I: Independent Nation?: …as Indians we don’t want to coerce and force certain section of people by suppressing their aspirations to live as an independent nation. The concept of a nation is an idea. When a certain majority of people of a region believes in an idea of statehood a nation is formed. It may be forged with a constitution, cemented with a government, protected with an army, and run with legislature, judiciary and executive. But at the heart of this nation are the people, their aspirations and their notions of freedom.
Kashmir wants freedom: Time for half measures is over. We need to take a bold decision. And unfortunately, that decision involves trifurcating the state, giving more autonomy to Kashmir, and may be complete freedom to Kashmir.
Let go, India: There comes a time in the political histories where there is no turning back. Kashmiri youth have crossed that Rubicon. They don’t want to turn back. That’s why they throw themselves against the Indian armed forced and are ready to die. When freedom is more important to them than their precious lives, we need to concede that we are losing ground and losing our place on their lives.
Kashmir: Discussion on TV: The second guy is worse. He wants the Kashmiri Muslims to respect our sentiments? Why should someone respect the sentiments of a bully? He wants them to think of the nation. Which nation? The nation that has been ruling them at the point of gun for nearly two decades now, in whom they have lost all faith?
Kashmir exposes India: Current episode debunks India’s credentials. The fabric of Indian secularism is laid bare – it is seen as hollow. It is clear that this whole fight in the state of Jammu and Kashmir is religious in nature. The clichéd idea that J&K is single state is a chimera. It is clear once again that people of Kashmir feel and act quite different from people of Jammu.
Notes from Kashmiri Muslims: I wanted my readers to know how Kashmiri Muslims feel about Indian rule. I took some of the notes from different blogs to get a picture of how they feel.
VII: Some questions answered: Freedom! That single word that spawned so many struggles of mankind, including our glorious Independence Movement in which we wanted to define it according to our terms, and yet we are now defining it for others, making it paradoxical.
VI: Was accession legal and ethical? …it is hard to say if a certain decision is ethical or not - unless it is a glaring violation (like genocide committed by Nazis) or an obvious act of good faith (like that of Mother Teresa). Legal actions need not necessarily be ethical. Law is bound to a land and can change with time.
Kashmir V: On Plebiscite: A plebiscite can be defined as "vote in which a population exercises the right of national self determination".
IV: Legal Conflict: The emotions and sentiments run very high amongst Indians, Pakistanis and Kashmiris; and a debate or a discussion on Kashmir at any level, whether it is UN or a bilateral summit, in a coffee shop or a group debate on TV, turns very passionate and the rhetoric is usually very irrational. Let’s look at some of the arguments here.
III: Is it an integral part of India?: I see that many Indians believe as if it is a word of God that Kashmir is an 'integral part' of India, and they never question what it actually means. On the other side, Pakistanis believe that Kashmir is a ‘disputed territory’, even though it has been 60 years since Partition. And Kashmiris want to be left alone.
II: History Timeline: A small overview of Kashmir's history - compiled from various sources.
I am on my way to Hell!: Because of Kashmir, Pakistan is an enemy. Because of Kashmir, Muslim is a terrorist. Because of Kashmir, India is an oppressor. Because of Kashmir India has lost its moral position to defend and support a freedom movement.
