#KashmirBifurcation: How India procured Jahangir's 'heaven on earth'

Jammu and Kashmir has a very rich and interesting past and a story that fascinates every Indian but a fate that every civilian fears. To understand the current political scenario of the valley we will have to go back into the times when India saw its partition and a new country, Pakistan was born out of its ashes. 

Saima Siddiqui
Published on: 6 Aug 2019 8:51 AM GMT
#KashmirBifurcation: How India procured Jahangirs heaven on earth
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Srinagar: “Gar firdaus, ruhe zamin ast, hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin ast” (If there is ever a heaven on earth, it's here, it's here, it's here), The valley which is home to breathtaking landscapes and has been given the status of 'Heaven on earth' by the mighty ruler of India, Jahangir himself.

Kashmir, a place that is dotted with beautiful lakes, magnificent valleys, also enfolds a heart-wrenching past and a present that is still surrounded by darkness.

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Jammu and Kashmir has a very rich and interesting past and a story that fascinates every Indian but a fate that every civilian fears. To understand the current political scenario of the valley we will have to go back into the times when India saw its partition and a new country, Pakistan was born out of its ashes.

1947, a year to be celebrated for the times to come for both India and Pakistan, as they got what is called freedom from the shackles of British rule. Now the mega work of accession was in process, both the countries were merging their princely states to form a united nation. When other princely states were eager to join Indian government, the Kashmir was reluctant to join any of the two countries. The then ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, with majority of his Muslim citizens refused to come along with India or Pakistan. And before August 15, 1947, he had also declared stand still, giving the valley an autonomous status. Maharaja Hari Singh has always dreamt of forming a separate, independent country but meanwhile, Pakistan started putting pressure on Kashmir and ordered its tribals to move forward and occupy the state. The tribals fighting mischief, completely disrupted the peace of Kashmir and destroyed public properties.

Now, it became necessary to interfere between the two and to mediate, Lord Mountbatten visited Kashmir in the same year and asked Maharaja Hari Singh to choose any one country between India and Pakistan. But Hari Singh did not agree to this. Having sensed the adamant attitude of Hari Singh Mountbatten came back.

It is said that even the then Home Minister of India, Sardar Ballabhbhai Patel on Kashmir row told Mountbatten that if Kashmir wants to merge with Pakistan, it can as he doesn't have any problem. But confused Maharaja Hari Singh was unable to take any decision and the tension was mounting.

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To lure Maharaja Hari Singh, Pakistan gave many temptations, send its officials to Kashmir but nothing turned up between the two and on October 22, 1947, Pakistan led revolt from the North-West Frontier of the Province. In just five days, Pakistani soldiers came very close to Srinagar, just 25 miles away from the state capital. This mischief on the part of Pakistan forced Maharaja Hari Singh to sought help from India. He fixed a meeting with the then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru and after negotiations, they signed the 'Instrument of Accession'. Now, India fought by Kashmir's side and overthrew Pakistani army after a bloody war. But before the war was ended, Pakistan had managed to capture, Muzaffarabad which gave rise to hostility between the two nations and Jawaharlal Nehru moved to United Nations to raise the issue.

The Security Council of the United Nations called Jammu and Kashmir a disputed referendum and asked both countries to withdraw their forces. However, both nations refused to do so.

During that time India had a strong hold in Kashmir and was backed by many local leaders and people of Kashmir. The decision of Raja Hari Singh was welcomed by all and Kashmir was merged with India. And Indian government respecting the 'Instrument of Accession', gave a special status to the state in its Constitution Under Article 35 (A) and Article 370.

But recently, this beautiful state once again came under political scrutiny and the Article 370 was scrapped down by the ruling government, after moving a resolution in the Parliament, on August 05, 2019. The repealing of the Article not only snatched the state off its special status bu also negated its powers given secured by Indian constitution. The state of Jammu and Kashmir, has now been bifurcated into two Union Territories: Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh.

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Saima Siddiqui

Saima Siddiqui

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