Thursday, July 31, 2008
Thought for the Day............
" I shall pass through this way but once, any good therefore I can do, any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now, let me not defer it or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again"............!
My Land.......II
The Valley is in turmoil and is longing for some concrete Socio-Political correction/solution........, which seems to look like a mirage for the common mass.
To start from where I left yesterday...........Between 1951 and 1958, Security Council appointed five representatives, three of whom were US citizens, to go into the question of implementation of the UN resolution dated 13 Aug 48, thus leading to a plebiscite. None of those representatives could come to an agreement on the question of demilitarization i.e the very first prerequisite for plebiscite. They were all of the opinion that plebiscite would create more problems that it would solve. Their various reports were accepted by the Security Council. Since 1958 no representative has been appointed by the UN, to resolve this issue. Following points clearly emerge from the above. Firstly, Maharaja of J&K had unconditionally acceded to the Indian Union. Secondly, Pakistan was an aggressor in J&K State, a fact they admitted to the UN Security Council. Thirdly, holding of plebiscite in the entire state of J&K was conditional to, Pakistan first withdrawing all its troops including armed tribals and Nationals from the state. Before holding the plebiscite the UN representative in consultation with Government of India was to decide as to the quantum of Indian and state Armed forces to remain in J&K to ensure security and freedom of plebiscite.
Fourthly, by 1958 all UN representatives were unanimous in their views that there could be no agreement on demilitarisation and a plebiscite would create more problems than it would solve. Fifthly, UN Security Council having accepted the UN representatives various reports and not having appointed any representative since 1958 implies their agreement to the recommendations made by these representatives.
Thus it is clear that, as far as UN was concerned, plebiscite was a dead issue in 1958 itself. As regards the assurance of the Indian Government on this subject is concerned, in 1952 the J&K State Government decided with the approval of the Government of India to convene a constituent assembly, whose members were elected by adult franchise. This assembly was specifically asked to debate and give its reasoned conclusion regarding the accession of the state to the Indian Union. On this the Assembly stated that ''The State of J&K is and would be an integral part of the Union of India.'' This fact has been included in the J&K State Constitution that was adopted by the assembly on 20 Oct 1956 and came into effect from 26 Jan 1957. Thus it is clear that the assurance given by Lord Mountbaten on behalf of Government of India has also been fully met. If anything that now remains to be done is to hold a plebiscite in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, after withdrawal of Pakistani troops and its armed tribals and Nationals from that part of Kashmir.
Since 1958 India and Pakistan have fought two wars, in 1965 and 1971 and are now fighting a proxy war for over a decade. Though at the end of both the wars Indian Armed Forces had captured some chunk of Pakistan territory across the International Border as also liberated certain parts of Pakistan occupied Kashmir, yet for maintaining peace with its neighbour, India after 1965 war signed the Tashkent agreement with Pakistan and pulled back its forces from captured/liberated areas. Similarly after 1971 war when India was in a most commanding position where it not only helped Bangladesh to attain independence from Pakistan, but also held over 90,000 Pakistan Armed Forces personnel as prisoners of war, she signed the famous Simla Agreement with Pakistan on 02 July 1972. Para 4 of this agreement states, ''In order to establish the process of establishing durable peace, both the governments agree that ''Indian and Pakistani forces shall be withdrawn to their respective side of the International borders. In J&K the line of control resulting from the ceasefire of 17 Dec 1971, shall be respected by both sides without prejudice to be the recognised position of either side. Neither side shall seek to alter it unilaterally irrespective of mutual differences and legal interpretation. Both sides further undertake to refrain from the threat or use of force in violation of this line'.
It is evident that at every stage India has gone out of its way to extend the hand of peace and friendship to Pakistan. India has also ensured greater autonomy for the state of J&K than for any state of the union. Inspite of repeated attempts by Pakistan to create law and order problems, off and on, in Kashmir, J&K has been mostly governed by an elected government, except for certain periods of Governor's rule. It is another matter that because of rampant corruption and mal-administration prevalent in the subcontinent, the full benefits of development have not reached the masses. Yet, it is a fact that conditions in Indian part of Kashmir are far better than in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
On the other hand what is the record of Pakistan in Kashmir? There is hardly any autonomy to the local government, most Kashmir issues are controlled and directed from Islamabad. As regards the state of J&K, Pakistan since 1947 has repeatedly tried to annex it by force. However their evil designs have always been negated by Indian Armed Forces with the support of local population. They have now been waging a proxy war with mercenaries suppoted by them and trained and led by their ISI personnel. These mercenaries, in complete disregard for local population and their customs have indulged in rape and arson. They have damaged the very foundation of Kashmiriyat so dear to any Kashmiri. Today you would find hardly any children of well to do families of Kashmir studying in Kashmir. They have been forced to send their children away from the Valley. There is no wholehearted support for the mercenaries from the local population. How can Pakistan ever dream to assimilate this population in their midst?
Enough blood has been shed on both sides of the border on Kashmir issue. It is futile on the part of Pakistan to continue harping on a dead UN resolution. They must now pick up threads from the currently in-force and binding Simla agreement and accept India's offer of not only resolving Kashmir but also other outstanding issues bilaterally with India. Should they fail to do this, they would openly become a pawn in the International power game to be exploited by western powers. How long are the people going to be fooled? For a bright future of the subcontinent let us forget the past and make a new beginning.
The Valley is in turmoil and is longing for some concrete Socio-Political correction/solution........, which seems to look like a mirage for the common mass.
To start from where I left yesterday...........Between 1951 and 1958, Security Council appointed five representatives, three of whom were US citizens, to go into the question of implementation of the UN resolution dated 13 Aug 48, thus leading to a plebiscite. None of those representatives could come to an agreement on the question of demilitarization i.e the very first prerequisite for plebiscite. They were all of the opinion that plebiscite would create more problems that it would solve. Their various reports were accepted by the Security Council. Since 1958 no representative has been appointed by the UN, to resolve this issue. Following points clearly emerge from the above. Firstly, Maharaja of J&K had unconditionally acceded to the Indian Union. Secondly, Pakistan was an aggressor in J&K State, a fact they admitted to the UN Security Council. Thirdly, holding of plebiscite in the entire state of J&K was conditional to, Pakistan first withdrawing all its troops including armed tribals and Nationals from the state. Before holding the plebiscite the UN representative in consultation with Government of India was to decide as to the quantum of Indian and state Armed forces to remain in J&K to ensure security and freedom of plebiscite.
Fourthly, by 1958 all UN representatives were unanimous in their views that there could be no agreement on demilitarisation and a plebiscite would create more problems than it would solve. Fifthly, UN Security Council having accepted the UN representatives various reports and not having appointed any representative since 1958 implies their agreement to the recommendations made by these representatives.
Thus it is clear that, as far as UN was concerned, plebiscite was a dead issue in 1958 itself. As regards the assurance of the Indian Government on this subject is concerned, in 1952 the J&K State Government decided with the approval of the Government of India to convene a constituent assembly, whose members were elected by adult franchise. This assembly was specifically asked to debate and give its reasoned conclusion regarding the accession of the state to the Indian Union. On this the Assembly stated that ''The State of J&K is and would be an integral part of the Union of India.'' This fact has been included in the J&K State Constitution that was adopted by the assembly on 20 Oct 1956 and came into effect from 26 Jan 1957. Thus it is clear that the assurance given by Lord Mountbaten on behalf of Government of India has also been fully met. If anything that now remains to be done is to hold a plebiscite in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, after withdrawal of Pakistani troops and its armed tribals and Nationals from that part of Kashmir.
Since 1958 India and Pakistan have fought two wars, in 1965 and 1971 and are now fighting a proxy war for over a decade. Though at the end of both the wars Indian Armed Forces had captured some chunk of Pakistan territory across the International Border as also liberated certain parts of Pakistan occupied Kashmir, yet for maintaining peace with its neighbour, India after 1965 war signed the Tashkent agreement with Pakistan and pulled back its forces from captured/liberated areas. Similarly after 1971 war when India was in a most commanding position where it not only helped Bangladesh to attain independence from Pakistan, but also held over 90,000 Pakistan Armed Forces personnel as prisoners of war, she signed the famous Simla Agreement with Pakistan on 02 July 1972. Para 4 of this agreement states, ''In order to establish the process of establishing durable peace, both the governments agree that ''Indian and Pakistani forces shall be withdrawn to their respective side of the International borders. In J&K the line of control resulting from the ceasefire of 17 Dec 1971, shall be respected by both sides without prejudice to be the recognised position of either side. Neither side shall seek to alter it unilaterally irrespective of mutual differences and legal interpretation. Both sides further undertake to refrain from the threat or use of force in violation of this line'.
It is evident that at every stage India has gone out of its way to extend the hand of peace and friendship to Pakistan. India has also ensured greater autonomy for the state of J&K than for any state of the union. Inspite of repeated attempts by Pakistan to create law and order problems, off and on, in Kashmir, J&K has been mostly governed by an elected government, except for certain periods of Governor's rule. It is another matter that because of rampant corruption and mal-administration prevalent in the subcontinent, the full benefits of development have not reached the masses. Yet, it is a fact that conditions in Indian part of Kashmir are far better than in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
On the other hand what is the record of Pakistan in Kashmir? There is hardly any autonomy to the local government, most Kashmir issues are controlled and directed from Islamabad. As regards the state of J&K, Pakistan since 1947 has repeatedly tried to annex it by force. However their evil designs have always been negated by Indian Armed Forces with the support of local population. They have now been waging a proxy war with mercenaries suppoted by them and trained and led by their ISI personnel. These mercenaries, in complete disregard for local population and their customs have indulged in rape and arson. They have damaged the very foundation of Kashmiriyat so dear to any Kashmiri. Today you would find hardly any children of well to do families of Kashmir studying in Kashmir. They have been forced to send their children away from the Valley. There is no wholehearted support for the mercenaries from the local population. How can Pakistan ever dream to assimilate this population in their midst?
Enough blood has been shed on both sides of the border on Kashmir issue. It is futile on the part of Pakistan to continue harping on a dead UN resolution. They must now pick up threads from the currently in-force and binding Simla agreement and accept India's offer of not only resolving Kashmir but also other outstanding issues bilaterally with India. Should they fail to do this, they would openly become a pawn in the International power game to be exploited by western powers. How long are the people going to be fooled? For a bright future of the subcontinent let us forget the past and make a new beginning.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Chattarpur Farms............!
I was always fascinated by the grandeur of the lavish farms (farm houses) in the Chattarpur area of new Delhi and somehow managed to move closer to them by shifting to a rented flat nearby. My curiosity drove me closer and closer to the farms and Opened a new Kaleidoscope for me to view the world. The revelation about the Character of owner of these farm houses has suffocated me and honestly speaking,I feel choked passing by......................
We have to be grateful to Ramesh Sharma, the crook, who allegedly has scripted in real life the most bizarre rags to riches story, one that would defy the imaginations of a Manmohan Desai or a Javed-Akhtar writing due. A man who began his career selling coat hangers on Delhi streets ended up owning 15 imported limousines, a helicoptre, some 32 priceless properties with one or two farm houses thrown in for good measure. And Ramesh Sharma, as the story goes, is only a lackey of the real don, Ibrahim Dawood. Even so, he presides over a Rs. 500 crore fortune. He wines and dines lavishly. At his table, according to the same story, have sat Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, bureaucrats, top cops and businessmen. He even tried to get into the Lok Sabha from Phulpur constituency, near his home in Allahabad. And just prior to his arrest he had set up shop as a political party, of all places, in a Government owned bungalow allotted to an MP.
About Ramesh Sharma it is said that anything that caught his fancy had to be owned by him. It could be a helicoptre, an imported car, a prime property, a stretch of land along a beach, or even pretty lasses. Girls, like houses, were a very special weakness. They came in handy while entertaining VVIPs. A firm believer in the philosophy of reward and punishment he was unsparing of anyone who dared to defy. You might call him a saddist but then Sharma always compensated the man or woman who had faced his wrath earlier in the day or night. That will always be the case with those who do not accept no for an answer. It meant little or nothing to him to keep someone confined to one of his numerous houses for weeks and months; you had to sign on the dotted line.... or else. That's how he acquired wealth, all of it ill-gotten.
The funny part of the Sharma story is that you could not really describe him as a man from the underworld. He grabbed a farm in Delhi's Chhatarpur area, built it up on a lavish scale and for the sake of record made it a place where the rich and famous could hold their parties (for a price). And every time he grabbed a new property there would be one of those typical Ramesh Sharma sizzling parties at his Mayfair Gardens house, another property acquired fraudulently. And to silence anyone who dared to object to these vulgar shows of opulence he always had a Prime Minister, a Cabinet Minister or a police chief or may be a couple of Chief Ministers on his guest list.
To be Continued....................
Ramesh Sharma truly speaking is a mere symptom of a widespread disease which is slowly eating up the body and soul of India. He has not done anything that has not been done by his peers in the past. The Haji Mastans, Vardarajans, Yusuf Patels, Dawood Ibrahims, the Gawlis, these are some of the beacons that Ramesh Sharma has tried to look up to. When he sought to dabble in politics he was only hoping to emulate the 20 odd criminals occupying ministerual berths in the Kalyan Singh Government in Uttar Pradesh. Ramesh Sharma has every reason to envy Hari Shankar Tiwari, whose 37 indictments in cases involving murder, have not prevented him from staying on as a UP Ministers. What was so special about Hari Shankar, Sharma might well have asked himself. Or, for that matter what special attributes does a D.P. Yadav have to be a member of the house of elders (Rajya Sabha)-apart from his dubious criminal record. Ramesh Sharma like most done trying to establish an empire all his own, could be likened to a tiger on the prowl, roaming the jungle that is India, grabbing anything that catches his fancy. Never mind the fact that a real tiger kills only when it is hungry. Tiger Sharma's appetite is insatiable. And in his war on society blackmail, extortion, kidnapping, death and dishonour are the tools he has used with uncaring abandon. Women may have been lured to his many houses, compromised and filmed but so have many others, more "virtuous'' men, also been compromised. There are a dozen videos available with the police, seized from his premises, which to say the least, are not only distasteful but more ominously show important personalities indulging themselves in silly ways. A young colleague who has seen two of these says she was horrified by what she saw.
If Sharma has been able to carry on for 11 long years after moving to Delhi from Bombay it is a matter that should alarm us as a nation. There have been occasions in the past when he was caught on the wrong side of the law but no action was ever taken. The local police had reason to believe that Ramesh Sharma was becoming a threat to society yet it chose to wait and watch. Complaints against his house grabbing were not even entertained by the police. It's not the fear of a Dawood Ibrahim or of a Chhota Shakeel that caused the police to look the other way; it was in all probability his proximity to a former Prime Minister, two former Chief Ministers, a former Defence Minister, a Cabinet Minister at the Centre, top bureaucrats and policemen and some prominent businessmen (hawala link) that persuaded the police to give Sharma a virtual free hand. No one has yet told me how he managed to get a false passport for Dawood Ibrahim's mother and that too in a day. There are set procedure for issuing such "emergency passports. Someone somewhere in the External Affairs Ministry must have issued instructions to enable Mother Dawood to get a passport in one day. Non-bailable warrants against the man remained unserved for more than a year and a half at one of the New Delhi police stations. What kind of immunity did Ramesh Sharma enjoy and who made it possible? This is a question that needs to be answered. And it must be answered immediately. For, we have also had the report about Sharma having feted (alongwith an expensive gift) a Delhi Police Commissioner at the wedding of the policeman's daughter. What makes the allegation sound bizarre is the disclaimer issued by one of the two Police Commissioners whose daughters were married around the time the gifts are alleged to have been made. Taking the cue from the Commissioner, who has denied the allegation, the local police has now come out with a statement that no police official was ever involved socially with Ramesh Sharma. At the same time you have this funny bit about South Delhi Police refusing to handover the keys of two of Ramesh Sharma's houses to the Crime Branch on the ground that a prior court order was required. It took direct intervention by the Commissioner of Police to persuade the South Delhi Police to handover the keys to the other group of policemen who were trying to locate some papers mentioned by Ramesh Sharma during his interrogation.
To be Continued....................
If some of the complainants are having second thoughts about giving evidence against Sharma it is understandable. For, Sharma, to be sure, will be out on bail soon and given the impunity with which he has got away with heinous crimes, the potential witnesses have every reason to be wary. Five women who had registered complaints against him have already backed out and some others are frantically seeking police protection. Ironically Ramesh Sharma enjoyed police protection (Y category) for a while courtesy the then Minister of State for Home, Subodh Kant Sahay. Curiously, Subodh Kant says that he must have been given protection because everyone who asked for it in the early 90s was given it. Another twist to the tale is that Subodh Kant's Secretary then, is the Joint Police Comissioner handling the Ramesh Sharma case now. Or so it seems from the statements attributed to him by local dailies.
Sharma may or may not be found guilty by our courts but the episode tells us that the country is virtually slipping into the hands of likes of Ramesh Sharma. That's not an exaggeration. Look around in your own State and you will see how crime and criminals are flourishing. The nexus between criminals, policemen and politicians is growing thick and fast and at all levels of our society. Sooner or later this unwelcome mushrooming of crime and criminals may very well overwhelm the Indian State.
We have to be grateful to Ramesh Sharma, the crook, who allegedly has scripted in real life the most bizarre rags to riches story, one that would defy the imaginations of a Manmohan Desai or a Javed-Akhtar writing due. A man who began his career selling coat hangers on Delhi streets ended up owning 15 imported limousines, a helicoptre, some 32 priceless properties with one or two farm houses thrown in for good measure. And Ramesh Sharma, as the story goes, is only a lackey of the real don, Ibrahim Dawood. Even so, he presides over a Rs. 500 crore fortune. He wines and dines lavishly. At his table, according to the same story, have sat Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, bureaucrats, top cops and businessmen. He even tried to get into the Lok Sabha from Phulpur constituency, near his home in Allahabad. And just prior to his arrest he had set up shop as a political party, of all places, in a Government owned bungalow allotted to an MP.
About Ramesh Sharma it is said that anything that caught his fancy had to be owned by him. It could be a helicoptre, an imported car, a prime property, a stretch of land along a beach, or even pretty lasses. Girls, like houses, were a very special weakness. They came in handy while entertaining VVIPs. A firm believer in the philosophy of reward and punishment he was unsparing of anyone who dared to defy. You might call him a saddist but then Sharma always compensated the man or woman who had faced his wrath earlier in the day or night. That will always be the case with those who do not accept no for an answer. It meant little or nothing to him to keep someone confined to one of his numerous houses for weeks and months; you had to sign on the dotted line.... or else. That's how he acquired wealth, all of it ill-gotten.
The funny part of the Sharma story is that you could not really describe him as a man from the underworld. He grabbed a farm in Delhi's Chhatarpur area, built it up on a lavish scale and for the sake of record made it a place where the rich and famous could hold their parties (for a price). And every time he grabbed a new property there would be one of those typical Ramesh Sharma sizzling parties at his Mayfair Gardens house, another property acquired fraudulently. And to silence anyone who dared to object to these vulgar shows of opulence he always had a Prime Minister, a Cabinet Minister or a police chief or may be a couple of Chief Ministers on his guest list.
To be Continued....................
Ramesh Sharma truly speaking is a mere symptom of a widespread disease which is slowly eating up the body and soul of India. He has not done anything that has not been done by his peers in the past. The Haji Mastans, Vardarajans, Yusuf Patels, Dawood Ibrahims, the Gawlis, these are some of the beacons that Ramesh Sharma has tried to look up to. When he sought to dabble in politics he was only hoping to emulate the 20 odd criminals occupying ministerual berths in the Kalyan Singh Government in Uttar Pradesh. Ramesh Sharma has every reason to envy Hari Shankar Tiwari, whose 37 indictments in cases involving murder, have not prevented him from staying on as a UP Ministers. What was so special about Hari Shankar, Sharma might well have asked himself. Or, for that matter what special attributes does a D.P. Yadav have to be a member of the house of elders (Rajya Sabha)-apart from his dubious criminal record. Ramesh Sharma like most done trying to establish an empire all his own, could be likened to a tiger on the prowl, roaming the jungle that is India, grabbing anything that catches his fancy. Never mind the fact that a real tiger kills only when it is hungry. Tiger Sharma's appetite is insatiable. And in his war on society blackmail, extortion, kidnapping, death and dishonour are the tools he has used with uncaring abandon. Women may have been lured to his many houses, compromised and filmed but so have many others, more "virtuous'' men, also been compromised. There are a dozen videos available with the police, seized from his premises, which to say the least, are not only distasteful but more ominously show important personalities indulging themselves in silly ways. A young colleague who has seen two of these says she was horrified by what she saw.
If Sharma has been able to carry on for 11 long years after moving to Delhi from Bombay it is a matter that should alarm us as a nation. There have been occasions in the past when he was caught on the wrong side of the law but no action was ever taken. The local police had reason to believe that Ramesh Sharma was becoming a threat to society yet it chose to wait and watch. Complaints against his house grabbing were not even entertained by the police. It's not the fear of a Dawood Ibrahim or of a Chhota Shakeel that caused the police to look the other way; it was in all probability his proximity to a former Prime Minister, two former Chief Ministers, a former Defence Minister, a Cabinet Minister at the Centre, top bureaucrats and policemen and some prominent businessmen (hawala link) that persuaded the police to give Sharma a virtual free hand. No one has yet told me how he managed to get a false passport for Dawood Ibrahim's mother and that too in a day. There are set procedure for issuing such "emergency passports. Someone somewhere in the External Affairs Ministry must have issued instructions to enable Mother Dawood to get a passport in one day. Non-bailable warrants against the man remained unserved for more than a year and a half at one of the New Delhi police stations. What kind of immunity did Ramesh Sharma enjoy and who made it possible? This is a question that needs to be answered. And it must be answered immediately. For, we have also had the report about Sharma having feted (alongwith an expensive gift) a Delhi Police Commissioner at the wedding of the policeman's daughter. What makes the allegation sound bizarre is the disclaimer issued by one of the two Police Commissioners whose daughters were married around the time the gifts are alleged to have been made. Taking the cue from the Commissioner, who has denied the allegation, the local police has now come out with a statement that no police official was ever involved socially with Ramesh Sharma. At the same time you have this funny bit about South Delhi Police refusing to handover the keys of two of Ramesh Sharma's houses to the Crime Branch on the ground that a prior court order was required. It took direct intervention by the Commissioner of Police to persuade the South Delhi Police to handover the keys to the other group of policemen who were trying to locate some papers mentioned by Ramesh Sharma during his interrogation.
To be Continued....................
If some of the complainants are having second thoughts about giving evidence against Sharma it is understandable. For, Sharma, to be sure, will be out on bail soon and given the impunity with which he has got away with heinous crimes, the potential witnesses have every reason to be wary. Five women who had registered complaints against him have already backed out and some others are frantically seeking police protection. Ironically Ramesh Sharma enjoyed police protection (Y category) for a while courtesy the then Minister of State for Home, Subodh Kant Sahay. Curiously, Subodh Kant says that he must have been given protection because everyone who asked for it in the early 90s was given it. Another twist to the tale is that Subodh Kant's Secretary then, is the Joint Police Comissioner handling the Ramesh Sharma case now. Or so it seems from the statements attributed to him by local dailies.
Sharma may or may not be found guilty by our courts but the episode tells us that the country is virtually slipping into the hands of likes of Ramesh Sharma. That's not an exaggeration. Look around in your own State and you will see how crime and criminals are flourishing. The nexus between criminals, policemen and politicians is growing thick and fast and at all levels of our society. Sooner or later this unwelcome mushrooming of crime and criminals may very well overwhelm the Indian State.
My Land............Kashmir has been on and off the centre stage for the last 60 years. However immidiately after Pokharan II. Pakistan and some of the countries of the world, with vested interests in the subcontinent have renewed their efforts with vigour to project this area as one of the major danger points of the world.Demands for a plebiscite are being voiced in various quarters including some of the so-called Human Rights groups in India. Is there a case for a plebiscite in Kashmir? Since human memory appears to be short, there is a need to go back in time and understand Kashmir problem in the right perspective, so that the question of plebiscite can be answered.
Around 20 October 1947, tribals from Pakistan, actively aided and supported by Pakistan invaded the then state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). On 27 Oct. 1947, the Maharaja of Kashmir, at his own request, signed the agreement of unconditional accession to the Indian Union. Lord Mountbaten, the then Viceroy of India, in his reply dated 27 Oct 1947 to the Maharaja, while accepting his unconditional accession the Indian Union stated that it is his government's wish that ''as soon as law and order has been restored and her soul is cleared of invaders the question of accession should be settled by the people''. Subsequently on 01 Nov 1947, lord Mountbaten made an offer to MA Jinnah to resolve the Kashmir issue through peoples verdict. This offer was declined by Jinnah 01 Jan 1948 Government of India took the issue of invasion of J&K state by Pakistan, to the United Nations Security Council under article 35 of the UN Charter. Pakistan admitted before the UN Security Council the entry of Pakistani troops and irregulars including tribals and Pakistani Nationals into the State of J&K, which was described by the Council as a breach of international law. In Feb 1948, the Security Council established the UNCIP (United Nations Commission India and Pakistan). The Commission was to look into the question of settling the dispute. On 13 Aug 1948, UN passed the much-talked about resolution on Kashmir, which was immediately accepted by India. However, Pakistan only accepted this on 20 Dec. 1948 after raising a number of objections. Part-A-1 of this resolution states that, ''The Government of Pakistan agrees to withdraw troops from the State''. Part B-I of the same resolution states that, ''When the commission shall notify the Government of India that the tribesmen and Pakistani Nationals have withdrawn from the territory of J&K, thereby terminating the situation which was represented by the Government of India to the Security Council and further that Pakistani forces are being withdrawn from the state of J&K, the Government of India agrees to withdraw bulk of its forces in stages to be agreed upon with the commision.''
Ceasefire in Kashmir became effective from 01 Jan 1949. On Jan 05 1949, UN passed a second resolution on Kashmir. In para 2 of this resolution it stated that ''a plebiscite will be held when it is found by the commission that the ceasefire and the truce arrangements set forth in the UN resolution dated 13 Aug 48 have been carried out and arrangements for the plebiscite have been completed.'' It further clarified that when the commission is satisfied that the peaceful conditions have been restored in the state, the commission will determine with the plebiscite administrator and in consultation with the Government of India the final disposal of Indian and state Armed Forces, after giving due regards to the security and freedom of the plebiscite.
To be Continued..........................
Around 20 October 1947, tribals from Pakistan, actively aided and supported by Pakistan invaded the then state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). On 27 Oct. 1947, the Maharaja of Kashmir, at his own request, signed the agreement of unconditional accession to the Indian Union. Lord Mountbaten, the then Viceroy of India, in his reply dated 27 Oct 1947 to the Maharaja, while accepting his unconditional accession the Indian Union stated that it is his government's wish that ''as soon as law and order has been restored and her soul is cleared of invaders the question of accession should be settled by the people''. Subsequently on 01 Nov 1947, lord Mountbaten made an offer to MA Jinnah to resolve the Kashmir issue through peoples verdict. This offer was declined by Jinnah 01 Jan 1948 Government of India took the issue of invasion of J&K state by Pakistan, to the United Nations Security Council under article 35 of the UN Charter. Pakistan admitted before the UN Security Council the entry of Pakistani troops and irregulars including tribals and Pakistani Nationals into the State of J&K, which was described by the Council as a breach of international law. In Feb 1948, the Security Council established the UNCIP (United Nations Commission India and Pakistan). The Commission was to look into the question of settling the dispute. On 13 Aug 1948, UN passed the much-talked about resolution on Kashmir, which was immediately accepted by India. However, Pakistan only accepted this on 20 Dec. 1948 after raising a number of objections. Part-A-1 of this resolution states that, ''The Government of Pakistan agrees to withdraw troops from the State''. Part B-I of the same resolution states that, ''When the commission shall notify the Government of India that the tribesmen and Pakistani Nationals have withdrawn from the territory of J&K, thereby terminating the situation which was represented by the Government of India to the Security Council and further that Pakistani forces are being withdrawn from the state of J&K, the Government of India agrees to withdraw bulk of its forces in stages to be agreed upon with the commision.''
Ceasefire in Kashmir became effective from 01 Jan 1949. On Jan 05 1949, UN passed a second resolution on Kashmir. In para 2 of this resolution it stated that ''a plebiscite will be held when it is found by the commission that the ceasefire and the truce arrangements set forth in the UN resolution dated 13 Aug 48 have been carried out and arrangements for the plebiscite have been completed.'' It further clarified that when the commission is satisfied that the peaceful conditions have been restored in the state, the commission will determine with the plebiscite administrator and in consultation with the Government of India the final disposal of Indian and state Armed Forces, after giving due regards to the security and freedom of the plebiscite.
To be Continued..........................
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Swami Amaranth ji yatra (an annual pilgrimage)…….
Politics ruins /mars the spirit of anything it touches…………………..& the politicians fan it to the maximum to fulfill there horrific/hidden agendas.
My first yatra happened in year 1985, Why I said happened is because, I never knew the significance of the yatra, as I was just a class third student and never thought about the trade/barter attached to it (Lord, I’m coming to your adobe and in turn want all my wishes to be fulfilled).
I just needed some breathing space and wanted to run away from the chaos, which suddenly & dramatically engulfed us after the untimely demise of my father.
Luckily, one of our tenants had planned a holy trip to swami Amaranth ji and on my mother’s request, he agreed to take me along. It was a week’s trip but the impact was everlasting.
Lord Shiva inspires me for the annual pilgrimage/yatra almost every year & now if I look back, I have completed 18 yatra, including the unfortunate one, with very bad memories, yes I’m talking about 1996.The natural calamity took many lives and incidentally, I had stepped into my adolescence and was full of courage & passion. I pumped all my energy in rescue operation run by the army & spent five sleepless nights at Panchtarni.
After the Swami Amarnath ji Yatra disaster of 1996.Twenty major recommendations, were put forward by the By Nitish Sengupta committee.one of which was activisation of the shorter Baltal route to the holy cave in order to ease the hardship on the traditional route via Chandanwari and Sheshnag. Another was to set up a trust/board for Swami Amarnath ji on the lines of the trust for the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. All the twenty recommendations were accepted and things moved on smoothly.This year too the yatra is on, but the atmosphere has become extremely murky and tense on account of the parallel and opposing agitations in the Valley and in Jammu.
The agitation in the Valley,no doubt backed by separatist elements,is against allotment of about 100 acres of forest land to the Amarnath shrine board to construct temporary shelters for use by pilgrims during the yatra,which normally lasts for a month or at most for six weeks.The agitators argue that this amounts to changing the demographic composition of Kashmir, by settling in a large number of non-Muslim "outsiders" in this area.So serious was the agitation in the Valley that it caused loss of life and property,forcing the state government to eventually cancel the allotment and transfer the land in question back to the forest department.This in turn led to a fierce agitation in Jammu against the state which, by bowing down to Muslim extremists,was accused of hurting Hindu sentiments.
Something was clearly a miss.To start with,there was a definite communication gap between the government and those who spearheaded the agitation in the Valley.It was never properly spelt out to the people that there was no proposal to transfer this land permanently to settle non-Muslims in the area.In any case,how many people can be settled on a stretch of land which is no larger than the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium?
Swami Amarnath ji yatra lasts for around a month and pilgrims come only during that period.They would use these shelters for only two-three days during the yatra, and would thereafter leave the Valley.How could this be viewed as settling non-Muslim "outsiders" in the Valley and "permanently" changing its demographic composition?
The government failed completely to project the true picture and correct the mistaken impression in people’s minds as a result of false propaganda and I think there were also serious lapses by intelligence agencies as they were unable to anticipate the activities and the strategy adopted by pro-Pakistan elements,and to advise the government properly on what course of action to take.
When the state government, somewhat awkwardly, cancelled the allotment order,this was deeply resented by the people of Jammu,who in turn launched a large-scale agitation — which led to many casualties,loss of and damage to property, including uprooting of the rail track connecting the Valley with the rest of India, which is now under construction.
Had the issue of constructing temporary sheds for pilgrims been properly explained to the people in general and to the agitators in specific,some of the unfortunate developments could have been avoided and in turn could have averted the damage to lives and property.The draft/passed resoltions by the state legislature should have been clearly spelt out,which did mention that there was no plan to put up permanent structures where people could settle — and that ideally the Valley’s Muslims could donate this land for temporary use by the pilgrims — and that nothing was being done which would in any way change the Valley’s demographic character.
This was simply not conveyed to people.The fact that the Amarnath shrine board is dominated by people from outside Jammu and Kashmir further fuelled the agitation. Incidentally, when we,the Kashmiri pandits were driven out of the state in 1991-’92, in the wake of the insurgency which began in 1989, was that not a huge disturbance in the "demographic balance" of Jammu and Kashmir?
It is high-time to let sanity reassert itself. Even at this late stage there should be a concerted effort to let people know the facts: there will be no permanent structures and what is proposed is construction of a few temporary huts like those which already exist at Chandanwari and Sheshnag to provide shelter for pilgrims only for the eight to sixteen weeks that the yatra lasts. Also, efforts should be made to set up a shrine board which would mostly include people from Jammu and Kashmir, which should go a long way to remove the "locals versus outsider" mindset.
putting restrictions on the number of pilgrims allowed to go to the Amarnath cave at any given time: there should not be more than 20,000 pilgrims at a time on the high ranges, namely the stretch between Chandanwari and the holy cave. This is just to ensure that in case a natural disaster occurs, the effect on pilgrims is minimal. If there are larger number of pilgrims on the high ranges and say a cyclone or natural disaster occurs, casualties might be high. As long as only 20,000 pilgrims are there, they would be able to take shelter in existing huts and be safe. This year, unfortunately, this restriction on numbers is not being observed, and a much larger number of pilgrims have been allowed on high ranges. This should be Strictly avoided.
It is heartening that in the midst of these agitations, not a single Muslim voice has been raised in the Valley over the continuance of the Amarnath yatra. Kashmiri Muslims have,in fact,given categorical assurances that they would themselves ensure that devotees would be able to undertake the pilgrimage peacefully,without disturbance.
We also have to deal with the resentment of the people of the Jammu region who feel that they have been treated as second-class citizens within their own state for the past several decades. They are unhappy that not a single politician from Jammu has been able to become chief minister of the state,and that the rest of India — when it turns its attention to Kashmir — focuses exclusively on the Valley. They compare this unfavourably to the situation under the maharajas’ rule in the pre-Independence period when people from Jammu comprised the ruling elite. This deep-seated resentment is also something that needs to be tackled on a long-term basis.
Unfortunate episode of the artificial Lingam,tampering with the sanctum sanctorum and other developments have already marred the spirit of the annual pilgrimage,so it's quiet necessary to keep it out of any political interferrence.Commercialisation of yatra is fine upto some extent but this annual pilgrimage can not be compared with the pilgrimage of Mata Vaishno devi due to geo/socio/religious/political reasons and can not be put on the same lines for development as proposed by the Ex Governor and Ex CEO of the SASB ( Sh.Amarnath Shrine Board ).
Lastly,The Shrine board should be reconstituted and headed by a public figure and the best chioce Could be the Mahant of the Charri mubakh Swami Amarnath ji, as he is rel/off custodian of the holy mace and above all has the best avaialble expertise on the annual pilgrimage.Board can be reconstituted comprising of Divisional Commissioner and eminent personalities (from within the state) from different walks of life to take measure of all the arrangements connected with this annual pilgrimage.
My first yatra happened in year 1985, Why I said happened is because, I never knew the significance of the yatra, as I was just a class third student and never thought about the trade/barter attached to it (Lord, I’m coming to your adobe and in turn want all my wishes to be fulfilled).
I just needed some breathing space and wanted to run away from the chaos, which suddenly & dramatically engulfed us after the untimely demise of my father.
Luckily, one of our tenants had planned a holy trip to swami Amaranth ji and on my mother’s request, he agreed to take me along. It was a week’s trip but the impact was everlasting.
Lord Shiva inspires me for the annual pilgrimage/yatra almost every year & now if I look back, I have completed 18 yatra, including the unfortunate one, with very bad memories, yes I’m talking about 1996.The natural calamity took many lives and incidentally, I had stepped into my adolescence and was full of courage & passion. I pumped all my energy in rescue operation run by the army & spent five sleepless nights at Panchtarni.
After the Swami Amarnath ji Yatra disaster of 1996.Twenty major recommendations, were put forward by the By Nitish Sengupta committee.one of which was activisation of the shorter Baltal route to the holy cave in order to ease the hardship on the traditional route via Chandanwari and Sheshnag. Another was to set up a trust/board for Swami Amarnath ji on the lines of the trust for the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. All the twenty recommendations were accepted and things moved on smoothly.This year too the yatra is on, but the atmosphere has become extremely murky and tense on account of the parallel and opposing agitations in the Valley and in Jammu.
The agitation in the Valley,no doubt backed by separatist elements,is against allotment of about 100 acres of forest land to the Amarnath shrine board to construct temporary shelters for use by pilgrims during the yatra,which normally lasts for a month or at most for six weeks.The agitators argue that this amounts to changing the demographic composition of Kashmir, by settling in a large number of non-Muslim "outsiders" in this area.So serious was the agitation in the Valley that it caused loss of life and property,forcing the state government to eventually cancel the allotment and transfer the land in question back to the forest department.This in turn led to a fierce agitation in Jammu against the state which, by bowing down to Muslim extremists,was accused of hurting Hindu sentiments.
Something was clearly a miss.To start with,there was a definite communication gap between the government and those who spearheaded the agitation in the Valley.It was never properly spelt out to the people that there was no proposal to transfer this land permanently to settle non-Muslims in the area.In any case,how many people can be settled on a stretch of land which is no larger than the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium?
Swami Amarnath ji yatra lasts for around a month and pilgrims come only during that period.They would use these shelters for only two-three days during the yatra, and would thereafter leave the Valley.How could this be viewed as settling non-Muslim "outsiders" in the Valley and "permanently" changing its demographic composition?
The government failed completely to project the true picture and correct the mistaken impression in people’s minds as a result of false propaganda and I think there were also serious lapses by intelligence agencies as they were unable to anticipate the activities and the strategy adopted by pro-Pakistan elements,and to advise the government properly on what course of action to take.
When the state government, somewhat awkwardly, cancelled the allotment order,this was deeply resented by the people of Jammu,who in turn launched a large-scale agitation — which led to many casualties,loss of and damage to property, including uprooting of the rail track connecting the Valley with the rest of India, which is now under construction.
Had the issue of constructing temporary sheds for pilgrims been properly explained to the people in general and to the agitators in specific,some of the unfortunate developments could have been avoided and in turn could have averted the damage to lives and property.The draft/passed resoltions by the state legislature should have been clearly spelt out,which did mention that there was no plan to put up permanent structures where people could settle — and that ideally the Valley’s Muslims could donate this land for temporary use by the pilgrims — and that nothing was being done which would in any way change the Valley’s demographic character.
This was simply not conveyed to people.The fact that the Amarnath shrine board is dominated by people from outside Jammu and Kashmir further fuelled the agitation. Incidentally, when we,the Kashmiri pandits were driven out of the state in 1991-’92, in the wake of the insurgency which began in 1989, was that not a huge disturbance in the "demographic balance" of Jammu and Kashmir?
It is high-time to let sanity reassert itself. Even at this late stage there should be a concerted effort to let people know the facts: there will be no permanent structures and what is proposed is construction of a few temporary huts like those which already exist at Chandanwari and Sheshnag to provide shelter for pilgrims only for the eight to sixteen weeks that the yatra lasts. Also, efforts should be made to set up a shrine board which would mostly include people from Jammu and Kashmir, which should go a long way to remove the "locals versus outsider" mindset.
putting restrictions on the number of pilgrims allowed to go to the Amarnath cave at any given time: there should not be more than 20,000 pilgrims at a time on the high ranges, namely the stretch between Chandanwari and the holy cave. This is just to ensure that in case a natural disaster occurs, the effect on pilgrims is minimal. If there are larger number of pilgrims on the high ranges and say a cyclone or natural disaster occurs, casualties might be high. As long as only 20,000 pilgrims are there, they would be able to take shelter in existing huts and be safe. This year, unfortunately, this restriction on numbers is not being observed, and a much larger number of pilgrims have been allowed on high ranges. This should be Strictly avoided.
It is heartening that in the midst of these agitations, not a single Muslim voice has been raised in the Valley over the continuance of the Amarnath yatra. Kashmiri Muslims have,in fact,given categorical assurances that they would themselves ensure that devotees would be able to undertake the pilgrimage peacefully,without disturbance.
We also have to deal with the resentment of the people of the Jammu region who feel that they have been treated as second-class citizens within their own state for the past several decades. They are unhappy that not a single politician from Jammu has been able to become chief minister of the state,and that the rest of India — when it turns its attention to Kashmir — focuses exclusively on the Valley. They compare this unfavourably to the situation under the maharajas’ rule in the pre-Independence period when people from Jammu comprised the ruling elite. This deep-seated resentment is also something that needs to be tackled on a long-term basis.
Unfortunate episode of the artificial Lingam,tampering with the sanctum sanctorum and other developments have already marred the spirit of the annual pilgrimage,so it's quiet necessary to keep it out of any political interferrence.Commercialisation of yatra is fine upto some extent but this annual pilgrimage can not be compared with the pilgrimage of Mata Vaishno devi due to geo/socio/religious/political reasons and can not be put on the same lines for development as proposed by the Ex Governor and Ex CEO of the SASB ( Sh.Amarnath Shrine Board ).
Lastly,The Shrine board should be reconstituted and headed by a public figure and the best chioce Could be the Mahant of the Charri mubakh Swami Amarnath ji, as he is rel/off custodian of the holy mace and above all has the best avaialble expertise on the annual pilgrimage.Board can be reconstituted comprising of Divisional Commissioner and eminent personalities (from within the state) from different walks of life to take measure of all the arrangements connected with this annual pilgrimage.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Angel in my life...................!!!
Hey.....so I start this again with a happy note....We are blessed with an angel four days ahead of my birthday. Now people who received that “long-and-a-essay-like” email from me once in a while wont have to worry at all......Whenever they feel like it.......they can come over here.
Mere ghar aayi eek nanhi pari.......Chandni ke haseen rath pe sawaaar.....mere ghar aayi...ooo...hooo..hoooo...mere ghar aayi eek nanhi paari......
........I see God in the rising sun, in the raindrops slapping on the ground, in the snow settling on the mountains, and in my inner self. I have always believed that it has to be more than just science to make these things happen. Although this understanding might surpass us, as we are human beings who are limited and bound to material bodies, there’s someone watching all of us for sure. He is someone who is more than just a creator of this universe.
Coming of an Angel ( my Daughter ) in our family brought me a peace I hadn’t experienced before. It felt as if God whispered into my ears that I’m not alone, and there’s a long way to go before I give up. That knowledge was no small thing. Up until then I’d experienced a roller-coaster of emotions, many of which centered on rage and fear. My process of healing began from that very moment.
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