Kashmir

The Kashmir issue has started attracting lot of attention recently. What with the protests and rising violence it is imperative that the government and people of Kashmir address the issue at hand. Outlook has a series of articles on the mood and situation in Kashmir. These present a whole range of opinions.

So read them here, here.

Some chilling excerpts from the first piece by Arundhati Roy

I asked a young woman whether freedom for Kashmir would not mean less freedom for her, as a woman. She shrugged and said, "What kind of freedom do we have now? The freedom to be raped by Indian soldiers?" Her reply silenced me.

There were plenty of insults and humiliation for India: Ay jabiron ay zalimon, Kashmir hamara chhod do (Oh oppressors, Oh wicked ones, Get out of our Kashmir). Jis Kashmir ko khoon se seencha, woh Kashmir hamara hai (The Kashmir we have irrigated with our blood, that Kashmir is ours!). The slogan that cut through me like a knife and clean broke my heart was this one: Nanga bhookha Hindustan, jaan se pyaara Pakistan (Naked, starving India, More precious than life itself—Pakistan)

and Arundhati roy sums it as

The Indian military occupation of Kashmir makes monsters of us all.It allows Hindu chauvinists to target and victimise Muslims in India by holding them hostage to the freedom struggle being waged by Muslims in Kashmir. It's all being stirred into a poisonous brew and administered intravenously, straight into our bloodstream.

From the second piece

I am served excellent salted tea at the very elegant home of Dr Shad Salim Akhtar, the Valley’s top cancer specialist. He is joined by his son, a medical student. They both tell me Indian secularism is a sham "that has cheated Muslims of every right". How is Pakistan a success, I counter, where Muslim kills Muslim and it’s tribe against tribe? "Pakistan may not be run well but that is not the fault of the concept of an Islamic nation. It is held in high esteem by many of us because it was the only country created in the name of Islam," says Dr Akhtar

Have to admit the situation is sad. There was a time, when in my ignorance, thought that Kashmir belonged to India. I was too young to even understand the politics behind the actions during independence. But over the years, the more I learned about Kashmir (still I know very little) has made me understand its not a clear cut case. In fact the recent knowledge has made me implicitly acknowledge India has been wrong to some extent and is not handling the situation as it should. In fact, when you see a region yearning to join a country that is as rudderless as it ever was since independence, it puts things in perspective. I mean the people of Kashmir are choosing Pakistan over India (given a chance to exercise their choice, which the Indian state does not allow) is a stinging review of the role of India (and its army) in Kashmir. I used to wish Kashmir remained as part of India earlier. Now, all I wish for is an amicable solution to everybody even if that means secession of Kashmir from India. I just hope that the so called leaders have the courage to make decisions that would benefit people rather than political motives. Well, am i not a wishful thinker ?