[WSMDiscuss] The Kashmir Puzzle

[Sukla Sen]

<
https://www.inversejournal.com/2021/06/24/kashmir-meet-after-two-years-of-ruin-a-reckoning-or-a-new-tack-by-muzamil-jaleel/
>

Provides a detailed mapping of the specifics of the "settler colonial
prohect" - which, btw, I too underlined in very brief (ref: <
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10226339716784443&id=1387786704
>).

It's, btw, pretty inaccurate on the role of Abdullah in the "accession"
business.
The legal justification for the same is provided by Hari Singh - the then
ruler of the princely state under the British, signing the "instrument of
accession".
The people of the Valley - overwhelmingly Muslims, helped the Indian
Army/state in a big way to take physical control of the Valley - which had
been on the verge of being overrun by the invaders coming from Pakistan.
Abdullah - "Sher-e-Kashmir", was a major Indian ally to help it retain the
control.
When the armed operations were called off, one-third of the erstwhile state
came under the control of (Islamic) Pakistan - which, as a consequence and
quite significantly, didn't include any part of the Valley.
(Had dealt with in some details in my own account: <
https://groups.google.com/g/greenyouth/c/g3FduJpmFBc/m/oS4AvInOAQAJ>.)

Most importantly, it too has, in a way acknowledged - while exploring the
various possible drivers, why this sudden tactical retreat - as it appears
to be, still remains a sort of mystery.
We'll have to wait a while.

The essential "settler colonial project" - on the model of Israel, as
publicly advertised, as it appears, remains pretty much intact.
No doubt about that.
The meet is, of course, meant to secure the cooperation of the - much
derided, "Gupkar Gang" for the oncoming delimitation operation of the
electoral constituencies, meant to raise the level of weightage of the
(Hindu-majority) Jammu region vis-a-vis the Valley.
The issue is why seek "cooperation" instead of ugly muscle flexing as the
regime was doing all along since August 4/5 2019?

Why the "tactical retreat"???
Even if only tactical.
And, even more worringly, how come the "leaders" - in the meet, failed to
place on the very top of the table the "demand" to go back to the status
quo ante?

On Fri, 25 Jun 2021, 15:54 Sukla Sen, <sukla.sen at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> "(M)ore baffling than surprising."
> That's perhaps the aptest way to describe the sudden development.
>
> <<Not the one to undergo a sudden change of heart, particularly on issues
> close to his personal ideological beliefs - Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) among
> one of the core issues - Prime Minister Narendra Modi's move to call an
> all-party was more baffling than surprising.
>
> What has led to this sudden change of heart? Interestingly, it has
> happened sooner than expected. It was not long ago that the invitees to the
> meeting were vilified and incarcerated. So, is the invite an admission that
> the Modi government's RSS driven agenda on J&K - post the partial
> abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and annulling Article 35A -
> has failed?
>
> There are two clear takeaways from the over three-hour meeting, reflecting
> on the Centre's thinking about J&K. Firstly, the delimitation of assembly
> constituencies is to be followed by elections with no time frame in sight.
> Thus, return to statehood seems farfetched, and reversal on Article 370 and
> 35A seems improbable.
>
> Second, suddenly, the National Conference (NC) patriarch Farooq Abdullah
> and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti figured in Modi's
> scheme of things. These are the same leaders who, alongside Congress, were
> blamed by the hosts of the June 24, 2021, all-party meeting for having
> misgoverned, annihilated and looted Kashmir. The two leaders of the Kashmir
> centric parties, more so Ms Mufti, were targeted for allegedly kowtowing to
> the Pakistan line.>>
>
> (Excerpted from: <
> https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/why-an-all-party-meet-on-jammu-and-kashmir-1001307.html
> >.)
>
> No, let's not delude ourselves.
> There's no readymade answer - as to why?
> At least, as yet.
>
> But, one thing is certain, the regime doesn't have any heart (just look at
> the way the national lockdown was clamped with less than four hours notice
> so as to keep the migrant workers locked up at their places of work so that
> they're readily available to their employers as and when the lockdown
> eases); hence, it just can't have any "change of heart".
> It doesn't appear to have much brains either, even if - it must be
> conceded, it has an abundance of low cunning.
> So, a genuine revised estimate - on its own, cannot be the driver.
>
> Since the virtual scrapping of the Article 370, the regime is almost
> single-mindedly pursuing - or trying to pursue, the Israeli model of
> (incrementally) settling colonisers in the Valley, pushing out the
> traditional inhabitants. (Ref.: <https://youtu.be/dhj0EHLhbh8>.)
> In the process, has turned it into a virtual prison house.
> In fact, lately, the same line has, apparently, been (just) initiated in
> the (only other) overwhelmingly Muslim (tiny) Union Territory of
> Lakshadweep as well.
> So, the "change of heart" just doesn't wash.
>
> Then, why???
>
> Maybe the change in regime in Washington.
> Maybe the shift in weather - even if rather small, in the highest court of
> the land, where petitions regarding the (virtual) scrapping of the Article
> 370 are pending.
> Maybe both in combination.
> Maybe also something else.
> Imminent change in Afghanistan?
>
> To be sure, it's going to make a dent on 56" image of the Leader and he
> just can't be unaware of it.
> All in all, it, however, looks more like a "trap" - in partial recognition
> of the failure of the ongoing venture to attain the aimed for goals; hence,
> a somewhat circuitious way.
>
> Time will tell.
>
> Not to mistake, people are still languishing in jail and there's, as yet,
> no talk of going back to the status quo ante - quite bafflingly, that's not
> even included in the "demands".
> And these "leaders", perhaps, represent only a fraction of the Valley
> inhabitants.
>
> Also look up: <https://fb.watch/6lhk_xPeUt/>, <
> https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jk-talks-heres-what-unfolded-at-the-first-meet-and-what-lies-ahead-7375114/>
> and, for a, rather detailed, backgrounder: <
> https://groups.google.com/g/greenyouth/c/g3FduJpmFBc/m/oS4AvInOAQAJ>.
>
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