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Ghulam Rasool Azads Kashmir Policy

Kashmir issue is neither Hamara Androoni

Mamla nor Our integral part as such, norterrorism sponsored by neither Pakistan norcan the two nation theory of 1930, 1940 or1947 be applied to the Kashmir of 1993.

By Sadaket Malik

The history of the state lacks absurdly the evidence of viewpointsmade by majority of unsung heroes of the state on the trouble tornKashmir. Their Kashmir policy, handling the situation of

communal disharmony over time, the pages of history are absurdly

lacking the mention of such epitomes of peace who played acted as

a catalyst for the cementing Hindu Muslim amity during a course

of time.

Ghulam Rasool Azad was very sensitive over the issue on

Kashmir. As a freedom fighter, he pleaded the cause of minority

community and shouted for Hindu Muslim relations. The factreveals that he is not in the history owing to his belonging from

improvised Jammu region. Even sheikh sahib himself once that if

Kashmir region can produce leaders like Azad, like of Jammu

region, it may go a long way to help in achieving the slogan of

Naya Kashmir.

Azad opposed the prevalent Propaganda of heartedness

disseminated by the political forces of that time.

Moreover his policy on Kashmir was quite clear that headvocated that that the issue should not be put in isolation.

Azad being a renowned journalist wrote in his owned weekly

Dahr where he opposed the foreign imperialism and the

atrocities and discrimination meted by the Muslim minority. He

opined that Kashmir is a commodity discovered from where? Is it

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discovered from Aligarh to Jamsheedpur to Ranchi, Ahmedabad

to Kanpur or Jabulpur to Sagar or Nagpur, from Indore and

samba ?

As per his analysis, the issue has been discovered from the

central departments and military, department of posts andRailways and Banks and has finally discovered here in Jammu and

Kashmir where the Muslim minority is being harassed and there is

of late discrimination meted to them, Azad pointed in his weekly

The Dehr. He was sensitive over the central governments faith

towards the minority of Bihar, UP, Delhi, Bangal, Maharashtra,

Gujrat and Orrisa and suggested the centre for Justice with the

community. He was of the opinion that be it the central

government or the stations of chauvinism, these be stopped andultimately the Kashmir issue will be stopped.

However, such an ideology of Azad, was endorsed by the

BJP leader Sh. L.K Advani on 21st of June 1990 in Calcutta during

his speech like this:

Over the years, instead of looking upon the Muslims as

part of Indian masses, the congress by its actions, has segregated

the community and turned it into an instrument of electoral

politics by talking about the so called Muslim Voters.Mr. Advani appealed the community in Calcutta to consider

the Muslim as Part of Indian nation.

Azads Perception of Kashmir Problem:

1. He advocated that Kashmir issue should not be taken

in isolation. It is deeply connected with the insecurity

and deprivation of the muslims of India who are most

deprived, the most discriminated and the most

oppressed and suppressed community in the country.2. Military in Kashmir is the symbol of the assertion of

Muslim Identity in India. It should be recognized and

dealt with as such.

Azad asserted the elimination of internal factors responsible

for the problem, the problem actually was a discrimination and

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injustice confronted to the minority community. He advocated

that the external factors like of Pakistans interference can be

ended only if the Government of India can take care of the

internal factors responsible for the Kashmir issue. Azad

viewed that even if all the militants are wiped from the valleyand there is no militancy left in the state, the Kashmir problem

will still remain with ferociousness on account of the

unprecedented sacrifices made by kashmiris till a just political

solution is arrived at and stopping the bullet for bullet policy

adopted by Militants and Indian soldiers.

In a letter to Ghulam Nabi Azad on 30th August 1992,

Azad wrote:

We are all sick. The most painful eventsand aweful situation in the state have made usall sick and most miserable and every onelongs for a solution of the Kashmir problem, anhonorable and Just Political solution.

It was a time when former Governor of the state, Dr.

Karan Singh and his wife visited the spot at Hazratbal

Kashmir where forty days encounter ended between Militants

and Indian Soldiers. Azad endorsed the former Governor forthis visit, while endorsing Dr. Karan Singh for his visit to

Hazratbal, Azad writes on 3rd November 1993 to him as like

this:

Kashmir issue is neither Hamara Androoni Mamla or

Our integral part as such, nor terrorism sponsored by

Pakistan nor can the two nation theory of 1930, 1940 or 1947

be applied to the Kashmir of 1993.

Azad further writes, Kashmir is neither Punjab nor

Afghanistan, It is Kashmir (Jammu and Kashmir only).

(Sadaket Malik is a researcher and a writer and can be contacted at

sadaketmalik@rediffmail.com)

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