Rayyan Baig
OCTOBER 27 is regarded as the Black
Day in the excruciating history of
Kashmir. It’s the day when Indian forces illegally occupied IoK against the wishes of Kashmiris and caused mayhem in the Valley, which is still continuing. The hapless Kashmiris, who endured the tyranny of Ranjeet Singh and Maharaja Gulab Singh, were not fortunate enough to see the fulfilment of their long awaited dream. They were left behind when the entire subcontinent was getting out of the shackles of foreign masters.
Kashmiris endured the brute tyrants for almost two centuries; they were sold like animals by British rulers in 1846 to Dogra Raja Gulab Singh for petty 75 lakh rupees Nanakshahi. In 1846 their fate was decided without consulting them, unfortunately a century later the history was repeated. After the British Government announced partition of the subcontinent into two independent states, all the oppressed Muslims started dreaming of joining Pakistan. The Kashmiri people were especially longing to join Pakistan being geographically and spiritually contiguous to Kashmir, all their dreams got shattered when indifferent treatment was meted out to them. Against the popular wish, the Maharaja Hari Singh decided to remain independent, which infuriated the locals and they stood against the tyrant Maharaja. The Maharaja sought help from other princely states and around 200,000 Kashmiris were killed by Maharaja Forces/ his allied forces to suppress the uprising.
With the start of brutalities tens of thousands of Muslims from Kashmir, especially Poonch migrated to Pakistan for the safety of their families. When the brutality of Maharaja Forces increased and news of killing of large numbers of Kashmiris spread, it infuriated their brethren in Pakistan. The Kashmiris who had earlier migrated to Pakistan, mostly ex-servicemen from British Army, and volunteers’ Lashkars from Gilgit and Tribal areas rose against Maharaja and formed their own government on 24 October 1947. Under unbearable public pressure the Maharaja quitted Kashmir, as a fate accomplice, and proceeded to Jammu on 26th October 1947.
As per the historical record the Maharaja didn’t reach Jammu until the evening of 26 October and due to poor flying conditions VP Menon was unable to reach Jammu until morning of 27th October 1947. By this time Indian troops had already started arriving in Srinagar. The truth is that, neither was Hari Singh present in Jammu on 27th October 1947, nor did he meet VP Menon when Indian forces landed in Kashmir. An authentic Instrument of Accession, signed by Maharaja, has never been shown to the world to prove Indian claims. However, a fraudulent and forged back dated treaty was later fabricated by Indian Government in an effort to legitimize her forces’ landing in Kashmir. Despite the arrival of occupation Indian forces and their brutalities they failed to control the situation; fearing the Lashkars liberate whole of Kashmir, India herself went to the UN in 1948.
Mr Nehru, the then Indian PM, pledged the world, Pakistan and even his own nation that the fate of Kashmiris would be decided as per the will of Kashmiri people. The UN also promised, through its various resolutions, to give the right of self-determination to Kashmiris. However, India never abided by the UN resolutions nor has UN fulfilled its obligations for almost seven decades. Indian Army has been using kidnapping, torture, killing, ransacking of property and rape as tools to subdue Kashmiris but failed to dampen their struggle for freedom. So for, hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris have been killed and tens of thousands of Kashmiri women raped by Indian forces.
Under the racist Modi, India has crossed all the limits of inhumanity, thousands of unarmed civilians have been maimed and blinded by pallet guns. The Articles 35-A and 370, which were included at the time of finalization of Indian constitution in 1949 as a temporary arrangement till the fate of Kashmir was decided as per UN resolution, was unilaterally revoked by Indian Government on 5 August, without consulting Kashmiris. Though Kashmiris never ratified it, however, it did give some sort of privilege and identity to the people of IoK. After changing the status, by revoking Articles 35-A and 370, India has converted IoK into a dungeon. The people of IoK are cut off from the rest of the world for the last almost three months without food and medical care. The sanctity of homes is being breached by Indian forces who forcefully enter the houses at night. The innocent youths, including 13 years old children, are being picked up from their homes and put in prison at far-flung places, and their families have no clues about their whereabouts and wellbeing.
The, so-called, civilized world and champions of freedom of speech, who get perturbed on small little HR violations are remorsefully quiet on the HR violations of eight million Kashmiris. The financial interest seem to have overshadowed the ethical standards set by the Civilized World. The Muslim World, baring Turkey and Malaysia, has also shown complete apathy on the miserable state of Kashmiris in IoK. Another “Black Day” ie 27 October has approached which is not only a black day rather a blot on the face of UN and civilized world. This blot is getting darker due to the apathy and indifference shown by the World on the miseries of the people of IoK. It’s high time that the UN/civilized world treats the dwellers of IoK as human beings and give them their right of self-determination, promised by UN about 7 decades ago.
—The writer is freelance columnist.
