Kashmir Conflict, movement and alternative politics
Kashmir conflict movement and alternative politics.
On March 22nd this year, i
interviewed Dr. Shah Faesal in Srinagar, during my maiden and a week's time trip to J&K (experiences of which I will share some other time, so as to remain concerned about the subject of this article), that is Kashmir conflict, movement and the alternative politics in J&k, of which it seems now Dr. Shah Faesal is emerging as it's key figure (i.e. of the alternative politics). Why is he significant ?Let's see.
Post-Pulwama things became percipitative and the environment in the valley got vitiated. But let me put in place the right context first. Let's talk about the 'Kashmir movement,' itself and the rhetoric around it. Every second Kashmiri i met, till date, be it in Kashmir or elsewhere, had this argument ready with them that, " Kashmir, like India under British colonial rule carried it's freedom movement for 200 years and won Independence, we too will fight against india for centuries and win Independence for kashmir." Evidence to this can be seen in the slogans that kashmir movement has generated so far , for instance, " Go India Go Back," this sounds pretty close to "Simon Go Back." This position of kashmir movement gives rise to several apprehensions, not merely with the position of this movement but also with the patterns and rhetoric woven around it . Why so ? Firstly, this is no era of 'Colonization,' and thus it is flawed perception and narrative that India has colonized Kashmir and this only seems to have been utilized by bunch of politicians in Kashmir in selling-off this to the people in the valley and stoking up anti-india sense among them . At this point itself it can be agreed that there has been a conflict since partition and it remains and 'unfinished business' of the same, and solution to which is yet to be found . Second, every movement be it social or political always has it's own unique characteristics , intrinsic qualities, irrespective of from where it is actually drawing the similarities and finding a source of inspiration. So kashmir movement ideally should have it's own characteristics and indeed I believe it already have 'one.' Now more important question is whether this movement has lost its inherent qualities or simply failed to develop one due to presence of dialectically opposite political forces altering it's dynamics, operating in J&K during all these decades of conflict. If we even compare for the moment, Kashmir movement with India's freedom movement to find if there are similarities on ground,we find lack of two important things . Kashmir movement do not have Gandhi as of now, it may have people who they claim to be "martyrs" of freedom movement, those involved in armed rebellion . Second examine the rise of nationalism in India during British colonial period and it's character .
Nationalism in India is quite different from what we witness in the rise of European nationalism during 18th century . European nationalism was "aggrandizing," in nature . It was violent and had imperialistic and colonizing tendencies. Whereas in India, we ourselves were victim of colonization and violent imperialism . So, it was to get rid-off from that violence and achieve "Swarajya."
It had another unique feature, it was 'inclusive' and people from all region and religion, from all different social stratas came together to join and contribute to it. 'Valley's movement doesn't include aspirations of people of Jammu and Laddakh region. Even in the kashmir valley people are divided in pro-pakistan, pro-india and pro-independence groups and thus lack a unanimous choice on one final objective of this 'protest.' Even kashmiri women has been , largely kept away from or too late to join now . Thus largely this movement has gradually became "degenerative," whereas India's freedom movement was based on progressive ideas and structural reforms from within the society .
Thus, it seems this movement has largely worked along religious lines and still doesn't includes a large population including kashmiri students studying outside Kashmir, workers and women even within Muslim community of the valley.
India even before Independence movement actually took pace, worked on social reforms and fought against social evils ,for instance, Raja Rammohan Roy against, "Sati-pratha," jyotiba and Savitribai against caste-system and for " women's education, Ambedkar against Dalit atrocities...Gandhi went Champaran for farmer's upliftment..so on..and so forth..
Now, in this context and in this present scenerio, one can sense why Dr. Shah Faesal and his Jammu and Kashmir people's movement becomes significant . People of J&K have seen killings, violence , torture and everything atrocious around them during all these decades of PDP and NC regime and seperatist's political presence . So, they are mostly exhausted with these political parties as well as with all democratic political process that India claims to engage them in through these parties . This has given enough space to pro-independence spirit to rise in the valley and Separatists and Non-State Actors, have anyway acquired back a strong position. Death of Burhan waani and Manan waani , a P.hd scholar in this conflict has contributed significantly in stocking this passions successfully this time around.
Given the prevailing situation over decades now, Kashmir needs to "redefine," it's movement, it's challenges and objectives. The rhetoric that Dr. Shah Faesal has brought forth gives a sense of hope in this regard. Why so ? Because he understands the complexities and ways of how a modern nation state acts on it's duties . Every modern nation-state, to safeguard it's sovereignty and integrity, will fight against any perceived threat to it's existence. It includes territorial integrity and protecting the population spread all over the country and not just over a specific region . Thus, state will operate in it's full capacity to deal with all internal and external security threats posed to it and will explore all possible ways of detterence to any further escalation of such a potential threat . Lack of SOP or it's effective use in a conflict zone then, tends to lead towards human rights violations and brutal and immoral ways by individual army personnels which does not necessarily mean that the state itself endorses such atrocities. But still any prejudice or stagnant attitude of the state towards people of a community or region grants certainly some unwarranted liberty to those individual army personnels or group involved in such crimes . So, in order to bring equilibrium, state must shift it's position in attitude, in order to achieve a trustworthy social dynamics to further embolden 'state-citizen,' relationship in the region . How modern nation states are working with their changing roles and global scenerio, best examples are Putin dealing with Ukraine (in Crimea ) and his dream of larger Soviet Russia and Xi Jinping's declaration of lifetime leadership in Communist China .
To generate political alternative in a democracy among established political parties is in itself a rare occasion, as Dr. Faesal himself quotes two recent examples, Kejriwal and Imran Khan . He probably understands that the problem that exists in kashmir is not exclusively a political problem but also a cultural problem . Kashmir has no signs whatsoever of a post-modern cultural amalgamation, in its society. So , it has unidimensional ideology largely prevailing which prevents both, Kashmiri society either opening-up or kashmir movement to reach beyond certain geographical reach .
Suman Kumar
Student
Delhi University.
(9560584212/9718186642)
On March 22nd this year, i
interviewed Dr. Shah Faesal in Srinagar, during my maiden and a week's time trip to J&K (experiences of which I will share some other time, so as to remain concerned about the subject of this article), that is Kashmir conflict, movement and the alternative politics in J&k, of which it seems now Dr. Shah Faesal is emerging as it's key figure (i.e. of the alternative politics). Why is he significant ?Let's see.
Post-Pulwama things became percipitative and the environment in the valley got vitiated. But let me put in place the right context first. Let's talk about the 'Kashmir movement,' itself and the rhetoric around it. Every second Kashmiri i met, till date, be it in Kashmir or elsewhere, had this argument ready with them that, " Kashmir, like India under British colonial rule carried it's freedom movement for 200 years and won Independence, we too will fight against india for centuries and win Independence for kashmir." Evidence to this can be seen in the slogans that kashmir movement has generated so far , for instance, " Go India Go Back," this sounds pretty close to "Simon Go Back." This position of kashmir movement gives rise to several apprehensions, not merely with the position of this movement but also with the patterns and rhetoric woven around it . Why so ? Firstly, this is no era of 'Colonization,' and thus it is flawed perception and narrative that India has colonized Kashmir and this only seems to have been utilized by bunch of politicians in Kashmir in selling-off this to the people in the valley and stoking up anti-india sense among them . At this point itself it can be agreed that there has been a conflict since partition and it remains and 'unfinished business' of the same, and solution to which is yet to be found . Second, every movement be it social or political always has it's own unique characteristics , intrinsic qualities, irrespective of from where it is actually drawing the similarities and finding a source of inspiration. So kashmir movement ideally should have it's own characteristics and indeed I believe it already have 'one.' Now more important question is whether this movement has lost its inherent qualities or simply failed to develop one due to presence of dialectically opposite political forces altering it's dynamics, operating in J&K during all these decades of conflict. If we even compare for the moment, Kashmir movement with India's freedom movement to find if there are similarities on ground,we find lack of two important things . Kashmir movement do not have Gandhi as of now, it may have people who they claim to be "martyrs" of freedom movement, those involved in armed rebellion . Second examine the rise of nationalism in India during British colonial period and it's character .
Nationalism in India is quite different from what we witness in the rise of European nationalism during 18th century . European nationalism was "aggrandizing," in nature . It was violent and had imperialistic and colonizing tendencies. Whereas in India, we ourselves were victim of colonization and violent imperialism . So, it was to get rid-off from that violence and achieve "Swarajya."
It had another unique feature, it was 'inclusive' and people from all region and religion, from all different social stratas came together to join and contribute to it. 'Valley's movement doesn't include aspirations of people of Jammu and Laddakh region. Even in the kashmir valley people are divided in pro-pakistan, pro-india and pro-independence groups and thus lack a unanimous choice on one final objective of this 'protest.' Even kashmiri women has been , largely kept away from or too late to join now . Thus largely this movement has gradually became "degenerative," whereas India's freedom movement was based on progressive ideas and structural reforms from within the society .
Thus, it seems this movement has largely worked along religious lines and still doesn't includes a large population including kashmiri students studying outside Kashmir, workers and women even within Muslim community of the valley.
India even before Independence movement actually took pace, worked on social reforms and fought against social evils ,for instance, Raja Rammohan Roy against, "Sati-pratha," jyotiba and Savitribai against caste-system and for " women's education, Ambedkar against Dalit atrocities...Gandhi went Champaran for farmer's upliftment..so on..and so forth..
Now, in this context and in this present scenerio, one can sense why Dr. Shah Faesal and his Jammu and Kashmir people's movement becomes significant . People of J&K have seen killings, violence , torture and everything atrocious around them during all these decades of PDP and NC regime and seperatist's political presence . So, they are mostly exhausted with these political parties as well as with all democratic political process that India claims to engage them in through these parties . This has given enough space to pro-independence spirit to rise in the valley and Separatists and Non-State Actors, have anyway acquired back a strong position. Death of Burhan waani and Manan waani , a P.hd scholar in this conflict has contributed significantly in stocking this passions successfully this time around.
Given the prevailing situation over decades now, Kashmir needs to "redefine," it's movement, it's challenges and objectives. The rhetoric that Dr. Shah Faesal has brought forth gives a sense of hope in this regard. Why so ? Because he understands the complexities and ways of how a modern nation state acts on it's duties . Every modern nation-state, to safeguard it's sovereignty and integrity, will fight against any perceived threat to it's existence. It includes territorial integrity and protecting the population spread all over the country and not just over a specific region . Thus, state will operate in it's full capacity to deal with all internal and external security threats posed to it and will explore all possible ways of detterence to any further escalation of such a potential threat . Lack of SOP or it's effective use in a conflict zone then, tends to lead towards human rights violations and brutal and immoral ways by individual army personnels which does not necessarily mean that the state itself endorses such atrocities. But still any prejudice or stagnant attitude of the state towards people of a community or region grants certainly some unwarranted liberty to those individual army personnels or group involved in such crimes . So, in order to bring equilibrium, state must shift it's position in attitude, in order to achieve a trustworthy social dynamics to further embolden 'state-citizen,' relationship in the region . How modern nation states are working with their changing roles and global scenerio, best examples are Putin dealing with Ukraine (in Crimea ) and his dream of larger Soviet Russia and Xi Jinping's declaration of lifetime leadership in Communist China .
To generate political alternative in a democracy among established political parties is in itself a rare occasion, as Dr. Faesal himself quotes two recent examples, Kejriwal and Imran Khan . He probably understands that the problem that exists in kashmir is not exclusively a political problem but also a cultural problem . Kashmir has no signs whatsoever of a post-modern cultural amalgamation, in its society. So , it has unidimensional ideology largely prevailing which prevents both, Kashmiri society either opening-up or kashmir movement to reach beyond certain geographical reach .
Suman Kumar
Student
Delhi University.
(9560584212/9718186642)
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