[Reader-list] J&K divide: diplomacy versus democracy

[Aditya Raj Kaul]

FIFTH COLUMN

J&K divide: diplomacy versus democracy
Tavleen Singh *Sunday, August 24, 2008 - The Indian Express*
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*Link - http://www.indianexpress.com/story/352574.html*

As an 'argumentative Indian' it pleases me when someone starts an argument
with me. It pleases me even more when the challenger is a respected
intellectual with more years of journalistic experience than little old me.
So I was flattered that Prem Shankar Jha should consider it worthwhile to
write a long, thoughtful piece in this newspaper last week to disagree with
what I said on the current situation in Kashmir. What I said in this space
was that it was disturbing not to hear Kashmir's supposedly moderate leaders
speak in a moderate voice at a time when sensible voices were so badly
needed.

Mr Jha accused me of being "both simplistic and unjust". In his critique of
my piece he gave a lengthy account of the history of the Amarnath Yatra but
ended up half agreeing with me: "Ms Singh is right when she says that
(Yasin) Malik, the Mirwaiz, Geelani and even Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba
Mufti fanned the agitation by joining it. But had they not done so they
would have written their own epitaphs in Kashmiri politics."

My answer is they should have. Kashmir needs leaders not politicians in its
present crisis. If all that the 'moderates' can give us is politics and
political expediency it would be better if they wrote their epitaphs
quickly. It would make it easier for us to deal with the secessionists and
jihadis who should under Indian law be tried for treason. Ten years ago I
wrote a book that blamed the Government of India squarely for denying
Kashmiris their democratic rights, thereby driving them towards armed
insurgency. I believe this gives me the right to say that this time the
Kashmiris have no cause. No country could have dealt with a secessionist
movement more gently than India has after those initial mistakes in the
early nineties. The movement for azadi turned into Islamist terrorism and
India did nothing. Kashmiri Hindus were ethnically cleansed from the Valley
and India did nothing. Jihadis came across our borders and turned Kashmiri
Islam into a Saudi facsimile and India did nothing.

This is why when something as absurd as the Amarnath land row should have
brought thousands of Kashmiris into the streets carrying Pakistani flags and
shouting jihadi slogans the reaction from Indians has been: get out. Enough
is enough. In Delhi's liberal drawing rooms they put it diplomatically. We
should have a referendum, they say, and if the Kashmiris want to go to
Pakistan then it's time to let them go because, poor dears, they have
suffered so much for their azadi.

As a reporter who prefers to listen to what ordinary people say let me tell
you what I hear when I put my ear to the ground. I hear people say that
anyone who wants to go to Pakistan must be allowed to leave and never
allowed back into Kashmir. I hear people say that they are not prepared to
surrender another inch of Indian territory.  If Kashmiri Muslims have a
problem living with us let them emigrate to that Islamic country across the
border. Whoever wants to go must be helped to go. But, there will be no more
changing of India's borders. The more belligerent say let the Kashmir Valley
go to Pakistan but then there will be no room in India for Muslims.

What I also hear is huge support for the movement in Jammu. So when our
political leaders and politically correct TV anchors equate the two
agitations they make a serious mistake. The way ordinary Indians see it is
that we have one set of protesters who carry Indian flags and are ready to
die for Bharat Mata and they cannot be equated with those who openly state
their allegiance to Pakistan.

It is no longer about the Amarnath Yatra. It is about whether the Indian
state has the courage to defend India from breaking up. And, defend the
values India stands for. We stand for democracy, secularism and fundamental
human freedoms that include the freedom of worship. These are good values
and we must defend them against those who would have us make compromises
with religious fanatics and traitors.

Those who do not share our values have every right to leave and find a
country more suited to their way of thinking and their beliefs. But, if they
choose to stay in India they must abide by the values of this land. In the
name of 'secularism' Dr Manmohan Singh's Government has made too many
concessions to jihadis and other lowlifes. This is being seen as a sign of
weakness by those who have no compunction about waving Pakistani flags on
Indian soil. If this is a 'simplistic and unjust' assessment of the
situation in Kashmir so be it.