Recently, the ‘famous’ Indian activist Arundhati Roy made a statement that “Kashmir has never been integral part of India”.
Before becoming an activist, Arundhati was an author. In fact “The God of Small Things” is the only novel written by her. Since winning the Booker Prize, she has been writing on political issues. I read Arundhati Roy’s “God of small things” after it won the Booker Prize 1997. Story was complex and treaded on many dimensions. But one part made me bewildered: the story showed a sexual relationship between a brother and a sister. At that time I wondered what kind of a perverted writer she was. Later on I read that her book “God of small things” is semi-autobiographical and a major part captures her childhood experiences in Kerala. (She was born in Meghalaya to a Keralite Syrian Christian mother and a Bengali father. She spent her childhood in Aymanam in Kerala. She married twice and she and her present husband Pradip Krishnen had no children.)
In any case I believe Arundhati wanted to create a public debate on Kashmir issue. Here is what I have to say:
1) First of all, let us remember why “freedom” or “azaadi” is so precious for Indians. If Indians won’t understand “azadi”, after being under foreign slavery for 1000 years, I don’t know who will. Innumerable sacrifices have made us achieve our precious freedom from the British and we have been tolerant enough to allow creation of Pakistan/Bangladesh on religious ground, so as to achieve long term peace. We have also tolerated confrontation with Pakistan and China even if they keep a portion of our land, in order to avoid war. In conditions like these, giving autonomy or freedom to one of our states, is out of question because it threatens the “India model”.
2) Arundhati has been supporting Naxals and now she is supporting Kashmiri separatists. She might have an opinion and reasons to support Maoists or Separatists, but she is definitely making India weak by supporting them in public and giving them limelight and legitimacy. In democracy, we are allowed to have radical opinions, but to work full-time in spreading anti-India violence, she should be told to restrain. I would support her right of expression greatly, if she supported a non-violent movement. But she supports Maoists who kill Indian police and military forces as a way of life; and separatists in Kashmir who killed thousands of innocent Indians – and I would be happy for a case against her to be filed. My personal opinion is that she is a publicity hound and has serious psychological deviations which make her invite public attention, and her ego even feeds on their outrage. She should be treated well.
3) Arundhati seems to have become an overnight expert to understand problems in Kashmir and is passing verdicts. I don’t know who would support her but only “elitists”? Look, Arundhati is famously wise and globally popular – if I too support her, may be some of hers would brush off on me too? I am glad rest of India is not with her.
4) For Kashmir, much of the protest is “sponsored” and stones thrown are “funded” by money coming from Pakistan – and hence the problem has many dimensions.
‘Kashmir stone-pelters funded by Pakistan’
5) Someone said why Kashmir should not get “azadi” when Pakistan got it in 1947? If we allowed Pakistan to get created, it doesn’t mean we would allow every Muslim dominated locality to become a separate nation. Today, India is not slave to Britain or anyone else, and hence can protect its soil from anti-nationals.
6) For those who blame Indian govt and think Kashmiri Muslims have got caught in the cross-fire, I suggest they search and read History properly. Read what is and how “Martyr’s Day” celebrated in Kashmir even now, remembering the dead Muslims who revolted against Hindu Dogra king, in 1931. Alas, the same kind of protest is going in Kashmir at present in 2010, as what was going on in 1931. Do read about it.
7) In my views, solution to Kashmir’s problem can be done in this way: India should first force a peace by sending all separatists to jail, take back special status of the state by removing Article 370 from our constitution and allow migration in and out of the state, and thereby inculcate the spirit of “national integration”. The special status for the state, no matter what was the historical reason behind it, has reached us to the point where our great nation which finds no parallel in history for being peace loving, is being accused like a murderous and curbing autocracy.
The bottom line is: I feel sad that the Kashmiri separatist Muslims have hijacked and abused the word and spirits of “Azadi” so much. India should strive for a proper solution to Kashmir in the long term and should strongly protect our sovereignty in the short term. And our governments should stop supporting antinational elements.
PS: I had also asked a question in Rediff QnA, which saw some very good opinion and discussion posted on the matter. You can check it out here:
http://qna.rediff.com/questions-and-answers/today-arundhati-roy-said-kashmir-has-never-been/18306184/answers
I asked: What do you think Arundhati is, and why:
(a) Patriotic Indian
(b) Unpatriotic Indian
(c) Childish / Mentally disturbed
(d) Publicity Hound.
My take is (d)
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