The Kashmir Issue- Inside Story
Kashmir is a burning issue for India as the thousands of crores are already spent on it and that too with out any solution. While for Pakistan it is a issue on which depends upon its survival.
One has to go back the period after partition when British government gave options to all native states to merge with India or Pakistan. They had also third option to remain independent. Sardar Patel could perused most of the native states to join with India with exception of Gunaghad, Hyderabad and Jammu/ Kashmir. However he merged the States of Gunagadh and Hyderabad with tactful and strong measures. The merger of Kashmir was being jointly handled by then Pandit Nehru, PM and Sardar Patel, Dy PM of India. Nehru was depending upon then on the advice of Sheikh Abdullah, President of National Conference of Kashmir. The relation between Sheikh Abdullah and Maharajah of Kashmir were very much strain then. Besides that Maharajah Harisingh of Kashmir wanted to make Kashmir as a Independent states.
However the invasion of Pakistani Tribales on Kashmir changed the whole situation for Maharajah. The invaders reached very near to Srinagar and Maharajah decided to sign the treaty of merger with India with a request for help of Indian Army. He sent his Prime Minister Meherchand Mahajan to Delhi with that request.
Meherchand Mahajan who subsequently become first Chief justice of India described his meeting with Nehru and Sardar Patel in his book ' Looking Back'. He requested them for help of Indian army forthwith in order to save Kashmir. He further added that Maharajah of Jammu/Kashmir is willing to sign treaty of accession with India. He said if you do not give Army help immediately than we we will have to go Pakistan for help. Nehru got flare up hearing that and showed the door to Meherchand Mahajan. Meherchand Mahajan further wrote that when he was leaving the room Sardar came to him and told in his ear ' Mr Mahajan you will not go to Pakistan. That mean he is getting the Indian Army help as requested. Nehru meanwhile received one note from Sheikh Abdullah wherein he informed Nehru that he also agree with Mr Mahajan. Thereafter Nehru cooled down. The said meeting shows how tactfully Sardar handled the situation and how much Nehru was depending upon his friend Sheikh Abdullah.
Sardar Patel managed to send army along with tanks etc to Srinagar through planes in order to save Kashmir. Sardar Patel wanted to throw out invaders from Kashmir and to reach Rawalpindi at Pakistan. He wanted to compel Pakistan to accept the Kashmir's Treaty of Accession with India. However Pandit Nehru stopped him and dragged Kashmir issue to United Nation. India is still bleeding for that decision of Nehru.
There was a great influence of Sheikh Abdullah on Nehru and he demanded the special status for Jammu/Kashmir in Indian constitution. The said provisions were opposed by many stalwarts including Baba Saheb Ambedkar in the constitution assembly. Once Sheikh Abdullah threaten to leave constitutional assembly if his demands are not complied with.
Sardar Patel who was Home Minister told him ' You may leave assembly but you will not be able to leave Delhi' It was indirect hint to abdullah which was taken seriously by him. Thereafter he sat down quietly. However Sheikh Abdullah could get the special status for Kashmir under Article 370 with the help of his friend Nehru.
What is article 370 which gives special status to state of Jammu and Kashmir?
1) The Article gives duel Citizenship to Kashmiri people.
2) They have their own National Flag.
3) The Kashmir legislative assembly is having six year term while all other Indian state assemblies are having five year term,
4)The Supreme Court of India has no jurisdiction over Kashmir.
5) The Insult of Indian National Flag and National Symbols are not crime in Kashmir.
6) Indian laws are limited to Indian only not in Jammu and Kashmir
7) Kashmiri woman can loose Kashmiri Citizenship if marry to Indian Citizen
8) While Pakistani Citizen Marry to Kashmiri woman than he can get Kashmiri Citizenship.
9) Indian cannot buy or own land in Kashmir
In Short Sheikh Abdullah was successful in creating the State within state' with help of his friend Nehru.
The above Special provisions have become the great obstruction in complete integration of Jammu/ Kashmir with India. Hence the root cause of Kashmir issue is the mishandling of whole issue at initial stages. India is still paying very heavily in terms of Money, Men and Energy for those Omissions in the matter.
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