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| Baig exposes separatists, Sheikh Abdullah | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, May 20: Senior People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig deserves kudos for the plain speaking that he did yesterday while addressing a party convention at Handwara, notwithstanding his controversial statement that "if India and Pakistan are independent, why have Kashmiris been imprisoned". He not only exposed the separatist leadership but also the National Conference and Late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. He accused them of "befooling" the people of Kashmir and furthering their own selfish intentions at the cost of the common Kashmiri.
Denouncing the Kashmiri separatists, Baig not only questioned their sincerity, but also said in unambiguous terms that "they (separatists) are receiving hefty money from both sides of the border". "People seeking freedom are receiving Rs 10 lakhs from Pakistan and Rs 20 lakhs from India and nobody is bothered for Kashmiris, who have been slaves", Baig reportedly said. And, what he said could not be questioned for the simple reason that Baig is not a loose talker. He speaks what he believes in.
That Baig was correct could be seen from the fact that the so-called freedom fighters in Kashmir were paupers when they took the plunge and set up their money-minting shops in Kashmir. Take, for example, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Yasin Malik and Shabir Shah. What was their financial position before they started the so-called freedom struggle in the name of gullible and emotional Kashmiri Muslims, especially Kashmiri-speaking Sunnis? They were just paupers; they then lived from hand to mouth. And, today, they are multi-millionaire. They are leading a luxurious life. It is obvious that they traded the people of Kashmir to earn money and enjoy worldly life.
Equally scathing was the attack of Baig on the NC and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Accusing the NC of "exploiting" the people, Baig said in clear terms that it was the NC which was squarely responsible for the division of the state, as also for "separating our beloved ones from one another". He dubbed Sheikh Abdullah as a "cheat" and reportedly said: "late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah first raised the slogan of accession with India, then five years later talked of plebiscite…Sheikh Abdullah wrote a letter to Hari Singh and told him if he was given power, he would remain like a loyal son, however when he attained the chair, he betrayed the Maharaja too…Thousands of youth were put behind the bars and 1500 people lost their lives in support of Sheikh's plebiscite call". He further reportedly said: The Congress supported Sheikh Abdullah at a time when he (Abdullah) had not even a single legislator in the assembly and was not even himself a member. However, Sheikh betrayed even the Congress by defecting 12 of its members…"
What Baig said about the NC and Sheikh Abdullah as well as about the circumstances leading to division of the state in 1947-1948 was what the Early Times had been reporting from time to time since years now in order to put things in perspective and inform its esteemed readers as to what led to the ceasefire in 1948 at a time when the Indian Army was about to evict the Pakistani intruders from Jammu and Kashmir and what role the NC played between 1947 and 1975 and thereafter. Baig has only vindicated Early Times.
One can only hope and pray that good sense would finally prevail and the people of Kashmir would seriously ponder over what Baig said and refashion their approach towards the Kashmiri separatists and the NC accordingly. Baig might be biased against the NC but what he said yesterday was not based on heresy. What he said deserves serious and dispassionate consideration.
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