Equating Kashmir movement with Indian freedom struggle

BY: RANBIR MANHAS PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 5, 2018

For quite some time, I have been watching spokespersons of the so called freedom fighters in Kashmir claiming that since India had itself fought freedom struggle, it should not oppose ‘freedom’ movement in Jammu and Kashmir which is the democratic right of people living there. This way they try to equate Indian freedom struggle with one that has been going on in Kashmir valley, which is not only untrue, but absurd and unrealistic also.

It seems that these advocates of Independent Kashmir have not gone through the history of the Indian freedom struggles, otherwise they would not have done the foolishness of equating the two struggles which are poles apart from each other and following few points are a bold proof of that:

1. Whereas, India had a reason for launching freedom struggle because it was ruled by a foreign power while sitting thousands of miles away from India, Kashmir struggle on the contrary has no such reason because all the Chief Ministers including Sheikh Abdullah, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed, Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq, Sayeed Mir Qasim, Ghulam Mohammed Shah, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Mufti Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti were and are Kashmiri Muslims who ruled the State by the votes of none else than people of Kashmir themselves.
2. Whereas, Indian struggle was headed by selfless saints like Mahatma Gandhi, struggle in Kashmir is headed by selfish characters like Sayed Slahudin who while using their influence in the administration provided government jobs for their own children and instigated children of common Kashmiris to leave studies, pick up guns and get killed in the name of jehad.

1. Whereas, Indian struggle was for the independence of all the Indians including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Budhists, Jainies and Christians, struggle in Kashmir is for the freedom of Kashmiri Muslims only.
2. Whereas, Indian freedom struggle was based on the principle of non-violence, Kashmir struggle is based on violence and bloodshed. Even young brigade of Indian freedom struggle headed by Sardar Bhagat Singh did not resort to violence, but in Kashmir every youth has been made a terrorist and put on the path of self destruction.
3. Whereas, Indian freedom struggle was an indigenous movement, movement in Kashmir is a Pak sponsored activity founded and funded by notorious Pak agency, ISI that sends terrorists inside Kashmir to frighten and force innocent Kashmiris to join the struggle at gun point.
4. Last but not the least difference between Indian and Kashmiri freedom struggle is that whereas the former was against British rule, Kashmir movement is against India basically because they consider it to be country of Hindu infidels ignoring the fact that more Muslims live in India than Pakistan which is the biggest Muslim country of the world.

The above points amply prove that there is a sea wide difference between Indian freedom movement and the one going on in Kashmir. The only common thing in the two struggles is the word ‘freedom’, which alone cannot make it a result oriented struggle. Let both separatists of Kashmir and world community understand that Jammu and Kashmir is not Kashmir valley only; regions of Jammu and Ladakh are also its parts. They should also know that Kashmir is not of Muslims alone, Pandits and Sikhs who do not contribute to the idea of freedom on the basis of Muslim radicalization also live there. Now tell me when people of Jammu and Ladakh regions oppose this movement; when Kashmiri Sikhs and Kashmiri Pandits are against this struggle and when moderate Muslims in the Valley also do not support Kashmir struggle then who else remains there to support it except fist full of separatists and terrorists who are forcing the otherwise reluctant people to join and support the movement in the name of Islam.

The so called Freedom Fighters in Kashmir should therefore learn lesson from Indian Freedom Movement rather than equating the two movements unreasonably and unrealistically. As far common people of Kashmir, my humble suggestion to them is that they should judge their leaders by their deeds rather than by their misleading sermons so that their coming generations could be saved from death and destruction.