Kashmir Bloodshed and an Un-Indian

The biggest flaw of humankind is that they can’t find their own mistakes. It takes generations just to admit that a mistake has been committed, and then it takes double or triple the time (it took for admission) to rectify or begin reconciliation process of the mistake and the damages it has done. My country isn’t exception, rather in few instances, it leads from front.

It’s an easy and acceptable process all over the world to shift the blame on others. We learn it from childhood, and then master it while applying over all aspects of life. Our teachers, our parents, our seniors and our friends encourage us not to blame ourselves. Our whole educative curriculum and professional environment are modeled after finding others’ mistakes, and not of us. The international policies are tailored on this policy. And so, when we’re faced with a real problem, be that massive global warming or miniscule Kashmir issue, be that tremendous oil-greed of West or abject poverty of third world, we sincerely pass the blame on other side, and then feel enraged and hopeless, as we’ve minimum control over ‘others’. We forget that solutions lie with problems - only if we genuinely understand the problem, we’ll be able to solve it.

But solutions aren’t enthralling. The problems are. Take Kashmir. Nowhere in this planet, a mountainous not-too-hospitable place has created so much rapturous discord between two countries. The problems are numerous, and the solutions too. But historically the problems have given us wars, hatred, sports-bans, media trials and government falls; whereas solutions are side-tracked, as if in this hype of entertainment, they’re just unwanted. Whom-so-ever tries to talk sanity in both countries, are thrashed publicly, named traitors and then brandished forever. The trend isn’t alarming, because this is what humans are supposed to do. A part of them will always be closer to predators, and that part will search for prey.

Before 800 AD, the Kashmir became an important centre of Kambojas and later of Buddhism and in the ninth century, Kashmir Shaivism arose. Muslim came into picture only when in 1339, Shah Mir became the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir, inaugurating the Salatin-i-Kashmir or Swati dynasty. For the next five centuries, Muslim monarchs ruled Kashmir, including the Mughals, who ruled from 1586 until 1751, and the Afghan Durrani Empire, which ruled from 1751 until 1820. That year, the Sikhs, under Ranjit Singh, annexed Kashmir. In 1846, after the Sikh defeat in the First Anglo-Sikh War, and upon the purchase of the region from the British under the Treaty of Amritsar, the Raja of Jammu, Gulab Singh, became the new ruler of Kashmir. His descendant Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession with India when Kashmir was attacked by tribes with active logistical support of Pakistan in 1947. It was history. And rest is too history. India and Pakistan’s claims and re-claims over Kashmir.

Kashmir belongs to whom? It’s certainly not of Muslims, nor Hindus. And certainly not of the failed state Pakistan. But even then, if India, my country claims for it, it has to act more than just a protector. Acknowledging mistakes and beginning a comprehensive reconciliation process is the founding stone of trust. Our Defense Minister’s view that Army must use guns instead of sticks shouldn’t mean that Army has a license to kill. That’ll be mockery to the ‘protector’ image.  While Indian Army is doing a commendable job at valley protecting democracy, some elements in the shadows of nefarious AFSPA and the powers given by state are abusing the democracy. And India’s biggest mistake is instead of bringing them to justice and punishment, she’s shielding them. And here, just here, she’s not different than her arch enemy Pakistan. Then how can we demand trust and loyalty of thousands of young Kashmiris, when they know justice is alluded for them, like forever.

I believe Kashmir is an integral part of India. But India is not about her boundaries and all. India is a concept. We cannot alienate Kashmiris by brandishing them as traitors. That is un-Indian. And you cannot teach Yoga to world and then gun down your own people at same breath. Respect others to get back respect.