Cobwebs of Apathy, Painted by Bansi Parimoo

The Valley is in the thick of turmoil, the like of which, it has never experienced since 1947. Terrorists, with all defined objective of seceding from India, have engulfed the whole Valley, and are finding favourable response from all along the adjoining areas with Muslim majority in the province of Jammu.

It is the Muslim fundamentalism asserting itself at its peak, with an open support from Pakistan and a tacit one from Saudi Arabia and Iran. Americans, all along, contributed to this end as they relentlessly poured in the most deadly and sophisticated military hardware, into Pakistan, to protect its status as a frontline state, and also under the pretext of equipping Afghan Mujahideens. General Zia, as a shrewd military general, squeezed as much aid from USA in the name of Afghan Mujahids as possible. Indian protestations were ignored both by the US and Pakistan.

Its dimensions and the incidence thereof, on the Indian polity can hardly escape the eye of a patriot.

Pakistan has vengeance to wreck upon India. She failed to achieve its objective in the earlier campaigns against India since 1948. The thrust, this time, is quite different in nature and character. It is the Kashmiri Muslim youth itself, who has been involved and allured to take to gun from across the Line of Actual Control. The whole gamut of insurgency in the Punjab and later in Kashmir, is so well laid and planned under the famous "Operation Topac" of late Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan to balkanize this country. It envisages:

To recruit and train Kashmiri Muslim youth in the handling of sophisticated arms and equipment;

To subvert the Administration & police in the state;

To hound out Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley before engaging India into a full-fledged war;

To break the inertia among the Muslims of the state and to activise them to unleash so-called holy war against the Indian Authority in power. The "Operation Topac" could not afford to allow factional groups among Muslims of the state to exist any more, nor could it allow the existing leadership in the state to remain intact.

Instead of directly involving Pakistan in the operation against India, the terrorists, trained in Pakistan and equipped with the most sophisticated weaponry, are fighting a proxy war for it. The present offensive against Indian state is or, the choosing of fundamentalists and, therefore, the greatest danger to the country's territorial integrity and its secular polity.

The nexus between Pak ISI and the Sikh terrorists in the Punjab, and Muslim terrorists in the valley and between the terrorists of the two states is established beyond any doubt.

In such a situation of near civil war conditions, international mafia groups especially that of Pakistan, rule the roost by helping the underworld arms and drug traffickers.

One is surprisingly intrigued to find the then political leadership at the helm in the Valley play ducks and drakes to meet the situation squarely. It cared little to shake off nonchalance and indifference of Kashmir Armed Police; instead ordered release of 70 hardcore terrorists. The Administration from top to bottom obliged terrorists by heeding to their calls - like observing civil curfew; effecting blackouts on days of National importance and doing illumination on the days like the l4th August - the independence day of Pakistan. Jagmohan, the then Governor of the state, in his letter to the Editor, TIMES OF INDIA, Aug.1988, writes "The drum beaters of Parochialism and fundamentalism are working over time. Subversion is on the increase. The shadows of events from across the border are lengthening. Lethal weapons are on way. The face of Democracy is increasingly being pimpled by exploitation. The overall fabric shows too many loose threads, too many weak stitches."

The language of the gun was heard loud and clear by all the Muslims alike. Some conscientious patriots in the Administration and security forces who felt challenged and tried to discharge their duties, were done to death mercilessly with cruel hatred, soon after they had offered their Nimaz in a nearby mosque.

The Government at the winter capital of the state turned a deaf ear to all this, knowing well that this callous behaviour of the political leadership would do the gravest damage to the Nation in many ways more than one, like :-

a) Erode the credibility of the Government itself;

b) Help mobilize mob support for militancy among the masses;

c) Help subversion in the Administration & the police;

d) Render the existing leadership of the political parties redundant;

e) Rally support for the liberation of Kashmir from India;

f) Convert mosques as the centres of Activity for militancy and terrorism;

g) Embolden women volunteers to mobilize support for the so-called Jehad under the women militant organisations like "Dukhtaran- i-Millat".

h) Prepare Muslim parents to succumb to militant pressure and spare a male child each to take to militancy and gun culture;

i) Embolden terrorists to establish their credentials among the masses;

j) Encourage raising of funds for the "Jehad against India";

k) Prepare and train masses to flout the law of the land and to take law in their own hands;

l) Prepare masses to get used to terrorism and withstanding government retaliation as and when it came, and

m) Letting people believe that the days were not far off when 'Nizam-e-Mustafa' shall be realized and Indians driven out from the soil of Kashmir.

The meticulous planning by the terrorists is a so- called feather in their cap. They acclimatized people with the gun culture by, firing in the air, when the local police stood watching by in some corner of the street; exploding bombs at vantage points carefully, without effecting any damage to life. Some times they burnt Indian Tricolour or Indian Constitution at important crossing points, under the very nose of security forces, who had no powers to act even under gravest provocations. The CRPF & BSF had to function under the local police officers. They could do nothing but present a picture of law abidingness of the most disciplined force in the world.

As the militancy of the secessionists took roots, it turned the gun on CRPF & BSF jawans intermittently in the down-town areas. On the eve of Id-ul-Fitr in 1989 half a dozen of jawans were done to death in the evening time when they were to retire to their barracks. They looked to their senior local police officers for orders but the latter stood glum faced and tight lipped to issue any orders to act in self defence. This was a wonderful example of abetting with the secessionists!

Secessionist rnilitancy measured strides till it engulfed the total Valley. The wine shops were forced to be closed and so were cinema halls, beauty parlours and clubs. The women were warned that they must move about 'Burkha' clad or face the punishment in accordance with Shariat Law. The foreign money that had been pouring in since 80's had gone unchecked at the hands of the authorities and its utilization not kept under a watchful eye. Even when DIG Kashmir was attacked at his residence towards the beginning of terrorism and one terrorist got killed in the encounter, fantastic stories were alleged to have been cooked up to hoodwink the premature exposure of the things to come. Call it an abetment or connivance on the part of the authorities, it makes little difference. All the same the guilt was there - it was with the leaders of the treasury benches and the leaders in the opposition, barring a few, who all knew what was in the offing!

They all, almost in the same vein traced the origin of this turmoil to unemployment, backwardness, paucity of funds, corruption, rigging of elections and what not. According to this leadership Kashmir youth felt disgruntled and sick. If this were the whole truth, why did not the youth other than Muslims in Kashmir and the other two divisions namely Jammu and Ladakh take to guns like their counterpart in the Valley. A close analysis of the facts would bear out that the Valley enjoyed a more hectic economic development than did the other two divisions of Jammu and Ladakh. Development in the state was more tilted in favour of the Valley than Jammu and Ladakh. That is, why different commissions, like Sikri Commission in 1979 and Gajender Gatkar Commission in 1967 had to be appointed to look into the lopsided development in Jammu and Ladakh regions.

None of the Muslim leaders from the Valley is still prepared to characterise the uprising as fundamentalist, secessionist and communal. The following data would go a long way to warn the masses in the country not to fall prey to the systematic and calculated disinformation campaign let loose by different interested circles. The problem in Kashmir Valley is not a problem of unemployment, nor is it a problem due to exploitation, corruption and backwardness. In fact terrorism in Kashmir is not for an economic end but it is the fundamentalists striving hard to snap the state's relations with India and secede to Pakistan or stay independent with a political order of Nizam-e-Mustafa. It is, therefore, a civil war in full swing shaking the very edifice of accession of the state with India. It is a campaign against Kafir (Infidel). It is a movement to set the chain of Balkanisation in motion, so that India as a state breaks and the two nation theory is proved correct. It is an attempt to embolden all fissiparous tendencies to work up towards the dismemberment of the state. It is the most sinister design ever launched by the enemies of the nation internally & externally. It needs to be dealt with firmly as a state ought to. Weaving of political process will not do-it is the down right authority of the state that should make itself felt. Dragging the nation's feet along will do more harm than good. Indian Nation should learn to live as a nation and resist and defeat such a theocratic thrust. It must override all religious, sectarian, fissiparous, regional and communal considerations.

It is not Kashmiri Pandit - a miniscule minority - suffering, but it is a patriot punished for holding fast to his patriotism. The nation may afford to treat him callously but the posterity will not forgive the nation for not holding fast to protect the nationhood by securing and safeguarding the life of true patriots.

To see the problem in its entirety one needs to look into the figures of the Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir which tell a tale of their own.

The total area of the state including the area under POK, area under the illegal occupation of China in Ladakh and area illegally handed over to China by Pakistan, is 2,22,236 Sq. Kms. The area under the illegal occupation of Pakistan & China adds up to 1,20,849 Sq. Kms. The net area left over works at 1,01,387 Sq. Kms. The break up of the area & the population can be assessed by reference to the tables I, II, III, IV, V, VI.

The tables furnished an elaborate account of the District wise area, and the persons living therein & also the %age population to the total population. A keen perusal of the data highlight some interesting features.

Population wise Kashmir division is left with a slight edge over the other two divisions of Jammu & Ladakh In fact, the population of Kashmir division works at 31,34,904 while the population of Jammu division is 27,18,113 & that of Leh & Kargil put together is 1,34,721.

The population of Kashmir division comes to 52.35% of the total population of the state. The percentage of Jammu division & that of Ladakh division work at 45.39 and 2.24 respectively of the total population of the state.

The total Hindu population comprises 32.24 percent of the total population of the state, and the %age of total Muslim population and that of Buddhists of the state works out 64.2% and 1.1% respectively. The %age of total Sikh population to the total state population works at 2.1.

The percentage of Kashmiri Muslims to the total population of the state works at 49.7 and the %age of Muslim population of Jammu and that of Ladakh to the total population of the state comes to 13.43 and 1.03 respectively. The Muslim population of the Valley (Kashmir Division) to the total Muslim population of the state is 77.46%.

The Hindu population of Jammu account for 93.3% of the total Hindu population of the state.

The percentage Hindu population to the total Muslim population of the state works at 50.2.

The %age of Muslim population of Jammu to the total Muslim population works at 2.05. And the %age of Hindu population of the Valley account for 6.42 to the total Hindu population of the state.

The %age Muslim population of the Valley account for 94.7 to the total population of the Valley. Likewise, the %age Hindu population of Jammu comprise 66.32 of the total population of Jammu.

Percentage of Hindu population of Kashmir is 2.07 of the total population of the state. (As per Govt. Records).

The %age of Sikh population to the total population of the state comes to 2.1 and the %age Sikh population of Kashmir comes to 24.8 of the Sikh population of the state. The Sikh population of Jammu accounts for 74.2% of the Sikh population of the state.

Buddhists accounts for 1.15% of the total population of the state, while they at the same time, constitute 51.87% of the total population of Ladakh.

Another important feature that comes to light is that the tendency of growth of population in Jammu division is quite in the lead higher than the other two divisions of the state between 1981 to 1985.
 

Table 5 depicts the Hindu population at 1,24,078. This includes about 30,000 non-Kashmiri speaking Hindus. Thus, the Kashmiri speaking Hindus number about 90,000 only.

The decinial growth of population works up to 30% between 1971-81. If its effect is extended to 1990, the increased number of Kashmiri Pandit population will come to some 1,17,000 persons. The population figures of the community as revealed on account of exodus comes to about 2,50,000.

It is note worthy that the 1981 population figures of three divisions of J&K state, surprisingly disturbed the political achelons of the Valley, as it projected a higher growth rate in Jammu region by reference to tables 7 & 8 (Source: Vital Statistics Unit). This reflection of undergrowth of Kashmiri Pandit population, all along, fitted into the political machinations of the political circles in Kashmir.

The projected figures of 1,24,078 of Kashmiri Hindus constitutes about 3% of the total population and about 6.4% of the total Hindu population of the state (Table 6). But should the ground fact, as borne out by the displaced population running for their life to different parts of the country, plus the residue still sticking fast in the Valley, be trusted, the percentage figures would work out towards higher side, (of Kashmiri speaking Hindus) viz-a-viz the population figures of the state, as well as the total Hindu population of the state. The Kashmiri Pandit, thus, would account for 6% of the total population of the state and 12.84% of the total Hindu population of the State. This would make a revolutionary difference in working out the share of Kashmiri Hindus in the jobs and services in the State whether arrived at from a secular or Communal point of approaches to development.

In case of a secular approach to the economy and development, the percentage share of the Kashmiri Pandits would be subject to no limit in lieu of their 80% literacy as against 26.6% literacy rate of the state as per the 1981 census. Even then, the share of the miniscule minority in the state services works out at 6% and not a figure of mere 3%. In case the approach to development is taken on communal lines, the Kashmiri Pandits ought to have a genuine share of about 13% among the Hindu population of the state. But none of the two approaches are realized in case of Kashmiri Hindus and census figures are manipulated against him.

The approach to development in the J&K state seems to be guided more by communal and regional considerations than in keeping with the secular objectives in view. Factors like area, availability of natural resources, transport facilities, productivity of land, climate etc. are not the considerations before the authorities in the state. Instead the population factor only, that too viewed through coloured glasses of religion and region, determines the policy guidelines of the state to development.

But even this policy, as pursued by the state Government, towards politics of development, has led to imbalanced growth in Jammu & Ladakh and also among various religious sections of the population of the state. It is, thus, that the Kashmiri Hindu has been meted out with a discrimination at all levels. He has also been subjected to a barrage of disinformation by the terrorists, Muslim politicians of the state and by the Human Rights agencies like PUCL, Committee for Independent Initiative on Kashmir and also the ministerial factions of Union Ministry in collaboration with the Muslim Members of the Parliament from the state. The Congress-I, which shared power with the National Conference headed by Farooq Abdullah, in order to evade responsibility of such state of affairs in the Valley, somehow found it expedient to rationalize things by blaming the Kashmiri Pandits.

A peep into the figures of Table 7 brings to light some of the interesting facets of the three divisions of the state. Jammu division accounts for 3614 villages (inhabited and uninhabited together) whereas Kashmiri division accounts for 2899 villages and Ladakh for 242 villages. The net area irrigated in the three divisions put Kashmir on the top with 20195 hectares followed by Jammu division at 8906 hectares and Ladakh division at 1860 hectares. The net area sown in the three divisions put Jammu at top with 37222 hectares followed by Kashmir division 34090 hectares and Ladakh division with 1860 hectares.

The following Table clearly bears out the contribution towards the food stock by Jammu division which accounts for nearly 1.5 times more than that of the Kashmir division.

Again by reference to Table 7 at indicator No.ll showing districtwise forest area of the state, wherein Jammu accounts for 12,166.04 sq. kms., Kashmir covers only 8,776.62 sq. kms. Even in respect of live-stock, Jammu accounts for 33.76 lacs whereas Kashmir & Ladakh account for 21.63 lacs and 4.19 lacs, respectively, as per live- stock population census 1982.

PRODUCTION OF FOODGRAINS (in thousand Qtls.) For the year 1985-86

The dissipation of public utility facility is considered to be a hallmark of developmental benefits acquired by the people of a state. In this sphere, Jammu and Ladakh divisions lag far behind as compared to the Kashmir division. Whereas Kashmir division accounts for 95.6% rural electrification (as per 1986-87), Jammu and Ladakh account for 82.02% and 38.5%, respectively.

Similarly villages benefitted under Public, health engineering (ending 1985-86) account for 2125 villages in Kashmir, 1987 in Jammu and only 88 villages in Ladakh.

Another glaring imbalance among the three divisions of the state is borne out by the figures showing Road length maintained at the end of year 1985-86. Kashmir province accounts for 5286 kms. as against 3840 kms. in Jammu and 1131 kms. in Ladakh. (Please see Table 8).

The medical institutions of all types at the end of 1985-86 available in the three divisions read 966 in Kashmir, 1113 in Jammu and 235 in Ladakh. The Kashmir division enjoys a further edge in having the Sher-i-Kashmir Medical Institute at Soura; a separate maternity hospital and a separate Bones and Joints Hospital. (All the above statistics are from the sources of Planning and Development department & Area Planning Division of J&K state.)

There has been phenomenal increase, both in the deposits received and the loans advanced by the financial institutions in the state since 1961. Table 10 shows a steep rise over two and a half decades, as per the RBI source indicated in "J&K Govt. Digest of Statistics 1985-86" issued by Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Planning and Development Departments.

Whereas the deposits with the scheduled Commercial Banks amount to Rs.43,157 lakhs. The advances granted amount to Rs.22,778 lakhs comprising 52.7% of the deposits in Kashmir, deposits in Jammu Region amount to Rs.11,156 lakhs, a 30.3% of the deposits in Jammu. The Percentage Advances to its deposits work at 12.1% in Ladakh.

Jagmohan's letter to the Editor, Times of India, in respect of finances, makes it amply clear that Dr. Farooq Abdullah's statement is also misleading. In case of Jammu & Kashmir, per capita financial assistance from the centre is far above the national average. It is getting 2.5 percent of total grants disbursed by the Centre, while its population is 0.8% of the Country's population. Its 5 year plans are wholly financed by the Central Govt. Its administrative expenditure is the highest in the country. Wage bill itself consumes 43% of non-plan Expenditure.

If Death & Birth rate are any indicators of prosperity of a people and highlight availability of basic necessities of life to them, a quick glance through Tables 12, 13, 14, 15 would serve as an eye opener. The total details registered between 1981 and 1985 figure out as :- a) 74966 in Kashmir division, b) 81179 in Jammu division, and c) 2596 in Leh and Kargil.
One needs to remember that Kashmir represents 52.3% of population of the state, when Jammu division & Ladakh division account for 45.23% and 2.3% of population of the state respectively.

As against this live Births registered by districts in the three divisions state a different tale. The total increase in the Kashmir division accounts for 217374, when the increase in births in Jammu division accounts for 277588 and in Ladakh division 5578. The Kashmir division is better placed in respect of both death rate and birth rate registered between 1981 and 1985. Jammu & Kashmir state has been showing a better performance on account of birth rate & death rate when compared to all India performance. As per the statistics furnished by Directorate of Economic & Statistics, Planning & Development Department - J&K in Indian Economy of J&K government Jan 1986, the following table has been worked out:
 

Besides, the developmental activities are indicated by the per capita income growth & the growth in net domestic product at a constant as well as current price level. In this respect one marks a continuous rise of net domestic product of the state in terms of crores of rupees from 249.59 to 458.10 at constant price of 1970-71 in 1985-86 (quick), and, the growth registered in this behalf at current price in 1971-86 has been Rs. 249.59 crores to Rs. 1479.49 crores.

Similarly, the per capita growth registered between 1970-71 to 1985-86 has been Rs.548.00 to Rs.2204 at current price and Rs.548 to Rs.8683 at constant price of 1970-71. All these indicators point towards a better standard of living in the state as a whole, especially in Kashmir division of the state. The fact that almost every family has a shelter, far far better provision of clothing to withstand the ruts of wintry weather, & also consumption of better protein diet of mutton, chicken, eggs, fish, pulses & vegetables in the Valley including a higher standard of living being enjoyed by a Kashmiri than does his counterpart in the rest of the country. As far the medical care and consumption of patent medicines, Kashmir division is second to none in the federal state of India. Jammu and Ladakh divisions are still given to indigenous methods of treatment to health and disease.- The shoe wear in the valley is superior order to that of any other state of the country.

The argument, therefore, that Kashmiris have a cause to foment such a turmoil does not hold water. As the data speaks for itself, the unrest, among the people & the youth ought to have unleashed itself in the Jammu and Ladakh and least of all in the Kashmir division. The Plea that present turmoil in Kashmir is the consequence of poverty, unemployment, backwardness & paucity of funds to promote economic activity is nothing but a wanton disinformation unleashed by the interested circles both at the state & central levels.

As far the corruption & rigging at elections, the blame lies squarely on the vested interests in the state. No government, at the Union & State level since Independence, can escape the blame for it. They have been the culprits of gravest offence and need to be punished rather than, time and again trying to restore them back to the seat of power, under the pretext that political process be initiated to arrest the alienation of the Muslims of the Valley. And every time, when a searching eye in the centre looks around, the Valley Muslims appear to be secular, who everytime, while in power trampled the secularism under their feet.

They, when irked by inquiring attempt into their misdoings by the central authority, raise their contemptuous voice against India from the rostrums of holy shrines and mosques. As chief ministers they value the chairmanship of Auqaf higher than their posts of authority & political power. Vested interest groups, at such junctures, when the sovereignity and integrity of the country is threatened, in order to dodge the appropriate action to be taken to foil such attempts, crop up their heads and demand political process to be initiated to find solution to such vexing problems only to stall the administrative measures so badly needed to set things right. Such groups function against the national interest on behalf of the forces inimical to the nation and its integrity. They fight no shy to raise a storm of disinformation in order to confuse the issues.

A four member Committee for Independent Initiative for Kashmir claims to have visited the Kashmir Valley from March 12 to 16, 1990 and absorbed the whole gamut of causes and the incidence of security forces dealing with the forces of secessionist terrorists. The committee felt concerned:

a) for denial of fundamental rights, granted to people under the Constitution of India;

b) for failure of parliamentary forces to contain terrorism; and

c) for alienation of people from the Indian Govt.

The team suggested certain measures, which according to them would improve the conditions if adopted by the National Front Govt. They wanted the Govt. to: (i) Recall the Governor - Jagmohan; (ii) Withdraw all para- military forces; (iii) Discontinue the curfew-Raj; (iv) Investigate into the excess of paramilitary forces; and (v) Follow it up with a political process.
 

The Committee needs to be thanked for not pretending any solutions to the present turmoil and for feeling that the problems have been accumulated over the decades since Independence.

But the committee ought to have taken trouble to know that the spirit behind Art. 370 as envisaged and incorporated after Delhi Agreement strictly opposed the extension of Fundamental Rights to the state as enshrined in the Indian Constitution, as this would not have enabled the State Govt. to effect extra-ordinary agrarian reforms. The ownership of the land could not have been shifted to the tiller without compensation; nor could the debts be cancelled outright, as was done by the Debt Cancellation Board in the state.

The Art.310 did not allow the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India to be extended to the state, nor did it allow the jurisdiction of the Election Commission of India to the state. The State Govt. enjoyed unquestioned power over the people of the state in favouring or denying the Fundamental Rights.

The impeding inherent characteristics and the incidence thereof on the political climate of the State, drove G.M. Sadiq, the then Chief Minister, in 1964 to initiate certain amendments in the state constitution and introducing some scope of Fundamental Rights. These changes allowed the freedom of thought and expression and some scope of redressal of grievance of the citizens at the unassailable and incorruptible Highest Court of Authority in the country. It also allowed the Election Commission to protect the free and fair rights of the citizens at the polls. This by all means was a progressive step which the orthodox Muslim leadership and some regional parties have been calling as the dilution of the autonomy of the state. These very elements whose slogan is "back to the position of 1953" are opposed to any scope of Fundamental Rights to its citizens and, in the name of more freedom and autonomy, shall like to create an Islamic State.

The secessionists are for "Nizam-e-Mustafa". The Muslim youth who have taken to gun are on a war-path to throw off the shackles of 'Indian domination'. They are righting a holy war to free themselves from the secular bondage of India. They are against India not because as alleged that they are unemployed, or that they are poor, or that India did not place unlimited funds at the disposal of the State Govt., it is not denial of Fundamental Rights that has driven them to such a pass according to the Islamic canons, there are rights as are allowed to Musalmans only in keeping with the Muslim law, what is fundamental to the secular modern state in terms of rights and duties is Paganism and the law of Infidel in Islam - but it is to seek "Azadi" from such law and Rule of Law that the Kashmiri terrorists are fighting for.

As for the functioning of the para-military forces, one must bear in mind that they are discharging their duties in absolutely hostile conditions, where they are not sure about their life even for the next moment. The local administration is against them. The instances of the involvement of the local police and intelligence with the terrorists is not an exception. The local politicians are out and out to denigrade and demoralize them. And the Pak ISI is meticulously conducting the whole campaign against India, both from inside and outside the state, from Pakistani soil and from the capital of India.

The only patriot and the link in this letter of accession of the Valley of Kashmir with India has been Kashmiri Pandit. He is the real son of the soil. It is he who has been making positive contribution to both pre-independence and post-independence political history of the state. The enactment of State Subject provision during Maharaja's time has been due to the struggle of Kashmiri Pandits. The National Conference politics cannot ignore the role of scores of secular and progressive Kashmiri Pandits. Without Kashmiri Pandits National Conference would have continued to remain Muslim Conference.

It is a misnomer to say that Kashmiri Pandit has been hounded out from his native land today only; in fact, ever since Independence and even centuries before that he has been suffering persecution at the hands of the majority community and their fundamentalist leadership. In the recent past, that is after 1947 and prior to the present mass exodus, more than 2.5 lacs of Kashmiri Pandits have been forced to bid farewell to their homeland and find settlements in different parts of India and foreign countries. If all those Kashmiri Pandit State Subjects who at present are away from Kashmir are put together and called back to the Valley, they shall form a sizeable proportion, over five lacs in number. They would automatically gain a political clout which is being constantly taken care of by the shrewd muslims of the state by not releasing the thrust of persecution on him least he should become "a factor in the politics of the State". His population figures are a source of worry to the Muslims of the Valley and as such has always been manipulated in the census findings, otherwise how could a people numbering approx. 1.15 lacs in 1981 multiply at an amazing rate and become more than 2.5 lacs as revealed by the statistics after the exodus in a matter of nine years; nevertheless, the fact remaining that ever since Independence the number of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley was always on decline due to a continuous but slow migration.

Kashmiri Pandit who is the true son of the soil and the real representative of the Kashmiri tradition and culture both original and the composite, is an enigma for the proponents of "Kashmiriyat". These proponents of Kashmiriat, who have succeeded in imposing a graft of characteristics essentially Islamic in content on the original culture of Kashmir, have always found themselves entirely puzzled and fumbling when dealing with the existence of Pandits. The very presence of the Pandit is a challenge to attempt a total Islamisation of the Valley and its cultural traditions that are fundamentally Hindu in essence and a distinct yet essential component of the larger Hindu ethos. Such endeavours at Islamisation are attempts to annihilate a Culture - a distinct way of life of the Paradise on this earth.

Kashmiri Pandits represent the cult of Shaivism which knows no bondage of orthodox Hinduism and casteism. His dress and diet tell him out from the Hindu Brahmins elsewhere. He is a Sarswat Brahmin, who is head and shoulder above the narrow notions of pollution and untouchability. He has a lust for knowledge and is a supporter of both formal and informal schooling. Though suffering from the ills of educated unemployment yet he does not give up his quest for education. This is his liability as well as an asset.

Even in the worst of it, when he is tossed down the plains by the present exodus, his gravest concern is the education of his children. He needs to be understood. He can take away nothing from a people, but instead has much to lend by way of his talent to know and let know. The only demerit he carries is that he does not have a political clout. He is envied for his intelligence.

This may be the halo woven round him for which he is some times abhorred. He shall have to strive to live. The patriotism that becomes his undoing may not stay as a virtue with him longer enough in the future course of history for he is callously penalised for it. He feels himself like Hangul a species in danger of extinction.

He is charged of having grabbed vantage positions in the services of the state. It is an absolute lie fabricated to create an awe against him. With almost 80% literacy, he should have been ruling the roost in absence of any competition worth the name. The community does not fill up more than 4% posts in the state services. Of about 2,10,000 employees of the state government he hardly counts for 8500 in number. Under all circumstances of unmanipulated numbers, as has been evident on account of exodus and the registration of families in Jammu and other places, his share in the state services should have been around 6%.

His vertical, as well as, horizontal movement in the services has been so restricted that he feels stifled. In the dissipation of Education and knowledge in the state his contribution ought to have been acknowledged. But this has been his undoing; those who learnt at his feet, have also learnt to trample him under their own.

The Committee for Initiative must learn that it is only in this country that they have been allowed to make their cause with the enemies of the country. Freedom has been misused by the terrorists & the Committee members alike.

The Initiative Committee's suggestions, as to the effect of removing Jagmohan, and punishing some security personnel for their excesses and lifting of curfew in the Valley, have been implemented without improving the situation as envisaged; instead, it has proved counter productive.

The whole bureaucracy & 1,37,000 employees of the state services are siding with the cause of the terrorists. In fact it is proved beyond doubt that employees of the state and its bureaucrats are spearheading the struggle for "Azadi".

As far as the suggestion of the Independent Initiative Group regarding withdrawal of security forces and initiation of a political process, they seem to be one with vested interests who have been responsible for the present state of affairs in the Valley. The Initiative Group could not in a short period of 4 days grasp the totality of the scenario with its subtleties. Their attempt appears to be a play with expediency, which often ends up in a fiasco. Their claim to have moved from place to place between the short intervals of curfew hours, and contacted vast majority of people & also Kashmiri Pandits in presence of terrorists as to know their cause of flight from the Valley, they have nothing but bungled. After all, did they ever expect frightened Kashmiri Pandits living precariously between life and death to afford to educate them on the inhuman & barbaric treatment meted out to them at the hands of the terrorist fundamentalists as infidels. All stories of Kashmiri Pandits, fleeing for their lives to various parts of the country, are true. The method employed by the terrorist outfits to hound out Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley of his birth did not follow a homogenous path. The heterogenity of the devices used to this end of driving out the original aborigines from his native land, leaving behind everything, bears ISI stamp. It was so ingenius that one could not locate a systematic design behind it, which would bring discredit to "Jehad" at the outset and its overtones would appear communal which was likely to invoke international condemnation and at the same time invite an organised crackdown at the very inception of the movement for "Azadi". Besides, this confusing methodology served as campaign of disinformation among the intellectuals who instead of maligning the terrorist militants through their writings, felt, not so very hostile to them. That is why the oft repeated enquiry caught the headline "why did Kashmiri Pandits leave the Valley? What made the Pandit leave their home and hearth behind?" Had Jagmohan planned to ask them to leave? But by and by as the different stories caught the imagination of the people and the horrowing tales of conversion, killings, torture and uncivilized tyranny, abduction, strangulation, hangings and gang rapes and mutilation of live bodies were brought to light the clouds of disinformation against Kashmiri Pandit picked up thinning. Everything appeared to this miniscule community gloomy, dark and frustrating. The plight of the members was worsened by the callous attitude of all political parties save BJP. Their getting subjected to tortuous hot climate of Jammu & Plains added to their woes. They suffered sunstrokes, viral infections, snake bites, under the open sky and scorching sun as refugees, but resisted all attempts to return to the Valley. For fear of death at that end made them to scoff off the pressures to hound them back into the trap of death and agony. The warnings of mullahs, through the loudspeakers -fitted on top of the domes of the mosques did not die for them even now. It was a horrifying atmosphere to be in, where, ("Infidels" in Islam had no place to survive) like sermons were poured out and horrify the Hindu minority. It is an experience which only those people can feel who had undergone such a trauma.

The cruel killings of minority community by one's or two's every day under the pretext that they were informers could not but frighten the community deeply to take to its heels. Parents, in far flung villages, when mooted a proposal to wed their daughters to suitable Muslim youth felt shuddered and fled for life and honour during the cold dark nights of January & February 1990 by whichever vehicle they could get a lift. Others took the guts and hired trucks, to carry their necessary luggage with, at exorbitant rates of fares.

The cruel killings by Pak trained militants paled the barbaric and tortuous killings of Jews by Nazis, into insignificance. They sprayed bullets from their AK- 47s on a minority community victim to their hearts fill. They enjoyed the torture deaths by causing cigarette bit burns on the naked bodies of a Pandit victim abducted from his home, office or a village. They teased him by pouring boiling wax on the soft skinned parts of his body. As they never felt satiated in meting out the punishment to a Kafir, they hanged him by nearest tree at a crossing or inflicted cuts on his body & watched him bleed to death.

In certain case they gang raped a young Pandit lady & then like sex maniacs did her to death by ripping open her body with a sharp edged knife. Yet in other case they halved a young Pandit girl into two with a saw. The nailing of bodies to death after effecting hollowing of eyes & cutting the tongue lips or ripping open the belly to let the intestines fall out - tells a horrifying tale.

Since this booklet is limited in scope, it is not possible for us here to present the documentation carrying upto date lists and photographs of the victims and other agonising details & horrifying tales of unbriddled persecution & torture done to Pandits individually as well as collectively by the gun-wielders of the so-called "Azadi" Movement. Such a documented information is separately available & its perusal will be rewarding in providing clear picture of truth, though it will cause a shudder down the spine of the reader.

Most often your Muslim friend or a neighbour would not let you know what was brewing up against you in the neighbourhood mosque. They would keep you in good humour till the time of the execution of action by terrorists. That time none of them could come to help you of their clutches. These are not the imaginary versions of exaggerated accounts, but the true happenings of heartrending nature. It is a depiction of sadist fundamentalist philosophy in operation, fighting a holy war to liberate them from Indian Union & its infidel traces of whatever kind . It is an alien operation in fully cry, there is nothing to be alienated. Alienation of people, is a term used by the cunning and the corrupt, when highlighting the excesses of the security forces in the Valley. It is an expression of fake concern for the people and country when they know that secessionist fundamentalist terrorists have a cause to fight for, they want "Azadi" and the masses back them up by choosing to suffer for this holy cause. Therefore, what is to be alienated? It is a simple and straight matter of intolerance of other creeds and faiths by Musalmans. After all how does one interpret the essence of Jehad? What is the Jehad against? Ultimate struggle is directed towards the establishment of Nizam-e-Mustafa, where all other faiths are relegated to the position of subjugation.

The article "Kashmir - a deep-rooted alienation" by N.Y. Dole in Economic And Political Weekly of May 5-12, 1990 while explaining the Who Betrayed Whom'. And who created the present ugly situation, Mr. Dole seems to be at pains to dish out the version of Kashmiri Muslims that Kashmiri Pandits have monopolized the state government as well as the Central services in the state. This myth or a wanton disinformation against the Kashmiri Pandits need to be exploded so as to let the facts speak for themselves.

Kashmiri Pandit has been quietly suffering for all these 42 years. The share of Kashmiri Pandits in the state services for an approximate figure of 8500, while that the Muslims in the state services- number more than 137000 & the rest constitute the share of Jammu & Ladakh put together.

Muslims in the state services occupy the most important posts. In order to push up Muslims to higher posts, there have been thousands of supercessions which have been fought out in the High Court of the State and also in the Supreme Court of the Country. The famous suits against the state of Trilok Nath Y/s Jammu & Kashmir State, Sh. M.L. Waza V/s State and many others testify the process of elimination of Kashmiri Pandits from the state services.

The state sought to create a state administrative cadre of its own by conferring IAS on in-service employees of the state at a rate of 50% of the available vacancies. It also sought to confer IPS on the in-service police cadre in the same proportion of the vacancies available as in case of administrative services. Thus the state created a strong Muslim bureaucracy with a very thin number from Jammu & Ladakh divisions of the state. There is hardly any instance where one could say Kashmiri Pandit too availed of this favour. Instead a couple of them in the IAS cadre have earned it in the open competition by dint of sweat of their brow. That is how granting of such concessions to the state has landed the state administration paralysed in the recent employees strike.

Pandits in the state service account for around 4% in total, when their share ought to have been in the vicinity of about 6% by the number revealed by the figures available after the exodus at an average of five members a family.

The Pandits have 80% literacy rate compared to 26.67% of the state according to the census figures of 1981. They should have been far exceeding their number in the state services on the strength of their literacy rate; but they have been denied this right by the communal policies being pursued by the Govt. in the recruitments. Or else, it could not happen that Kashmiri Pandits would meet a failure at the tests and interviews held for entrance into services and professional colleges and trainings with all the merits to his credit as against it he gets an easy pass at the all India competition for the same. That is how the Central Offices account for 3000 employees from among the Kashmiri Pandit community. It is the second grouse the Muslims of the state harbour against them. They press for stopping even this channel of seeking employment for them and have been asking to open the doors in the Central services for Muslims of the state with liberalised rules and regulations to fill up the vacancies. The Muslims who have found their way into the Central services like the Ordinance Deptt. of the Defence, Election offices, UPSC, Financial Institutions, AG's Deptt., CPWD, Postal Services, Doordarshan and AIR, Central Excise and Income Tax offices, put together make a far far greater proportion than the miniscule community of Kashmiri Pandits. If a high level commission is instituted to investigate into the disinformation campaign against the Pandits the findings thereby shall bear out the extent of their exploitation.

In one of his articles in a local daily "Daily Excelsior" Aug'90, Mr. Hari Om puts forth the following table showing the dominance of the Muslim community in the state policy and administration:
 

There has been an undue political weightage in favour of Kashmir since 1951 itself. A constituency in Kashmir was carved out on an average population of 50,000 while the same was carved out for a population of 85,000 in Jammu region.

The delimitation of constituencies in Kashmiri Pandit dominated areas was done so as to eliminate any edge to them to effect the election of a candidate of their choice. The N.C. or Congress-I never allowed Pandits to have a legislative member of their choosing, though these parties put up a Pandit Candidate from some different constituency, he bore no representation of the community in the legislative assembly of the state.

The political weightage favouring the Valley Muslim ensured a chief minister from Kashmir division. Even a Muslim from Jammu region has not been allowed a right to this position of state politics. The legislative strength of the three regions represents the following order:
 

The Valley enjoyed overall edge over the other two divisions of the state (Jammu and Ladakh) in respect of Agriculture, Industry & Administration.

The Govt. services are not enough to depict the comparative share in employment of various communities in the state. The figures furnished by Saif-ud-din Soz, Member of Parliament from Baramulla Kashmir, to the Independent Initiative Group to highlight the so-called discontent among the unemployed youth of Kashmir, even if one were to trust these figures, in the overall context, do not suggest that Muslims have been given a raw deal. The Kashmiri Muslim enjoys a far higher share in services when separated from the Muslim population of Jammu and Ladakh.

In the same way to hoodwink the discrimination done to Kashmiri Pandit sometimes they count him with the total Hindu Population of the state and at other times project him as a separate entity of Hindu population of Kashmir. It is what suits the majority community interests of the Valley. It is essentially a subtle game of protecting their interests in the long run. When viewed from this perspective condemnation of terrorism in Kashmir is avoided by Muslim majority leadership of the Valley. Instead this leadership has been doing everything to embolden the terrorists waging a civil war against India.

This leadership poses "secular" undercover of a secular nomenclature of a secular political party. But when it comes to brasstacks they function communally. It is their double standard that has baffled the leadership of all secular and progressive parties at a national level. How does it become that some of the kith and kin of such Muslim leadership from the Valley are in the vanguard of secessionists in action against India. No surprise, therefore, that this leadership has not a single word of sympathy for Kashmiri Pandit, in this hour of misfortune and misery.

This leadership with overall communal overtones is busy blowing the share of Kashmiri Pandits in central services out of proportion. They grouse his capabilities to seek these jobs in the teeth of tough competition.

For any student of politics & economics, employment is not confined to the limit of service jobs in the Government offices alone, for this constitutes a very small proportion of the population. The Muslims of the Valley enjoy 98% share in the employment of other sectors of its economy, like, agriculture, industry, trade, transport & communication and defence forces. In agriculture, "The Naya Kashmir" aimed at revolutionary land reforms and made the tiller the master of the land. The Muslim employment in agriculture accounts for more than 98% in the Valley and Kashmiri Pandits lost the ownership of the estates and constitutes less than 0.5% in the employment of this industry.

The Horticulture Industry has worked wonders. The total employment of majority community of the state in Kashmir accounts for 20 lakhs of persons on 4,80,000 holdings under orchards. The share of Kashmiri Hindu engaged in the industries is less than 1.5% of the total employment in the industry.

The Handloom Industry & Handicraft Industry provide employment to 10666 persons & 91941 persons in Kashmir Valley, respectively according to the census figures of the Handicrafts (1978-79). At the same time, handlooms industry in Jammu provides employment to only 5539 persons and the handicrafts industry accounts for employment to 6049 persons only in Jammu. The share of Kashmiri Pandits in both these industries does not exceed even half a percent of the total industry.

The membership of the handlooms and handicrafts co- operative societies for 1985-86 works at 17776 in Kashmir region and 9199 in Jammu division.

The number of small scale industrial units, formally registered with the Directorate of Industries & Commerce, provides employment to 46293 persons in Kashmir division, while Jammu division accounts for 37333 persons and Ladakh for 23915 persons. Kashmiri Pandits share barely accounts for 1% of the total employment in the industry.

Registered Khadi and Village Industry provides a employment to 28110 persons and the share of Kashmiri Hindus is negligible to be referred to any consequences.

The Boat Industry provides employment to a sizeable chunk of population in the following order by the figures arrived at in l9B5-86 referred in J&K Govt. Digest of Statistics 1985-86, issued by Directorate of Economics and Statistics:
 

The total employment in boat industry does not have any share of Kashmiri Hindus at all.

The Hotel Industry in the state involves thousands of people and Kashmiri Pandit hardly figures anywhere therein.

The Road Transport Corporation of the State Govt. provides employment to 6434 persons, and Kashmiri Pandits do not account for even 1% in the same.

There is an acute shortage of manual labourers in the Valley for developmental and other construction purposes. Migratory labourers from Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa flow into the different parts of the Valley and find wages ranging from Rs.35 to Rs.70 per day. Due to short supply of labourers, the Handicrafts Centre, run by Govt. in the Valley, made provision for training candidates at boyhood age and offered incentives to allure them to come forth as apprentices. This amounted to exploitation of child labour - a crime punishable under law.

Following is a comparative study of the minimum wage rate approved by State PWD in the state:
 

One feels prompted, as a member of this endangered community, to put the record straight and marshall facts from the very Govt. sources to counter the disinformation campaign let loose by the Muslim vested interests against Kashmiri Pandit community to malign it. It is also, for this community, to take stock of the facts and decide for themselves how to survive. The plight of Kashmiri Pandit is his - he has been hounded out from his homeland, leaving behind his property worth crores of rupees. He has been living a subjugated second class citizen's life, compromising with his miseries; for he was aware of the non-chalance of his compatriots in the rest of the country. With no political clout and presence of vested interests all around, Kashmiri Pandit community must learn its own lessons, and decide whether to wait for the time to return to his homeland or get absorbed in the vistas of this vast country and let some other people hold the fort for secularism and patriotism in his native land of dreams. As of today, Paradise stands lost to this endangered species of mankind.

TABLE - I: AREA OF THE STATE OF J&K SHOWN IN SQUARE KILOMETRES

TABLE - II: DISIRICT WISE AREA, POP.,& POP.%

Table III: DISTRICTS AREA & POPULATION (DIVISION WISE)

TABLE - IV: POPULATION (RELIGION WISE) J&K 1981

TABLE - V: