[Reader-list] protests against Gaza Siege - ideological arrogance

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear Lalit Sir (and all)

As I went through your article, I was reminded of a video I saw regarding
the Kashmiri Pandit situation. This video was shot more than 10 years ago. A
lot of water must have flown down in Jhelum since then.

I agree with the fact that Kashmiri Pandits should not have been thrown out
of their homes. And the reason they were asked to leave is primarily
because, Kashmiris wanted azadi. And the violence was wrong on that count.
Having said that, the root cause of the problem must also be studied. And
that is where the problem starts.

Unlike say Hydrebad and Junagadh, which acceded to India based on popular
support, the state of Jammu & Kashmir didn't do so because they supported
India, but because they had faith in Sheikh Abdullah. And since India jailed
him for 22 years, Kashmiris didn't have great faith in India, because they
believed that they had been cheated. Continuing with all this, we had
situations in 1983 when the elected governments were overthrown with use of
money power and new CM's installed as puppets. And the biggest disaster were
the 1987 elections, when the NC won thanks to the most unfair election ever
conducted in Kashmir.

In any other part of India, it would have led to an agitation against the
elected government, and the people would have demanded re-election of the
state assembly, since the Indian nationalism rhetoric has seeped down among
the masses, and hence we all consider ourselves as Indians(it is ironic
since unlike European nations, there can't be a nation-statist definition of
India). But among the Kashmiris, this is not the case, and hence considering
this as another blow from India, they asked for azadi. And this has been the
case since then. They asked for Pandits to leave, since they believed they
started believing in Yasin Malik and their folk, that Pandits are Indian
spies and should be made to leave.

The conduct of Kashmiri Muslims then was not certainly one to be bravely
talked about. It was very shameful and disgusting on their part. But does
that mean that one wrong must be answered back with another wrong/ For the
last 18-19 years, the Indian Army personnel are stationed in Kashmir. We all
know the armed forces stationed in Mumbai for 3 days during Mumabi attacks.
That has been the positioning of armed forces across streets in Srinagar,
not for 3 days but for more than 18 years. Any person can be checked any
time of the day, as if all Kashmiri Muslims are terrorists.

Army personnel have committed grave human right violations, including
prostitutions and fake encounters across the state. Is that what they asked
for? Consider yourself. Even if you were not the supporter of azadi in the
state, if your father or mother is killed, would you ever support the Indian
State? I don't think so, for that is the normal tendency.

The Leftists have fought for freedom and right to life of Muslims and
Christians. It's time they also realize there is a right to life for Hindus
as well.  There is no consideration on the part of the Left for these
Pandits. Having said that, there is no concern among the Army personnel for
the Kashmiris who have suffered the brunt of the violence from both sides,
the army as well as the terrorists.

And finally, the last part. The Pandits may have been in a terribly bad
situation about 10 years back, but that certainly is not the case. If I am
not wrong, a tribunal was introduced to solve cases of land grabbing where
the land of those displaced, was grabbed by locals. People were sentenced to
punishments and jails. What's more, as one of my friends himself got to know
from some others who belonged to Kashmir, Pandits have given their land for
rent (they have houses there), or sold it, so that they don't have anything
to do with it later.

The last straw was when Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister himself
inaugurated the buildings for Pandits to come back. Credit must be given to
Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's healing touch and his promise that he will try to
get the Pandits back. The Kashmiri Muslims themselves hoped that Pandits
would come back. But the Pandits didn't come, for they didn't believe the
Kashmiri Muslims any longer.

Since there is a trust deficit now, and it seems the Pandits would never
return, I would like to ask all of you, including Lalit Sir you as well,
whether

a) Has any study been made to know today's conditions of the Pandits? If for
reservation, we can't rely on the 1931 census to decide the quota of
percentage to be reserved for OBC's, then why should we rely on the
situation of Pandits 10 or 15 years back?

b) Whether there is any chance of the Pandits coming back or not? If yes,
why? If no, why? And if the reasons are economic and trust based, then can
we really get back the Pandits to Kashmir? Is it really necessary then?

These are some of the questions which need to be asked.

I again repeat one thing. The displacement of Pandits in the manner it was
done is wrong, was wrong and will always be wrong. But similarly, the human
right violations by the Indian army and the local police will also be wrong.


And two wrongs never make a right. But of course, for the hard core BJP and
the left supporters, they do make a right. The proof is Singur and Gujarat.

Regards

Rakesh