FOR centuries, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been resisting against foreign invasions and occupations. The contemporary phase of their resistance consists of two parts; a) resistance against tyrant Dogra rule and b) resistance against Indian occupation. Kashmiris started their resistance against Dogra Rule towards the beginning of 20th century. However, this resistance generally remained covert and specific to areas and communities. The event of July 13, 1931, changed the format of resistance from covert to overt resistance. This day is observed as Youm-e-Shudha-e-Kashmir by Kashmiris throughout the world. Indeed, on this day in 1931, Kashmiris overtly reacted against the oppression of Dogra Rule through a unique chapter of sacrifices. This pattern of sacrifices had no precedence in the history of human beings.
On this historical day thousands of Kashmiris gathered outside Srinagar Central Jail to witness the court proceedings of one of their colleagues, Abdul Qadeer Khan, who raised voice against desecration of the Holy Quran by the Dogra Army. This gathering of the Kashmiris outside Srinagar Central Jail was unarmed and peaceful. While the court proceedings were continuing, it was time for Zuhr prayers and a Kashmir youth stood for Azan (a call for prayers). In the middle of Azan, the Dogra Army opened fire and the youth performing Azan embraced martyrdom. In order to complete the remaining portion of Azan, yet another Kashmiri youth succeeded him, but he too was fired upon and embraced martyrdom. In this way, in the process of completion of Azan, Dogra Army killed twenty-two Kashmiri Muslims, one after the other. After this brutal incident, it was revealed that the Maharaja of Kashmir himself had ordered for this firing through his Governor, Ray Zada Tartilok Chand. This incident gave Kashmiris a new vigour, a new determination and indeed a new and bold course for their freedom from brutal Dogra Rule. In the subsequent days, the first ever-political party of Kashmir, “All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference” came into being. The party had in its very manifesto, the restoration of the political, religious, economic and social rights of the people of Kashmir which were ceased as a result of ‘Kashmir Sale Deed’-March 16, 1846.Tracing the history of colonialism, the 20th Century is marked by massive movements against colonial rule. Among others, the people of the sub-continent also started their demand for the end of British colonial rule. The people of Jammu and Kashmir, however, had two-fold colonialism imposed over them; a tyrant Dogra Rule and a discriminatory British Colonialism. For a long time, Kashmiris were covertly struggling for their freedom from these multiple yokes. Otherwise, there is a long history of the struggle of people of Jammu and Kashmir against tyrant rules and brutalities.Historically, the state of Jammu and Kashmir has a long history of remaining under foreign occupation, tyranny and brutalities. Nevertheless, they have been resisting against foreign occupation, subjugation and tyrant rules. As revealed by history, the Mughal Empire of India was the first foreign power which militarily invaded Kashmir and captured it in October 1586. After Mughals, Kashmir remained under Afghan rule for over sixty-six years. After the Battle of Shopian (1819), Sikhs captured Kashmir and ruled it from 1820 to 1846, before the Kashmir Sale Deed of 16 March 1846. Thereafter, there remained Dogra Rule in the entire Jammu and Kashmir for over 100 years (1846-1947). As written by Yousaf Saraf in his book, ‘Kashmiris Fight for Freedom’ under the Dogra Rule, the people of Kashmir were nothing other than, “free forced labour”. He further described, “Instead of donkeys and horses, Kashmiri Muslims were used for transportation of goods across the far-flung areas”. The Muslim population of Kashmir were deprived of their basic human rights and in some cases were even barred from performing their religious obligations. Such an incident took place on April 19, 1931, when Eid Khutba was banned in Jammu. The Muslims of the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir took this ultimate step of the Dogra ruler very seriously. It was indeed, interference in their religion or subsequently a step towards banning the religious obligations of the Muslims. Indeed, years of discrimination, suppression and oppression of Dogra Rule compelled Kashmiris to stand for their basic right. The process started with ‘Reading Room Party’ in 1919. It was a covert Kashmiri movement for their rights and awareness among the masses.
It was yet another unfortunate happening that, at the end of British colonialism from subcontinent in 1947, India militarily invaded and captured a large portion of the state (Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)), an act against the partition plan of India with respect to Princely States. Over the last seventy-five years, India perpetrated untold human rights violations in IIOJK. On August 5, 2019, India relegated the statehood of IIOJK and illegally converted it into two union territories. It has illegally changed the status of the state in violation of UN resolutions and the Constitution of IIOJK. Since April 2020, New Delhi is massively undertaking demographic changes in IIOJK. The chronological account of the heroic struggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir needs international recognition, global appreciation and, above all, a dedicated international support in line with UN Charter and UN resolutions. Indeed, the right of self-determination is the birth right of Kashmiris. Despite deployment of almost one million Indian security forces in Indian occupied Kashmir, Kashmiris are continuing their peaceful political struggle against Indian occupation and brutalities. Indeed, Kashmiris have done enough. They had to pay a huge price for this resistance in the forms of killings, fake encounters of their youths, detention and torture, rape and molestation and, above all, a process of genocide and demographic change of their state at the hands of Indian security forces and state machinery. At the level of Government of Pakistan, there is a dire need to rejuvenate and proactively pursue the Kashmiri’s legitimate struggle at the level of UN and other international forums.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
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