Tragedy of errors 

Tragedy of errors

Context

Kashmir is not one but two problems. There is the problem of Kashmir between India and Pakistan and the problem in Kashmir between the people and the Central government

Basis of the problems

• The first is based on Pakistan’s challenge to the legality of the State’s accession to India
• The second on the disaffection of the State’s population that has created a problem of legitimacy for the Indian Union

Major blow to Indian legitimacy in Kashmir

Sheikh Abdullah’s removal from power and imprisonment in 1953, on the suspicion that he was conspiring with the Americans to create an independent State, was a major blow to the legitimacy of Indian rule in Kashmir

Timeline of events

• The Indira-Sheikh agreement of 1975 meant a new beginning by reaching a compromise on the autonomy issue and bringing Abdullah back to power. Free and fair elections held in 1977 confirmed this outcome
• Death of Sheikh Abdullah: Unfortunately, after Abdullah’s death in 1982, the Centre, and especially Rajiv Gandhi, actively destabilised Kashmir by forcing Farooq Abdullah, who had succeeded his father, to relinquish power. It then coerced the National Conference into an alliance with Congress, thus drastically eroding the legitimacy of the National Conference, the moderate face of Kashmiri sub-nationalism, in Kashmiris’ eyes
• Rigged elections: The openly rigged 1987 election was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Undertaken to diminish the anticipated electoral performance of the opposition Muslim United Front (MUF), it had the opposite effect by forcing many disgruntled supporters of the MUF first to take to the streets and then, from 1990 onwards, to take up arms
• Attack by Pakistan: Pakistan, unsurprisingly, meddled in troubled waters by infiltrating ISI-trained terrorists into the Valley and by training Kashmiri militants to attack Indian forces. This mayhem further strained the Kashmiris’ relations with the Centre