news details |
|
|
| Why Spare the Conspirator | | PAK OCCUPIED JAMMU & KASHMIR | | Col J P Singh
When we talk of POJK, let us understand that it is a legacy of the partition. As per Indian Independence Act of 1947 and the Instrument of Accession it should have been part of India. British divided India into Hindu majority Hindustan and Muslim majority Pakistan, as per their doctrine of divide and rule. J&K was the only Muslim majority princely state in British India. Britain & US had taken it for granted that it will go to Pakistan and remain under their control to keep an eye on expansionist China. Mountbatten visited Kashmir in June 1947 to advise Maharaja to accede to Pakistan. Later Indian leaders conveyed it to the Maharaja that if he opted for Pakistan, they will not hold it against him. Seeing the Ruler inclined towards India, Pakistan invaded Kashmir on 22 October 1947.
Under duress Maharaja acceded to India on 26 October 1947. Advised by Mountbatten, Pt Nehru took the matter to UN. War which started on 22 October 1947 went on till 1st January 1949 when the UN mandated ceasefire came into effect while the Indian army was successfully pushing the invaders backwards during its winning spree. Another fortnight or so, POJK would have been liberated had the operations continued. Historians and current politicians blame Pt Nehru for the loss of Indian territory to the aggressor where as military planners attribute it to British conspiracy. POJK remained out of Indian horizon during Nehru's rule. From August this year, when J&K was reorganized and fully merged in the Indian Union, doors have opened up to retrieve POJK. Indian leaders are talking of its retrieval. Current Indian leaders, unlike the past, look serious about dream of Akhand Bharat. But even they seem to miss out British culpability in the loss of our strategic region to Pak.
Let us understand how 2/3rd of the captured area of J&K was cleared of the invaders and 1/3rd allowed to remain under Pakistan. It certainly wasn't beyond army's ability. It was a conspiracy which needs to be understood as to why early leaders of independent India actively connived with the British to define national interest. Pt Nehru kept the portfolio of foreign affairs with him till death. Renunciation of Indian interests defined his foreign policy. On various occasions Nehru actively renounced Indian interests. Many analysts attribute it to magical influence of Lord and Lady Mountbatten upon him. He rejected all hands that beseeched integration with India. He lost North West Frontiers (Waziristan) & Baluchistan and had nearly lost Kashmir. In the 1946 election in NWFP, Congress won 24 out of the 50 seats, Muslim League 11, Nationalist Muslims 2 and Akali Dal 1. Congress leaders of NWFP made every effort to be part of independent India but failed. Similarly he spurned the desire and every request of Baloch leaders to integrate with India. Nehruvian policy of renunciation of Indian interests pushed them into Pak subjugation. Pashtun and Baloch, even Sindhis are fighting for freedom even today. When China started to occupy Indian territory in Ladakh, after Dalai Lama's arrival, Nehru told Rajya Sabha on 30th August 1959, "it does not make very much difference physically to China or India whether a couple of miles in the barren mountains belongs to them or us". Even in the case of Jammu and Kashmir, egoist Nehru would prevaricate, allow ifs and buts to mark its integration with India. No effort was made to placate and persuade Maharaja Hari Singh to accede. When Maharaja offered a standstill agreement to both India and Pakistan, Pakistan readily accepted it but India didn't depriving Srinagar a direct contact with Delhi. Under attack and duress Maharaja sought help. He was asked to accede before any help could be extended. Indian army landed at Srinagar Airport in the early hours of 27 October 1947. Till then State Forces led by Brig Rajinder Singh held on and defended Srinagar for the Indian Army to land. In series of counter attacks army pushed back the invaders and cleared areas upto where the LoC lies. As a result of which more than 1/3rd territory of J&K including strategic Gilgit-Baltistan lies apart. It was almost accepted as fait-accompli. Luckily the prime minister, home minster and defence ministers have started telling world that POJK is Indian territory. Now let us see how Gilgit-Baltistan was lost to Pakistan. It was a bridge between India and Central Asia. Silk Route passed through it. Gilgit-Baltistan people had been loyal to Dogra rulers. They didn't opt out of J&K/India during partition. Unlike PoK which was captured militarily, Pakistan got possession of this area through the connivance of British military officers. In 1935, British took Gilgit Agency on 60 years lease from Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir because of its strategic location. With impending independence, the British returned it to Maharaja on 1st August 1947. Maharaja appointed Brig Ghansara Singh as Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan. Two officers of the Gilgit Scouts, Maj W A Brown and Capt A S Mathison along with Sub Maj Babar Khan of the Scouts were loaned to the Maharaja by British to help the Governor. But soon after the Maharaja acceded to India, Maj Brown imprisoned the Governor and informed British Political Agent Lt Col Roger Bacon, at Peshawar, of the accession of Gilgit to Pakistan. On 2 November 1947, Maj Brown hoisted Pakistan flag at Gilgit and claimed that he and Capt Mathisan have opted for service with Pakistan. Two weeks later, Sardar Mohammed Khan, a nominee of Pak govt was appointed as 'Political Agent' of Gilgit-Baltistan who took the possession of the territory. In 1948 Maj Brown was awarded 'Order of British Empire' for this. No effort was made to retrieve it despite Maharaja's appeals. British conspiracy in this drama is obvious. Even though Baltis accepted Pakistan control over their territory, but didn't accept Pakistani rule. Pak rule over occupied areas has been running into many problems. To tame them, Bhutto and Gen Zia-ul-Haq facilitated Sunnis settlement enabling them acquire land. This changed the demographics and disturbed the social fabric resulting into sectarian feuds which continue till date. Shia-Sunni & Shia-Nurbakshi riots fomented by Pak ISI caused extreme socio-political polarization in eighties when tribal Lashkars abducted local women and massacred thousands of Shias. And the atrocities continue. Protests emanating in Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzafarrabad, Baluchistan, Waziristan and Sindh against Pak atrocities are flashed on the TV screens giving the idea of POJK standing against Pakistan a hype. With rising anger within POJK it is not long before people seek freedom from Pakistan. There are lot of loopholes which India can exploit. Britain and Pakistan are aware of their intense vulnerabilities. Hence opposition Labour Party of UK has recently passed a resolution stating that if they come to power, they will raise Kashmir in the UN while the stand of Conservatives is well known.
Calling a spade a spade over Kashmir in UN, India can take up the issue of illegal occupation directly with Pakistan as reiterated. But how about conspirators. Britain is a conspirator and continues supporting Pak agenda. Therefore a complaint must be lodged in the 'Commonwealth of Nations Secretariat'. Every effort must be made to expose British conspiracy in every global forum and next Commonwealth meet. Option of taking the matter to International Court of Justice may also be considered. Let world know the conspiracy and the conspirators in demeaning India. India must get back its strategic bridge to Central Asia by whatever ways & means it is possible. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
