KASHMIR ISSUE

What is the solution of Kashmir issue? Two countries, India and Pakistan have fought for this beautiful piece of  land from their inception. More than six decades have passed, three wars have been fought between these countries but no solution is still in sight. The hatred and animosity it has generated is still a big threat to the world peace.

Let me retrace the history as briefly as I can. The two countries found freedom from British rule in 1947 but with a price. One country was divided into two on the basis of religion .The lands with Hindu majority went to India and with Muslim majority went to Pakistan. There was a problem with states which were ruled by “princes” subordinate to the British. They were allowed to join either of the two states they liked.

Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of the state Jammu and Kashmir could not decide which state he wanted to join until forces from Pakistan (who thought the state was morally their property as the state had a Muslim majority) attacked it and captured some part of it. At this point Hari Singh (who was a Hindu) joined India.

India sent armed forces and after some fighting between Indian and Pakistani forces it came to a standstill. There was a status quo at what is commonly known as “Line of Control(LOC)” From then onwards the two portions of  Jammu and Kashmir on two sides of LOC has been ruled by India and Pakistan both of whom think that the land is rightfully theirs. After much debate a resolution was passed in United Nations in 1948 to hold a plebiscite under international observation at a future point of time and both countries agreed to it.

But after a later confrontation between the two countries in 1971 known as Bangladesh war (which India won) an agreement (called Simla Agreement) was arrived at by both countries in which both decided to resolve their issues bilaterally. East Pakistan became a separate country known as Bangladesh.

Although no war has been fought between these two countries after that (except a scuffle in Kargil region), the tension never ceased in Kashmir region. Hostilities took new dimension in international terrorism.

Let us check the propriety of the claims of the two nations on Jammu and Kashmir. India is a country of diverse languages, cultures and food habits. The only common thing that is a unifying force in the country is common faith in Hinduism which is again a very loose and tolerant combination of different spiritual views. However India is by constitution is a secular country and gives equal importance to every religion. India has also a large population of Muslim community. So India can  say as a secular country Kashmir is rightfully theirs.Also Kashmir joined India according to the agreement then prevailing,and thereby a very legal "property" of India.

Pakistan on the other hand is by constitution  a Muslim country although there is also many diversities among different states. However Islam has a far stricter spiritual view and is not very tolerant to other faiths. But as Jammu and Kashmir has a Muslim majority they feel it is morally theirs. Their claim is reinforced with the basic fact that at least some of the Muslim population feel uncomfortable living in a country of very largely Hindu population with which they have a traditional animosity.

So what is the solution? I believe as with every nation only the people of Kashmir have the right to decide this. As originally suggested in United Nation resolution there should be a plebiscite as to what people Jammu and Kashmir wants.

But the plebiscite should have three options a) to join India, b) to join Pakistan and c) Kashmir becomes a sovereign country.

I think the third option is the best for everybody. Because in this case both Indian and Pakistani people will have equal opportunity to go to that place without fear. Kashmir needs business from both India and Pakistan to survive and flourish. It will also throw the doors of international tourism in Kashmir wide open. The Hindu minority there also will not feel aggrieved.

It will also help both Indian and Pakistan to reduce cost substantially for defense and internal security .This substantial amount can be much more fruitfully used to reduce the abject poverty in both the countries.

In a sovereign Kashmir both Hindus and Muslims can roam freely without any fear so nobody loses anything except a bit of ego. Indian and Pakistanis are culturally and otherwise very similar to each other and Kashmir can be a happy rendezvous for both.

However to implement this idea both countries will need an exceptional leader who does not care for his life. The emotions run very deep in both the countries. Many sons of both the countries have lost their lives to defend and conquer this piece of land. To both the countries they are martyrs. Many will see it as an ultimate betrayal to these martyrs to “sell” the right over the land.

However it seems the only sane and rational solution.

The only thing that nags my mind is, if it so happen that Kashmir becomes a free nation and hostilities end between India and Pakistan what will happen to the very unity of both the countries. Because both countries are most united in their animosity against each other. Without the common enemy the internal differences may come to the forefront and there will be chances of farther fragmentation of both the countries.However, on the flip side, with a major worry out of the way ,both can be rejuvenated with a new hope and lasting peace ,united with a more clear conscience and work together unitedly to be a joint major power in the coming world.