[Reader-list] Shrouds of Kashmiriyat-by KN Pandita

[rashneek kher]

    *The real motive behind the violent protests in Kashmir is terrifyingly
sinister*

Recent events have once again exposed the much-touted 'secular' credentials
of mainstream political parties in the Kashmir Valley. It would be incorrect
to link the response of these parties to the Government's decision, which
now stands cancelled, of temporarily allotting land to the Sri Amarnath
Shrine Board to this year's Assembly election in Jammu & Kashmir.
 On hindsight, the PDP, a coalition partner in the Congress-led Government
in the State till it pulled out on Saturday, has hardly been cooperative
after it handed over power to the latter three years ago. Its performance
during the first three years of the coalition's tenure hardly bears
testimony to its claimed non-partisan style of governance.
 Under the guise of 'respect for the wishes of the people', the PDP has in
the past blatantly played the pro-separatist card on issues such as
demilitarisation of Jammu & Kashmir, joint regional council with Pakistan
occupied Kashmir, inflow of Pakistani currency, lifting of all restrictions
on trans-border movement, etc.
 Under the much-touted cover of providing a 'healing touch', militants were
set free from prisons by the PDP. They were given financial and other forms
of support without eliciting their commitment of laying down arms and
joining the national mainstream. In doing so, PDP patron Mufti Mohammed
Saeed has created a formidable constituency on which he and his party now
bank.
 It is inadvisable to treat the ongoing phenomenon as either a political
manoeuvre or a sadist desire on part of the PDP to pull down the
Congress-led Government. The motive is far deeper than that.
 The statements issued by the PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and the Mufti himself
show that Kashmiri leaders of all hues have forged a common understanding
among themselves to fight Indian presence in the Valley along with
Pakistan-sponsored outfits.
 The statements of National Conference leaders, Mr Farooq Abdullah and Mr
Omar Abdullah, have brought little solace to the tense situation that
prevails in the Valley. Curiously, Mr Omar Abdullah has described the
anti-Government demonstrations as an expression of "Kashmiri nationalism".
 He has thus drawn a line between Indian nationalism and Kashmir
nationalism. In other words providing for Haj complexes in various parts of
the country is 'Indian nationalism' and denying Amarnath pilgrims some
relief facilities is 'Kashmiri nationalism'.
 The people in the Valley have to understand that politicians are
manipulating their religious feelings under the garb of 'Kashmiri
nationalism'. This is a new approach to the old practice of whipping up
religious sentiments at the time of Assembly elections. The National
Conference is notorious for brandishing green handkerchiefs and rock salt in
its election rallies. These have now been replaced by slogans promoting
'Kashmiri nationalism'.
 Incidentally, the ideology of Kashmiriyat, to which the Kashmiri political
leadership and intelligentsia have stuck tenaciously for more than two
decades, has also revealed its true colours. In April, Ali Shah Geelani, the
veteran separatist leader, while speaking at a public rally in Sopor, said
it was a fallacy to label Nund rishi as an outstanding *rishi* or sufi saint
of 14th century. He said Sheikh Nooru'd-Din (not Nund Rishi) was a zealous
Muslim missionary who contributed enormously to the spread of Islamic
culture and faith in the Valley during his time.
 Contemporary Kashmiri historians have now joined Mr Geelani's voice. Those
who were till the other day brandishing Kashmiriyat as a manifestation of
Kashmir's sense of communal harmony and peaceful co-existence, are now
rejecting Kashmiriyat as a mischievous attempt by Indians to impose
'cultural hegemony' on Jammu & Kashmir.
 The current row over allotment of land to the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board has
shown that the majority of Kashmiri leaders believes that secessionist
struggle should be carried out by political parties in a manner that is
subtle and an erosion of Indian presence in Kashmir should be effected.
 This should serve as a warning to the Indian political leaders that
something serious could happen once elections are held in October and the
Assembly sits down to do business. It should expect no quarter from any of
the mainstream political parties, including the State Congress in the
Valley. New Delhi would also be well advised to think of the dangers
inherent in the policy of divide and rule. That lesson should have been
learnt long ago when the conspiracy of replacing Mr Farooq Abdullah with Mr
GM Shah was masterminded.
 Jammu & Kashmir's political situation has come to a critical point. Any
mishandling, any unrealistic and euphoric response to the situation will be
fraught with the gravest of consequences.

 -- *The writer is the former Director of the Centre of Central Asian
Studies, Kashmir University.*


-- 
Rashneek Kher
Wandhama Massacre-The Forgotten Human Tragedy
http://www.kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com
http://www.nietzschereborn.blogspot.com