[Reader-list] 'Not a single muslim forced us to leave' Prof Tikko

[Pawan Durani]

I have a friend by the name Imam, whenever he goes to a pub with me ....he
calls himself Sameer.

God Bless




On Wed, Feb 18, 2009 at 6:13 PM, Wali Arifi <waliarifi3 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Since we have been reading only one version of Kashmiri Pandit story in the
> larger narrative of the Kashmir dispute, here is a glimpse into another
> version.
>
>
>
> http://www.kashmirwatch.com/showexclusives.php?subaction=showfull&id=1234974634&archive=&start_from=&ucat=15&var1news=value1news
>
>   'Not a single muslim forced us to leave' Prof Tikko
>
> *
> Two decades of Exile*
>
> Manohar Nath Tickoo
>
> Professor  Manohar Nath Tikko, 74, was a college teacher and head of the
> department of Education at the Governmnt College Islamabad. He lived in
> Haire Mohalla, Janglat Mandi in Anantnag before he left Kashmir at the peak
> of insurgency in 1990. For the last two decades, he is living at the
> scorching locale of Bohdi in Jammu .
>
>  Q1) What prompted your migration?
>
>  I left with my family on Friday, 31st May 1990 with the first light in the
> dawn and reached Jammu same day in the early afternoon.  I still remember
> that fateful day when I was forced by none other than my own wife and
> daughters to leave.  All my Muslim neighbours came to my home biding my
> family a fond farewell with tearful eyes. Me and my neighbours never wanted
> my family to leave Kashmir but there was definitely a massive psychological
> fear created by unknown agencies against the Kashmiri Pandits which forced
> us to leave.  Although the fact remains that not  a single Muslim  forced
> us
> to leave.
>
> Q2)   Do you nurture any dreams of coming back?
>
> A:- Well, I do believe that Pundits will get back to their home land but I
> can't predict a time for it. However, I don't not believe the Central
> [Indian] or [local] State government claims that the Pandits will be
> rehabilitated in their original homes. This is a blatant lie, as there
> hasn't been any strategy for our rehabilitation since we have left the
> Valley. The past governments did  built some residential houses  at places
> like Tulmul, Budgam and Mattan, but I believe this was for electoral
> politics.
>
> Q3) There are many examples of Pandits returning back. Could you perhaps
> follow the suit?
>
> A:- No I am sorry. I don't hesitate to tell u a stark fact that I would
> feel
> emotionally insulted if I return back to my home this time because we left
> our mother land without any force from our fellow people. I believe that
> Kashmiri Pundits should have remained in the Valley and they must have
> fought the freedom struggle with their fellow Muslim citizens. Even we
> should have sacrificed in the similar fashion our Muslim brothers did for
> the Kashmir cause, but unfortunately we did not do that. Even I wouldn't
> mind if hundred thousand Kashmir Pundits would have been martyred  for
> freedom struggle because Kashmir cause has no less a meaning for Kashmiri
> Pundits. It is bizarre when we "Kashmir Pundits" vociferously beat the
> drums, searching for "Panun Kashmir", ironically outside the Kashmir ,
> therefore it has literally  lost its spirit and meaning..
>
> Q4)  How do you view the Kashmir problem?
>
> A:- Kashmir is a very old issue which has mutated into a monster now. But
> it
> can be solved by sincere and honest leadership in India , Pakistan and
> Kashmir . Gimmicks like holding  elections cannot be used to fade the
> reality of Kashmir being an unresolved issue. Holding election in the
> presence of half a million troops shows the level of legitimacy and the
> feigned democratic nature in Kashmir .
> My personal opinion is that Kashmir  issue is the issue of those who speak
> Kashmiri language. It should not be hyphenated or related to the other
> parts
> like Jammu and Ladakh; they   have never been a relative part of Kashmir
> and
> had never any cultural, ethnic or communication links  with Kashmir .
> Kashmir has its own history and it should be recognized as an independent
> state.  It had never been a part of India or British India .
>
> Q5)  Would the Kashmiri Pandits accept independent Kashmir ?
>
> A:- well, not necessarily.  I am expressing my opinion without any bias and
> duality. The opinions are never same even on a common issue.  Let me tell
> you that majority of Pandits did not support Sheikh Abdullah but  the Ahrar
> Party of Moulvi Yousuf Shah.  Well know Pandit activists Prem Nath  Bazaz
> and Prem Nath Yash  were  in favour of Kashmir's accession with Pakistan .
> I
> still remember that time when people were asked to opt between India and
> Pakistan . My late father Sarvanand Tikko who was the Post Master at
> Anantnag at that time and we used to live inside the Post Office, signed on
> the document favouring accession with Pakistan and his four collogues
> including Ghulam Muhammad Shah of Bijbehra and Jagan Nath Rayess. My late
> father unfurled the Pakistani flag on the top of the Post Office but the
> goons of National Conference which include Abdul Ahad Tak of Anantnag town
> made an assault on my father and his colleagues, beat them to pulp and put
> down the Pakistani flag. They also tried to set the Post Office on fire.
>
> Q6) Many Kashmiris often refer to Sheikh Abdullah as 'Gaddar' or traiter.
> How do you view him?
> 9
> A:- well, It is easy to be wise after the event. Sheikh Abdullah should
> have
> not done the "Ilhaq" or accession with India . He did a very serious
> blunder
> for the reason that kashmiri people are suffering a lot. Sadly Sheikh
> Abdullah had no political vision.  Prem Nath Bazaz observed that Sheikh
> Abdullah had no sense of history and he had never read any history on
> Kashmir .  So one can understand the level of political maturity and
> sincerity of Sheikh Abdullah.
>
> Q7) The Pandit argument is that Kashmir has always been part of India  ?
>
> Kashmir has never been part of India and has no cultural, traditional,
> ethical and  religious semblance with India .  Even we Kashmiri Pundits
> have
> totally different religious ceremonial and ritual days than of the Indian
> Hindus and we practice a different mythology. We have no religious
> attachment with river Ganga ; we used to put the ashes of the dead into the
> "Naraan Nag Gangbal" near Sonamarg  . We never celebrate Diwali but
> "Hearath". We celebrate a religious day which is called "Sheshar Shenkraat"
> which is celebrated in the winters in order to avoid demonic influence in
> winters and there is no example of celebrating such a day in the Indian
> Hindu mythology.  Moreover, Kashmiri Pundits celebrate "Shiv Raatri"
> differently than Indian Hindus; we prepare a lot of non vegetarian food to
> break the fast, contrary to Hindus who abstain from meat on the day.
> Similarly Kashmiri Muslims have a different culture with no relevance with
> that of Indian culture.  Politically, the UN resolutions stand witness to
> the Kashmir dispute  and  promises  the right to self determination. Had
> Kashmir not been a disputed state then why Kashmir has its own constitution
> and flag. And why Pundit Jawahar Lal Nehru took the Kashmir issue to the
> United Nations. It was only because of Indian political prejudice and
> insincerity that autonomy of Kashmir was eroded.
>
> Q 8)   How would you see the contours of its resolution?
>
> A:-  Well, Kashmir is a much political issue than a religious one. Kashmir
> has suffered because of a historical political mistake so the key to its
> resolution is strong political struggle which is possible only when we have
> strong political institutions with sincere leaders having unanimity on the
> common Kashmir cause.
> So far we have failed on diplomatic and international level only because of
> the poor and corrupt leadership. It is imperative to coordinate the
> political groups and bring them under one banner and one single leader. I
> would suggest Sayed  Sayed Ali Shah Geelani who has shown strength and
> resilience while others change their cloaks often.  But there has to be
> inclusion of Pandits in the political leadership.
>
> Q10) How would you place Article 370 in this jigsaw puzzle?
>
> A:-  The Article 370 has no future unless it does not get a permanent place
> in the Indian Constitution.  Since the Article 370 is a temporary Article,
> it  can be abrogated any time by the parliament of India and BJP has
> included the abrogation of Article 370 in its election manifesto. I think
> we
> Kashmiris should have fought vigorously for the permanence of the Article
> 370. Since the Article 370 is followed with the word "Temporary" has no
> meaning unless it does not get divorce from it.  Moreover, the Indian
> leadership has always failed to give the due share to the Kashmiris in
> their
> democratic doctrines as established in 1950.
>
> Q12) How do you see the future of Kashmir ?
>
> A:-  We must pin hope against hope on the fourth generation after 1947 who
> can give respite to Kashmiris if they succeed to apply their brains
> properly.
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