Author: Claude Arpi
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: November 12, 2003
URL: http://www.tibet.ca/wtnarchive/2003/11/15_5.html
Last week two news reports saddened
me beyond words. Though different in nature, the source of both was Jammu
& Kashmir. The first one is a comment attributed to All-Party Hurriyat
Conference (APHC) leader Yaseen Malik. The National Commission for Minorities
(NCM) had taken the long-awaited initiative for the return of Kashmiri
Pandits to the Valley. A committee visited the State last month and interacted
with migrants, separatists and local leaders to "create a conducive atmosphere"
for the Pandits' homecoming.
During his interaction with the
committee, Mr Malik conveyed an "advice": If the Pandits wanted to return
"they should remain neutral in the ongoing struggle, and lead a normal,
peaceful life without involving themselves on either side." Kashmiri Pandit
Conference (HPC) president HN Jattu immediately responded: "This advice
amounts to asking us to live the life of second class citizens and do whatever
they ask us to."
Coming from a group which pretends
to speak of self-determination and freedom, this anti-democratic remark
is astonishing to say the least. One can imagine what will happen if the
State of Jammu and Kashmir was to come under the leadership of the Mr Maliks
and his ilk.
The second news is related to the
northern most region of Jammu & Kashmir. The Reverend Kushok Bakula
Rinpoche, head Lama of Ladakh, passed away in Delhi at the age of 86. The
gentle and humble monk possibly represents all the Indian qualities that
the Hurriyat votaries will never embody.
During a visit to Ladakh in summer
1949, Nehru had requested the young Lama to join politics. He convinced
him that it would be the best way to help his people. From that time till
his last breath the Lama worked not only for welfare of the Ladakhis but
also for the integration of the region with the rest of India, and this
despite the most difficult political environment.
The monk, acknowledged by the Ladakhis
as the reincarnation of Arhat Bakula, one of the 16 Great Ahrats, once
admitted that "involvement in public affairs did affect my own spiritual
practice and advancement. In fact, I feel happy that I could be of assistance
to my people. I have no regrets about this."
Reverend Bakula always liked to
quote the Buddhist sage, Shantidava: "For as long as peace endures and
for as long as living beings remain, until then may I too abide to dispel
the misery of the world."
Since Independence, the Jammu &
Kashmir State has been governed by Muslim leaders from Srinagar who have
scant respect for - and interest in - the people of Jammu and Ladakh.
During his 50 years of public life,
whether as an MLA or a Minister in Srinagar, or later as a MP or the Chairman
of the NMC, or even as the Indian Ambassador to Mongolia, Reverend Bakula
strove to bring Ladakh closer to India.
Ladakh could have gone in a different
direction. During then Prime Minister Nehru's visit to Leh in 1949, Cheewang
Rigzin, the President of Buddhist Association of Ladakh, presented a memorandum
to Nehru. He made four proposals on behalf of the people of Ladakh. One
was, "we should be permitted to re-unite politically with Tibet of which
land we form part and parcel for all purpose but political." The others
were: Ladakh should govern itself through a separate "legislative and administrative
machinery"; or have a "homeland amalgamated with the Hindu-majority parts
of Jammu" or join with East Punjab.
Delhi and Srinagar never accepted
any of these proposals but thanks to the diplomatic, administrative and
human qualities of Reverend Kushok Bakula, Ladakh could progressively join
the nation's mainstream without too much disturbance. Though till today
the demand for a Union Territory status for Ladakh remains justly alive,
Reverend Bakula felt that it was his swadharma to ensure that the transition
between the old traditional Buddhist province and modern India took place
smoothly. Despite all the obstacles and difficulties, he performed his
task in his gentle and patient way.
It is worth mentioning the heavy
price paid by the Ladakhis during four wars India has fought (three with
Pakistan and in 1962 with China) and more recently during the Kargil conflict.
How to forget that the Nubra Guards and later the Ladakh Scouts covered
themselves with glory to protect India's borders and this with the Monk's
blessings!
It was also Reverend Bakula who
wrote to Nehru in April 1962 to inform him of the impending attack on Ladakh.
Through traders and pilgrims, he had gathered accurate information on the
massive build-up of the Chinese troops in Western Tibet. Though a Buddhist,
Reverend Bakula always considered the defence of the nation's borders before
his own faith.
These two stories highlight the
real tragedy of "Kashmir". In fact, there is no such a thing as "Kashmir".
There is a State of Jammu & Kashmir consisting of the Valley, the regions
of Ladakh, Jammu, Baltistan, Gilgit and the so-called Azad Kashmir, but
no "Kashmir" as such. Furthermore, the Valley only represents 6,000 sq
miles out of the 84,000 sq miles of the State, so one should not equate
the State with the Valley.
It is to the merit of Dr Karan Singh,
the former Sardar-i-Riyasat, to have repeatedly pointed out: "A common
mistake is to use the word 'Kashmir'; as a shorthand for the multi-regional
Jammu & Kashmir State and then to proceed politically on that basis".
Even today, too much importance
is given to a few in the Valley who are allowed to dictate the agenda for
Jammu & Kashmir just because they are vociferous and threatening. It
is distressing to see that those who have always defended India in her
hour of need should be forced to remain second-class citizens and "neutral"
when the Hurriyat leadership should be dictating the terms.
Recently, US Defence Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld advised the Palestinians to follow Mahatma Gandhi's example. One
can hope that in the forthcoming talks with the Hurriyat Conference, the
Deputy Prime Minister will advise them to follow Reverend Bakula's path.
And let us pray that the reincarnation
of the Rinpoche of Ladakh will see his dream of a genuine autonomy for
his region and its greater integration in the Union of India, become a
reality.
