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| NC pouring venom on India, Congress mum | | | RUSTAM
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, May 16: As for the assertion of Farooq Abdullah that his father never compromised on the integrity of the state, it was nothing but an attempt to mislead the people. It was an exercise in self-deception. He did not reveal that Jawaharlal Nehru had ordered ceasefire in 1948 at the instance of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and he had ordered ceasefire when the Indian army had gained upper hand and the Pakistani raiders, regular or otherwise, were retreating. One must read Prem Shankar Jha's Rival versions in history for knowing the real reasons behind the ceasefire.
Had the then Indian Government not endorsed the Sheikh's line, the Indian Army would have captured the occupied areas (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan), all ethnically and linguistically different from Kashmir. And, had the Indian army been allowed to move ahead or reintegrate the occupied areas into India, Sheikh Abdullah would not have come to power in the state. Ceasefire was ordered when the Pakistani raiders were on their run and the Indian army was advancing at a very rapid pace. The Government of India committed a grave blunder by allowing Pakistan to occupy almost one-third of the Jammu and Kashmir territories.
It needs to be noted that the relations between Sheikh Abdullah and Muslims of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Jammu province were very hostile because the Muslims of Kashmir were never considered them as part and parcel of the Kashmiri Muslim society. Besides, the people of the occupied areas and Jammu and Ladakh constituted a majority in the state - all against Sheikh Abdullah and the kind of politics he all through indulged in. Sheikh Abdullah knew it full well that if he and his National Conference were to retain control over the state power and enjoy the loaves and fishes of office, they had no other option but to persuade Jawahrlal Nehru to order ceasefire at a point that would divide Jammu and Kashmir State on ethnic and linguistic basis.
It also needs to be underlined that the ethnic Kashmiri Muslims, who have been ruling the state since October 1947, constituted a minority in the state. They did not then constitute even 20 per cent of the state's population. Hence, the Sheikh's insistence on ceasefire. Farooq Abdulah, who knows the implications of the reintegration intePakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan into the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, has on several occasions suggested the conversion of of Line of Control into international border. The fact of the matter is that Farooq Abdullah and others of his ilk, who want to perpetuate Kashmir's hegemony over the state polity and economy, do not want in their heart of hearts reintegration of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan into the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmirbecause they see in this reintegration their own downfall. Remember, There are 24 seats that the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution has reserved for the people of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. These plus 37 seats in Jammu and four in Ladakh come to 65 in a house of 111. That means Kashmir's 46 versus the remaining 65. The Kashmiri leadership would always oppose any development that has the potential of transferring political power from Kashmir to other areas.
Whatever Farooq Abdullah said in the convention was politically motivated and it is understandable considering his compulsions in Kashmir. Buy why should Congress remain mum? The Congress without whose support Omar Abdullah cannot rule the state even for a day and Farooq Abdullah cannot enjoy the status of Cabinet Minister, instead of taking on the father and son duo and snapping ties with the pro-autonomy National Conference, is keeping mum. The silence of the Congress leadership is intriguing considering the fact that both Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah have publicly condemned Jawaharlal Nehru and denounced the Congress and New Delhi for depriving the state of its sovereign status. It is time for the Congress leadership to break silence and tell the National leadership to behave failing which it will have to face the consequences. One of the consequences would be the collapse of the Omar-Abdullah-led coalition government and end of Farooq Abdullah's inning at the Center. (Concluded
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