Kashmir as an integral part of India has enjoyed full measure of political authority over its people for half a century. It has its separate constitution to preserve and protect its special status, fortified by complementary provision in the Indian Constitution and certains regulations not applicable to other States. Many of the laws protected by the Indian Constitution are not extended on the people of Jammu and Kashmir. There is no doubt that the State of Jammu and Kashmir enjoys a good measure of internal autonomy under the quirk of its constitutional mechanism unknown to other regions and states in India and in many instances they have chosen to cast away. Where has the constitution failed and stood in the way of Kashmiris to work for their aspirations and achieve these in a pluralistic society. 

The provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution are well intentioned, but it had the opposite effect. Over a time everything became special in the State including whether it was day to day administration, treatment of minorities, respecting judicial decree, leading to general lowering of norms and standards and other ills like 'Azadi', autonomy, state-reorganisation. In effect, it has been used for subversion. 

For centuries Kashmiris have suffered historically at the hands of invaders mostly from across the North Western Frontier resulting in their enslavement. Kashmir's current problems are the result of the latest invasion by frontier tribesmen from Pakistan in 1947 and 1965, which were repulsed by the people. One particular danger arising from extra territorial obligations of these fundamentalists is that Kashmiris are warned of their future in a pluralistic society. In the winter of 1989, 300 thousand Kashmiri Pandits and moderate Muslims from the Valley were subjected to a genocidal drive and forced to live in exile from their homes. The majority community in the Valley was terrorised in accepting a variant of Islam, totally alien to the lofty and deeply humanitarian ethos of Kashmiri culture. 

As long as the politics of distruption remains, as along as there is this disposition to explore religious feelings "trifurcation", "self-rule", "Azad" and "Autonomy" proposals will not be beneficial. These slogans by themselves will be the weak links for outside interference. 

The Kashmiri people in exile are proud of their inheritance and ancestors, who gave an intellectual and cultural pre-eminence to India; who spread it across to Central Asia, China, Tibet, Mongolia, Korea, etc. This was clasorated by Prof S. Rimpoche, the then Chairman, Assembly of Tibetans deputies, Central Tibetan Secetariat in an address to Kashmiri displaced community at Jammu on 27th of December, 1991 and 'hoped that the problem of displacement of Kashmiri Pandits from their native place would be resolved and they would return to their homes soon'. —Daily Excelsior dated 29/12/1991. 

India is also the destiny of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. With a developing economy, the stresses and strains generated in the social order necessiate a need for honing up the pillars on which the country's pluralistic democracy rests, particularly in Kashmir so that the laws enforcing the equality to all citizens are enforced in letter and spirit. Through a constant vigilance we can contain the disruptive forces from inside and outside the country and their design. 

What are your views on the above? Will you publicly voice concern on the above and advise the terrorists, Jehadis and their protogtonists to shun violence and sit for talks. 
 

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