Kashmir Turmoils

One Erica Derrickson claiming to be an actress, photographer and what not also claims to be a Human Rights Activist and the way she has put up her Voice Blog on youtube about the atrocities of Indian Armed forces on Kashmir is really hilarious. She claims that she had been to Kashmir and has "Seen" the atrocities of pallet guns and rapes by Indian forces and that Indian forces are illegally occupying the state of J&K. "WOW" what an (il)informed person she is, am sure acting on M(oney)power and not B(rain)power.

I am seriously wondering about what does she know about #Kashmir and the situation in #Kashmir? Is she even aware that the videos out there clearly show the way these misguided youths actually go out all the way to invite the trouble with the Indian Armed forces? She might not have seen the way India Armed forces actually warn the Stone Pelting Crowd before retaliating.  She might not have even met those 3000+ Indian Armed forces personnel who received grave injuries due to stone pelting. She might not be literate enough to know the amount of funds that are diverted from Indian Tax Payer money for development of Kashmir.  This is a sheer nonsensical jingoism that she is resorting to apart from our own Nawazon se pali Barkha Dutt and the well known dumb #yellowjournalism followers like Sagarika Ghose, Rana Ayyub and party.

She should probably also go to #POK and #GilgitBaltistan; what happens in #POK is something she needs to find out, What happens in #GilgitBaltistan is what needs to learn. She needs to stop forcing the myth of the smallest area of the territory of #JammuKashmir that is the valley and try to force it as view of entire territory. 

It is very astonishing that people like her wouldn't even know that the area of Jammu and Laddhakh do not want to even continue to be part of J&K to be called #Kashmiri and relate them to this unrest raised by the paid supporters of #Pakistan. Probably, her masters and handlers haven't told her that #Kashmir would lose its sovereignty as a state, why should they tell that as it is something that would spoil their game. I challenge people like Erica to dare and ask people in #POK who do not have the freedom to even elect their government, they do not have the statehood and moreover, they are being ruled by people who do not belong to that area.

I have an open question to Erica and the likes brigade to explain why the sons and daughters of Syed Salauddin, Yaseen Mallik, Mirwaiz, and others like them do not feature in the idiotic movement? Can these idiots not understand how father of #BurhanWani got that big an estate when he is a poor headmaster? 

It indeed is appalling situation that they killed scores of #kashmiripandits and then they attacked other locations including #Parliment and #Mumbaiserialblasts. These scum bags talk only what they are fed and what they are paid for. They don't even understand that this would lead them to path of destruction the way #Pakistan is resorting to #genocide in #Balochistan.

My overall suggestion to Erica and likes of her is to read the Indian History from 10th Century AD and first read about the #Genocide of #KashmiriPandits...How their women's were raped and how thousands been killed by Muslim extremist in Kashmir valley since then. It has been thousands of years of oppression of #KashmiriPandits but they never picked up arms and never revolted like this. The misguided youth in Kashmir is only missed about liberation and if they do everything like hoisting #ISIS flag or #Pakistani-flag and you supporting them means indirectly you are supporting #terrorism.  

Erica, you have loads to answer and come clean on this one...

Ghost Writers of my Country

Kashmir has been the epic problem that the Indian Union is trying to solve from last almost 6 decades, but thanks to Pakistan to have been able to keep alive the sessions of terrorism in the Kashmir Valley.  Also, the so called intellects and the Ghost Writers of Creative Indian Fraternity have been supporting the cause of Pakistan (knowingly or unknowingly is left to their conscious).  Just recently one of the famous young politician of India - Jyotiraditya Scindia had made a bold statement in Parliament - "We should stop blaming only Pakistan and look within us!!" Well I totally agree with him and after listening to my friend Veer - A Kashmiri Pandit on Youtube, I tend to agree with Mr. Scindia more and more.

I had already tweeted following in agreement of Mr. Scindia - 

1. agreed, so let's unanimously agree that Keeping Sardar Patel away from #Kashmir issue was the biggest fault
2. Article 370 is the second big mistake we own from the point of view of #Kashmir and this needs to be eradicated
3. #Kashmir issue needs to expand to #GilgitBaltistan along with #POK and the state of #JammuKashmir.
4. both PDP and National Conference must be barred from elections and any political referendum
5. Bar Hurriyat as Anti National organization, just like SIMI and other terrorist outfits

However, after listening to Veer and the pain that emerges in his words and his voice, I was pushed to add the following points to look internally (yeah before blaming Pakistan) -

1. Refine the guidelines for media houses to speak on the various topics - 
1. They for now raise topics in a fashion that defines a terrorist as martyr and creates a wave of sympathy towards terrorism
2. Provides fuel to the leftist agenda causing more uproar against the government, certainly to hinder the overall government work and create a ruckus on the name of "Freedom of Speech"
3. Provide more fuel to the Government officials and Politicians in Pakistan on the way "India is acting against the general will of its public". Hell no, Media doesn't define the general will, its the opinion of the columnist only.
4. Create a negative impression on the India as a country with representation through negative statements against the Government
2. Refine the guidelines for the creative writers who tend to be Big time Socialites and Experts on various topics. Excuse me on this, I tend to totally disagree and the live example of that is Shobhaa De.A creative writer can't always provide solutions to real life problem and specifically Kashmir, hell no.

So, let's look at the role of Shobhaa De on Kashmir, she is a self proclaimed expert on Kashmir issue with half baked knowledge of the same. She herself doesn't know the way the issue crept up and is known to profess referendum in Kashmir. My question to her and all the likes of her is - "Why should referendum be conducted without fulfilling the base requirements for conducting referendum?"

More so, do the likes of Shobhaa De and other's like Rajdeep Sardesai, Rahul Kanwal, Rana Ayyub, Barkha Dutt, Sagarika Ghoshe etc even know that the Problem of Kashmir involves larger areas of Gilgil Baltistan rather than just the POK and J&K?? Do they even have a idea that Pakistan has given only a small portion to Kashmiris and called that as Azad Kashmir and swallowed a larger portion of Gilgit Baltistan within its territories to enable easy access to trade with China. Pakistan even went ahead to gift a portion of the Kashmir territory to China, now is this known and acceptable to these Pseudo Intellects??

Asking for referendum as per UN resolution is easy, but there is a strict need for them to go ahead and read the full resolution that includes -

1. Pakistan to demilitarize and stop offensive tactics from the entire Kashmir region including J&K, POK and Gilgit Baltistan
2. India to reduce military presence in J&K to ensure that it matches the positive development by Pakistan
3. Conduct referendum in the entire region not just J&K to ensure that the results are well balanced and represent 100% of the population to be considered and not just a few

It is also interesting to look at the overall composition of the region where the actual fraction creating and participating in the trouble making exercise is only around 35% to 40% of the entire population. And this fraction is said to be Sunni Muslim population. Shiites are said to have stayed away from participating in this controversy and have mostly condemned atrocities on Shias in Pakistan.

Moreover, the Pseudo Intellects to the likes of mentioned above also need to understand that Kashmir as a region has other religions and sects (namely Bodhha, Gujjars, Kashmiri Pandits, Mons etc) than just Sunni Muslims (who apparently get funding from ISI to terrorize the region).

These pseudo intellects also need to Read and be informed that Indian Army has captured 2 terrorists alive and they are of Pakistani Origin in just last 2 days or so. These terrorists have nothing to do with kashmir, they are just mercenaries to join the terrorist outfit for 72 virgins in the heaven (though they are hardly destined for that area).

May the Peace Prevail in the region!!!

Kashmir Unrest - Speculations

Kashmir unrest after the terrorist Burhan Wani was shot down by Indian Forces rocked the region and unfolded the political drama over Kashmir Situation.  Hurriyat called for Kashmir bandh and what followed after that is known to us all.  Now, since Kashmir is certainly my interest area from always and I have always been following the developments in Kashmir, I went into a few details around the problem and what I stumbled upon are a few tweets by Mr. Omar Abdullah that raised a few questions in my mind. So let's first refer the tweets - 

So, looking at these tweets and the series there on, the primary question that cropped up was -"Is Mr. Abdullah really showing a concern or is sending an indirect / hidden message across on what needs to be done?" Other supplementary points/questions - 

1. Was he favoring Burhan Wani by stating his social media activities didn't have any militancy incident attributed, when we could all see what all was posted by him???
2. What does he mean by saying "Burhan won't be the last to Pick the gun??" is he hinting that somewhere he supports youth picking up the gun?? Did he ever think what he said and what effect it is to bring on the young minds??
3. Kashmir for certain is not a Political Problem.  It is a problem of Alter egos starting from his Grand Father.  Now, does he have those guts to go and tell Pakistan to act per UN resolution to demilitarize Kashmir - and that certainly should include the LONG forgotten Gilgit Baltistan area also and not just Pakistan Occupied Kashmir...
4. His July 9th tweet is directly a sign of his support to militancy and separatist thoughts he harbors. In death of Burhan Wani he declares that Kashmir got a new Icon....This certainly call for questioning his creditability!!!
5. His tweet on Burhan's ability to recruit from Grave.....fuels the separatist idea and clearly indicates that he is openly supporting recruitment by terror outfits on the name of Burhan Wani.

There are more tweets that can be referred to on his twitter page and they are equally mind boggling statements.  Mr. Omar Abdullah has not acted in the interest of Kashmir or the Nation. He has, from his work raised the temperatures in the Valley and has fueled Militancy mindset by his words as I decipher the above posted tweets.  Apparently if we map his top two tweets in the two pictures, they are more or less contradicting each other and shows how destabilized his own mind was with the death of Burhan Wani.  Seems like he lost a dear one...

Lot of more speculations can be generated for such a weird behavior by a person at that position in the Political Circles of Kashmir!!!

Jammu & Kashmir - The Overturn of Nationalism

Jammu and Kashmir seems to have been getting the same old treatment as desired by the Separatists from almost 67 years now. Although the nationalists in India had thought that with the formation of BJP government in the center, may be the Good Fortune of J&K would be back and that J&K would see the same shine of the Sun again.  But alas!! BJP made the BIG mistake of acting Deaf, Dumb and Ignorant by Supporting PDP's claim in constituting the Government in J&K.

Seems J&K's plight is not yet over and it has a lot more misfortune in store from both political as well as diplomatic perspective.  The low of Indian Polity for J&K never seems to end, whenever we think ah how low can they stoop and the Indian Politicians shine with the craziest statement on J&K or act for that matter.

The most recent cases to this effect that rather proclaim the outrageous acts and that can be referred as attack on the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of India are by None other than the new Chief Minister of J&K - Mufti Mohd. Sayeed.  The worst that I would say and the lowest level that a chief minister can stoop is not over if we go by the way his first statements were.  Mr. Mufti made a Thank You speech for the Pakistan's Army, the Hurriyat and the Terrorists who as per him cooperated for peaceful elections in J&K.  Kudos to Mr. Mufti for forgetting the Indian Security Forces both Civilian and Armed forces who pushed those idiots on the back foot.  Kudos to Mr. Mufti to have cleared his intentions once again.  

Then came in the second wonderful step by Mr. Mufti where he ordered release of a Hardline Separatist.  Certainly, why wouldn't he do that when he is the CM of the State.  He certainly wouldn't be able to have another abduction of his daughter orchestrated and then take a bad name to have 5 dreaded terrorist released for safe home coming of that daughter.  It would be better to release the separatists without going through that drama. Ah and yes, that would ensure that the movements being orchestrated by Kashmiri Pandits for Panun Kashmir would certainly get push back as Hurriyat would be more powerful with the release of one of their dreaded mastermind.

BJP, for that matter seems to be sitting there as a blind duck who would only do some quack quack here and some quake quack there to try and garner support from the people.  Seems like even though they lost the elections in Delhi, they have not been able to understand that if they need to be the mainstream party with control on the governance of this country, they need to also have good hold in the governance of each and every state of this country.  Just because person x or person y has his or her whims and fancies, the BJP as the party shouldn't lose its focus of One India One Country and ONE LAW.  There can't be separate treatment of states with some states enjoying VIP status as for the whims and fancies of some elites.

The country today needs to stand up in unity against the words and actions of Mr Mufti and the Central Government needs to ensure that the idiosynchronous activities are kept in check. Mr. Mufti is one of those guys in the Indian Political Circuits who can't be trusted at all for his National (dis)interests.

Kashmir Backdrop - No Movies of KP Plight

Why am I writing on the topic that hardly anybody likes to write on?  A movie on KPs or Kashmiri Pandits?  What would we show in that and What would we be able to achieve in that when we would not be able to add any "Regular Indian Movie Spice" in that movie.  There is nothing major Melodrama in that story on Kashmiri Pandits. Oh Yeah, we can do a serial like Buniyaad or Hum Log, but in today's scenario, it wouldn't get the TRP that Channels want.

Well, well well, we have seen that movies on Kashmir's bloodbath can be made and in recent times at least two movies - Mission Kashmir (starring Sanjay Dutt and Hritik Roshan) and Haider (starring Shahid Kapoor) were made.  The story line of both the movies revolved around the atrocities of Indian armed forces on the minority community...oops Majority Community in Kashmir.  Interstingly both the movies got critical acclaims and fared well on Box office.

This prompted me to dwell into a thought process to do a movie on Kashmir, but with a different story line. The story would be of a Kashmiri Pandit from displacement to Exodus. A story that would range from his prosperous past with green-fields in Kashmir to the Refugee Camp in Delhi to the tough fight he has to put to get his son educated and serve in Indian Army.  Just a thought and just a plot.  There is more to it, but then where I am?  Stuck with the Story. Why?, because there is no fund to make the movie. Why? there is no masala in the movie as highlighted in the opening para.

Someone told me to redo the story where the Muslim angle can be exploited rather than the truth that I want to highlight.  I had written the story after a long painful research on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits.  Gathered the facts and fear they went through and coined through their pain of exodus.  But, the producers want to add the twist and show the plight of others that resulted in insurgency in Kashmir.

Oh yeah, everyone is interested only in the exploitation of situation that would help them sell, but they don't want to bring the truth to the table because that would turn the tables around!!!

Kashmir - The Land of Ethnic Cleansing

It is a pain and is a real sorrow to read an article by S. A. Aiyar on A tale of two ethnic cleansing in Kashmir. The pain is unexplained and I wish I could have written this article with my Blood rather than choosing the red font.

SA Aiyar in his blog on Times of Inida, has suggested that the Ethnic Cleansing of Kashmiri Pandit's was long impending for what happened in 1947. In his article, he highlights the brutality against Muslims and where the figures of those killed in 1947 to be around 200,000 (muslims) and displaced 500,000 or so. He refers to some researchers.

Overall his article is something that I would call as a betrayal to the reality and an act against the Country. Why? Because his article highlights only the Half truth.  His article points our at various pointers that provide with Hair Rising half baked truth.  And to his audacity, he has stated "Official figures say only 219 Pandits were killed in the valley. But the threat of violence was so great, and the chances of curbing it so remote, that lakhs of Pandits fled. Most are now rotting in refugee camps in Jammu". Should we be clapping at the worst way to add to the agony of the displaced?  Shame on You Mr. Aiyar.  You wouldn't know the pain of getting displaced from your own land as down south never had that reach of the attackers who went for Ethnic Cleansing.....If you want to understand the pain of Ethnic Cleansing, try to learn the pain of the Sri Lankan Tamilians who were taken to Sinhalese Land as Cheap Labor and then the Sinhalese Majority Govt. went ahead with some drastic measures there giving rise to Prabhakaran....

If that would not help the likes of Aiyar and the others who just go back few years in the History to declare that in 1947 J&K was predominantly a Muslim populated area, I would like to highlight the History of Jammu and Kashmir.  it needs to be noted that the History of Kashmir doesn't start from just 1947, it rather dates back to the time of Mahabharat when King Sandipan was the ruler of that geographical area.  Until the 1200 AD, Kashmir was ALL HINDU Nation with not even a single Muslim population there. it was only in 1200 AD that the first Muslim attack was successful in Kashmir and the result was drastic - only a few Hindu Families had survived then.  The History of Ethnic Cleansing in Kashmir is not something that started in 1947, it started as early as 1200 AD.  Please if you refer to History, refer the complete historical events and not the portion that you want only to please certain!!!

Moreover, even in 1947, if Mr. Aiyar is giving the account of ethnic cleansing in Kashmir, why did he forget the train loads of corpses that were dispatched from Pakistan? Ah yeah because he was in his nappies then and doesn't remember all those....I was not born, but the eyewitness account shared by the elders has been enough for me to understand and feel...

Mr. Aiyar in his article seems to have been sympathized towards the Minority, may be he wanted to further his political career as the trend these days is. It so seems that he is trying to learn the art of Minority Appeasement.  But he is forgetting that the likes of him would soon change the rule of the game and would convert the Minority to Majority and Majority to Minority.  

If I have to basically sum up the act of Mr. Aiyar, then it is simply providing the much needed words to those sitting across the border and trying to raise Kashmir issue as India's ruthless act against Human Rights....Mr. Aiyar missed it that in his article he mercilessly butchered the efforts & Sacrifice of brave sons of the soil....

Haider-a-Bard by Vivek Kaul

The article is work of Mr. Vivek Kaul and I am simply reproducing it here with his due permission as I am in agreement with the case put forth by him.

The Movie Haider might get rave reviews, but has many technical glitches including lack of research by the Director as well as the Production House.  One can't simply adopt a novel and make a mvie without evaluating the one sided sob story by someone.  The Kashmir or Mid 90s and the Dance of death by terrorists is being hidden behind the magnificent portrayal of Indian Army as the villains.  The truth is something different and out there for us to explore!!! Yes because its hidden beneath the truth as being showcased by NGOs and the News Channels.....on the name of Human rights and supporting the minorities...............

Read on!!!

____________

So many reviews about movie Haider have been written on facebook by Kashmiris that a record of sorts has been created! 

I generally find film reviews grossly misleading. My go-to person for many things including movies is my all knowing son Billbichroo! 

Last time I read a local UK review of A movie called Slumdog millionaire was a huge mistake. I was sold it as the Feel Good Movie of the Decade ! 

It was anything but feel good for me! A grinding display of poverty is not my idea of feel Good feeling! 

So I asked my son yesterday, -Bil, this Haider movie is based on Hamlet. What happens in Hamlet? 

Everyone dies in the end Papa ! 

Oh!!! thanks Bill. 

Few years back in February I had gone to India & was looking for a book called Our Moon has blood clots by Rahul Pandita . This novel was autobiographical account of Hindus - Kashmiri Pandit (KPs) set during the turbulent times of 1989/1990 when the whole community of 300,000 odd KPs had to run for their lives from the violence unleashed by Islamic Terrorists , trained & financed by Pakistan, our eternal villain! 

Around the time , Rahul Kaul my childhood friend , who u saw swimming in Kashmir floods in a picture I posted few weeks ago , invited me to his apartment in Gurgaon for a dinner. 

During Kashmiri dinner n Single Malt jugglebandi I mentioned this book & Rahul said Vivek it is the KP side of story & Muslim side has been already been written by one Basharat Peer called Curfewed Nights ! 

Basharat Peer happens to be the co- writer of movie Haider set in Kashmir of 1995 when Basharat was still a teenager in Kashmir & Islamic terrorists ruled the valley by fear of AK 47 ! 

So what was Kashmir of 1995 like ? . Let me jog your memory with explanations for my overseas non Indian friends as well. 

Tourism in Kashmir collapsed following the 1995 abduction of six western men, including two Britons, Keith Mangan and Paul Wells, who were taken hostage by Islamist group Al-Faran. One American tourist escaped, but a Norwegian, Hans Christian Ostrø, was beheaded. How the other four died is uncertain to this day. 

The whole town of Charar-i-sharief got burnt down in 1995 , including its famous 650 year old Shrine , during the fierce encounter between Indian troops and Jehadi terrorists . 

To counter the Islamic Jehadis & their dreadful violence India raised a special force called Rashtriya Rifles who were soldiers & officers on secondment ( deputation) from Indian Army. 

They were raised to fight present day ISIS type Jehadis who took no prisoners 

They hit upon a great plan . Captain Mishra ( name changed) thought if a counter insurgency movement could be led by surrendered or compromised Ex-Jehadis some semblance of law & order could be restored in Kashmir which was run by the diktats of so called Mujahedeens & the like ! 

In summary they employed ex-thieves to catch old battle hardened thieves. 

India became increasingly dependent on the vigilantes...Groups such as the Jammu and Kashmir Ikhwan...drawn from some 3,000 former Kashmiri jehadis who surrendered to the Government. Paid monthly salaries of up to 12,000 rupees ($200), and allowed to keep their weapons, they acted as informers, leading soldiers to militant hideouts. ( as is seen in the opening scenes of Hiader the movie ) 

The Rashtriya Rifles (RR) army became the surrendered militants' main income source,---

The Ikhwanis thus became the eyes and ears of the army, identifying terrorists among the people of Kashmir during 'crack down' of a particular area as shown in the movie when the Surgeon is identified by the masked surrendered Ikwani ! 

In many cases personal scores were settled & innocent people were identified by these Ikwanis to RR for interrogation in a Special place near Oberoi Palace Hotel called Papa 2 , called Mama 2 in the movie. We were pointed to this building , now a state guest house by our Shikarawala / boatman who was given away to RR by his cousin because of previous family feud ! Fortunately for Gani his loyal mother wept bitterly in front of Army commander who trusted her story & released Gani to safety ! Gani is still my mobile phone friend ! An honest Shikarawala who does not even take a tip ! 

Have a glimpse of Gani. Enjoy his kathbath with us in 2012,before you read this Mother of all reviews ! ;-))) 

http://youtu.be/nB6-kQn0IlQ

Those were very difficult & testing times for many innocent Kashmiris & Indian Army. 

It is to the credit of Indian Army that the back bone of Jehadi led Azadi ( freedom) movement was broken as the Jehadis had local population led to believe that Azadi was round the corner. 

Around the same time many Jehadis made lot of money from extortion & kidnappings etc amongst the Kashmiri people & many Kashmiri Muslims also migrated out , truth be told ! 

Movies like Haider are very easy to see but difficult to understand if you don't know the background & the setting like a Harry Potter film where reading the novel before hand makes it easier to understand the characters & the storyline 

Haider will thus mean different to different viewers depending on their level of understanding of the Kashmir situation c. Mid 1990's 

The story of Haider movie is pretty straightforward. 

Haider has been sent away to Aligarh for education to escape recruitment by Jehadis as was common those days . His surgeon dad gets a dreaded Jehadi as a patient with appendicitis. Doctor operates on him at his own home & he is supergrassed ( see below) by his own brother who lusts for his wife ! 

The Surgeon is immediately identified by a Ikwani ex Jehadi in a Crack down parade & bundled out by Security forces. 

Hidden militants in his house start firing on the Security forces who blow up his home by a shoulder fired rocket. 

Meanwhile Haider returns after his education & finds his mom in a room with her brother- in -law singing songs to each other. Haider does not like this situation & wants to know & find his missing father. 

Heroine of the film , a police bigwigs daughter , tries to help him & finds a Militant ready to help Haider. This militant has been in torture chambers & interrogation cell with his dad. 

Both are thrown in Jhelum river to drown. Surgeon drowns but the dreaded militant escapes to tell Haider that his uncle was the informer of his dad. 

Haider tells his mom about his dads death & subsequently his uncle proposes marriage amongst few songs & drama !

The movie climaxes in death of Heroine . Uncle , & other baddies being killed by mom who blows herself n others as a suicide bomber ! 

In the closing titles of the film , Indian Army is thanked for their role in helping Kashmiris in recent floods , as an afterthought after painting them as real villains in the movie ! 

Was the Producer or Director guilty of something ! 

I am really surprised that this movie got passed the scissors of Indian Film Censor board ! 

You castigate your own security forces in worst possible way , when they were only trying to wrestle back Kashmir for India from the violence unleashed by Jehadis & still censor board finds the movie fit for U certification -- they must be busy eating free Samosas n chutney rather than grasp the obvious message of the movie ! 

Movie does not show Jehadis as saints but does paint Security forces as villains. 

I have not mentioned about the omission of any reference to Kashmiri Pandits in the movie who by 1995 were no where to be seen in the valley , having been ethnically cleansed by 1990 ! 

As with Curfewed Nights , Basharat Peer has been leader of the pack by co-writing this movie which will surely be followed by a Kashmiri Pandit all singing all dancing feature film penned by a Rahul Pandita amongst us ! 

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'Supergrass is a British slang term for an informer, which originated in London. Informers had been referred to as "grasses" since the late-1930s, and the "super" prefix was coined by journalists in the early 1970s to describe those informers from the city's underworld who testified against former associates in a series of high-profile mass trials at the time.

Shame on Bollywood for Lack of Research

Bollywood has time and again proved to be a set of shameless and valueless creatures.  Though I have friends in there, but I still feel that among some protagonists, there is a huge bunch of Jokers around who have no respect for the society or for the culture.  My this opinion has been reaffirmed by the makers of movie "Haider". 

I used to be really impressed with the way Shahid Kapoor has acted in the movie and was awaiting for the movie, until today.  So what happened today made me boycott this movie completely and I am not going to watch that unless certain section of the movie are censored or removed.  These sections are those which portray the Martand Sun Temple as the seat of Devil.  This is a huge mockery of our culture, our tradition and our religious sentiments.  They could have made use of at least some basic research that wouldn't have taken much time as the Internet is full of information on Martand Sun Temple.  In fact in a brief 2 minutes I stumbled on so much information that I had to think what to read what not to read.  And I had to take time to summarize the overall content. 

About Martand Sun Temple: - Built in 500 CE Martand Sun Temple is located near Anantnag in Kashmir and was dedicated to the God Surya. Today the ruins of the temple still lie there between the beauty of nature and with hardly many living around in the area.  The temple displayed a great architectural design highlighting the wonders our then architects used to create. It holds a very high place in the world's great architectural designs.  The temple presents to us the most memorable and beautiful work done during the regime of King Liladitya of Surya Dynasty. Though much of the other ruins of that time are not to be found around, the remnants of big Martand temple exemplify the glory and the skills that were invested to build it.

Below are a few images of Sun Temple as captured by various photographers - 

Source: Bharat Discovery

Martand Sun Temple Anantnag

And now, please refer the pics below where the depiction of the same temple has been as a Devil's seat - 

Distortion of Fact in Movie Haider

I would let your wisdom work and decide if you want to let this portrayal insult our culture and the tradition. Just think if it were one of other religious places, by now we would have been suffering from Riots.....

For me I am not in to let this happen..So What's your take???

Jammu Kashmir and Article 370 - An Assessment - Part II

Continuing from Jammu Kashmir and Article 370 - An Assessment - Part I

I hope you have had a good read from the Part I of this series. It would be important now to focus on the aspects of Article 370 from the Constitution of India that gives Autonomous Status to J&K with its on Penal Code and Constitution.

The Article 370 as it reads for itself "Temporary Provisions with respect to the State of Jammu and Kashmir" never proved to be temporary till date and day by day is becoming more permanent fixture to the Constitution of India.  Though way back in October 1949, Maulana Hasrat Mohini had raised a question - "Why this discrimination please?" to which the Answer by Mr. Ayyangar was "For a variety of reasons J&K , unlike other princely states was not ripe for integration as India and Pakistan had been at war over J&K, and although there has been a ceasefire, the conditions still were unusual and abnormal. Part of State's territory is in hands of rebels / enemies."

So that laid the foundation that was then casted over with some concrete agreements and negotiations leading to inclusion of Article 370 in the constitution of India.

The clause by clause coverage of Article 370 - 

1. Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution (a) the provision of Article 238 shall not apply in relation to the State of J&K;

Note: Article 238 has been Omitted by Constitution by 7th Amendment Act 1956. So this clause seems to automatically seem to stand Null & Void

1. (b) the power of Parliament to make laws for the said State shall be limited to,(i) those matters in the Union List and the Concurrent List which, in consultation with the Government of the State are declared by the President to correspond to matters specified in the Instrument of Accession governing the accession of the State to the Dominion of India as the matters with respect to which the Dominion Legislature may make laws far that State; and (ii) such other matters in the said Lists as, with the concurrence of the Government of the State, the President may by order specify.

Note: Since than a series of Presidential Orders have made most Union Laws applicable to the State of J&K, thus eroding this section in particular. Today there is NO institution of India that does not include I&K within its Jurisdiction.

1. (c) the provisions of article 1 and of this article shall apply in relation to that State; 

1. (d) such of the other provisions of this Constitution may apply in relation to that State subject to such exceptions and modifications as the President may by Order Specify: Provided that no such order which relates to the matters specified in the instruments of Accession of the State referred to in Paragraph (i) of sub-clause (b) shall be issued in consultation with the Government of State: Provided further that no such order which relates to matters other than those referred in the last preceding proviso shall be issued except with the concurrence of that Government.
2. If the concurrence of the Government of the State referred to in paragraph (ii) of sub-clause (b) of clause (1) or in the second proviso to subclause (d) of that clause be given before the Constituent Assembly for the purpose of framing the Constitution of the State is convened, it shall be placed before such Assembly for such decision as it may take thereon. 
3. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this article, the President may by public notification, declare that this article shall cease to be operative or shall be operative only with such exceptions and modifications and from such date as he may specify: Provided that the recommendation of the Constituent Assembly of the State referred to in clause (2) shall be necessary before the President issues such a notification.

Note: Interesting portion here now is the Sub-clause 1 (d) was exercised in 1956 when the Constituent Assembly of J&K passed the resolution of Accession to India.  So now if we look at that sub-clause, it is another section that stands Null and Void.  So eventually the Clause (1) of the Article is practically defunct.....

To have a deeper look at the Clause (2) of the Article, J&K State Constitution as framed in 1956 and last amended in 2002 (29th Amendment) has a preamble - 

WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR, having solemnly resolved, in pursuance of the accession of this State to India which took place on the twenty sixth day of October, 1947, to further define the existing relationship of the State with the Union of India as an integral part thereof, and to secure to ourselves- JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and' worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among us all ; FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity of theNation; IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this seventeenth day of November, 1956, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION. 

Further in Part II of the Constitution of J&K it reads - 

Extent of executive and legislative power of the State:- The executive and legislative power of the State extends to all matters except those with respect to which Parliament has power to make laws for the State under the provisions of the Constitution of India.

So if we actually review the whole case, there is nothing from Article 370 that has anything that is valid for the date the controversy over it is brewing.  I am not sure what is the use of this particular Article 370 any more?

Why are politicians so whimsical to make statements that would help only insurgents and not the Citizens / Residents of the State.

The Article 370 for itself provides for omitting this article from Constitution by the way of a Presidential Order.  the only catch is with due support from the States Constituent Assembly....and with the both Ruling and Opposition Parties in J&K opposing that move....it seems a bit difficult a situation.

Overall, Article 370 is does neither seem to be standing relevant in present time, nor does it seem to be applicable to / favoring the situation of J&K.....It just is fueling further separatist sentiments and keeping the Kashmir Pandits away from where they belong.

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References:

• Article 370 of Constitution of India
• Constitution of Jammu & Kashmir
• Article 370: The untold story
• What is Article 370?
• Understanding Article 370

Jammu Kashmir and Article 370 - An Assessment - Part I

The latest development on Kashmir comes in from the Statement of Minister of State for PMO India Mr Jitendra Singh that Government is was open to debate on Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K),while making it clear that efforts would be made through this exercise to "convince" the "unconvinced". A sharp reaction from Mr. Omar Abdullah the Chief Minister of J&K came in stating that either Article 370 stays or J&K wouldn't me part of India.

Now that's a very bold statement by Mr. Omar Abdullah that certainly would fuel a lot more controversy than helping the new Government handle the situation on J&K front. 

However, before we get into the controversy in brewing it is important for us to understand the History and what led Article 370 find a place in the Constitution of India....

So, looking back at the history, we find that the Article 370 was worked out between the then Prime Minister of J&K Mr. Sheikh Abdullah and Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India. This certainly was a mistake from Mr. J.L. Nehru as he overstepped the into the Portfolio of the then Home Minister Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. (Let's Term it as Mistake 1). Incidentally, the commission and omissions of Article 370 could be explained either by Mr. J.L. Nehru (not possible) or anyone who might be alive (distant case or I may be day dreaming). But these commissions and omissions are responsible for the Controversy surrounding J&K and we have been suffering the consequences for last 67 years now.

Another blunder was the clause to Article 370 that any change to this article would be brought in only after concurrence of J&K assembly (Let's Term it as Mistake 2). Why? if J&K is supposed to be integral part of Republic of India, why does J&K assembly be intervening? This clause certainly was inducted to please Mr. Sheikh Abdullah who happened to become Sardar-e-Riyasat after doing away with the monarchy as he always wanted to for his hatred towards the then Hindu King of J&K Mr. Hari Singh. It is to be noted that the accession of J&K to republic of India was approved by J&K assembly only in 1956 after all the changes in J&K ruling front were introduced and Mr. Sheikh Abdullah was designated as Sardar-e-Riyasat. 

Mr. J.L. Nehru promised that Article 370 would be a temporary measure (a False promise) but there was no timeline defined for the review and owing to the causes mentioned in the previous paragraph, it never got reviewed for changes / repeal. Certainly another blunder by Nehru.

Nehru then brought in Mr. Gopalswamy Ayyangar (erstwhile PM of J&K) to help deal with the newly coined Article 370 and take it to the Constitution committee. Sardar Patel opposed but then Mr. J.L. Nehru made a statement on Dec. 27, 1947 that can be called as Mistake 3 - 

“Gopalaswamy Ayyangar has been especially asked to help in Kashmir matters. Both for this reason and because of his intimate knowledge and experience of Kashmir, he had to be given full latitude. I really do not know where the States Ministry (Sardar Patel’s ministry) comes into the picture except that it should be kept informed for the steps taken. All this was done at my instance and I do not propose to abdicate my functions in regard to matters for which I consider myself responsible. May I say that the manner of approach to Gopalaswamy was hardly in keeping with the courtesy due to a colleague.”

Apparently Sardar Patel got miffed with the development and resigned from his post and the matter was then taken up with Mr. M.K. Gandhi to resolve the tiff between Mr. Nehru and Sardar Patel.

On the other hand the proposal for Article 370 was rejected by the Constitution Committee as well as the Working Committee of Congress. Mr. Nehru then had to turn to Sardar Patel to get the Article included in the Constitution and this is where Sardar Patel erred to support Mr. Nehru and succeeded in convincing the Constitution Committee and Congress Working Committee. (Mistake 4)

In 1947 itself Mr. Sheikh Abdullah was arrested by King Hari Singh on the charges of Sedition and Mr. Nehru is said to have pleaded his case (Mistake 5). It is said that Mr. Nehru too was arrested while trying to enter J&K then. Later on Aug. 9, 1953, Mr. Nehru himself had to have Mr. Sheikh Abdullah arrested on Sedition Charges, but Mr. Nehru let go the option of repealing Article 370 (Mistake 6). A golden opportunity lost....

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References:

• Either Article 370 will exist, or J&K won't be a part of India, Omar Abdullah tweets 
• Article 370: The untold story
• What is Article 370?
• Understanding Article 370

Plight of Kashmiri Pandits - Possible Reasons

Working Further on the Plight of Kashmiri Pandits, I landed on the set of information that I had known for sometime but had avoided to write on my blogs.  But, I guess these pointers / information is vital why we have this serious Problem of Kashmiri Pandits being treated as Refugees by the State of J&K. That too when one of the Most Influential Family in Indian Politics CLAIMS to be descendent of Kashmiri Pandits.  Strange isn't it?

Well, this is where the whole case started flagging off a series of thoughts into a whirlwind to send the entire thought process for a spin.  Just mark these words "The So Called Kashmiri Pandit Family" doe not have any direct or indirect relation with Kashmiri Pandits. When I turned the pages of Indian History and specifically that family, I identified that the History of Family had been kept under wraps from most of us and the Family's Kashmir Connection is not older than "3 Generations".  You would understand the point if you look for the answers to following questions - 

1. Who was the Father of Motilal Nehru? - The Simplest Answer you would get is "Ganga Dhar"
2. What was the Occupation of Motilal Nehru's Father? - The City Kotwal of Delhi under Bahadur Shah Jafar - IIs reign
3. Why Would a Mogul Emperor Appoint a Hindu at this ALL important position in a Moghul Empire?
4. When the British troops entered Delhi and started Moghul Genocide, how many Moghuls & Muslims changed their names and wrapped up under Hindu Names?
5. Why did Ganga Dhar Fled Delhi and moved to Agra which had a good Muslim Population there? Why didn't he move to Kashmir from were his ancestors might have traveled to Delhi?

So all in all what I am highlighting here is, the Association of dynasty has nothing to do with Kashmiri Pandits and that they would never understand the plight of Kashmiri Pandits who have the Refugee status in that state.  None of them even reside there.  The answers to the questions raised above would help you understand why they have so soft stand on Kashmir, because they can't go against their Links and their own belief.  More can be read in the Biography or Jawaharlal Nehru on this side where he somewhere had been indirectly accepting the Links and the facts...

Kashmir problem is More so DEEP Rooted in the Religious matters rather than the Geo-Political Stuff.  Incidentally I got access to one of the "Fatwas" in which Kashmiri Pandits have been identified as Undesirable in the Valley. So f the heads of the State have not done anything for 60+ years, Does it mean that they themselves are Scared of the "Fatwa" because they belong to that community / Religion.

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Note** - Please do not read this as a Hate Post or a Religious post.  I have just highlighted the possible problems and pointers to those possibilities.  These could be debated, but certainly to help solve the problem and not aggravate the situation.

West Pakistan Refugees - A Shocking Reality - Part III Finale

After the first two posts on the topic, I searched for more knowledge and information and what came to revelation was more than shocking to me.  It just made me go numb and I was almost lost for thoughts and words to have actually written this post earlier on.  I was totally taken aback by the facts that revolved around the Genocide Acts and the Atrocities that had forced the Hindu Migrants from their homeland to move and settle around Jammu and be called West Pakistan Refugees.  

To my disbelief the various essays and the articles that I read clearly identified that the state was considered as a Muslim State and that the then Indian Government led by late Jawaharlal Nehru agree to give the State of J&K a special status and thus the article 370 was introduced.  This article allowed the state of J&K have its own Constitution that would prevail over and above the existence of the Constitution of India.  Incidentally, it is not that well known to those suffering as well as the fellow Countrymen that in his Letter to one of the British Official, Late Jawaharlal Nehru made a specific statement that marked the importance of Accession of state of J&K, The Muslim State (predominantly), had helped India in understanding the way the state of affairs be dealt with in case of Muslims.  The statement also suggested that if it were not for the State of J&K, the case of Indian Muslims would have been totally different.  Also, it should be noted that Late Jawaharlal Nehru's association with Muslims was never debated, his Son-in-Law Firoz Gandhi (Actual Name Firoz Khan) was a Muslim and was adopted by Mahatma Gandhi to avert the rebel from his Daughter Indira.  

So, if we look back at the History of the plight of Kashmiri Hindus and the Hindu Migrants from Pakistan occupied Territory, what I see it as is something really bizarre.  All the study of the various articles and expressions by various writers suggest that both the state as well as central government were never inclined to resolve this issue of "Refugee Status". The Successive State Governments in J&K had always been led by a Muslim Leader, be it for National Conference or for PDP or Congress.  Certainly to maintain their vote-bank with the Predominantly Muslim Electorate, they would not be interested in giving Electoral Rights to the Migrant Hindus. Not to deal with the situation where the Central Government would have had to confront the state government, the Central Government came clean with a nice statement that indicated that these Migrants were always from the Indian Territory and hence they have the rights of an average citizen when it comes to the case of Central Administration.  From that perspective they have the electoral rights to vote and elect their leader to the Parliament.

So, if I look at the issue highlighted in the paragraph above, though we may say in last 60+ years things have not moved, I do not see them moving for may be another 60 years.  Why? Simply because the Congress which is more of a Family Melodrama, is soft on the way it would deal with the Muslims and also, has been using the "Divide and Rule Policy" as its core strength to gain the political momentum.  Though Britishers started this idea about Caste / Religion base Bias, Congress has very fell held the flag high on this ground.  So, unless there is a Political Stability attained by a Non-Congress led party or may be a Person, who deals more with Logic and Rationale than the Caste and Religion, we may see an end to the issue of "Refugee". The reason for me to make such a bold statement is simple - "Till the time Kashmir would have the special status as a State, it would be taken as Pseudo Sovereignty at various political establishments and thus that would keep haunting the Fellow Countrymen through their lives."

There was similar case with Himachal Pradesh where anyone from outside Himachal Pradesh could not buy Property there. Because of that the state had faced some problems, but when that law was repealed, Himachal has seen much better time with respect to economic growth and other related aspects.  So what is needed for the state of J&K is to bring the state at par with other Indian States and ensure that all the irregularities, nepotism etc is to be taken care off.....

West Pakistan Refugee - A Shocking Reality - Part II

Received a mail from one of the Blog Readers and the Reader asked to maintain anonymity.  Respecting the person's choice to remain anonymous, here is the mail that I got from her. The mail fits nicely in the series of my articles on Kashmir and I thank her for her contribution to this chain of posts....
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Your article in the wee hours of the morning really got me thinking and thinking hard... I re-read the article thrice till it sank in. I consequently read the previous two articles leading to or rather building upto the post.

Way back in college and some years later too when a couple of my Kashmiri friends and classmates spoke about the pain of being a Refugee, I never was able to understand its implication at the time... Then came the movie Refugee and I just saw it as just another flick without giving it a thought... As life moved on I pondered on this issue quite often but the thought of doing something for such an injustice just got overshadowed by the daily rigmarole... 

This article coupled with the earlier discussions and work we did together kind of ignited something within me ... 

The Government is vehement in saying that people who migrated post partition are to be labeled "Refugees" cos they were born in Pakistan and then came into the Indian territory... If that is the case by Indian Law anyone who takes birth on Indian soil is a citizen automatically.. So, why then are the generations of these fellow countrymen who have been born on Indian Soil all across the country not given a citizen status and are still facing the injustice?  Why the demarcation and who decides on such things? 

We have individuals ruling this country who have not even acquired the Indian citizenship by marriage or number of years of residence but are calling the shots one way or the other... and on the other hand we have our own people not being able to get their rightful place in the country that boasts of democracy and sovereignty?? It just a matter of politicians making it an issue for self promotion while actually putting the issue under the carpet and standing on it. 

Ideally is there an "Issue" per say here that needs to be solved??? Its their country, their rights are rightfully theirs, who are politicians to decide ??... When they are performing their duties for the nation by being productive thriving individuals just like any of us why should then they not be entitled to their rights???

US grants eligibility for citizenship to anyone above age of 18 years if they have resided there continuously for 5 years??? India takes more than 65 years to do the same in case of people who have been born here and in many cases died on Indian soil?? :O

Its time that the Indian Government faced the music and was questioned about a lot of issues pertaining to the same... Its not a cause for concern or fight for just Kashmiri Pandits and other Hindus but also a matter of concern for others as raised by you in saying that what if moving from Maharashtra to Gujarat could get us labeled the same way...

And not to mention the need that its high time India rose in support to the 2 million who have been fighting for their rights which anyways are rightfully theirs...

It would be a pleasure to support the cause and read further in this regard... Thanks again for igniting the issue in me...

West Pakistan Refugee: A Shocking Reality

I know the questions that would come to the mind of readers is "Who are West Pakistan Refugee"? What have I to do with them and Why should I be bothered to read this post?  Well, I would request to keep patience and read the brief history to the origin of the Term "West Pakistan Refugee".

The origin of the term West Pakistan Refugee lies in the era of Partition when the then ruler of J&K and the citizen's council decided to stay as a sovereign state.  Meaning neither pledging the sovereignty to India or Pakistan.  India accepted it, but the Pakistan did not and the Pakistani Army (From West Pakistan**, now Pakistan) invaded the State of J&K when after a lot of Political Drama (not of much concern to this post) Indian Armed Forces entered the state of J&K to assist them against the invaders.  Interestingly the Lines were drawn dividing the State between PoK and the State of J&K in India. The actual Line of Control or LoC was agreed between the Political establishment of the two countries.  But what happened to the people living there?  A Mass Exodus happened from the PoK region to the state of J&K in the Indian Territory. These were majorly the Migrant Kashmiri Pandits or the Other Hindu Castes and Hindus from the Sialkot area of current Punjab Province in Pakistan, who had to leave their homes and migrate to Indian territory to save themselves from the atrocities of the Pakistani Army.  This was the first lot of Migrants who were called West Pakistan Refugees.  With the subsequent wars between India and Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, more migrants from PoK moved to Indian territory.

These migrants from the state of J&K live in the state of J&K as well as the Indian territory as Refugees.  What a Shame!!!! The State of J&K as well as Central Government has not done anything to help the cause of these Migrants over the period of last 65 years.  Irony of the entire case lies in the fact that the Migrants are Citizens of India, but they live as a Refugee in their own state of origin, what can be more painful than that?  What can be the more shameful that the state where their ancestors had been living all their life, treats them as Refugees. there are close to 1.2 million and more such cases where the state treats them as the Refugee and the Central Government's stand point is "They are not Refugees because they belong to PoK which is very much part of the Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic of India".

What can be more Shame that these 1.2+ million Indian citizens Most of them being Hindu refugees from West Pakistan, settled in Jammu, have a right to vote in the parliamentary polls. But they have no franchise for the assembly, municipal or Panchayat polls because they are not considered the state subjects of J&K. The height of Political Drama in J&K can be well guaged from the fact that in February 2007, the J&K Legislative Assembly rejected an important bill giving that was motioned in the legislative Assembly to give these Migrants the right to become citizens of the State. The rationale given (mind it in 2007) was that the issue needs to be discussed in the appropriate forum.  

It is really shocking that the fellow citizens, who have the right to vote for electing MPs and who have the right to contest election (Labha Ram is one such person who contested election for Lok Sabha as an independent) have no right to vote in state assembly, panchayat or municipal elections?  What kind of Governance are we talking about? The person living in a state for past more than 60 years can't purchase a house or is not granted even the basic rights of citizenship stating that there needs to be "Appropriate Forum".  Is this the state of affairs with the Government of J&K?  And if that was not it, these Migrants (I have been using Migrants because I can't call my fellow countrymen as Refugee) were not even considered when the Interlocutors were discussing the state affairs with various parties.  They were just left stranded as they have been for years?  Why? This is just a too hard hitting fact of Indian Democracy.

Imagine if you migrate from Maharashtra to Gujarat and you are told since you or your ancestors have not been living in the state for more than specified period of time before so and so date, you are not eligible to the rights of citizen in the State of Gujarat, or for that matter any other state.  How ridiculous that would be? how would you feel?  Try to put yourself in those shoes and try to feel the pain and the pinch our fellow countrymen have been bearing up with for past almost 65 years.  They need their Basic Rights conferred to them by the State of J&K and the Central Government has to ensure that this is taken up with utmost urgency.  If that means that the Article 370 (incidentally which has no relevance in today's electoral government scenario and which was formulated considering J&K as the Princely State) needs to be abolished and the State of J&K be brought at par with other states, the Govt. of India should take steps towards it.or so

As I write this post, I read from my the news sources and learnt it from few of my friends that approximately 2000 fellow citizens who have been suffering because of a draconian stance from the J&K Government and 'NO' Support from the Central Government have started a march to GHERO the Parliament in Delhi to highlight their plight and get support from the fellow countrymen,  I would request you all to extend your support and support them in their cause.  Before you make a comment on them being "Idiots", please mind, it could be you tomorrow in some other state where you might be mistreated.  However, this is the case where they are mistreated in their own Home and in their own home they are rated as Refugee or a Second Grade Citizen, even when they are conferred with the Citizenship of Our Country.

I have my full support to my fellow countrymen in their pursuit. Hope to see your Support for them pouring in.....More the Merrier!!!

जय हिंद |

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**Note - During the Partition of India, Pakistan had two portions - East Pakistan (Bangladesh) to the East of India and West Pakistan (Currently Pakistan) to the West of India.

***Note - The Post has been written with the facts compiled from various sources including the newspaper clips from time to time.  if you find there are certain data mismatch, please feel free to highlight them in your comments to the post.

Kashmir - The (non)-Issue - Part II

Continuing from my previous post Kashmir - the (non)-Issue I would like to throw some light on the history of Jammu and Kashmir.  It's indeed pretty interesting as I was contacted offline in many discussions where the History of Jammu and Kashmir was sighted to me, various articles were sighted by various Enlightened acquaintances, colleagues and few other contact of contacts... Though none of them had concrete facts with themselves on that and none of them could convince me on that stuff.  I thought of writing down another part, but then thought I might be overreacting.  But today an article was forwarded to me where India was shown in bad light over the issues of J & K and Junagad.  Though the article is from a famous international magazine, but had facts missing from it.  This is when I thought that the facts are to come out (though they are already there in the Public Domain, I thought of reproducing them).  So read on - 

The first mention of Kashmir dates back to almost 3000 year BC, yes I do mean during the Mahabharat Era.  Since then till almost 12th century AD, Kashmir was ruled by Hindu Rulers and the various mentions that we can find around in the books of History are - 

1. King Sandiman - 2629-2564 BC
2. King Sunder Sen - 2082 - 2041 BC
3. King Nara - 1048 -1008 BC
4. Mauryan Dynasty - around 3rd Century BC with the Shrinagari (ancient Name of Srinagar,) was founded by King Ashoka (Shrinagari was founded near the then Ancient Capital Pandhrenatha)
5. Kushan Dynasty - 1st and 2nd century AD, Name of Huvishka & Kanishka are a must mention as the dynasty and these names had good imprints on the state with the names like Hushkora and Kanispora that were derived from the names of Huvishka and Kanishka
6. Lalitaditya Dynasty - 7th Century AD when the Sun Temple was built and the City of Pharihaspura was formed. 
7. King Ajatapida - 813 - 850 AD, Pampore was founded then
8. King Avantivarman - 855 - 883 AD, Built the town of Avantipur
9. King Shankaravarman - 883 - 902 AD, Built Shankarapura-Pattan (now known as Patttan)
10. King Jayasim - 1128 - 1149 AD
11. Mid 12th Century AD - First Muslim Invasion
12. 1322 AD Turks Invade Kashmir
13. 1394 - 1416 AD, Sikander attacks Kashmir and and brings in Mass Conversion to Islam, post this only 11 Hindu Families were left in Kashmir......
14. 1540 - Mirz Haider Invades Kashmir and the territory is annexed to Mughal Empire..
15. Maharaja Ranjit Singh - 1810 - 1820 AD and appointed Gulab Singh to Rule Kashmir.
16. Anglo Sikh War and Battle of Saboran take place around 1845 AD, and is followed by 2 treaties between Maharaja Gulab Singh and Henry Lawrence.  The Present State was created with 'The Treaty of Amritsar" taking effect on March 16, 1846.

So, we can for sure see who ruled the state and where the historic facts point us too.  Kashmir thus was part of India right from the time it was known as "Aryavart".  If there are still doubts and confusions about the history beyond 1846 till 1947, please let me know and the Part III of this series will help throw more light with more facts.

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Thanks to the Book by Narendra Sehgal - "Memorial of Mistakes - Converted Kashmir, A Bitter Saga of Religious Conversion".