Tradition has it that
Kashmir was originally a lake that was drained by Kashyap
and then inhabited by the Brahmins. Buddhism was introduced
by the missionaries of Ashoka and flourished under the rule
of Kushan in 2nd Century AD. However, Hinduism continued to
be the dominant religion. In the 7th Century AD, the Karkota
dynasty was founded by Durlabhavarrdhana. In 855 AD the
Utpalas replaced the Karkotas. Later, the Tantrins, Yaskaras
and Parva Gupta ruled in succession. Didda, a Gupta widowed
queen, ruled Kashmir until 1003 AD when the Lohara dynasty
took over. In 1346 AD the last Hindu king, Udiana Deva, was
replaced by Shams-ud-Din. His family ruled until 1586 when
the Moghul emperor Akbar
conquered and annexed Kashmir to his vast empire.
In 1757 it was conquered by Ahmed Shah Durrani and became
part of Afghanistan. In 1819 Ranjit Singh conquered Kashmir
and made it part of his Sikh empire. In 1846, when the
British defeated the Sikhs and annexed Punjab, they sold
Kashmir to Ghulab Singh of Jammu for Rs. 7.5 million under
the Treaty of Amritsar. Ghulab Singh, who entitled himself
the Mahrajah, signed a separate treaty with the British
which, in effect, gave him the status of an independent
princely ruler of Kashmir. He added to his dominion by
conquering Ladakh. Ghulab Singh died in 1857 and was
replaced by Rambir Singh (1857-1885). Two other Marajahs,
Partab Singh (1885-1925) and Hari Singh (1925-1949) ruled in
succession.
Ghulab Singh and his successors ruled Kashmir in a
tyrannical and repressive way. The people of Kashmir, nearly
80% of whom were Muslims, rose against Mahraja Hari Singh's
rule. He ruthlessly crushed a mass uprising in 1931. In 1932
Sheik Abdullah formed Kashmir's first political party - All
Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference (renamed to National
Conference in 1939). In 1934 the Maharajah gave way and
allowed limited democracy in the form of a Legislative
Assembly. However, unease with the Maharaja's rule
continued.
According to the instruments of partition of India in 1947,
the rulers of princely states were given the choice to
freely accede to either India or Pakistan, or to remain
independent. They were, however, advised to accede to the
contiguous dominion, taking into consideration the
geographical and ethnic issues.
In Kashmir, however, the Maharajah hesitated. The
principally Muslim population having seen the early and
covert arrival of Indian troops, rebelled and things got out
of the Maharajah's hands. The people of Kashmir were
undoubtedly demanding to join Pakistan. The Maharajah,
fearing tribal warfare, eventually gave way to the Indian
pressure and agreed to join India by 'signing' the
Instrument of Accession on 26th October 1947. Kashmir was
provisionally accepted into the Indian Union pending a free
and impartial plebiscite. This was spelled out in a letter
from the Governor General of India, Lord Mountbatten, to the
Maharajah on 27th October 1947. In the letter, accepting the
Accession, Mountbatten made it clear that the state would
only be incorporated into the Indian Union after a reference
had been made to the people of Kashmir. Having accepted the
principle of a plebiscite, India has since obstructed all
attempts at arranging one.
Heavy fighting took place in 1947-48 between the Indian and
Pakistani forces over Kashmir. On 1st January 1949 a
cease-fire was declared which created the first Line-of-Control.In
1957 the state was, in effect, incorporated into the Indian
Union under a new Constitution. This was done in direct
contravention of the standing UN resolutions and the
conditions of the Instrument of Accession. The article was
rushed through by the then puppet state government of Bakshi
Ghulam Mohammed; people of Kashmir were not consulted.
Heavy fighting broke out again in 1965 between India and
Pakistan over Kashmir. A cease-fire was established in
September 1965. Indian Prime Minister, Lal Bhadur Shastri,
and Pakistani President, M Ayub Khan, signed the Tashkent
agreement on 1st January 1966. They resolved to try to end
the dispute by peaceful means.
In 1971 civil war broke out in East Pakistan and Indian
forces again fought the Pakistani forces in Kashmir. This
resulted in a new cease-fire and the signing of the Shimla
Agreement by Indira Ghandi and Z .A Bhutto. The Shimla
Agreement basically reiterated the promises made in
Tashkent.
Since the 1971 war, the situation may have been described as
stalemate with India in control of much the larger part of
Kashmir, and doing everything to emphasis her claim de jur.
However, the dream of freedom from India never died; it was
only suppressed from time to time by the Indians by using
puppet state governments.
Only two. Either ascertaining the wishes of the people about
their future and acting accordingly or the continuance of
the status quo with violent repression and carnage in the
India-occupied part and chronic conflict and the danger of
war in the Subcontinent of South Asia.
The intervention of the international community to bring the
violence in Kashmir to a quick end. Initiation of a
political dialogue between the representatives of the people
of Kashmir, and the Government of Pakistan and India to set
the stage for a democratic and peaceful solution.
The close of every day sun saw the beginning of the renewed
struggle for freedom of Kashmir. The Kashmiris started to
arm themselves to resist the Indian occupation. The then
state government, headed by Dr.Farooq Abdullah, was
dissolved and the state placed in direct control of the
governor. Kashmiri and Muslim mejahids struggle for freedom
and islmic democracy join to Pakistani Muslim People.The
echoes of cries reverberate through the valleys of Kashmir,
while the tempest of agony passes away, there is hope that
one, all the people will wake upto Freedom and glory.
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