It is commonly believed that the :Partition of India occurred on communal basis ,and evn the ddemography of the respective countries show that prima facie it was so.the division did not occure on a communal basis. The continuous area who did not want to remain in India were allowed to cecede. The Muslim majority areas going to Pakistan and the Rest remaning in India.d.Even the end result prima facie create impession that the partition was on communal basis. For the simple reason that even after cessation of Muslim majority areas quite substantial Muslim remained in India and in fact at one time India had more Muslim that there were in the entire Pakistan.
This is further borne out by the fact tmmediately after separation of the areas and constitution of Pakistan the P:resident of Pakistan Mr. Jinnah wrote to the King of Kashmir whichhad not till then decided to join which division to exspedite his decision and opt for any of the two parts of India. Pt. Nehru also similarly addressed the King. But he kept vacillating. Pakistan which believed,contrary to facts that the partition was on communal basis and all Muslim majority area should cecede to Pakistan began go have misgivings with the procrastination of the King.There were runblings there which were heard in India also. Mr. N.V.Gadgil who was the Miniser for Roads and Buildings mentioned in his book that when he heard these rumblings he found that there was no direct road from Delhi to Srinagar .just in case. He approached the Defence Minister for help for taking up building of an all-weather road for the purpose and Baldeo Singh also promptly offered military assistance.The news of this project must have reached Pakistan and to forestall India it must have managed an encroachment into the State under the guise of tribal invasion. Even then the King of Kashmir was in two minds. In fact there was a third alternaive, a la Murari in :Philosophy was on his mind. He wanted independence for Kashmir not merging with either. While this is generally interpreted as a selfish thought of self-aggrandisement on the p;art of the King the fact that Kashmir has both Hindu and Muslim populations. (and also Buddhist) and they had excellent intercommunal harmony accession either way would have disturbed it and may perhaps;s have led to the grisly massacres which followed the Partition of the country.He was still in two minds when news of invasion by Pakistan was received. Fortunately at this time the Sheikh Abdullah was at the head of the Kashmir P:eoples Party and he was against the communal dvision of the country. The King paniced when the :Pakistani forces making good progress almos came knocking the doors of Shrinagar.India was in a fix as it could not send its forces into Kashmir unless it acceded to India.Indian representatives were discussing the matters with the King. Sheikh Abdullah who was waiting outside in a hall sent word to the King to agree to execute the Instrument of Accessioin . It was then that the King affixed his signature to it and the Indian Forces immediately rushed into Kashmir and stopped Pakistan on the way.
The rest in history.The matter went up to UNO and there gorentangled in world politics. As some people in India also believe that thee Partition was on communal basis(which it was not) a similafr view among Muslims in Kashmir is quite understandable. However, as detailed above it was a case of certain ares deciding to separate and the constitution of tgheir population was not the issue ar stake. These nuances afre not clear even to some people in India and so we can understand if the Kashmiri Muslims think on these lines.However, this permission to cecede is not available to areas which are already parts of India and by executing the Instrument of Accession Kashmir has become a part if India legally and constitutionalyThe facility of cessation is not available to any part of India as constituted after the Partition.So the Kashmiri Muslims thinking along these lines have no locus standi.The argument that the King executed the Instrument of Accession late and also cannot help.Incidentally it is interesting to note that when the Indian and P:akistani forcesw were engaged into combat over Kashmir both the forces were under one C-in-C and both the forcea were re;porting their progress of the engagement from time to time to him.
As the matter stagnated in UNO Pakistan tried to create trouble in Kashmir through the Terrorists. Initially theybhad some success and they were able to hold up public life to ransome. However, through resolute resistence to their machinations the situation has improved undergone a transformation for the better. In fact recently GOI withdrew thirty thousand forceds from Kashmir wherethey had been working for defence.Another positive indication is that where p;reviously publicdemonstrations were held against army action it has now changed to action againsgt terrorist action.Year after year elections are taking place and despie threas frin the terroriss there has bdeen quite good poling and the governments constituted has also worked full terms.The Tourism industry which was thelife blood of Kashmir had badly suffered in the past butit has been revived and is in full swing.Earlier some area of Kashmir was out of bounds for the tourists but now most of these restrictions have been done away with. Incidents of holding the country to ransome by long ‘bandhs’ have also come down. Attempts are afoot to take the Hindus who had migrated outside back to Kashmir.
The fact is that the enmty between Hindus and Muslims is a byeproduct of the politics of separating Kashmir from India.. While some Kashmiris have fallen for the secessionist argments there is still no bitterness between them.In fact, even the tourists frequenting Kashmir for tours and travels say that they have not come across any hostility among the people tosward them. One experience is noteworthy.
A couple recently married had gone toi Srinagar for their first outing.They had gone on hemselveds and so had made thorough enquiries above bus connectons and hotel reservatioin. Their bus reached Srinagar around midnight. To add to that p;ower had failed on that night and darkness ruled everywhere.They engaged an auto for going to the hotel. It was near the busstand and the hotel had advised that the rickshaw wouldcharge Rs.5/- He,however,demanded Rs. 10[- Looking to he unearthly hour and the blackout the couple did not mind.The Srinagar city is surrounded by forest. The auto entered the forest leaving behind the buildings. The couple got nervous.To impress on the driver that they were not novices the boy said,’ Well, last time we visited this hotel there was such thicket. Are you sufre you haved not missed any turn?’ The diver kedpt mum.The suspicion of the couple that he was upto some mischief strengthened and they were on their highest alert.Presently theauo stopped. ‘Your hotelis on the right. The power seems o have failed here also. Come with me.Let Behenji, sit in the auto. We will go first.’ But the wife would have none of it. She insisged on accompanying them fearing molestation in seclusion. TheyNevN all walked andknocked on a door.It opened and one hotel worker came out with candle light..’The lights have just failed.I hope you were not much inconvenienced.’ They got in. The auto driver was paid. But he loitered. The young couple was rather intrigued. Suddenly the driver blurted out,’Sir tell me truly. Were you both arfait?’ The young man’s face fell.Without waiting for him to answer the driver said, ‘Sir, this is Kashmir. Sheikh Abdulla’s Kashmir.Rest assured we will not harm you who give us our food.. .Never mind who you are Hindu or Muslim .When you said that last time you had come here by another route I realisedyou were afraid for there is no other route to this place..’ The youth was ashamed. As a way of asking pardon he offered another tenner to thedriver who however refused to take it.He went out hurt.
This is the real Kashmir which is slowly emerging. Welcome it with both hands!
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