Islam arrived in Kashmir in 1300 when local Hindu king converted . By 1400 it was Muslim majority. Akbar ,Mughal emperor absorbed the country by sending his Hindu general. In 1700 hundred Afghan occupied it. In 1800 Sikh empire extended to Kashmir . Th Hindu prime minster negotiated surrender of independent Kashmir to British The family was rewarded with kingship The 4 th member was Raja Hari Singh who under pressure and manipulation decided to join India . Same time before Pakistan involvement , RSS orchestrated ethnic cleansing and massacre of Jammu region turning into in Hindu majority . Mountbatten Gandhi condemned the role of RSS and king in rioting and massacre .. British news paper Times and Spectators documented the massacre .
1
I think with this masterstroke the government of India has decimated Pakistan's ambition of grabbing Kashmir. This decision is irreversible come what may. Pakistan can rant, rave, threaten, sob, complain as much as it wants but I predict it will lose badly including if starts a war.
5
Expelling the top Indian diplomat and Pakistan recalling its top diplomat means they won't be speaking. It is also often the last step before open war.
Who was Franz Ferdinand, and why was it such a big deal that he got assassinated? Neither answer really matters at this point, but it was the single event most recognizable as the impetus for both of our World Wars.
“India and Pakistan, both of which have nuclear arms, have fought several bitter wars over Kashmir, a mountainous, predominantly Muslim territory claimed by both countries.”
In the case of religious wars, atomic bombs can be rationalized as being an inherent part of God’s plan. All it takes is a single glimpse to the stars to see all of the heavenly bodies of nuclear fusion, whose radiating brilliance lives on long after they collapse into their own oblivion.
1
The backstory
"Horace Alexander’s article on 16 January 1948 in The Spectator is much quoted; he put the number killed at 200,000.
To quote a 10 August 1948 report published in The Times, London: “2,37,000 Muslims were systematically exterminated – unless they escaped to Pakistan along the border – by the forces of the Dogra State headed by the Maharaja in person and aided by Hindus and Sikhs. This happened in October 1947, five days before the Pathan invasion and nine days before the Maharaja’s accession to India.” Muslim majority Jammu became Hindu majority .
Maharaja Hari Singh’s involvement, with the support of the RSS, is evident from a letter Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to Vallabhbhai Patel on 17 April 1949 (quoted in Frontline magazine):
Mahatma Gandhi did comment on the situation in Jammu on 25 December 1947 and his remarks have found mention in volume 90 of his Collected Works: “The Hindus and Sikhs of Jammu and those who had gone there from outside killed Muslims. The Maharaja of Kashmir is responsible for what is happening there….”
https://scroll.in/article/811468/the-killing-fields-of-jammu-when-it-was-muslims-who-were-eliminated?fbclid=IwAR2LAgyU1fp4xW2rl330Z-D5LTVRFfAoRWKPZ6MlBCfbKTfq3_efhzE9zPw
1
‘Mr. Khan denounced Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, accusing his government of promoting “an ideology that puts Hindus above all other religions and seeks to establish a state that represses all other religious groups.” ‘
The Pakistani PM should understand the concept of Karma. Muslims have put Islam above all other religions for 1,500 years. Just look at Pakistan even today where there is not even any pretense that Islam is not superior to Hinduism and represses Sikhism, Christianity and other religions. Perhaps Mr. Khan should stop repressing non-Muslim religions in Pakistan before he asks India to stop doing it in India. All over the world Islam has turned the holiest sites in Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism into Mosques with no consideration to the adherents of those faiths. I’m sure it’s not fun being the underdog now for Pakistani and Indian Muslims. Mr. Khan should be able to understand how wrong it is for Muslims to claim superiority over all others and show a little humility in addressing the rising fundamentalist Hinduism which of course is not good either. No one could stop the Muslims and no one is going stop the Hindus either. It will have to run its course. After all, it’s our desire to have power over others that causes these problems. We must work towards mutual respect.
8
India should take over Pakistan. Diversity is strength and a good in and of itself. People don't get to choose the kind of country they live in- that is white nationalism and fascism. Kashmiris and Pakistanis just don't know how great diversity is. Kashmir and Pakistan should get flooded with outsiders until there is no clear majority.
7
The creation of Pakistan was illegal.
6
This mess is confusing. If any Westerner made the arguments that Pakistan is making they would be called a white nationalist. No people, religion, tribe or civilization has the right to a Homeland. Diversity is strength. Yes Kashmir will be flooded with non-muslims. Why is that bad? Muslims are colonizing countries all over the world- changing the demographics and culture. It is white nationalism to oppose that or to even be concerned. Tibet is flooded with Han Chinese. Diversity is strength. Cyprus is full of Turks. Diversity is strength. Why aren't the Andaman Islands open to refugees? Don't those folks know that diversity is strength? Pakistan is not strong because they have eradicated most non-wahhabi Muslims. They murdered millions of people. Christians? Dead. Shia Muslims? Dead. Buddhists? Dead. zoroastrians? Dead. If Kashmir became independent, or a part of Pakistan, there would be mass slaughter and ethnic cleansing. Remember: diversity bus more important than what the actual residents want.
7
By constantly whining about nuclear threat, NYT has an agenda to make this region worst than that of Palestine, Iran, N Korea. What is its agenda. By constantly shouting about Nuclear armed nations, as if India ever threatened to use Nuclear weapons, NYT forces us Indians to negotiate with Terrorists. Has it ever called for restraint against Soviet Union and kept referring both USA and USSR or China now as Nuclear armed nations ? Why is this label specifically applied to Indo Pak?
India has no first use policy. So why is NYT worried ? Shouldn't it first write editorials repudiating Pakistan on its nuclear weapons policy ? Is it okay for nations to threaten with Nuclear weapons ?
7
There seems to be fear all over the world about being swamped by outsiders. Europeans feel that they are being swamped by hordes of refugees from Middle East and Africa.Poor whites in America are being afraid of being swamped by better educated immigrants. Kashmiri Muslims are afraid of being swamped by Hindu majority. Some American whites are afraid of being swamped by non whites and becoming minority. Indian Hindus are afraid by being swamped by demographic change of more fertile Muslims.Middle eastern Arabs are being afraid of being swamped by increasing number of South Asian workers Welcome to the new global world of 21st century which is flat
1
Kashmir has been under occupation by despotic Moguls, Sikhs, Pathans and Hindu Dogra rulers before it was occupied by" democratic" Indians seven decades ago. However, whereas the previous rulers were also ruthless to Kashmiris, the Indians have proved to be much more blood thirsty and rotten for Kashmiris. In the past 15 years nearly one hundred thousand Kashmiris have been killed in cold blood; rape has been used as an instrument of State terror, school children have been blinded and Kashmiri property worth Billions has been destroyed. The Kashmir valley which is roughly 30 X 80 miles in area has been inundated by OVER a million Indian troops. This is the highest concentration of armed forces on the planet. There is a Resistance going on by roughly 200-300 Kashmiri men, who are branded , " Terrorists " by Indians ! What is very shocking is that no world power has condemned the Indian's egregious behavior. The only hope for Kashmiris is that Pakistan will send her troops and help Kashmir achieve the freedom it is fighting for and deserves.
@Syed Abdulhaq
Does it make sense to sit in New York and agitate against possible influx of outsiders into Kashmir valley (which is roughly 30 X 80 miles as claimed by you). Do you think a 30x80 mile real estate can survive as independent country?
1
The issue is not that Article 370 was scrapped (even though I do not support this move in any way.) The more troubling issue is the way it was done. Troops being snuck in weeks earlier, elected representatives put under house arrest, curfew, no communications and most importantly NO discussion or debate in Parliament. This is not how a democracy works. India can no longer call itself a democracy. All the BJP supporters who are exulting can’t look beyond the jingoism and the “thug” rule that is being employed. To their own peril. Because there will be a next one. Another state. Another minority being marginalised.
Oh Mother India, what we have done to the idea of you.
5
Article 370 should never have been part of India’s constitution for as long as it was. It was originally written with the intent of being removed a few years down the line when Kashmiris had had a taste of India and could decide for themselves rather than let one man (their king Hari Singh, I believe) decide for them. As a Hindu man ruling a Muslim majority state his decision could have been misunderstood.
The point of all this is, the intent with which 370 was put into the Indian constitution meant there was a clearly defined way of revoking the article, one that respected democratic procedures and rightly gave the people of Kashmir a voice. This government’s move of unilaterally forcing 370 out of the constitution not only without the people’s mandate but with a rather zealous use of military presence and police force, and without a proper discussion in parliament, simply kills the idea of a democracy.
While it may not be right to brand all of India over all of time as undemocratic, it would certainly be right to label India that way with regard to how 370 was revoked. As for not calling them secular, under the current government that would perhaps raise more arms than eyebrows and yet it would not be entirely uncalled for. There is some hope yet as Kashmir will undoubtedly go to the Supreme Court challenging this move but the days ahead for India might shape a lot more of India’s future than its leaders bargained for when they strategised the abrogation of this article
1
Indian have now shown their true colors. Having it called secular is the biggest bluff one can hear. It is an extremist ideology driving these decisions to annex Kashmir. When Russia annexed Crimea everyone complained. This is many times more as to the repression and genocide of thousands of Kashmiris has got unnoticed by the world. Hindu extremism is going to inflame the whole region.
3
@Sam
Where is the genocide ? Do you know what it means ?
Genocide is what Pakistan has perpetrated on Bangladesh when it killed millions of people.
This extremist language used by you, don't know how NYT published it .
India only kills terrorists, not civilians.
5
India can scrap any law in its land. Kashmir was acceded, not forcefully taken. It's an integral part of India, and always has been.
14
The most important function of a government, philosopher Bertrand Russel had said was to maintain law and order. In Kashmir the civil law was being undermined by two forces. The internal one in democracy requires winning hearts and minds. While development is an enabling factor, it needs more than development to instill trust in the state.
Those who project the Indian government move as a Hindutva project are only partly right. Dr. Ambedkar and several others within Congress had opposed special provisions, and the implicit assumption was full integration was not feasible then.
Question remains, is it feasible now. First criterion would be improvements in law and order. Second criterion would be ushering faster economic development. Third, making Kashmiri Muslims feel that they are first class citizens of India, like all others.
Third criterion would require stronger INC, that is in consonance with the original thought process within Congress when the 370 proviso was being debated.
4
Pakistan says India is promoting “an ideology that puts Hindus above all other religions and seeks to establish a state that represses all other religious groups.”
Hold on.
In that accusation, replace 'Hindus' with 'Muslims'... and you can see what Pakistan and almost every other Muslim country has been doing, is still doing and will keep doing.
23
Pakistan was in doldrums when India stopped export of tomatoes to the country in wake of Pulwama terror attack.. with the media houses shaming India for such a move (video was hilarious.. you can find it on youtube)
Now Pakistan wants to put pressure on India by stopping bilateral trade (seriously!!!)
Pakistan is still dependent on India for a lot of things.. and they will be the looser if trade is stopped..
Now I have read 2-3 articles that seem to criticize India's step to abolish the special status to Kashmir and break the state in 2 Union Territories.. This bill has been passed in both the houses of Parliament with thumping majority.. with a number of of opposition parties also supporting this move..
People outside India may not know the following changes which will be applicable with the new rule of scrapping Article 370 in JnK
1. Children will now have Right to Education which was not there earlier
2. Women form the region will now be able to keep their land and own properties in JnK if they marry a person outside state.. earlier if a woman had to marry outside state, she was no more a Kashmiri citizen, hence could not hold land or property there. But a man who marries outside state could still own land and property.
2. People of JnK will now have the Right to Information which was not available to them before Article 370 was scrapped for JnK
JnK was always an integral part of India.. scrapping Article 370 will further strengthen the ties.
13
@rohit Ironic that you say that "People of J&K will now have Right to Information". Wonder how that information will be requested and delivered with no Internet, mobile services or phone. Pigeons?
The world must note that Pakistan had done to her part of Kashmir what India did a few days ago. She has also traded off large tracks of Pakistan administered Kashmir to China. There is a low level civil war in Pakistani Kashmir, Paktunistan and Balouchistan for over 60 yrs.
8
India will not miss the bilateral trade with its rogue neighbor.
The unilateral export is what is problematic. Pakistan is a terror factory that has exports its sinister version of philosophy and trained assassins from Pulwama to Mumbai in India and New York to San Bernardino in the US.
11
It is for the best. India has chosen the place and the time.
Now Pakistan can only threaten and send terrorists. India can raise the cost to Pakistan for doing terrorism.
Pakistan helped Modi's re-election believing a strong Modi will have the power to hand over Indian territory to Pakistan. The terrorist attacks before the election and the fake war that followed was well scripted by Pakistan.
Pakistan is not patting itself on the back any more.
7
It is shameful that the BJP govt would force the dissolution of Article 370 without involving the residents of Kashmir. Modi and his cohorts are obviously scared of the backlash, hence their effort to silence the protests in Kashmir. Unfortunately, history has shown that such subjugation invariably fails, and India is especially ineffective at long-term planning. Why is India afraid of a referendum in Kashmir? Is it because they have nothing to show for 70 years of misrule?
4
@Swami Satyananda nothing to show for 70 years of misrule? J&Ks separate status is what has kept it behind. This is the first step in new investment and economic opportunity- hopefully this will move people away from terrorism and extremism
1
I grew up in India. I visit very often.
Imran Khan should re-phrase his statement as, "Current government puts 'Indians' above all religions and seeks to establish a state that equalizes people of all religions to the same rights and constitutional guarantees"
Yes, some folks in Kashmir want Independence. That is their natural feeling, and if majority would want that, I hope they win their separate entity sometime.
But everything else about this is being convoluted. In another aricle in NYTimes today, the author was equalizing this event to what China wants to do with Tibet (flood with Han Chinese) and what Israel is doing in Palestine (forced evacuation of non Jewish Palestine people and building Jewish communities). - Neither of these are possible in India. India is truly a Secular, Democratic nation. Yes, Modi can be characterized as leading a "Hindu Nationalistic" party. Just the same as Trump can be characterized as leading a "Christian Nationalistic" party.
There are religious zealots in both GOP and BJP. But, they still, at the end of the day, support secular ideals.
Muslims in Hyderabad, Lucknow, Madurai and any Indian city, are part of the beautiful, diverse Indian culture, just as are Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains...
Everyone has equal rights.
Pakistan is NOT a secular nation. India IS. India has more Muslims than Pakistan. India has more well educated Muslims than Pakistan has.
13
@Abhilash
"But everything else about this is being convoluted. In another aricle in NYTimes today, the author was equalizing this event to what China wants to do with Tibet (flood with Han Chinese) and"
The author and Pakistan has conveniently forgotten what the Chinese are doing to their Uighur population. If Pakistan is truly worried about the Muslim population in the world at large, it should confront China. But I seriously doubt that this will happen.
3
@Narayan Pakistan is not concerned about Muslims. They are only concerned about destabilising India.
1
India's trade with Pakistan is minuscule and cutting off trade hardly affects Indian economy. It is a symbolic and PR gesture by Pakistan.
Pakistan is really in a very bad situation with its economy and cannot afford another war with India in spite of the bluster by its military establishment. India will be able to absorb the costs of war but not Pakistan.
The world has seen too many wars involving Jihadists and has no use for a new Islamic state in Kashmir which explains the tepid response from various countries to Pakistan's complaints . Its "iron brother" China has its own major headaches with tariff wars with the US and a slowing economy.
Billions of dollars US aid has gone to Pakistan in the last two decades which could have been used to build a strong and competitive economy. It did not happen as Pakistan wants military parity with India and not a prosperous economy.
15
For some unknown reason NYT is not giving a balance picture of the whole story and unnecessarily giving credence to the supposed fear of 2/3rd Muslim majority.
Pakistan has no choice but to complain and make noise. It’s a failed state to start with. I bet majority of the Kashmiris given a choice will overwhelmingly opt to join India.
19
@Eraven ok so please give them the choice. Your military curfew suggests otherwise
1
@Usama
What's wrong with Military curfew? It's not permanent. Any state will take steps to prevent riots.
Until tempers subside, this curfew will continue.
1
I"n a speech in the Pakistani Parliament , Fawad Chaudhry, the science and technology minister, called India a “fascist regime” and said another war over Kashmir, where decades of fighting has killed tens of thousands of people, was not off the table." There is no end to Pakistani adventurism despite it lost every war with India .
There seems to be fatal flaw in Islamist mindset when they are in majority they want to impose Sharia example Pakistan,Malyasia,Iran,Saudi Arabia Aceh province of Indonesia etc , , When they are in minority they want secession example Thailand, Philippines, Myanmar ,China etc .This creates conflict with the rest of the world.
Let us say we give self determination to Kashmir Muslims will they adopt liberal plural democracy and respect Hindus in Jammu and Buddhist in Ladakh region. if we follow the historical examples of Pakistan their will be religious cleaning of Hindus and Buddhists in Ladakh.
Shias, Baluchis, Pashtuns, Ahmedias ,Christians,Hindus and non believers are denied human rights in Pakistan .
19
Pakistan has been extending all out support to Kashmir not because of religious fraternity but for total annexation/ occupation. If Jammu and Kashmir freed, ( will not happen and it is nobody's wish), the same will wish for separate country and not to become an integral part of Islamabad.
Without knowing the reality , Islamabad has been wasting time and money for Kashmir.
Further, instead of blaming India and knocking the doors of USA, UN and other countries, it better to set right it's house from recurring violence.
In fact Pak. military has a upper hand over elected government and is no mood to relent and igniting, fueling skirmishes. It is noted that Pak. army forcing militants to enter into the Indian side.
Now the situation has arisen that Indian government may not wait for opportunity.
4
1. Article 370 was temporary as written in its formation documents, designed to allow people of Jammu and Kashmir (ruled at the time by a Hindu king) more time to finalize the nature of their government. They had 70 years to decide, instead the local politicians (only a 3 families) kept exploiting the Article 370 to stay in power and line their own pockets. Time’s up!
2. Hope, rightfully, is that people with jobs and stable future would opt for prosperity instead of stone pelting. After all, who has time to go to a march when a promotion or a vacation in another part of your vast country is on the line? Might as well go to a beach for the first time in your life vs. throw stones at police!
3. I bet at least 300 million fellow Indians are eager to learn skiing! That’s economic opportunity for the locals among hundreds of others. Maybe we have our first cool winter Olympian from Srinagar!
4. For all the talk of oppression and ethnic cleansing, let’s not forget that in 1989, within a span of a few months, the Kashmir Valley was cleansed of all Hindus at gun point, primarily from the Pandit community, who lost everything. Pakistan sponsored this ethnic cleansing, hopefully, economic integration would allow people of Jammu and Kashmir to focus on productive issues vs religious nonsense.
19
@Curious Globalist: Good point. In the zeal of berating India, the NYT has missed a large part of the historical background on the communal relation and role of Pakistan in inciting unrest in Kashmir.
9
'Mr. Khan denounced Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, accusing his government of promoting “an ideology that puts Hindus above all other religions and seeks to establish a state that represses all other religious groups.” '
Let's see. Pakistan has gone from having a 23% minority population when it was created in 1947 to less than 2% each of Hindus and Christians today. 15% of Indians meanwhile are Muslims, about the same as in 1947. Pakistan is an explicitly Islamic state with a medieval blasphemy law. India is secular, without any such law. Pakistan has had more military coups than one can count; India's military brass like whisky and playing bridge. Pakistan sheltered Osama Bin Laden; India did not.
In short, Pakistan is a regressive failed state that wants to head back to the 15th century.
Undoubtedly there are Hindu reactionaries that want the same thing for India, and many are in Modi's party. Encouragingly, however, India has a vigorous free press and intelligentsia that pushes back hard against the forces of stupidity, and a huge influential upper middle class that wants a liberal modern society.
There is absolutely no indication at this time that this move in Kashmir will turn India into a mirror image of Pakistan. There is some chance that it might, but then there is some chance that Pakistan might turn into a liberal democracy.
So, all the hyperventilation (such as in the OpEd today by Mohammed Hanif, and by kneejerk Western doofii) needs to stop.
42
NYT editors do seem to find joy in providing disproportionate space and time to news reports and articles that want to portray the Indian action (regards article 370) in bad light.
They seem to want ideals of democracy and secularism to flourish at home and don't care for its existence elsewhere.
Kashmir is a test case of how we want all nations to be governed.
Consider..
India is founded on secular objectives. If a muslim majority region cannot live with a country where they are a minority then that is a death blow to modern notions of nation-states being formed on the basis of separation of church and state.
Pakistan was formed as an Islamic Republic. If Kashmir can live peacefully with India then it is a death blow to the founding principles of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Never mind that muslim Bangladesh separated from Pakistan and no one is anymore wiser regarding the foolishness of founding countries based on religion.
Abolishing article 370 changes so much and yet changes nothing. This primarily removes any special status for one state as would be required to form a modern secular nation.
There will not be any push to change the demographics as has been claimed by its detractors.
If you are a secularist - you have to support this move by India.
19
@Rajesh India under this extremist bjp govt is anything but secular. They are a political wing of the RSS which belives that sub continent should only be for hindus. These are the people who killed Gandhi.
It is ironic that the world has always feared that exremists will take control of pakistan but it is India who is being run by a right wing hindu extremist party which is headed by the butcher of Gujrat, someone whome the US wouldnt issue visa beacuse of his crimes against humanity.
Mark my words, bjp is going to change indian constitution from secular to hindu nationalist.
1
@Rajesh I am secular but don't require your certificate. This move by Indian government is racist and forebears an impending genocide of Kashmiri people. If people of Kashmir are so happy with these changes in their region, why did India have to send 40,000 troops to bolster 0.5 million military force already in Kashmir?
@Usama This so called "butcher" has been democratically elected by a majority, whereas Pakistan is being run by it's powerful military, who is exporting terrorism to Baluchistan, Afghanistan and Indian Kashmir. Pakistan is an ISLAMIC republic, not a secular nation, so please learn to practice secularism before trying to teach others.
2
I think the main concern in all this territorial maneuvering is BJP’s history of systematic violence against its own minority population. From preventing church services with threats of violence to lynching of its vast Muslim population as in the massacre of Godhra, BJP has shown intolerance towards the most vulnerable in society.
8
@F. Ahmed
Tell me a Nation, that is most diverse as India with a history of Islamic wars and yet been peaceful to them without revenge ,inspite of them breaking the nation ?
Tell me , all your threats fall flat .
1
Pakistan is an Islamic republic, although mostly a military dictatorship. India is a secular country. Bringing Kashmir on par with other states does not change secular nature if India. Secularism treats all religions as equal, with no special status for anyone.
20
India is secuar in name only
3
@Athar Murtuza Yeah you will know because secularism flourishes in Pakistan.
5
@Athar Murtuza.
There is an excellent interview of Javed Akhtar in Pakistani Dawn TV. You can check the record of India vs Pakistan in terms of use of religion in governance and, more importantly, human rights and minority rights in these two countries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NJxM5tRlOs&list=PL499F980375965497&index=3
6
Sure, Pakistan may have legitimate reasons to condemnthis move.
But this statement from its prime minister :
"...promoting “an ideology that puts Hindus above all other religions.."
There is a word for this.
Chutzpah.
This man is a prime minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
I have been to Kashmir and Ladakh. Both are way behind rest of India in economic development - and that's saying something.
All Kashmir and Ladakh infrastructure is for benefit of Indian military as it is essentially a garrison today because of this military posturing by both countries.
Ladakh and Kashmir have nothing in common other than a land border.
If this move leads to development of region for all people and not just military - I say, go for it.
India has one of the most enviable railway system in the world. Trains reach every corner of thus vast country.
But none in Kashmir or ladakh.
Kanyakumari is the southernmost tip of India. There is a train from this place to a town in Assam where I have been.
Today, it is one of the longest journeys by train in the world.
Imagine a train from Kanyakumari to - almost roof of the world - Leh, Ladakh.
If this dream comes true - India will have made a right call.
26
@Neil exactly. This is step 1 to improving J&Ks economy. More jobs will send less people down the path of extremism
1
The Naya Pakistan promised by PM Imran Khan was premised on opening ties with India. His agenda had been hijacked by the Military establishment.
Indian conventional capability being far above the 1 to 3 ratio, it would be foolish for Pakistan to unleash any terror attack. If LOC status quo has to be preserved, the only option is forsaking Low Intensity Warfare.
The security establishment on Pakistan, being mature, smart and rational players, are likely to realize LIW option has expired. Even China could not make appropriate noise on their behalf in first 48 hours.
Pakistan has begun an inward gaze, downgraded diplomacy, and cut off little trade.This soul searching could soon turn stale. The notion of parity with India is not more credible to Aam Pakstani, not after Chandrayaan-2. The establishment theory of geo-strategic location is also fully discredited. Sulking in a corner of the world by itself can bring no gain.
This disillusionment hopefully shall make Pakistan realize that taking recourse to "truth prism" is the sensible option. Then they will see that a PM Modi had gone out of the way to seek friendship with Pakistan. He even touched the feet of their then PM's mother, seeking her blessings for better relationships between two nation.
As the Hindi precept avers, when DIL is SAAF, and NIYAT is SAAF, new pathways alwayd open up. A new chapter, the Naya Pakistan Imran saheb seeks shall open up. Who was rooting for his win in 1992, against England?
6
Sure, Pakistan may have legitimate reasons to condemnthis move.
But this statement from its prime minister :
"...promoting “an ideology that puts Hindus above all other religions.."
There is a word for this.
Chutzpah.
This man is a prime minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
I have been to Kashmir and Ladakh. Both are way behind rest of India in economic development - and that's saying something.
All Kashmir and Ladakh infrastructure is for benefit of Indian military as it is essentially a garrison today because of this military posturing by both countries.
Ladakh and Kashmir have nothing in common other than a land border.
If this move leads to development of region for all people and not just military - I say, go for it.
India has one of the most enviable railway system in the world. Trains reach every corner of thus vast country.
But none in Kashmir or ladakh.
Kanyakumari is the southernmost tip of India. There is a train from this place to a town in Assam where I have been.
Today, it is one of the longest journeys by train in the world.
Imagine a train from Kanyakumari to - almost roof of the world - Leh, Ladakh.
If this dream comes true - India will have made a right call.
4
There isn't much trade at all to speak of between India and Pakistan. Just a paltry $2 billion per year. This is just a political gesture. In any case, India suspended trade through the Kashmir Line of Control in April following the Kashmir bombings by Pakistan-based groups.
4
Pakistan claiming India to be promoting Hindu ideology when she herself is Islamic country is like China schooling US on democracy; ludicrous.
16
@VS india claims to be a secular country not hindu. Even if you want to promote hindu ideology is fine with me but do it without killing others. I know you will now point to pakistans human rights records but atleast we do not have inbuilt systematic discrimination such as the various casts in hindu religon.
Only if Pakistan had not been exporting Islamic terrorism to the Indian Kashmir for the 20 years, there would have been no problem today. Educating young Kashmiris to be suicide bombers and then talking of violation of human rights is bonkers to say the least.
14
The simple fact is this: Kashmir is a Muslim majority area bordering Pakistan. Why must it remain a part of India, if the people so obviously do not want to remain a part of that country? This is an occupation by any definition of the term, and all those justifying it are probably the same ones who think Israel is a liberal democracy.
Apartheid 2.0 has begun, and this time the West is complicit.
9
@Alex
Here are a few points to consider -
People who make all the noise about not wanting to be part of the country are not representative of the majority. The separatist movement is in 6 of the 22 provinces of the state of J&K. They have been financed, indoctrinated in Islamic Jihadi culture and encouraged by Pakistan which spares no effort in infiltrating its own terrorists.
It should not be a surprise that the separatist movement began soon after the use of religion/jihad succeeded in driving out the Soviets from Afghanistan and Pakistan knew it had a template it could apply to Kashmir.
J&K has a significant population of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Shia Muslims. I'd encourage you to look up how well Pakistan has treated its minorities. Forget non-muslims.. look up Pakistan's treatment of Ahmadiyya muslims and then decide if J&K would be better off in secular India or islamic Pakistan.
15
@Alex It is interesting you only stopped at apartheid and not compared it to slavery, genocide, imperialism, economic exploitation, or nuclear war. Interestingly west has perpetuated all the above including apartheid and somehow still pretends to be "holier than thou". Great propaganda!
2
The NYT of late has buried the persona of independent and objective journalism. Hate Trump has now taken over to their reporting on other matters too, of course, India was always the whipping boy, and has remained so. But then, no wonder, most people say--let this mad dog bark, because it is what it does best!
13
This is merely the first step in implementing the only workable solution for resolving the Kashmir.
To understand the Kashmir issue and the a future solution, google "Ceding the territorial imperative " in Arts and Opinion Volume 5 2016.
Yes, it does require a plebiscite in Indian administered Kashmir, and it calls for a similar plebiscite in Pakistani held Kashmir.
Where was all the hand wringing by the NYT when:
1) Pakistan severed Gilgit and Baltistan from Kashmir and administered it directly from Islamabad?
2) When the Shia Muslim areas of northern Kashmir were subjected to extensive Sunni Muslim migration from Pakistan?
3) When the Hindu Pandits in the Kashmir valley were ethnically cleansed by Jihadists who were aided and abetted by Pakistan?
If Israel handed over the "Occupied territories" would there be peace between the Arab nations and Israel?
NO! Not when the ultimate goal is the destruction of the Jewish State.
If India handed over Kashmir to Pakistan would that lead to peace?
NO! Not when the ultimate goal is the destruction of the Indian State.
Then why hand over the territory when there will be no peace anyway?"
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@Jack Pakistan does not want destruction of the Indian state, it is india who has never accepted a free pakistan and has dreams of absorbing pakistan back into india. It is not possible for a country many times smaller to destroy or absorb a bigger state
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@Usama Really? It is on record that one of the goals of the Pakistani military establishment is to raise it's flag on the Read fort in Delhi.
Ever hear of "Ghazwa-e-hind" ? It is another terrorist organization based in Pakistan whose goal is convert India to a Muslim state.
The article 370 has restricted the progress of Kashmiris and has caused corruption in Kashmir. Because the Indian central Govt's laws were not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the state government was not required to be answerable to central forces.
The article 370 was not for the people of Kashmir, but for the political forces like that of Pakistan and the corrupt politicians of J&K.
This article states that article 370 removal is aimed at making India a Hindu nation. Can the authors quote any references to this statement? When has Narendra Modi mentioned that he wants to make India a Hindu nation? Why is this action colored as a Hindu action? Irresponsible reporting - not expected from nytimes.
People of all religion pay taxes in India which IS used in J&K. But other than the leftover Kashmiris, no one had any rights there. Besides this, now that Article 370 is removed, people of all religions can buy land here. People from all over the world can buy land here. This beautiful region can progress. How is this a Hindu agenda? Developing a place that has Muslim majority - how can this be a Hindu agenda? People of ALL religions can buy land here and move here. All over the developed world, religion is NOT the basis of buying land. So why the ruckus now?
The fact is that the Indio Occupied Jammu Kashmir would never have gone to Pakistan - ever! Have they not tried for 70 years before? This will be much better for the progress of both countries! Peace.
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@Ruby dear who do you think will buy land in kashmir, roman catholics? It is clear that indians have only been feed lies by their media on the kashmir issue and any report having semblance of impartiality is unacceptable to their minds.
We in pakistan are much more connected to kashmir the a common person in india. Our cultural and social ties are much stronger and closer. We have many kashmiri casts and clans all over pakistan.
You even fail to acknowledge the day to day inhuman sufferings of kashmiri ppl at the hands of your forces.
Check what balanced indian jounros and even jaswant singh of bjp have said about kashmir
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@Usama And your media is great truth teller? You have been fed lies by your media.
We must not see this in the context of Hindu domination or suppression of Muslims as it is a well-known fact that there are more Muslims in secular India, living peacefully, than in Pakistan. Moreover, the recent integration of the state with the rest of the country and its reorganization will provide ample and favorable opportunities for the youth to join the mainstream, educate themselves, and improve their social and financial wellbeing. All the Indian government has to do now is invest in education, health, and infrastructure of the region to nurture the ambitions of the people of the state. While all Pakistan has to do is to introspect and think of improving the socio-economic status of its own people living inside its territory and also of the oppressed people living in Baluchistan and Gilgit in PoK.
The only way the tensions will ease and peace will prevail in the region is when the nations will start to care about the people who live there, rather than eying the opportunities to grab the territories of others. Moreover, by the reorganization of the state, the intended thrust will be in the direction of all-round development of the region, comprising of lesser-known areas like Jammu and Ladakh rather than of a select few places like Srinagar. So, it is a welcome move in the right direction with the right intention for the benefit and upliftment of the citizens of India and it should be seen in the right context and with the right mindset.
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@RAVISH please educate me on how 370 was stoping india to educate empower and financialy up lift the youth of kashmir? And bring prosperity to kashmir?
We must not see Kashmir issue as Hindu-Muslim issue. Yes, there was & still is human rights violation and that’s ethnic cleansing of Hindus since 1947. The major incidence was around 1990.
There was a Pakistan sponsored Human rights violation complain in UN. Almost all Muslim majority Islamic countries (OIC) initially supported it. But after Indian delegation presented its case, most OIC countries withdrew from it. But domestically, Indian Govt under "secular" parties (mainly Congress) not only supported but promoted those Islamic extremists, criminals, patronized & fully supported by Pakistan.
Muslims in India, Pakistan, USA and anywhere else must understand that justice/human rights must not depend on when Muslims are majority or minority and change drastically when they become majority. There is not a single Muslim majority country in the world where religious minorities flourished (percentage of population) and rights of those religious minorities are in far worse condition and Pakistan is no different. On the other hand, check the population growth of Muslims in any secular democracy, India, UK, USA included.
The issues of Kashmir (not much about Hindu majority Jammu & Buddhist majority Ladakh) is not much different than most other places in India. Only major difference was its special status that prevented it from assimilating into national mainstream, its Muslim majority population, and proximity to Pakistan.
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Mr. Khan denounced Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, accusing his government of promoting “an ideology that puts Hindus above all other religions and seeks to establish a state that represses all other religious groups
The irony of this statement.. the gentleman speaking here is head of a nation that was formed on religious identity.
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Western press should not give too much coverage to Indian action on Kashmir since it will encourage Pakistan to make empty threats. Pakistan has lost all its credibility by endorsing the subjugation of Uighur Muslims in China. The timing of the Indian action may have something to do with the impending crackdown on protestors in Hong Kong so that China would want to amicably settle its border disputes with India.
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"Mr. Rabbani said, warning that India could make settlements along the Line of Control and push Kashmiris into Pakistan.
“Pakistan would be under pressure and a constant threat of war,” he said."
If Pakistan feels it can support the development of the Kashmiri population better than India, then why should this be a concern? This is a hypothetical situation, and Kashmiri Indians would never be forced to leave their homes, but this is to highlight that Pakistan's / Pakistan's supporters' logic seems to be entirely flawed.
Fears of the population being suppressed or of Kashmir becoming another Palestine are grossly exaggerated. Jammu and Kashmir will witness economic and social infrastructure development in the coming years. Indians all across the country enjoy the same rights and privileges - for instance, please check if the population of Hyderabad (majority Muslim) feels oppressed.
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Nobody need to worry about kashmir and its people. Kashmiris are our brothers and after revoking article 370,we will better take care of them. Pakistan is a factory of terrorist.
Congress party in India and pakistan army, they both are responsible for instability in kashmir. India gave article 370 to kashmir after 2 years of accession, which was temporary.
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A military solution to the Kashmir problem is probably not a sane thing and India is likely acting in haste. While it is true that military atrocities have been frequently recorded in the Kashmir valley, it is also equally true that Pakistan has used the region as a fomenting base for inciting terror attacks on Indian soil. Whether this is a chicken or the egg problem is debatable. A diplomatic solution to the problem that involves both countries along with tribal elders drawn from both the Muslim and Pandit communities is certainly more welcome than any military style engagement.
However, Pakistan's complaint that India is putting Hindus above other religions is laughable even if likely true. Isn't Pakistan a declared Islamic Republic ? A pot calling the kettle black cleans neither of them. Imran Khan and his cronies should know better than accuse Modi and his sycophants of fundamentalist behavior. Pakistan has been living the life in the fundamentalist lane for the last 50 years
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Two nations with nuclear war capability that I’ve always felt to be more of a danger to the planet than Iran or North Korea are bickering over land like immature brats. From what I’ve seen of this dispute, and the way they are going about resolving (or not)it make me feel like our own extinction event could be imminent
2
At last, the illusion of internal autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir now ends after 70 years. Jammu and Kashmir have been and is under illegal occupation of India and unbridled control of Pakistan.
The people of Jammu and Kashmir reaffirm and declare for the whole world to know that Jammu Kashmir belongs to the citizens of this state as it existed on 14 August 1947. All the citizens of the state are equal irrespective of gender, caste, class, race, region or religion, and Jammu and Kashmir is not a union territory of India or part of Pakistan.
We reaffirm our unwavering determination to continue civil resistance movement to put an end to the foreign occupation, and we will use all means available to us to end illegal occupation of our country by compelling India and Pakistan to withdraw all their military, para-military and other forces from Jammu Kashmir as they are inflicting severe hardships and suffering on all the people.
We are asking all nations and people of the world who believe in the right to self-determination of oppressed nations and international peace and security to help and support us in our just struggle for reunification of J&K status as a nation-state in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations (U.N) so that we can have freedom and democratic and decentralised system of governance in Jammu and Kashmir, and live in peace and harmony within the community of nations in the world.
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Hey you.. where were you and your types when the Kashmiri pandits were being killed, raped, brutally assaulted in the late 1980s.. what’s happened at that time? Was that not ethnic cleansing? Kashmir is just plain unlucky that at that time a rag tag government supported by congress was in power.. and the subsequent governments till Narendra Modi came around were also coalitions and not having the strength in numbers and support of Indian citizens as Mr. Modi has now..
Pakistan was formed in the name of religion.. and since it’s independence, minority population has only shrunk..minorities there have been forced to convert, marry Muslims, or have been killed.. that’s ethinic cleansing..
In India, the reverse has happened.. congress, and other similarly “secular” political parties have been more than happy to keep Muslims poor and treat them like a vote bank and keep them under fear of riots, whereas their own issues have been swept aside or ignored baffling other populations.
Anyway, what’s happening in Kashmir is nothing to do with religion as much to stop the nonsense that has been happening for the last 70 years.. the economic development record of India versus that of Pakistan or other neighbouring countries should be good enough for any normal Kashmiri to realise that it would be much better off to completely assimilate with india rather be surrounded by 3 nuclear powered country who all went that land because it gives them strategic advantage against the other two.
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India has made a blunder by revoking the sovereignty of Kashmir; this is an intl issue. India has deployed 40k armymen in Kashmir, curfew is in the valley for the past 3 days!
India has been violating human rights for the past 70 years! when will the world wake up? when will the wordl realize that their silence could be deadly for the world peace-there are 2 nuclear power involved in this scenario!
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@Rabia
What about the violation of the human rights of Kashmiri pundits, who were terrorized and driven out of their own homeland?
Why is the name of the state Kashmir (after the Hindu sage Kashyap) and the name of the capital city Srinagar (derived from Sanskrit) till today? Also, how did the original populations of Kashmir and, for that matter, Pakistan and Bangladesh, become Muslim?
If Kashmir should belong to Pakistan, why not Afghanistan, an adjoining country whose population is overwhelmingly Muslim? You should have talked first about Pakistan’s exemplary record on human rights in Baluchistan, a land of your Muslim brethren, and a part of your own Islamic Republic.
7
Some opportunist "secular" political parties in India & mainly Pakistan made Kashmir a religious issue. If Pakistan was/is not happy with the way British divided India, they should have talked to Brit. That doesn’t give Pakistan any right to invade India/Kashmir in 1948. It’s also total incapability of GOI that it failed to defend its own territory.
Since then, all successive GOI encouraged Pakistan & Islamic extremists in Kashmir & all over India. That’s one of the reasons of rise of BJP.
Pakistan engaged in all sorts of subversive activities in Kashmir, used that as an excuse to promote its Islamic Atom Bomb & Islamic terrorism. USA also sided with Pakistan during cold war era, willfully ignored Pakistan’s clandestine nuclear program (with help from North Korea & China; financed by Wahhabi Saudi Arab.)
Yes, there was & still is human rights violation and that’s ethnic cleansing of Hindus since 1947. The major incidence was around 1990. There was a Pakistani sponsored Human rights violation complain in UN. Almost all Muslim majority Islamic countries initially supported it. But after Indian delegation presented its case, most OIC countries withdrew from it. But internally, Indian Govt under "secular" parties not only supported but promoted those Islamic extremists, criminals, patronized & fully supported by Pakistan.
Muslims in India, Pakistan, USA & anywhere else must understand that justice/human rights must not depend on when Muslims are majority or minority.
12
NYT should not become mouthpiece of pakistani establishment. India's commitment to fight terrorism spread by pakistan in the entire region is the reason Article 370 was scrapped. Government is trying to end decades of violence in kashmir by development and inclusion. NYT should also consider india's position some times. We are against terror factories of pakistan and not against Pakistanis or Kashmiris. It is acknowledged by whole world that Pakistan is a breeding ground of terrorism. It has more UN designated terrorists than in any other country and only cosmetic actions are taken against them to fool the world. India will not be fooled like others because we have suffered from this from last 30 years.
36
Some opportunist "secular" political parties in India & mainly Pakistan made Kashmir a religious issue. If Pakistan was/is not happy with the way British divided India, they should have talked to Brit. That doesn’t give Pakistan any right to invade India/Kashmir in 1948. It’s also total incapability of GOI that it failed to defend its own territory.
Since then, all successive GOI encouraged Pakistan & Islamic extremists in Kashmir & all over India. That’s one of the reasons of rise of BJP.
Pakistan engaged in all sorts of subversive activities in Kashmir, used that as an excuse to promote its Islamic Atom Bomb & Islamic terrorism. USA also sided with Pakistan druing cold war era, willfully ignored Pakistan’s clandestine nuclear program (with help from North Korea & China; financed by Wahhabi Saudi Arab.)
Yes, there was & still is human rights violation and that’s ethnic cleansing of Hindus since 1947. The major incidence was around 1990. There was a Pakistani sponsored Human rights violation complain in UN. Almost all Muslim majority Islamic countries initially supported it. But after Indian delegation presented its case, most OIC countries withdrew from it. But internally, Indian Govt (GOI) not only supported but promoted those Islamic extremists criminals, rapists, patronized and fully supported by Pakistan.
Muslims in India, Pakistan, USA & anywhere else must understand that justice/human rights must depend when Muslims are majority or minority.
5
Sense when did Pakistan become a bastion of religious pluralism?
23
Pakistan need to zip it.
Here's what Pakistan is going to do: send more terrorists, revert back to what it has always done. Bother India with thousand little cuts akin to a mosquito to a human.
Indian in general is moving on to bigger and greater things. Hopefully folks in Jammu and Kashmir realize and get on that bandwagon, or they can continue the status-quo of killings and bombing. If they choose the latter, the outcome is not going to change, just their suffering will increase.
Here's to peace with or without Pakistan.
22
There is too much misinformation here. Revoking article 370 is not oppression, not slavery, not anything. It is the fair thing to do. There is no reason Kashmir should have special status. Revoking 370 makes it the same as any other state in India.
Article 370 has kept Kashmir backwards, unable to participate in the Indian growth story. Revoking 370 that has not worked for 70 years is a welcome first step to future prosperity of Kashmiris.
Think about this. Would you support a law that gives special privileges to Florida, allowing no one else to live there, buy property there, or start a business there? Would you support Florida having its own Sharia laws that oppress women, even though the US constitution disallows it elsewhere? Would allow special status even knowing that your federal taxes pay for most things in that state? I guess not.
Article 370 is an racist historical mistake that is now being corrected.
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India-Pakistan conflict seems to be long overdue & probably inevitable. It's just a matter of time or drastic change in the way Pakistan is being governed since it was created.
Now, the Qs for me is- Would Pakistan undertake a direct confrontation with India after all previous 4 defeats, Or will Pakistan be continuing its low intensity guerrilla warfare & so-called salami tactics to bleed India through its "Kashmir jugular" & support such terrorist act as "moral & other diplomatic support"?
It was utter incompetence of Nehru & successive GOI that allowed Pakistan to still occupy a huge part of Indian territory despite of repeated defeats in all previous 4 wars, costing so many lives & money for India & yet got no tangible benefit other than creating Islamic Bangladesh, which is also not so friendly to India. If Pakistan had any issue the boundary was drawn then it surely could talk to the Brits!
There seems to be no benefit of peaceful negotiation with a country, which defines truth, justice, & democracy very differently, & uses Islamic terrorism as its foreign policy, even though it itself paying the highest price. But that policy enables Pakistani elites that include Military bosses to get away with lies, corruption, & misrule.
One can watch former Pakistani Ambassador, Husain Haqqani about Pakistan (in relation to US & India)-https://is.gd/aAw14g
7
The region in question is Jammu & Kashmir, not just Kashmir. And one third of the population in the region is Hindu.
All people concerned about Modi making India a Hindu nation, it is a secular democracy, unlike Pakistan. And when after the independence when India and Pakistan separated, wasn't India supposed to be a Hindu nation?
J&K cannot sustain being an independent nation. And if they do become independent, what happens to the third of Hindu population?
Because India is a secular country and Pakistan is not, wouldn't two third of Muslims in J&K be better off in India than the one-third of Hindu would be in Pakistan?
I think what India did is more peaceful in the long run. J&K has been a war-zone for decades now because of it's label of disputed territory. If India absorbs the entire region and have the international community recognize it as such, the region would be much more peaceful as it will legally be out of Pakistani jurisdiction. It will no longer be a disputed territory, and no longer a war-zone between India and Pakistan.
I hope and urge the Indian government to provide people in the region with necessary resources during the transition. If India does it right, this could finally end the miseries of people living in J&K after decade of territorial war.
In all this, I don't understand what roles Pakistan have other than to help develop their part of J&K.
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@Sam Not just 2 - Jammu and Kashmir, it is also about Ladakh. Ladakh the region that is demanding Union Territory status since 70 years. Finally they have got it.
Jammu people are also equally happy.
It is only 3-4 districts of Kashmir people that are problematic for India. And nothing is illegal here. Govt. has followed all the rules under Indian constitution, people can debate morality of the moves that Govt. made but, it is reality that without quick and secretive moves it would have been an absolute disaster because of the militants of Pakistan. Pakistan is downhill from wherever it is now.
12
@Sam Your comment is perhaps one of the most sensible / balanced comment I have seen so far on various articles.
> I think what India did is more peaceful in the long run
J&K had been in a rut for such a long time, and with so many actors (state and non-state) using it as means to justify their existence or political standing, it was high time for a decisive action.
And, yes, it was the right action keeping long-term view in mind. And there is no stake in matter for Pakistan (or for that matter anyone else)
4
@Sam The "Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK)", a moniker which the newspapers love to embellish, is a territory which is an integral part of India, just like POK which Pakistan had snatched after independence. What the Indian government did, is on it's territory and Pakistan has no locus-standi in this matter, at all. Beats me why are they moaning so much. Can you imagine , say, the South American countries huffing and puffing because the US government enforced certain laws in it's territories!
1
Considering the economic and political might of India, Pakistan has little impact on the Kashmir issue. As a country, it will be sidelined. Narendra Modi is a right-wing politician, and this move was expected. Here the only concern is about Kashmir valley, not even Jammu or Ladakh. I hope their voices will be heard (though they are a minority) and considered by the ruling party. I do not have any hope in the political opposition in India or the media. It is shameful that India does not have a strong party other than BJP now.
21
Since Pakistan is pontificating from a position of strength (economically, politically, militarily, "right side" of every issue known to man, etc.) we better listen to them?
Who created the Taliban?
Who militarily and economically supports terrorists killing American soldiers in Afghanistan?
Who undercuts the trillions in dollars and killed, dismembered, traumatized thousands of soldiers we send to Afghanistan?
Who kept Osama bin Laden hidden away for years and years?
Who trains, funds and arms terrorists in Kashmir and elsewhere in India, resulting in several tens of thousands of civilian deaths over the decades?
Whose military controls all major economic, political and institutional aspects of life?
Who likely shipped nuclear technology to North Korea and other countries we laud, oops, do not laud?
Who permits religious minorities, including Muslim groups, to be persecuted and slaughtered?
My fingers are getting tired, so let me stop.
Kind of like Trump's hateful tweets. Simply because they happen, doesn't mean media has to give them high profile. Pakistani officials can sputter on with regard to" charges" against India. The NYT's duty is to not just regurgitate whatever anyone tells it, but to put some semblance of reasonableness on the outpouring and question the facts, basis and rationale. When that is done, it won't be Pakistani military censors who will need to silence this lot. Their own delusions, manufactured for political gain in the west, will do them in.
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@AJ
Stop. Yes, please do. The US has given HOW much money to Pakistan over the last 50+ years ? That being the case, If Pakistan is guilty of anything, the US has been an enabler at best. India's move into Kashmir looks at lot more like a military incursion than a 'Welcome Home, Kashmir' celebration to me. If Pakistan responds in kind ? I think people will be listening then.
So the Hindu nationalist party in India imprisons more than 400 mainstream politicians in Kashmir, and puts the entire population in that region under military curfew. And we are to believe that India is somehow a democracy?
The only other time a fascist dictator has imprisoned his rivals en-mass was when Mohamed Bin Salman (MBS), the bone-sawing, journalist-murdering thuggish ruler imprisoned all his rivals to secure his reign.
Same thuggery, different countries! Same fanaticism, different ideology! Same crimes, different alibis!
27
@Mark Mywords, These so-called politicians stood by or ractively encouraged the baying Islamic mobs, when their Hindu neighbors were genocided out of the valley. They stood by when the mosque blared threats to Hindus to leave and leave behind their women. Hardly an example of "Democracy" is there?
Let us call spade a spade, these people are only affected because they wanted to create Kashmir into a ISIS paradise. This ruling by India put a stop to that.
22
@Mark Mywords Agree, that was a stupid move on part of the Government. The opposition will come back to bite on this issue.
Now it remains to be seen when they are released from house arrest. I expect this to last 2 weeks at most. And I hope they don't demand billions of dollars like MBS did. If that happens, then we can start comparing a democratic government to MBS. Otherwise it is still much closer to a real democracy.
@Mark Mywords ya, i guess you are perfectly right in your analysis. In fact, sitting here, i can only say that this type of 'terrorism' by the govt. is only a ploy to deflect from its ineptness of handling the economic slowdown and job losses that the nation is facing at present. and yet, the terror mastermind, 'Modi' says he will make Kashmir a growth story within few years. We all know the kind of crony capitalism that this govt. indulges in. And trust me, this Kashmir issue is only going to get murkier from here on.
4