to acquire the “disputed land and end the controversy, the same can be done in Kashmir by nationalization of land in Kashmir.”  According to reports even some delegates present in that meeting   were puzzled by the radical proposal of nationalization of vast areas in Kashmir. He has also demanded carving out a separate area in the Kashmir valley for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.

Surely it is not any co- incidence, but understandably a part of  Sangh Parivar’s wicked agenda.  “Panunu Kashmir”---an organization of some  migrated Pandits  has come out with their plan.    --------Kashmiri Pandits have a right to come to Kashmir resettle here, as they, all are bonafide State-Subjects.  But it is not just a question of their right to resettle in Kashmir again. It is beyond that and that too with dangerous implications. According to the statement issued   after the B JP’s Bangalore meeting was over. “Panini Kashmir” has said---“we have already earmarked the area for the creation of separate home-land on the north east river Jhelum.  The political  map of this  area has already been released This area, which includes Amarnath Shrine, provided vital surface link to Ladakh region,    creation of  Homeland with Union territory status in the valley would secure the territorial and civilizational imperatives of valley which   secure the territorial and civilizational imperatives of the Indian nation on the northwestern front”.

There  is another alarming revelation made by  PDP President Mehbooba Mufti in this regard.Her statement now  on BJP’s  wicked proposal   should be taken as “Ghar Ka Bhedi  lanka  dhaye”------- On September, 15, Mehbooba Mufti president PDP dared Sangh Parivar to try  and carry  out  its hidebound vicious plan of nationalizing the Amarnath route.  Reacting to the BJP president Rajnath Singh’s call for nationalizing  the Amarnath route,  she also pointed out  that, -------General Sinha had told  in an interview with “Saamma”-RSS- mounth-piece recently that he had presented to the Central Government a comprehensive plan of action centering around  the Amarnath, to  tame Kashmiries. In his interview General Sinha had lamented that the Government of India didn’t take any follow up action on his Kashmir Plan, although they appreciated it a lot.” -------- It shows that the General had more arms in his armory to tame the kashmiries firther

General Sinha’plan makes BJP President’s   statement together with “plan of Union territory in the Valley, more alarming for people of Kashmir.   This all explains that ‘‘Hamaree burbadioon kay mashwaray  ho rahe  hain aasmanoo  main”.   All this is bound to bulldoze our identity guaranteed under Article 370. What we fear is genuine as the recent situation in the State and its handling brings to surface many   ugly plans of taming people of Kashmir, and throttling their voice.  This is horrifying which can be visualized well ahead of coming events. It can be stopped only if we do right thing at right time.  

The blunder is ours---- When  the  unilateral, immoral and illegal Govt.-Sang rash  Sami   accord was  made public by the Government  naming  it  shamelessly as “ victory for dialogue. ”. The leaders at the helm of affairs in Kashmir shelved the matter by disassociating themselves telling “land is no issue”.  -------- Is land no   issue? Yes, Kashmir is disputed and diverting peoples protest to 61 years old demand for right of self- determination is also understandable. However, the big question is-----Is it politically wise to allow erosion of Kashmir’s identity until our demand for right of self-determination is conceded.   ------------ OR we must  revolt against every  such nefarious design aiming at converting Kashmir into a colony as is being done now bluntly because of   our  blunder of remaining  indifferent to our identity in the past..   Telling “land is no issue”--- has encouraged Singh Privar and paved way for their achieving their objectives.  People of Kashmir have enough experience to understand that politicians and leaders have always their own expediencies. But at   time  any alarming event demand immediate attention and action.BJP National President’s  wicked demand of nationalization of Amaranth yatra route  together with another plan of  Union territory in the  valley is , no doubt an alarming  move and needs to fight back with our  political will and determination.  

                Nobody in Kashmir is against Shri Amarnath pilgrimage.  It has been going here for the last about two centenaries and no doubt with the support and available services of Muslims here. The Holy cave was discovered by the Kashmiri Muslims and handed over to Kashmiri Hindus, as  admitted by Dr.Karan Singh “I have to record that this sacred cave has among its guardians a Muslim family from Anantnag Kashmir, who receives his share offerings made at the holy cave every year (the Abode of Shiva by Prof. Fida Hassnain,--1989). Amarnath yatra is a tradition -----a practical token of our secular temperament and this will continue till Kashmir is on the map of the world.But unfortunately with the formation of   Shrine Board, non-kashmiries and outsiders converted it into a hotbed of political controversy.

Coming again on the issue of communal attack on Kashmir from Singh Parivar, we are supposed to give our mind to the land issue which became the basis of the controversy. Yes, apparently   “Land is no issue”. But the naked fact is that the issue is very much linked with Shri Amaranth Shrine Board (SASB), which functioned and acted like “EAST   INDIA COMPANY” in Kashmir. This is the Shrine Board Act.2000, which is obviously flawed and has made the Board powerful enough to dictate terms to the State Government, as it stands proved with the recent land diversion   to this Board. There is no doubt that Shrine Board in its present form and shape will prove  cancerous for ages old communal harmony in Kashmir .It is the Shrine Board in its  present form and  under the existing Act.,   that Singh Parivar is fluttering its wings to make the Board a launching pad  for  its communal attack.----It is the time  that the leaders  also give   their mind  to this alarming situation, and raise their voice to get the obviously flawed  Shrine Board Act. Amended with appropriate remedial measures taken in the matter. This is what the sacrifices of the people demand.  And this is how we can stop Sangh Parivar’s communal attack on Kashmir. Let people of Kashmir be aware of this communal time-bomb.’’ 

(The writer can be reached at: tahirmuzter.s@rediffmail.com)