J & K news and discussion

[jamwal]

RamaY saar, are you sure about the population statistics ? AFAIK, population of Sikhs must be greater than what you posted (in others column ) , both in Jammu and Kashmir.

[A_Gupta]

Geelani calls for calm
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hawk- ... ir/656270/

[RamaY]

RamaY saar, are you sure about the population statistics ? AFAIK, population of Sikhs must be greater than what you posted (in others column ) , both in Jammu and Kashmir.

Jamwal ji,

I took that data from Wiki.

[jamwal]

Data on Wiki is wrong. Sikh population in Jammu must be 20% approx. This site ( http://censusindia.gov.in ) should give accurate statistics, but relevant pages are "under construction".


Airavat jee
Many of KMs I know claim that they follow Sufi philosophy although ground realities are very different .What's your experience ?

[jamwal]

An interesting article by a Kashmiri Pandit

[url=http://india_resource.tripod.com/kashmir.html]link[/url]

Contrary to most reports in the media, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) is not a state where only Kashmiri Muslims live. It is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious state with 64% Muslims, 33% Hindus, and 3% Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians and others. There are three distinct geographical regions - Ladakh (with 58% of the area, and 3% of the population), Jammu (26% area, 45% population) and Kashmir (16% area, 52% population: of which over 90 % of the region's minorities, i.e. 3% of the state's total population have been driven out).

Fifteen per cent of the state's Muslims live in the provinces of Jammu and Ladakh . They are non-Kashmiris, and by and large, they stand behind J&K's association with India. (There are a few small exceptions in some towns of Doda district). Of the state's 49% who reside in the Kashmir province, about 13% are Shia Muslims. Shia Muslims do not wish to have anything to do with Sunni-dominated Pakistan, knowing full well the fate that awaits them there. (Just recently, an Oct 4, Hindustan Times report cited Pakistan's Shoora Wahdat-i-Islami who condemned what it called the genocide of Shias in Pakistan.) This is especially true of the Shias of Kargil who know of the poverty and degradation experienced by their ethnic siblings in Baltistan, a part of Pakistan occupied Kashmir referred to as the "Northern Areas". 14% of the people in Kashmir province are the pastoral nomadic Gujar and Bakarwal people. They are strong supporters of association with India and have demonstrated this by organizing Militancy Mukhalif Morcha (Anti-Militancy Front) to assist the security forces in surveillance of terrorist activity. As far as non-Muslim groups are concerned there is no reason for them to even think about living outside multi-religious and secular India

The support for secession in Jammu & Kashmir is thus largely limited to the non-pastoral Sunni Muslim population of the Kashmir Valley who constitute 22% of the state's population, (or about 1.9 million people). This segment of the population dominates the politics of the state. The reason that many believe separatism to be a widespread sentiment in J&K is because this dominant section has succeeded in completely drowning out all other voices in the state, and has the ability to cripple the normal functioning of the society in Kashmir province; either by inaction or insufficient action against Pakistani infiltration and terror or, worst still, by sabotage. It is this section of the state's population that receives all the attention, understandably so from Pakistan and the imperialist nations, but also from the Indian press.

[Lalmohan]

jamwal,
the data above is priceless, it needs to be memorised by all of us, and repeated in any discource on this topic, particularly in reader's opinions blogs, etc.
good find

[jamwal]

This article quotes another article posted in Indian Defence Review 1997 by Hari Om. I'd sure like to read that. Can't find it online.

[Raghavendra]

This article quotes another article posted in Indian Defence Review 1997 by Hari Om. I'd sure like to read that. Can't find it online.

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LANCER/idr00013.htm

[sum]

103 killed in Leh flash floods; toll may go up

At least 103 people were killed and another 370 injured when flash floods triggered by torrential rains struck this Himalayan town in Ladakh region, northeast of Jammu and Kashmir [ Images ], leaving a trail of death and destruction.

"We have recovered 103 bodies so far and at least 370 are injured. The number of missing cannot be ascertained as yet," State Police Chief Kuldeep Khoda told PTI over phone from Srinagar [ Images ].

He said the toll may go up. Leh airport runway was affected but was made operational by afternoon to facilitate landing of aircraft carrying relief material and rescue teams.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah [ Images ] flew to Leh to have an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. He visited the flood-hit areas and spoke to the affected families.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [ Images ] expressed grief over the loss of life and property in the flash floods and announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 1 lakh each to next of kin of each of the deceased.

The state government also announced that Rs 2 lakh relief would be given to the families of each of those killed in the natural disaster.

Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad [ Images ] will fly to Leh on Saturday with relief supplies and a team of 140 personnel of the National Disaster Relief Force alongwith doctors and paramedical staff in an IL76 IAF aircraft.

Massive rescue operations were underway involving the state police, paramilitary forces and the army in Leh town.

Security personnel were also rushed from Kargil [ Images ] to assist the civil administration in rescue and relief operations. While many villages like Sabu, Phyang, Nimoo and Choglamsar were affected, the city bore the maximum brunt of the calamity.

The communication equipment of BSNL was also washed away in the flash floods and rains that hit the town and adjoining villages in middle of night at around 2 am.

Various buildings and mud-houses in old Leh town were wiped out in the incessant rains. The cloudbursts left a trail of death and destruction.

The district hospital was flooded, bus stands flattened and vehicles were seen floating in the town.

Leh is located at a height of 11,500 feet above sea level, 424 kilometres from Srinagar. Jammu and Kashmir Police has set up two camps and were providing food and shelter to nearly 2,000 people, Khoda said, adding that the camps would remain operational till alternate arrangements were being made.

50 CRPF jawans were rescued from the flooded areas, Khoda said, adding the JKAP building was also washed away in the rains.

The dead included three Army Supplies Corps jawans and three Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police constables.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram [ Images ] said that over 6,000 security personnel have been deployed in Leh to carry out the rescue operations.

"6,000 army and ITBP personnel fully acclimatised to atmosphere in Leh are there and they are engaged in rescue operations," he said in New Delhi [ Images ].

Will the overfed #@$%# of the valley bother to take time off from their stoning sessions and do something useful like helping their fellow statesmen?

[Muppalla]

jamwal,
the data above is priceless, it needs to be memorised by all of us, and repeated in any discource on this topic, particularly in reader's opinions blogs, etc.
good find

+1 to that.

jamwal ji,

Are the census operations going on in JK? It is very important that we grab the details of each street demographically from the census whenever it releases.

[Rudradev]

An interesting article by a Kashmiri Pandit

[url=http://india_resource.tripod.com/kashmir.html]link[/url]

...

The support for secession in Jammu & Kashmir is thus largely limited to the non-pastoral Sunni Muslim population of the Kashmir Valley who constitute 22% of the state's population, (or about 1.9 million people). This segment of the population dominates the politics of the state. The reason that many believe separatism to be a widespread sentiment in J&K is because this dominant section has succeeded in completely drowning out all other voices in the state, and has the ability to cripple the normal functioning of the society in Kashmir province; either by inaction or insufficient action against Pakistani infiltration and terror or, worst still, by sabotage. It is this section of the state's population that receives all the attention, understandably so from Pakistan and the imperialist nations, but also from the Indian press.

Could this link be added to the first post of all J&K threads?

[svinayak]

It is this section of the state's population that receives all the attention, understandably so from Pakistan and the imperialist nations, but also from the Indian press.

Could this link be added to the first post of all J&K threads?

Is the Indian press a tool of the imperialist nations

[abhishek_sharma]

Anarchy in the Valley
L. K. Advani

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Anarc ... ley/657276

[dada]

# Post by Jamwal,

I was in Kashmir as a tourist some months back. I support the observation of Jamwal, that secessionist sentiment is strongest in urban areas of kashmir valley. Muslim separatist sentiments has always been strongest in urban areas (even in india of 1940s). Instead of pampering this segment , steps should be taken to effectively neutralize this segment atleast ECONOMICALLY. This segment is the primary beneficiary of the Tourism Industry in the Valley. If Indian Govt cannot return the properties lost by Kashmiri Pandits , the minimum we could do is to ensure the younger generations of the Kashmiri Pandits benefit economically from the Tourism Industry. My group made it a point Not to buy anything from the Kashmir Valley except for Hotel/Lodging. All purchases that we made were in Jammu/Katra.

[abhishek_sharma]

Geelani rejects Chidambaram's talks offer, Mirwaiz silent

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 269889.cms

[jamwal]

Data on Wiki is wrong. Sikh population in Jammu must be 20% approx. This site ( http://censusindia.gov.in ) should give accurate statistics, but relevant pages are "under construction".

Looks like I'm wrong here. Sikh population is concentrated in Jammu, Poonch and parts of Rajouri districts only. Rest of the districts in Jammu division (Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi etc.) have very little percentage of Sikhs. My impression was based upon their numbers in Jammu only


Muppalla jee,

Census has been completed in most of the areas.

Dada jee

Unless Kashmiri Pandits are able to go back to live and work safely in Valley they cannot prosper from tourism trade. Allocation of nearly 500 state govt jobs to K Pandits in Kashmir region was one of the major reasons behind KMs taking to the streets and start this strikes tamasha this year.

Jammu and Laddakh have been receiving substantial number of tourists all these years irrespective of the conditions in Kashmir. Only Kashmiris are the real losers here due to their stupidity. Tourism industry in Kashmir was recovering till they started protests against Amarnath yatra in 2008. Nobody will even think about visiting Kashmir for a decade after this.
Only govt employees and farmers/fruit-growers have any comparatively uninterrupted source of income. Rest including small businessmen and Kashmiris involved in tourism industry are royally screwed up. Only if they could use their brains.

[jagga]

UN defends Pak-origin aide over Kashmir row

"I won't tolerate insults being directed against my colleagues," a visibly agitated Nesirky told journalists at the regular briefing at the UN. "I really take exception to the insinuations based on ethnicity that I've seen in Indian publications. I firmly reject them," he said. "Not only are they offensive, they are wrong."

Martin Nesirky is Ban's chief spokesperson. What a arrogant person!

[RamaY]

^

A GOI spokesperson should respond.

UN employees, including the UN Secretary General are akin to Indian bureaucracy and are responsible for and only have administration authority in implementing UN General Assembly resolutions. They should shut their mouths, especially when it comes to making political statements.

If MMS and his ilk take exception on Sri Pillai's comments, then they should protest this.

[sum]

Unbelievable title for this report on rediff:

'Kashmir sees Jallianwala every hour'

Protests in Kashmir have gone beyond the state's borders.

Even as the Valley remains curfew shut, Kashmiris are venting their angst and spreading the word through social networking websites and blogs.

Sites like Facebook and Twitter are abuzz with Kashmiri sentiments. A page titled 'Kashmir' on Facebook has over 16,000 fans while another titled 'We protest killing in Kashmir' has over 5,000 supporters.

From media to central government to security forces the anguish reflects in the furious pace at which updates on the situation on ground zero appear on the World Wide Web.

Rediff.com compiled some of these sentiments in the original form they were posted in.
.....

Anyways, the alert readers have ripped rediff a new one in the comments section.

[Sidd]

http://www.livemint.com/2010/08/06210254/What-ails-Kashmir-The-Sunni-i.html

[svinayak]

DELETED

[Karan Dixit]

UN defends Pak-origin aide over Kashmir row

"I won't tolerate insults being directed against my colleagues," a visibly agitated Nesirky told journalists at the regular briefing at the UN. "I really take exception to the insinuations based on ethnicity that I've seen in Indian publications. I firmly reject them," he said. "Not only are they offensive, they are wrong."

Martin Nesirky is Ban's chief spokesperson. What a arrogant person!

It is Nesirky who is assuming that Indians are reacting to Haq because he has Pakistani root. So, Nesirky will not tolerate insult against Haq but he will insult Indian media without any hesitation. With the incompetent morons like Nesirky, no wonder UN cannot handle any of the global crises. Next time, do not come asking India for troops when a crisis erupts.

UN has never been an organization of any credibility because of people like Nesirky.

[Hari Seldon]

Sri Fartin Nesirky's cute little rant is heartening indeed for multiple reasons -

1. He doth protest too much implicating the essential truth of the allegations leveled against his paki colleague

2. He indirectly admits that what the SDRE yindian media say actually hurt his feelings. LOL and (gasp!) perhaps that of his thick-skinned and thicker-skulled paki spukesperson.

3. He can go on firmly and ever more firmly 'reject' desi allegations but there's no obligation on desi media from continuing to spray truth about UN's pakiness.

4. He confirms UN is more incompetent and irrelevant than even we on brf thought was the case. Bravo, indeed.

LOL.

[ramana]

What is Farokh Abdullah doing nowadays in J&K? I know he is Union Minister and all that.

[Airavat]

J&K Gujjars are not Muslim: Geelani

An Interview of Syed Ali Shah Geelani's aired on Private Indian TV Channel today in which Geelani had mentioned Gujjars as a different religion separated from Muslims and packaged them with other faiths.

[enqyoob]

Someone should ask who gives a far* in a thunderstorm what some stuffed-shirt liar at the UN will "tolerate" or not. He's a 6th-rate flunky for an inconsequential stuffed shirt not the bloody Emperor of the United Nations.

Think "Tharoor" minus the personality and any credibility.

The Indian media are not calling the Paki a liar because he lied. He lied because he is a lyin Paki. Oooh, sorry, he's actually an American, but a shiv;s sage words remind us:

Jo Lahore mein gandoo woh Virginia aur Geneva aur New York mein bhi gaandoo

Hilarious, the contortions of the UN. From now on, EVERY statement from the UN SpokesPaki should be prefaced with the words

The Pakistani-origin Spokespaki of the UN

to establish the level of credibility up front and save everyone the trouble of reading the lies that follow.

[chaanakya]

The Indian media are not calling the Paki a liar because he lied. He lied because he is a lyin Paki. Oooh, sorry, he's actually an American, but a shiv;s sage words remind us:

Jo Lahore mein gandoo woh Virginia aur Geneva aur New York mein bhi gaandoo

Hilarious, the contortions of the UN. From now on, EVERY statement from the UN SpokesPaki should be prefaced with the words

The Pakistani-origin Spokespaki of the UN

to establish the level of credibility up front and save everyone the trouble of reading the lies that follow.

[sum]

Interesting spin given to what is basically a communal problem ( caused by the Sunni KMs f the valley):
Why protesting against authority comes naturally to Kashmiris

Till a few years ago, on April 29 every year, a handful of men, some old and stooping, some young and angry, used to gather at the Srinagar [ Images ] home of veteran journalist, communist supporter and Kashmiri Pandit P N Jalali.

They would drink tea and toast the first recorded organised demands day in Kashmir's [ Images ] history, the rebellion of the shawl bafs (shawl weavers) that led to the killing of 28 weavers in 1865, well before the Russian Revolution.

Shawl bafs were -- and are -- the creators of the wonderfully fine silk or wool lengths that have such fine embroidery; there is not a shawl baf above 35 who does not have something wrong with his eyes.

Justly prized, these shawls entailed a lot of labour but shawl bafs earned very little. The regimes of successive Dogra kings used the shawl industry, then exporting to Europe, as a means of augmenting state revenues.

The weavers were forced to weave (punished for abandoning their looms unless a substitute was in place) -- and what they earned, the state took away by imposing prohibitive taxes.

Hit by famine, angered by exploitative taxes, in April 1865, as many as 4,000 shawl bafs abandoned their looms and began marching with their families towards Lahore [ Images ] and Amritsar [ Images ].

Families of hungry farmers joined them en route. They were stopped near the old-city neighbourhood of Zaldagar. Dogra troops asked them to disperse. When they refused, they were fired upon. As they fled, they were gored to death with spears.

Shawl bafs rose again in 1924. This rebellion was also put down in a similar manner.

It is the stories of rebellions of this kind -- and the Valley saw many in the 430 or so years of its history during which it was ruled by Afghan, Mughal, Sikh and, later, Dogra dynasties -- that Kashmiri children have been reared on.

So, if you want to understand the phenomenon of protests through throwing stones on symbols of authority, well, it is firmly rooted in the political tradition of the state.

Against this background, look at what is happening today. We already know that the Kashmiri people love protests: 10,000 of them can come out on the roads at an hour's notice to join the funeral procession of someone they don't know. They also detest authority, especially Indian/Hindu authority.

But we were told there was hope. During 2009 (ministry of home affairs data till November), terrorism-related incidents dropped by 27 percent, those of killing of civilians by 17 percent and of security force personnel by 19 percent, compared to the corresponding period in 2008, merely following a secular trend of declining violence since 2001.

So what changed?

Assembly elections were held in J&K in the winter of 2008 and polling for eight constituencies was held in and around Srinagar on December 24, 2008. Results came out on December 28. On Christmas Day, the Abdullah family called on Sonia Gandhi [ Images ] -- who had previously consulted with the two factions of the Congress party, one led by Ghulam Nabi Azad [ Images ] (who is anti-National Conference); and the other led by Saifuddin Soz (who, while not being pro-National Conference, wants to stymie Azad at every possible opportunity).

The Abdullah family meeting with Gandhi sent the desired message to the 17 Congress party MLAs who were elected. But it sent a quite different message to the voters of Kashmir.

The whole state saw how the election in Srinagar was managed. On the foggy morning of December 24, NC volunteers went from door to door to get sympathisers to vote. The opposition, People's Democratic Party, was less vigilant. The moment the sun came out, a rumour went round the city that militant groups had called for a boycott of the election. After 11 am, people stayed at home, fearing violence. The turnout should have been 40 percent. It was 21 percent.

The people of Kashmir noted that not only had Omar Abdullah [ Images ] got a fractured (many said, manufactured) mandate, the Congress leadership was firmly behind him. The reaction to the 2009 Shopian incident (the alleged rape and murder of two girls who the Central Bureau of Investigation found had actually drowned accidentally) represented the first rumblings of discontent in the Valley.

Does it surprise anyone that Kashmiris detest India [ Images ] and their own government? In throwing stones and setting fire to police stations, they are only doing what comes naturally to them -- since 1865.

Aditi Phadnis in New Delhi

[jamwal]

In a similar way farting comes naturally to me. So next time I have the urge to do "whatever comes naturally" to me, I should get to a public place and "express myself" in the most natural way possible. Surely everyody will understand my "needs". Whoever opposes me is an oppressive bigoted Indian Hindu and should be stoned

[Anindya]

From http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 277538.cms

Geelani, meanwhile, asked New Delhi to fulfil the promise of giving Kashmiris the right to self-determination. "Pandit Nehru promised Kashmiris the chance to decide their fate in 1948, but never fulfilled the promise," he said. "Nehru showed the sky but snatched the ground beneath our feet." He asked people to observe Pakistan's foundation day as "a day of solidarity" on August 14 and called for observing August 15 as a "black day".

Read more: Cheer Pak's I-Day, mark Aug 15 as black day: Geelani - India - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... z0w4NUrIVi

[James B]

Kashmir not for Talks

Excellent article in The Pioneer on how to deal with this Cashmere issue.

[negi]

Thanks to gobermund we have to contend with such M@$%&^*s.

Cheer Pakistan's I-Day, mark Aug 15 as black day: Geelani

So do these guys still have the first right over India's resources ?

[Philip]

A foreign viewpoint.There is some merit in the piece,that frustrated youth ultimately take to extremism.This is true worldwide and not neccessarily limited to J&K.The big Q that I'm askng is where has all the billions that we've dumped into J&K all these decades gone? J&K has been a favoured state like no other because of its sensitivity.Every govt. at the centre Congress or non-Congress has spent massive amounts in J&K.Why then are we having such demos and protests?Have we actually created a "dole mentality" for the people of J&K who feel that they just need to protest and the centre will send money?! This is exactly the same mentality that exists across the border,the way in which Pak deals with the west!

A sharper attitude is required in dealing with such ingrates.Let us build up the state's infrastructure hugely from a standpoint of strategic needs,which automatically helps the local populace,and secure the state militarily,using whatever means neccessary and employing the latest methods of dealing with civil protests.Development money should also go directly to those to whom it is meant for and not corrupt local politicos and bigwigs.Both the carrot and stick are required.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... again.html

Kashmir youths take on the Indian state as separatist struggle starts again
Kashmir’s hospitals have been inundated with youths injured and killed by the security forces following an upsurge in violent clashes in the disputed Indian state.

A CRPF spokesman denied the allegation and said Sameer had been trampled in a stampede when police and CRPF troops chased protestors. "It's a very unfortunate story," he said.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a leader of the separatist All-Parties Hurriyat Conference, who is under house arrest, said deaths like that of Sameer were raising a new generation of young Kashmiris filled with hate for India.

"If your son is beaten to death, tell me you wouldn't be the first to burn down a symbol of India?" he said. The protests are a "rebound effect of a generation born into conflict. Today they take to the streets, defiant and disgusted and fearless of death".

Ali Mohammed Sagar, the state government's law minister, said there had been "excesses" by the security forces, but protestors had burned police stations and attacked government property.

"There are some excesses, firing was unwarranted, no doubt about that, there are black sheep everywhere. There are some problems, killing of kids," he said. "There are killings which are unprovoked, but some of our people tried to set fire to a police station. Peaceful demonstrations are no problem, but when it becomes violent, that creates a problem."

[Pratyush]

If people are seeking rent for being a part of a relegious identity then they will obviously turn extremists which is what is hapning with the Cashmiries.

My heart cries for them NOT.

[Hari Seldon]

Certain paschimi powers seem to have rented out today's economic times pages wholesale only. Dollahoakbar!

From page onwards, there's a lagataar whine about cashmere is in paign, anguish, etc etc. Then sri mf husein displays chootzpah by comparing his unjust exile forced by zealots to the cashmiri cry for free(loading)dom.

Thx to brf, such bs rarely bothers me much now. The psy-ops is so easily seen, it fails to rile only. This too shall pass. Jai ho.

[Pranav]

Kashmir: Why reward the traitors?
Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale | 2010-08-09 14:08:28


No international event is a coincidence or an accident. A clear cause and planning exists behind most of them. The recent stone pelting binge in Kashmir Valley is no exception.

Many (naive) Indians are baffled by this ‘sudden’ eruption of violence. It seemed that the Valley was enjoying its rare period of peace, and tourism season was in full swing bringing in much needed jobs and money to the locals.

Then why the sudden lurch to violent chaos? The answer to this has to be sought in some of the events that happened outside Kashmir.

A few months ago, a neutral international organisation (the Pew Foundation) came out with the results of its extensive survey of public opinion in the Kashmir Valley. While it showed that a sizable number, possibly a majority, want ‘independence’, less than 2 percent were in favour of a merger with Pakistan. This must have come as a shock to the Pakistani Army/Jihadis. What better way out than to light the fire of unrest using paid agents, create martyrs and keep the pot boiling in Kashmir Valley?

Another setback to the Pakistan army (the real rulers of Pakistan) was the Headley disclosures that the Jihadis who attacked Mumbai in 2008 were trained by Pakistani Navy. As if that was not enough, the latest WikiLeak revelations clearly expose the close relationship between the Pakistani army, the Taliban and Jihadis of all varieties.

The Pakistani army’s standard answer to this looming crisis is to engineer troubles in India. Kashmir riots are just the first phase. One should not be surprised if some sort of communal rioting is also instigated somewhere else in India.

Many years ago, while talking to this author (on March 26, 1988) late Mr Pu Laldenga, the erstwhile leader of Mizo rebellion, said, “We soon realised that our struggle was like a controlled flame for the Chinese. To be increased or decreased as suited their national interest.”

Pakistan has never made a secret of its interest in Kashmir. Late president Ayub Khan is on record having said that Kashmir was vital for Pakistan as the source of its rivers. Pakistan’s real aim in Kashmir is to get control over the rivers. The Kashmiri civilians are a pawn in this strategic game.

Why Pakistan won't leave Kashmir alone

India has been complacent about the looming danger in Kashmir Valley. The biggest threat is the mullah with a loudspeaker. Every Friday unfailingly, under the guise of Friday prayers, the mullahs give sermons to inflame passions and exhort people to violence.

Is promoting violence and disaffection against own country part of religious freedom?

This is a question that needs to be asked and answered. For all the efforts at peace building are negated by this constant propaganda that is carried out in the mosques.

This author was present in the Valley during the Hazratbal shrine siege in October 1993. One could not get any sleep those days as the loudspeakers went on and on throughout day and night with provocative slogans and hate speeches.

I asked a local whether people wouldn’t get tired. The answer he gave was interesting -- the loudspeakers were hooked on to a tape recorder!

In short, with the constant dinning of propaganda, it is but natural that at the slightest excuse, Srinagar erupts into violence.

Our biggest mistake in Kashmir has been that while we dealt with the insurgency and also carried out programmes of socio-economic development, the separatists were left free to propagate their ideas with no counter or curb.

Freedom of expression and speech does not mean permission to shout fire in a crowded hall!

Similarly the notion of religious freedom means freedom to worship and pray, and not freedom to preach violence and disaffection.

Even in many Islamic countries, there are curbs on use of Friday sermons for political purposes. Why not in India? ...

http://sify.com/news/kashmir-why-reward ... iegfd.html

[Manishw]

^^^ ROP on the march.

[Pratyush]

India is Sekoolar country, that why their is no ban on Mullahs passing Friday sermons that are highly politicised.

[ramana]

Kashmir: Why reward the traitors?
Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale | 2010-08-09 14:08:28


No international event is a coincidence or an accident. A clear cause and planning exists behind most of them. The recent stone pelting binge in Kashmir Valley is no exception.

Many (naive) Indians are baffled by this ‘sudden’ eruption of violence. It seemed that the Valley was enjoying its rare period of peace, and tourism season was in full swing bringing in much needed jobs and money to the locals.

Then why the sudden lurch to violent chaos? The answer to this has to be sought in some of the events that happened outside Kashmir.

A few months ago, a neutral international organisation (the Pew Foundation) came out with the results of its extensive survey of public opinion in the Kashmir Valley. While it showed that a sizable number, possibly a majority, want ‘independence’, less than 2 percent were in favour of a merger with Pakistan. This must have come as a shock to the Pakistani Army/Jihadis. What better way out than to light the fire of unrest using paid agents, create martyrs and keep the pot boiling in Kashmir Valley?

Another setback to the Pakistan army (the real rulers of Pakistan) was the Headley disclosures that the Jihadis who attacked Mumbai in 2008 were trained by Pakistani Navy. As if that was not enough, the latest WikiLeak revelations clearly expose the close relationship between the Pakistani army, the Taliban and Jihadis of all varieties.

The Pakistani army’s standard answer to this looming crisis is to engineer troubles in India. Kashmir riots are just the first phase. One should not be surprised if some sort of communal rioting is also instigated somewhere else in India.

Many years ago, while talking to this author (on March 26, 1988) late Mr Pu Laldenga, the erstwhile leader of Mizo rebellion, said, “We soon realised that our struggle was like a controlled flame for the Chinese. To be increased or decreased as suited their national interest.”

Pakistan has never made a secret of its interest in Kashmir. Late president Ayub Khan is on record having said that Kashmir was vital for Pakistan as the source of its rivers. Pakistan’s real aim in Kashmir is to get control over the rivers. The Kashmiri civilians are a pawn in this strategic game.

Why Pakistan won't leave Kashmir alone

India has been complacent about the looming danger in Kashmir Valley. The biggest threat is the mullah with a loudspeaker. Every Friday unfailingly, under the guise of Friday prayers, the mullahs give sermons to inflame passions and exhort people to violence.

Is promoting violence and disaffection against own country part of religious freedom?

This is a question that needs to be asked and answered. For all the efforts at peace building are negated by this constant propaganda that is carried out in the mosques.

This author was present in the Valley during the Hazratbal shrine siege in October 1993. One could not get any sleep those days as the loudspeakers went on and on throughout day and night with provocative slogans and hate speeches.

I asked a local whether people wouldn’t get tired. The answer he gave was interesting -- the loudspeakers were hooked on to a tape recorder!

In short, with the constant dinning of propaganda, it is but natural that at the slightest excuse, Srinagar erupts into violence.

Our biggest mistake in Kashmir has been that while we dealt with the insurgency and also carried out programmes of socio-economic development, the separatists were left free to propagate their ideas with no counter or curb.

Freedom of expression and speech does not mean permission to shout fire in a crowded hall!

Similarly the notion of religious freedom means freedom to worship and pray, and not freedom to preach violence and disaffection.

Even in many Islamic countries, there are curbs on use of Friday sermons for political purposes. Why not in India? ...

http://sify.com/news/kashmir-why-reward ... iegfd.html

Its true what India is facing in Kashmir is :
- TSP waged unconventional war with terrorists (being defeated by Indian Army action) and
- internal insurgency with external support from TSP (being defeated by the Indian Army and forces and the civli development)
- there is third component of revolt/sedition against GOI by some 2% element hiding under the guise of religious preachers.

It is this third component that the modern Westphalian state is not yet able to fight without losing its secular/modernist credentials.

The seditious elements are in the Hurriyats and have US support.

BTW even the Romans faced this in Judea in the early Christian years.

[Anindya]

From http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_bj ... my_1420963

Alleging that the inept handling of the present crisis in Jammu and Kashmir reflected the "weaknesses and lack of will-power" of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, BJP today said it would oppose tooth and nail any bid to accord autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir.

"According to reports, the Centre is contemplating to grant autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir at this stage", Singh said.

He said that attempts were also being made to allegedly dilute the Armed Forces Security Protection ACT (AFSPA).

"We will oppose the dilution of AFSPA and autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir tooth and nail both inside and outside Parliament," he said.