Freedom Politics In Kashmir: Issues, Problems and Future Prospects
By: Dr Syed M Inayatullah Andrabi,
This is a universally accepted fact that Kashmiri people do not want to live with India. With the emergence of a new post-colonial south Asia in 1947, Kashmir like all other Muslim majority states would have opted to become a constituent state of Pakistan, had it not been for the fact that India occupied the state by sheer intrigue and military force, and stopped the natural course of history.
India’s real achievement in Kashmir is not its successful military occupation, but cultivation of a proxy-puppet, but nonetheless, working political system. This puppet politics(commonly but wrongly termed as ‘mainstream politics’) is fake, a counterfeit product because it does not reflect peoples’ aspirations, nor is it based on any lofty vision where, in the face of its intrinsic merit, one would ignore its unpopularity. The puppet politics is rootless, but organized, structured and fully functional. On the other hand, the freedom politics is deeply rooted in genuine aspirations of Kashmiri masses. It has firm roots, but right from 1947 it is beset with problems of organization, resources and leadership. Its problems started when in early nineteen thirties Muslim Conference got infiltrated by forces of the so-called Indian Nationalism ultimately leading to the exit of the late Mirwaiz Maulvi Yusuf Shah from Kashmir which in turn gave National Conference a full sway over Kashmir’s political space. Being reflective of the popular political sentiment in occupied Kashmir, the freedom politics could not consolidate itself into a solid structure with a credible leadership and a clear strategic course of action. Although it represented the popular political sentiment, yet it could not successfully entrench itself in masses. Perhaps, freedom politics was at its best in the form of All J&K Plebicite Front when it functioned as a mass political party which in reality it is.
Present
In the recent past since 1989 things have not become any better. For the first time since 1947, the freedom politics had an underpinning of an armed movement which did favourably change the India-Kashmir power equation, and provided a higher pedestal for the freedom politics to operate from, but again the problems of organization, structure and leadership prevented any gains to change into successes. Although, one big factor why freedom politics could not consolidate itself as a solid political institution has been Indian repression and brute force right from the beginning, yet in recent times some other factors have also played a negative role in a big way. Because of these new factors, various groups with particular sectarian or political interests within the freedom politics have entrenched themselves, and have been busy in competing with each other within the space of freedom politics making the common cause of freedom a tragic casualty. Huge financial resources from a number of vested interests and dubious quarters around the world have aided and abetted this process. Given the time and the environment when it was formed, the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) could have by now grown into a formidable political institution, which it unfortunately did not for two kinds of reasons, both complimenting each other: on one hand, it never had a clear sense of direction, and sense of common purpose, and on the other, it was the victim of outside interferences with particularist agendas. The net result is: freedom sentiment in Kashmir, undoubtedly the popular sentiment, still lacks, though not wholly, proper channels of articulation. It is a very powerful and genuine sentiment, but does not have an equally powerful vehicle for expression.
Current Topic:
Freedom Politics In Kashmir: Issues, Problems and Future Prospects
Looking Ahead
Nothing is more reassuring than the fact that the freedom sentiment has survived the test of time. The young generation is equally unwilling to live with India as were their forefathers in 1947. However the historic challenge remains:
How to ensure the existence of a dynamic, credible, and politically institutionalised freedom movement in Kashmir.
The assets are there as ever. The peoples’ sentiment is the core asset, and so is moral, political and strategic rightness of the Kashmir Cause. Changing world scenario, and power equations between Islam and the West particularly in the Middle East (where these are most significant) are again very favourable factors. Although the final objectives have not been achieved, yet there will be quite a few important gains that will have been made in the course of struggle for the past 19 years. These gains have to be identified, and consolidated.
If Kashmir Cause/Movement means complete end to India’s sovereignty over Kashmir, which it really does, then one has to look for a political movement sustainable for as long as it takes to deliver its goals, which should be very clearly spelt out. People cannot afford to go in circles, nor can they undergo trial exercises of the type that since Pakistan changed policy we had to stop at D, otherwise we would have gone up to B. People will say, if you had to stop at D, we would have not moved at all in the first place. People of Kashmir can, as do other people in the world, start at a point, and progressively move on the right direction without unnecessarily suffocating. At any point in time, it should be clear to a fair observer that they are nearer to the destination than they were at the preceding moment.
Credible movement has got to be independent in its decisions, flexible in its approach and general operation, and financially self-sufficient. Funds are always needed and, therefore, welcome, but a proper freedom movement in Kashmir can and should mobilise enough finances within Kashmir. This must be borne in mind that any political movement that seeks to liberate Kashmir from India’s occupation, and make it a part of wider Muslim fraternity, is essentially securing the future of Islam in Kashmir. As such, all those assets, which are related to Islamic heritage in Kashmir and Muslims’ attachment and loyalty to those, are actually the assets for the freedom movement. There is no reason why all the income from the shrines, particularly Dargah Sharif Hazratbal, should not be utilized for the cause of the freedom of Kashmir. So far, these assets have been exploited by puppet politics, and the puppet politicians continue doing this without shame.
Let us deliberate over these issues with the sole aim of making a contribution, doing one’s own bit, and not indulge in blame games and point scoring. May Allah(SWT) be our helper at all times, and in all situations.
