Who
is pioneer of ideology of an independent Kashmir?
Dr Shabir Choudhry 20 November 2013
Concept of an
independent Kashmir is not new, as there is thousands of years long and
dignified history to support this reality. However, in the recent past some
people are making conflicting claims that so and so is the pioneer of ideology
of an independent Kashmir.
For example, some
people claim Sardar Rashid Hasrat is Baba e Khud Mukhtari – meaning grandfather
of concept of an independent Kashmir. Others claim Maqbool Butt was the father
of this concept – independent Kashmir. But recently some people from Mirpur
have started claiming that Khaliq Ansari is the pioneer of ideology of an
independent Kashmir.
Without hurting
sentiments of any individual, tribe or a group I want to assert that none of
the above is pioneer of this ideology or concept, although all three of them
have made a valuable contribution to the struggle for an independent Jammu and
Kashmir, and suffered for their dedication; and we all admire that. As stated
above, an independent Kashmir existed on the map of the world with different
boundaries, so no one in 20the Century could claim to be the pioneer of this
concept.
However, the State of
Jammu and Kashmir which was forcibly divided in October 1947, its founder was
Raja Gulab Singh; and Maharaja Hari Singh was its last ruler. Hari Singh succeeded to throne in 1925 after death of Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh; and introduced some economic, social, legal, administrative economic and political reforms. He introduced
State Subject Ordinance, political reforms like a right to vote and a
Legislative Assembly, Compulsory primary education, laws prohibiting child marriage; “The Land Alienation Act”
forbidding
transfer of agricultural land to the
non-agriculturists, and certain tax immunities for agriculturalists.
In order to empower
people the Maharaja Hari Singh set up Village Panchayats; and also established
Department of Rural Development in 1937. To support trade and industry he
abolished numerous taxes, and the Government encouraged the people to purchase
local products. He too great interest in manufacturing units of matchboxes,
tents, carpets, woodworks, crafts, tannery goods, silk yarn, food etc. To me he
took a bold step of establishing The Jammu and Kashmir Bank in 1938 that took
control over the government treasury. Branches The Jammu and Kashmir Bank were
established in Srinagar, Jammu and some other towns.
He was a reformer and from
every characteristic of nationalism, Hari Singh was a nationalist leader with a
forward looking approach to governance. We have to view his governance in light
of the prevailing political and social situation of that time and not what is
available to people in 21st Century. One writer complimented him by
saying: ‘Maharaja Hari Singh was great reformer, a
nationalist and patriotic in spirit, betrayed by both Pakistan and
India in their respective commitments. Maharaja Hari Singh breathed his last at
Bombay on April 26, 1961’.
He did his best to
preserve integrity and independence of his State, and care for all his subjects.
Towards the end of the British Raj in India, he emphatically resisted the
pressure to accede to either India or Pakistan; and after lapse of the British
Paramountcy on 15 August 1947, he became a sovereign ruler of Jammu and Kashmir
State.
During the British Raj
he provided a legal protection to his citizens that no one from outside the
State of Jammu and Kashmir could purchase any land and exploit his people. The
State Subject Ordinance of 20 April 1927 not only granted people of Jammu and
Kashmir class 1 citizenship, it also confirmed his love and care for his people
and his State. He didn’t want rich people of India to purchase land in Jammu
and Kashmir and do what Jews did to people of Palestine. In order to protect
rights of his citizens the State Subject Ordinance affirmed that:
‘In
matters of grants of the State scholarships State lands for agricultural and
house building purposes and recruitment to State service, State subjects of
Class 1 should receive preference over other classes....’
On 15 August 1947,
State of Jammu and Kashmir also gained its independence. As a sovereign ruler
of Jammu and Kashmir, and in order to protect and promote interests of Kashmir,
he concluded a Standstill Agreement with Pakistan; and also offered India do
the same. The above examples clearly demonstrate that he was a nationalist and
wanted to preserve integrity and rights of his State and his citizens; and if
that is not nationalism then one may ask what nationalism is.
Some Muslims with
tunnel vision and overwhelmed Muslim nationalism might put forward this view
that the Maharaja was a Dogra – and a non Muslim and an autocrat so he could
not be a Kashmiri nationalist. Religion and nationalism are two separate
things. Religion is a personal matter of citizens, as it is for them to decide
what religion to follow (or not to follow) and the State has no role in
determining faiths of its citizens; and nationalism – love for a country and
its welfare has nothing to do with any religion. One person could be a devoted
Muslim, Hindu, Sikh or a Buddhist and still be a patriotic citizen of Jammu and
Kashmir.
Apart from the Maharaja
Hari Singh other notable nationalists of the time were people like Sheikh
Abdullah and Prem Nath Bazaz who played a leading role in politics of Jammu and
Kashmir. It was they who clearly advocated equality for all citizens. Struggled
for political and social reforms and forcefully advocated Kashmiri nationalism.
It must be pointed out
that when the Maharaja Hari Singh passed the State Subject Ordinance in 1927,
Khaliq Ansari was only two years old; and Sardar Rashid Hasrat and Maqbool Butt
were not even born. We respect all three figures for their respective struggle
and suffering. What they have done for the cause of an independent Jammu and
Kashmir no one can take that away from them. However, we are not enhancing
their status or doing justice to them, to their struggle or to history by
associate wrong things to them.
Writer is a political analyst and
author of many books and booklets. Also he is Director Institute of Kashmir
Affairs Affairs.Email:drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com
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