[Reader-list] Activists oppose separatist movement in Kashmir

[Aditya Raj Kaul]

*Activists oppose separatist movement in Kashmir
*
*25 Aug 2008, *
**
*Mohammed Wajihuddin*
*The Times of India*
**
*Link -
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Activists_oppose_separatist_movement_in_Kashmir_/articleshow/3401078.cms
*

 *Mumbai:* A section of intelligentsia and secular activists have opposed
some intellectuals for favouring the struggle for azadi in Kashmir. If the
separatists ' demand to divide India once again on religious ground is met,
the activists feared, it would ignite several dormant secessionists'
movements in other parts of the country. Also, the independence of the
Muslim-dominated Kashmir from India may lead to a massive backlash against
Muslims in other parts of the country, the activists felt.

"Kashmir is an integral part of India. The idea of allowing Kashmir to the
separatists just because a section of Pak-backed people don't want to live
with us is preposterous ," said filmmaker Govind Nihalani. Attacking both
Kashmiri separatists and the Sangh Parivar-backed Shri Amarnath Shrine
Sangharsh Samiti, Nihalani said the shrine issue should have been handled
more carefully. "It needs immense patience on the part of political
leadership<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Activists_oppose_separatist_movement_in_Kashmir_/articleshow/3401078.cms#>and
policy makers to handle such a sensitive issue," he said.

The Muslims outside J&K have maintained complete silence over the issue so
far. No major Muslim leader or group has come out openly for or against the
Tehreek-e-Hurriyat's aggressive agitation.

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt said, "The deafening silence of the Muslims from the
rest of India on the Kashmir issue clearly shows they don't want to get
involved in it. They are afraid of a backlash from the Hindutva hardliners."


However, Hasan Kamal, a popular Urdu columnist and member of Muslims for
Secular Democracy, maintained that the suggestion to allow the separatists
to take away a chunk of Kashmir is outrageous . Many secular activists felt
that no genuine attempt had been made to understand the mind of the
Kashmiris.

"The fact that the matter of land transfer to the Amarnath Shrine Board was
allowed to snowball into a huge crisis shows the inefficiency of the entire
political leadership. The lawenforcing agencies will have to stamp out
anti-national activities ," said Ashok Pandit, a leader of Panun Kashmir, an
organisation of Kashmiri Pandits living outside the valley.