Comments (106)

Two of my well researched posts have been removed from this site.....I understand it must be the handiwork of the people who don't want the world to see what kind of atrocious Nazi type policies the government of India is adopting towards the people of Kashmir just because they are fighting for a just cause...a cause supported by the various United Nations resolutions.

Well...go ahead remove the voice of justice and truth...the fact is that ground realities are exactly as I mentioned in those posts.

You may take out my posts, but you cant change the situation on the ground.

Fact is that by supporting the Government of India, you will never be able to return to your homeland.....trust me.....your utmost priority should be to stand together with your Muslim brethren in Kashmir and not uphold the unjust,atrocious,cruel and terrorist activities of the Indian army and the establishment that supports it.

Amar:

Make no mistake about it. Yahsin Malik is a terrorist. He has killed many innocents. While I have enjoyed reading your jottings, I have to say your lack of research before opining about such complex issues is disconcerting.

If your journey is about "How the World Sees America" I would urge you to keep your posts to that theme and try to stay away from issues were you obviously are out of depth.

Good luck with your travels.

It would not have been a bad idea if cancer (read Islam) was restricted to some small part of body (read Mid East/Pakistan/Kashmir etc). But the problem is that it rots and spreads. So you can ignore it at your own peril!

Ambivalence with regards to Islamic terrorists and Islam as a religion will prove very lethal. There has to be a clear consensus (or near consensus) with respect to dangers of Islam and its followers as is about Nazism and its supporters. I just hope this time it happens before millions are slaughtered and world wakes up to the true horrors of these :freedom fighters" and "victimized/occupied" people.

Ambivalence with regards to Islamic terrorists and Islam as a religion will prove very lethal. There has to be a clear consensus (or near consensus) with respect to dangers of Islam and its followers as is about Nazism and its supporters. I just hope this time it happens before millions are slaughtered and world wakes up to the true horrors of these :freedom fighters" and "victimized/occupied" people.

I am one of those special brand of people that is of Kashmiri origin, Hindu and whose grandfather escaped from Pakistan in 1947 with his shirt on his back, his wife, his parents, his children and came to Mumbai.

Based on 1951 Census of displaced persons, 72,26,000 Muslims went to Pakistan from India while 72,49,000 Hindus and Sikhs moved to India from Pakistan immediately after Partition. It was the biggest migration ever of the world to which these people bear a raw witness. After the Muslims went to Pakistan, another 30 million were left in India and Muslims were 9-10% of te population in India.

The population of Pakistan right after Partition was 27 million. Thus Hindus and Sikhs were 25% of the population. In Punjab and Sindh they were over 40%.

Today Pakistan has less than 2% Hindus and almost all Sikhs have been ethnically cleansed by the Muslims.

In India, Muslims are 13%, perhaps more.

That ought to tell you something. Paksitan was to be homeland for Muslims but the Muslims remaining in India by Pakistani laws may not go there even though it is they who fought hardest to break India up.

Had Hindus and Sikhs not been cleansed from Pakistan today there would be a 40 million of them in Pakistan. Would Pakistan still be able to call itself a Muslim country?

Jammu and Kshmir acceded to India in accoradnce with rules that were in place: that the ruler of contiguous staes could decide who he wished to join. J & K was Muslim majority but non-Muslims were a large minority as in Punjab, about 40%.

The UN Resolution accepted the accession to India but asked that it be ratified by a referendum. But the UN asked that the invading Pakistani forces vacate Kashmir first. Pakistan has yet to do so.

Since then, the J & K legislature has ratified the accession, Hindus have been ethnically cleansed from the Valley of Kashmir, Pakistan has sent in non-Kashmiris into the areas occupied by it. A referendum does not make sense because the people who were living in 1947 are a minority in Kashmir.

It is time Muslims accepted that J & K is an integral part of India. Those Muslims who do not wish to be part of India should go to Pakistan just as Muslims from the rest of India did.

It is time that the areas occupied by Pakistan be vacated by pakistan and returned to India.

Muslims got more land per capita than non-Muslims in the four provinces of Pakistan. They should be happy with what they got, forget about Kashmir, reduce its army to about 100,000 and use the money saved to develop their country. the Pakistani people have suffered enuf. They should be allowed to get on with their lives.

Can turning into a “non-violent leaf” absolve Yasin of the blood he has on his hands of the innocent Kashmiri Pandits? If the struggle is "political" why was ethnic cleansing of minorities carried out with such disdain? His “political outfit” was the fountain head of slogans like “We will make Pakistan, without the hindu men but with hindu women” … glittering slogans of a “political” campaign for "independence"!!!!

I just have one gripe regarding the widely reported Kashmir issue which was addressed by Shalini in some of her posts. Why do most journalists assiduously avoid mentioning the Kashmiri pandits who were subject to ethnic cleansing at the time the terrorism began in J&K?

You all might want to check out this recent article that I read on a poll that was conducted regarding the Kashmir issue.

http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=90785

May Kashmiris one day be free from the biggest killer in Kashmir: The Indian Army.

Ameen.

Shalini,

I just read your note and very much appreciate it. You strike at the core difficulty of this project, and reading through these comments (and hearing from my grandmother who was a Hindu in Kashmir shortly after partition) has been very helpful. I hope to post more on this from different vantage points in the coming day. A BBC journalist pushed Malik hard on his past, and to renounce violence. It didn't at your core concern either, which pertains to his use of violence and JKLF. In the camps, interestingly, the men there talked at length about the suffering they endured in camp, but would say "We have not been violent for a dozen years" whenever I asked them about their violent histories. The lacuna was very clear to me, and must be pushed further. Here is the BBC interview and I will keep posting and remaining in touch. Thank you for the feedback on this and Hate Amar, Hate America? and for following along.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/cta/progs/01/hardtalk/malik17jul.ram

mr.bakshi congrats for writing abeautifull artical on yasin malik and his struggle.i have seen the comments that are full of hatred and venom.all these peolpe know that yasin and jklf are the only hope for kashmir.yasin never killed any one ..yes he took gun but fought the mighty indian army.there is a lot of noise being made on pandit refugees.yes of course i donot approve their leaving kashmir but what about thousends of kashmiri muslims who have taken refuge in azad kashmir.why do people forget maharaja and rss killing lacs in jammu in 1947.the peolpe who in their posts have shown venom for yasin must reply that what they think of muslim migrants and lacs of muslims who where killed by hindus in jammu in 1947.forget about the past and look for a new future .why are you people so irked by the success of yasin malik. by the way one of the prominent kashmiri pandit leader sampat prakash is with yasin malik from last 80 days praching azadi during safer e azadi. mr.bakshi may have listened to his speeches in budgam.
i again congratulate mr.amar bakshi for his unbaised and wondefull reporting.

mr.bakshi congrats for writing abeautifull artical on yasin malik and his struggle.i have seen the comments that are full of hatred and venom.all these peolpe know that yasin and jklf are the only hope for kashmir.yasin never killed any one ..yes he took gun but fought the mighty indian army.there is a lot of noise being made on pandit refugees.yes of course i donot approve their leaving kashmir but what about thousends of kashmiri muslims who have taken refuge in azad kashmir.why do people forget maharaja and rss killing lacs in jammu in 1947.the peolpe who in their posts have shown venom for yasin must reply that what they think of muslim migrants and lacs of muslims who where killed by hindus in jammu in 1947.forget about the past and look for a new future .why are you people so irked by the success of yasin malik. by the way one of the prominent kashmiri pandit leader sampat prakash is with yasin malik from last 80 days praching azadi during safer e azadi. mr.bakshi may have listened to his speeches in budgam.
i again congratulate mr.amar bakshi for his unbaised and wondefull reporting.

Amar: As to the debate on naively taking Malik's words at face value, a large part of this project is trying to present America as individuals around the world see it. It's important not to become an add platform for them (I write about this in Hate America; Hate Amar?) and to inspect their personal claims to the extent possible in a day, and let commentors and further reflection as the trip unfolds put it in better perspective.

Amar, I appreciate your efforts to seek and present a diversity of voices. Reading your blog has been very educational. It is also reassuring to know that you're aware of the potential of being used as a mouthpiece by those you intereview and that you try to guard against that.

That said, I do think this particular piece could have done with more fact checking and due diligence. I wish you had probed Yasin more on his role and activities while in the JKLF. I think the failure to delve deeper into the violent tactics employed by Malik leaves out a cruical aspect of this man's story.

Syed Iqbal :
1.Have a look on all above comments and see how deeply Kashmiri Pandits are all agaisnt Yasin Malik.But why the author of this story is with him who happenes to be from the same community.
Think why so this favor.

Given what KPs have suffered under the hands of Yasin Malik and other Kashmiri terrorists, their revulsion for him is certainly understandable. After all, one doesn’t expect the victim to applaud her tormentor. I also don’t think it’s appropriate for you to impute motives to the writer, Amar Bakshi. He makes no personal judgments about Malik in this piece but just reports the man’s view of himself. That's the way it should be.

Yaseen Mallik's philosophy is based upon some constructed idealism, which is blind to certain inconvenient facts. That the Islamic religion and Muslim faith occupy just a small fraction of Kashmir's 5000 year old history is conveniently forgotten, distorted or shamelessly refuted by Yaseen Mallik and his ilk, while trying to justify the forced exodus of half a miillion original inhabitants of Kashmir. Their only fault being that they didn't subscribe to the faith, which Yaseen Mallik and others use to spread misery and torture on innocent masses world over.
Yaseen Mallik has also duped into believing that he subscribes to Ghandian philosophy. Amar Bakshi would have done better by digging into Mallik's past to know that this facade of Ghandhism is only a tactful ploy to mislead the people in the aftermath of 9/11. Please ask Yaseen Mallik to cite a single instance of his preaching Ghandian philosophy in his native constituency Kashmir?

Syed Abdul Haq is parroting distortions without comprehending context. It was Pakistan that led to India not being able to undertake refreundum in the valley. Since then kin folks of Mr. Haq through barbarism and deceit have changed demographics of J&K state such that no refrendum would ever be possible.This has been recognized by the UN as well. Even Pakistan seems to have realized it of late.
As far Mr. Haq statement of 'innocent Kashmiris' killed, remember most of them died because they were used as cannon fodder by their brothers from across the border.
Now for Mr. Haq's hopes for Nuking India, long before a missle would have even a chance to lift from Pakistan, Pakistan would have evaporated in 11 seconds exact.
Mr. Haq don't attack 'Battas' and if you must attack those who are making a fool of you - your brothers from across the border.
Why don't you recede to some corner and wait for your 72 virgins in afterlife.

Dear Amar,

I am not least surprised by what you have written.Infact most of the journalists of your ilk are either ill-informed,or not informed at all,or write with pre-conceived outcomes.
This is surely one..with pre-conceived outcomes.
Strange you are potraying him as a Gandhian...Gandhiji beleived in repentance...This man has killed soldiers(which in armed struggle may be termed OK)but that he killed innocent unarmed men and women...just because they happened to be hold a different point of view...Gandhiji would himself come down to Garland both him amd you(you for truthfulness) and him obviously for killing and then doing a U-turn.Look Amar if his cause was strong enough why did he need to pick up a gun,did Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi need jehadis who would kill in the name of religion.
Dont turn killers into Robin Hoods lest they kill you one day.Many in the past including their supporters have been killed by terrorists...so better wake up.I dont know if you have heard of Dr.Guru and Mirwaiz Farooq who were killed by militants..even though they supported them.
And what a joke..JKLF is a secular outfit.Please atleast do some homework before you write such laughable and incorrect romantic idealisms...dont wallow...read,understand and then write objectively..dont get swayed by emotions...thats not what journalism is about.
Let me educate you.The first slogan of independence was "AZADI KA MATLAB KYA..LA ILLAH ILLAH LA"..which means azadi means la-illah illahah..now do you think this is Secular
one slogan was "We want Kashmir without Pandit men but with their women"thats secular for you...
If this has appeared in Newsweek which Fareed Zakaria runs all I have to say is Fareed,I am ashamed..because I expect better stuff out of you.
engage with me on rashneek@gmail.com,if you dare counter truth...also read this
http://kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com
Rashneek
(A Kashmiri in Exile)

Iqbal

Dream on...thats all you are left with...before you wake up you are nothing but a pile of ash. End of the game is near for all you Muslims...sad thing is you wouldn't even know who nuked you. The only reason Israel hasn't nuked you so far is you are closer to India. When the technology that can take you out without harm to India is available that would be the last day in your life. That is if someone else hasn't nuked you to stone age by then. Until then you can dream about your heaven and 72 virgins.

Iqbal

Dream on...thats all you are left with...before you wake up you are nothing but a pile of ash. End of the game is near for all you Muslims...sad thing is you wouldn't even know who nuked you. The only reason Israel hasn't nuked you so far is you are closer to India. When the technology that can take you out without harm to India is available that would be the last day in your life. Until then you can dream about your heaven and 72 virgins.

One cannot expect honesty, integrity and truth from those rabid Indians who want to continue the Indian occupation in Kashmir. Some of the above posts testify to that. When Kashmir question, which incidently is the longest standing item on the UN Security Council was being discussed, Nehru on Nov 2,1947 said: We have declared that the fate of Kashmir is ultimately to be decided by the people of Kashmir. That pledge we have given and the Maharaja has supported it ,not only to the people of Kashmir but to the world. We will not and cannot back out of it'. Gopalaswamy Ayanger, the India's ambassador to UN repeated his government's pledge on January 15,1948.Since then
about one hundred thousand Kashmiri Muslim civilians have been murdered in cold blood by the Indian army cowards in order to continue this illegal occupation. Thousands have been tortured, and thousands are missing. Gang Rape has been used as an instrument of suppression by the occupation forces of the "Democratic and Secular India' .
In my opinion Kashmir can win independence only when Pakistan unleashes nuclear weapons on Delhi, Bombay and other Indian cosmopolitan cities,reducing these to rubble where from some of the above mad Indian bloggers rant. I will be one among other 10 million Kashmiris who will relish and rejoice that day. One day Kashmir will become free and Kasmiri minorities can come back to Kashmir to live peacefully and without any further mischief mongering as has been their wont so far.So far they acted as the fifth column for India. It is time the Kasmiri Battas show their loyalty to Kashmiri Muslims who protected them in 1948.
There is a saying : If there is a Heaven on Earth ,it is Kashmir, it is Kashmir , it is Kashmir. I can add one more thing. If there has to be a target for nuclear weapons, it is India, it is India, it is India. Complete destruction of India is a prerequisite for world peace.

Firstly Yasin Mailik is a butcher and should be put in jail until he dies (that's more mercy than the Hindu's he slaughtered were shown).

Time and it's paid journalists worship the ARAB money.

Time magazine & the world is afraid of calling out Islamist's and Muslim Fundamentalists for fear. The Islamists & Muslim's continue to blame the world but continue to Slaughter Minorities throughout the world - courtesy of their paymasters: "Saudi Wahabi's"

Look around the world and name me a single country where Muslims have allowed Non-Muslims to worship freely and in public. While they cry for their rights, the muslims continue to suppress and slaughter others.

There is not a single Muslim country that's democratic (please don't count Turkey as Military has all the power), yet they slaughter people of other faiths. Not a single Muslim Country spoke out when the Taliban (financed by Saudi's & Pakistanis) destroyed the Largest Budha Statues in Afganistan. Which was the latest example of intolerance of Islam.

Only an alliance of freedom loving people can counter the Islamists - Not the appeasement and silence of Time Magazine.

1.Have a look on all above comments and see how deeply Kashmiri Pandits are all agaisnt Yasin Malik.But why the author of this story is with him who happenes to be from the same community.
Think why so this favor.

2. His journey of freedom is just a drama. India knows this as he is considered a "good guy" for promoting politics rather than armed resistance. Kashmiris are already on freedom on journey who are sacrifing their blood for the last 2 decades. A common worker of another political party is languishing in the prison because India knows he is really on "journey of freedom". Sheikh Aziz, Masrat Alam and others are practically on " journey of freedom". Malik cannot get the freedom by touching the bangles of village womenfolk.

It is a Irony and bad luck of a country like India that we have to bear people like Yaseen Malik who have been treated like VVIP people from outer space by subsequent Indian Governments and State Governments alike. everybody here has been reading some stories and thinking of Malik as a Kashmiri Hero....has anybody gone down the lanes of History of Kashmir and seen what Malik has been responsible for..if he ever stood for Azadi why was it that Muslims wanted Azadi and Kashmiri Pandits never wanted it, didn't Pandits live in same place as Muslims...If Pandits were to be a part of Azadi why did People like Malik had to kill Prominents Kashmiri Pandits who were selective targets to send across a message to community....either Say Pakistan Zindabad or leave..if it was for Azadi where did Pakistan come into picture....Although Kashmiri Muslims were also killed but it was never a ethnic cleansing like of pandits...Why were pandits hounded out of their homes forced to leave their homeland...forced to live in sub human conditions....if malik has been fighting for cause of Kashmir...how does murder and killing become part of that process...how does one attain Azadi by killing innocent people.... fed up with killings and knowing very well that Azadi is a dream for people like him he gave up arms and he if he indeed was now a non-voilent person, why has he not bothered to come up and speak something for people who have been far awar from their homes, who have lost someone from family....because a killer like Yaseen Mailk knows in his heart how many people he has killed and someone from crowd might be the one related to victim...He is just a murderer and nothing else...It is interesting that even after commiting so many murders he is scott free and Kashmir Pandits have been paying a price for being true patriots in a country like ours....Western media and people from other parts aof world have always been misfed on information about Kashmir and whoever had all the facts has choosen to turn a blind eye.....Don't worry God Pays back in full without making a sound....

Check the reality of the terrorist Yasin Malik and the likes @ http:/www.kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com

He has killed innocent civilians along with his terrorist friends of JKLF. He even killed 4 Indian Air Force Jawans.

This change to Gandhism is a game that he is playing to impress certain lobby.

He earns crores of money and has a large shopping commercial complex in his name in Kashmir.

Don't forget. He is the one who brought gun culture in the valley and is responsible for the exodus of half a milling Kashmiri Hindus.

He should be hanged till Death

How can Mr Malik forget that he brought gun-culture into peaceful kashmiri society? He needs to wake up and remember that thousands of Kashmiri youth have died, for what? For Mr Malik to realise that he can be Gandhi???? What a shame that he is talking about Azadi? Azadi from what - he should seek Azadi from Jahalat! Will history ever forgive Mr Malik for transforming a peaceful society into a violent society. MR Malik needs to know that he cannot have it both ways - enjoy the hospitality of Indian government and go on safar-e-Azadi.
If Mr Malik really cares for Kashmiri people - he must give up the Indian security personal guarding him (from what?) and he must go on safar-e-azadi in Azad Kashmir also. He cannot cherry pick as Kashmiri kaum is wise enough to see through his game plan.

Those who believe in 'Ghandian temperance' of Mr. Malik need to watch him om video with Tim Sebastian on BBC talk show. Mr. Malik took pride in killing innocent hindus. He is misleading guilable Kashmiris and covertly and overtly supporting terrorists in Kashmir. He is lucky to be in India, Elsewhere he would be behind bars (wher he belongs) and facing full force of law

Kashmirs struggle is NOT AT ALL political. It is relegious , with even Pakistans parliament scretary calling for "Jihad".

Click Here to check the facts http://thekashmir.wordpress.com/2007/08/09/pak-parliamentary-secy-calls-for-jihad/

Amar, thanks for the reply and clarification. I guess Kashmir is a sensitive topic on both sides of the border.

As to the debate on naively taking Malik's words at face value, a large part of this project is trying to present America as individuals around the world see it. It's important not to become an add platform for them (I write about this in Hate America; Hate Amar?) and to inspect their personal claims to the extent possible in a day, and let commentors and further reflection as the trip unfolds put it in better perspective.

Also, as I move quickly, I spend a lot of time with local journalists as well. Muzamil Jaleel, a very bright Kashmiri journalist, in this case was a tremendous help in parsing out the personal story.

I think a critical place that comes up here is in Malik's reasons for renouncing violence; he only mentioned to me Gandhi and his readings in jail, but the political history at the time was crucial: the co-option of violent groups by Pakistan and pro-Pakistan forces, and the declining support for less tightly allied insurgencies.

Appreciate the back and forth going on here and I'll jump in whenever I can be of use in clarifying my process. Also, you can email me at amar[dot]bakshi[at]washingtonpost.com if you like.

Hi JS,
Traveling to Pakistan took a bit of time, as did getting set up here, so I didn't have as much time to read through everything as usual. I'll do so today. In response to the freedom fighters to insurgents. No one twisted my arm to do so. The original title of the piece was Malik: "Freedom Fighter" or "Terrorist"? Then I re-wrote it to focus on his personal story, and do feel that terrorist is currently too strong a word to use, freedom fighter is too light, so insurgent or separatist is appropriate. Your comment in this blog is actually what made me decide to do it. So far, no one has ever pushed me to change the words of my blog, and no one did this time either. I just thought you were right. Thanks!

Reddy,

Pragmatist and Adrienne:

The mexican scenario you described, must be seriously considered, at least in some of the elements by US politicians, policy makers, indeed by all thoughtful citizens. It is especially incumbent on other immigarnt communities to understand and participate in this mexican/latin illegal immigration issues, because they seem to set themselves apart from other, law-abiding, assimilating immigrants. From mexican view point, they have right to come here any which way they please because a portion of southwestern US belonged to them, and all they are doing is participating in "Re_Conquista" This community of immigrants(legal and illegal) and their ideas are fundamentally different from other immigrant communities at various other times in history (Irish in 1860-1900, italians in eari 1900's, then east europeans and jews in 1930-1950, etc) because mexican (or "latin") immigrants are very aggressive- either do not nderstand "assimilation, and adapt to the US culture" or do not care to try because they seem to think because of sheer numbers they think they can owerwhelm the political process and can get away/get their way. The federal govt.'s and society's tolerance has gone far beyond what is reasonable, and unless checked, will be strategically very harmful to US - what is themeaning of US and its very identity will be at stake. Just compare with the attitudes of immigrants from other countries - Sometimes its more like mexican invasion than mexican immigration.

And its NOT racist to ask to enforce existing laws, and to do some thoughtful analysis on something that will have far reaching and potentially very harmful consequences. Does any patriotic, proud US Citizen, of whatever skin color in his or her right mind would or should condone this brazen behavior, the worst type of "better demand forgiveness than ask permission" attitude, which may bring US down in 30 or 40 years to the level of a mediocre 3rd World country, from its proud perch atop the nations? President Bush is not exactly helping the US cause, but that is another story.

PS: By the way, my mother is a white US Citizen and my father is a brown-skinned immigrant, so I have a lot of sympathy/empathy/tolerance for non-european immigrants and their cultures - but we all need to understand there is clear line, however thin, between the sublime and the ridiculous.

Pragmatist & Adrienne

I like to know how you would respond to the following situation.

Mexicans become majority in the southern states and start a separatist movement to join mexico or form a new country.

Since you dont want to HATE anybody so you have given them what they wanted. Now USA only has 35 states. At the time of separation you have a 30% whites left in the newly formed state.

In 10-15 years that number goes to 2% since whites are killed, raped and not allowed any freedoms.

Americans with their big heart let all the mexicans in other places like newyork, Illinois to be in USA and practice their own way of life.

After 20 years mexicans become a sizable number say 20-25% in the remaining USA and they start bombing people and support the country formed 20 years back.

On top of all this lets say france helped the mexicans throught out to form the new country and encourages and aids the remaining separatists.

Now tell me how would you respond...

In the above story replace mexicans with Muslims and new formed state to Pakistan and France to USA and you will understand what we are going through.

By the way dont rule out the above story completely it might happen as it is.

Pragmatist & Adrienne

I like to know how you would respond to the following situation.

Mexicans become majority in the southern states and start a separatist movement to join mexico or form a new country.

Since you dont want to HATE anybody so you have given them what they wanted. Now USA only has 35 states. At the time of separation you have a 30% whites left in the newly formed state.

In 10-15 years that number goes to 2% since whites are killed, raped and not allowed any freedoms.

Americans with their big heart let all the mexicans in other places like newyork, Illinois to be in USA and practice their own way of life.

After 20 years mexicans become a sizable number say 20-25% in the remaining USA and they start bombing people and support the country formed 20 years back.

On top of all this lets say france helped the mexicans throught out to form the new country and encourages and aids the remaining separatists.

Now tell me how would you respond...

In the above story replace mexicans with Muslims and new formed state to Pakistan and France to USA and you will understand what we are going through.

By the way dont rule out the above story completely.

Amar Bakshi sat down and tried to whitewash history. Yasin Malik and his ilk have blood on their hands. These people are the ones with the most successful ethnic cleansing program since Pakistan and Bangladesh. How can he talk about peace when he was the most instrumental in destroying it?
A minority of people in Kashmir want "independence", the majority do not and never have; unfortunately, the majority are intimidated by the violence of the minority.

Amar Bakshi sat down and tried to whitewash history. Yasin Malik and his ilk have blood on their hands. These people are the ones with the most successful ethnic cleansing program since Pakistan and Bangladesh. How can he talk about peace when he was the most instrumental in destroying it?
A minority of people in Kashmir want "independence", the majority do not and never have; unfortunaltely, the majority are intimidated by the violence of the minority.

Amar Bakshi sat down and tried to whitewash history. Yasin Malik and his ilk have blood on their hands. These people are the ones with the most successful ethnic cleansing program since Pakistan and Bangladesh. How can he talk about peace when he was the most instrumental in destroying it?
A minority of people in Kashmir want "independence", the majority do not and never have; unfortunaltely, the majority are intimidated by the violence of the minority.

Amar Bakshi sat down and tried to whitewash history. Yasin Malik and his ilk have blood on their hands. These people are the ones with the most successful ethnic cleansing program since Pakistan and Bangladesh. How can he talk about peace when he was the most instrumental in destroying it?
A minority of people in Kashmir want "independence", the majority do not and never have; unfortunaltely, the majority are intimidated by the violence of the minority.

Amar, the nature of a blog is that you reply and engage with others. There are 68 comments here, but you haven't participated, but you started a new entry (your arrival in Pakistan).

On the other hand I randomly checked a few previous blog items, and notice you do participate and comment on your blog.

So ... given that you made a controversial posting, and multiple people have called you on it, it's contrary to blog ethics to hit and run.

And I'm still waiting for an explanation of how freedom fighters changed into insurgents. The latter being of course the current politically correct word for terrorist, I'm led to conclude that you agree (or were arm-twisted to agree) that Yasin is indeed a terrorist.

For George KS:

Yes, Kashmir(actually Jammu & Kashmir) is legally a state of India like all the other Indian states.

As a state of India, Kashmir has the same political and democratic rights as the rest of India. In the 90s, with the onset of a terrorist campaign in the Kashmir Valley, elections were stopped in Kashmir and it was put under emergency Governor's rule. In the last several years, the Governor's rule has terminated and Kashmir has reverted to holding local and state elections. The current Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir is a duly elected Kashmiri Muslim(all the past CMs and most local reps. were also Muslim).

It is true that Kashmiris have constitutionally guaranteed extra rights and privileges not afforded to other Indians. The prime among them being that non-Kashmiris cannot own property or vote (in state and local elections) in Kashmir. Quotas have also been set aside in academic(seats in college, professorships, etc.) and government institutions for Kashmiri Muslims. Kashmir(not Jammu or Ladakh but just Kashmir) also gets more monetary aid from the central government than any other part of India. This money of course comes from Indian taxpayers - the same ones who cannot vote or own property in Kashmir.

Kashmir is a border state so there has always been some army stationed there, but military presence in Kashmir became significant in the 90s in response to the massive terrorism campaign in the valley. As a border state, instability in Kashmir poses an extraordinary and imminent threat to the national security of India.

Kashmiri Muslims want "freedom" from India because they are the majority religion in Kashmir and believe it belongs to them only.

There is no religious persecution of Muslims in Kashmir. Kashmir, however, does have a history(copiously documented) of institutionalized persecution against non-Muslims, specifically the native Kashmiri Hindu population. The first act of the "freedom fight" in Kashmir was to ethnically cleanse the valley of it's native Kashmiri Hindu population.

Indian Muslims do not identify with nor support Kashmiri Muslims in their bid to secede from India.

Screw Kashmir. What in the hell would we want to get mixed up with them for? Spare me the democracy and freedom BS - you see how far that has gotten us in iraq and elsewhere. We should just mind our own business. WE have enough to deal with on our own soil.

Hmmm, after reading all this I cannot imagine the level of HATE piled in these postings. No one seems to talk down the HATE perpetuated in these postings.

Humans, please look around and see those kids you have, is this what we will teach them? Please ponder.

After 60 years, its time for Pakistan & India to talk. Too much misery has engulfed South Asia. People, lets all work together.

Kashmir joined India according to the rules set at Partition. Contiguous states would follow the decision taken by the ruler. Kashmir was contiguous to India and Paistan and joined India. At that time Hindus and Buddhists were a significant minority and they formed at least 40% of the population. Just as the Sindh and Punjab assemblies ratified joining Pakistan the kashmiri legislature ratified the accesion to India.

Before the king decided to join India, Muslim bandits from Pakistan aided by the Pakistani army invaded Kashmir. They were stopped by the Indian Army. Then the UN passed a resolution that Pakistan must first vacate its army from Kashmir and then a referendum would take place. The UN recognized that the king had joined India and wanted to people to ratify his decision.

Pakistan has yet to vacate Kashmir. Muslims drove out all the Hindus from the Valley of Kashmir. Most people who were alive in 1948 have died. the UN decision is no longer binding.

India is not occupying Kashmir. Kashmir is an independent and free part of a free India.

The idea of Partition was that there would be a Pakistan for Muslims and an India for non-Muslims.

Those Muslims who did not wish to be a part of India were to go to Pakistan. In fact Jinnnah, Pakistan's founder, wanted all Muslims to go Pakistan.

Today the same choice must be given to Muslims in Kashmir and in the rest of India.

If they do not wish to be Indian they must be given the right to go to pakistan. Any Kashmiri Muslim who does not consider himself or herself Indian must go to Pakistan. Pakistan has stopped the entry of the very Muslims who fought hardest for Pakistan. It must reverese that decision.

Let us not forget that Hindus and Sikhs formed over 25% of Pakistan before Partition. In the province of Sindh they were 40% and in Punjab they were almost 50% and equal n number to the Muslims. Yet they were ethnically cleansed from Pakistan and today they are less than 2% of the population.

In India Muslims were 9% of the population during Partition and now they are over 12%.

It is time Partition was completed and Muslims kept their word.

Note that that the Muslim separatists killed just as many Hindus as the Indian army killed those plotting against India and had taken up arms. The Indian army was fighting those who were involved in violence. The Muslim separatists were targetting and are still targetting Hindus.

corr: "America then backed the nastiest Salafist Gulbuddin Hekmatyar during the Afghan Jihad in the 80s, because that is what its ally the Pakistani Army wanted."

In 1947 there were refugee camps in Delhi for the Hindus and Sikhs who were driven out of West Pakistan by violence. In 1971 there were refugee camps in West Bengal for 10 million Bengalis including Bengali Hindus who were driven out of East Pakistan by violence. In 1990s we had refugee camps for Hindus driven out of Kashmir by violence. Who does the accounting for all that? Not America.

America made Pakistan an ally in the 1950s. Adlai Stevenson met Kashmiri leader Sheikh Abdullah in the early 50s after which Sheikh Abdullah, who had since independence asserted allegiance to the Indian state, began to talk of independence.

America has never ever said anything about the genocide of 1 million Bengalis (or many hundred thousand) in 1971 by its ally the Pakistan Army. In fact, the US govt of that time hounded its own diplomat in East Pakistan for protesting US policy at the time.

America then backed the nastiest Salafist Gulbuddin Hekmatyar during the Afghan Jihad in the 90s, because that is what its ally the Pakistani Army wanted.

To keep its ally the Pakistani Army happy, for many years America did not designate as terrorist, Pakistani jihadi groups allied to Bin Laden operating in Kashmir, who massacred Hindu, Muslim and Sikh civilians alike until these jihadi organisations targeted Americans.

So Yasin Malik, who is an absolute innocent compared to the rapacious Pakistani Army, knows exactly what he is doing by appealing to America.

Mr. Bakshi,

My apologies - I misspelled your name as Bagchi in my post earlier.

I am intrigued by this column and the comments. Like most Americans, I confess, international issues are secondary to me, except I work at a large state univresity, and came to know many moslem, indian, jewish, mexican and chinese international students well - and I learned a great deal from them on these very complicated issues. (palestine, immigration, china vs. taiwan, and of course kashmiri)

For some reason, I never understood what is really going on in Kashmir; A graduate student who was a native Kashmiri moslem (who is now a US citizen and married to an American) once confessed to me that she did not understand what the "freedom issue" is either, and was disgusted with the whole thing, and all things being equal much preferred to stay as part of India, i.e. status quo.

I have more questions than answers - can someone please clarify.

Is Kashmir legally a state in Indian Republic - like 25 or so other states?

Politically, can the state of Kashmir enjoy democracy - have elections and elect local government- Governor, Chief minisser, representatives, senators, (or equivalents), etc.

As some one noted earlier, Is it or not true that residents of Kashmir have been constitutionally guaranteed additional rights and privileges that are not enjoyed by the residents of the other 25 states? And these extras granted, in perpetuity, as an assurance or protection (some say as appeasement or political bribery on grand scale), mainly because majority of Kashmirs are moslem?
Is it really true that some citizens in India, say those from Punajb cannot live in Kashmir? I am from Seattle area but live and work, and have house and ranch in Arizona, and I take it granted I can live anywhere in US I choose to. Is this good or bad for native Kashmirs?

Obviously there is a large presence of the military in Kashmir. When did the presence of military become significant in Kashmir? Is it because it is a border state with a hostile country, or is it being used to deprive constitutional rights of kashmiri residents, because they are moslem, i.e. religious persecution?

Do those want "freedom" or "independence" for Kashmir, want it because do they feel moslems can't get justice and political rights in Kashmir in the Indian Republic, i.e., religious presecution, or do they feel kashmir should be independent because majority of them ar moslem, i.e. majoruty wishes should rule.

If it is the religious persecution, it very important and needs to be seriously addressed - they are supposed to be over 100 Million moslems in other parts of Indian republic - what do they have to say about the plight of moslem brethren in Kashmir?

If it is the "majority wishes rule", then it is a dangerous issue and has no merit - imagine in the US, Utah wanting to secede because of majority mormons, Miami voting to secede and wanting to be part of post-Castro Cuba, or majority Mexicans in southern california wanting SoCal to secede from US and join Mexico. Sedition or incitement to sedition is an extremely serious crime in US - by law NO state in the Union can secede, no matter if 100% of the people of a state want to secede. We all heard of the "tyranny of the minority", but equally bad are the capriciousness and vagaries of the majority - unhealthy for he stability and prosperity of a people, a community or a country (that's why changing US constitution is so difficult-changes need overwhelming support from all parts of the country- to protect the minority and the country from whims of a small majority)

It appears to me that the best way to stop the violence, claims and counter-claims etc. is via a political process by finding the opinion of moslems (except those in Kashmir - they are tainted) in Indian Republic via a special referendum - do they like to see Kashmir secede from India or not and/or, propose a national contitutional amendment across India, to let kashmir go, and see if it passes muster for constitutional amendment. I admit it is a bit unusual, but hey, it is a whole lot more peaceful process, and for once, I like to see this mess come to an end because I have been eager to visit Kashmir ever since my friend described how beautiful kashmir valley is (or was!)

Mr. Bagchi did a good job of providing a platform to Mr. Malik's views as he was supposed to as as a journalist- but from the questions I have(and I am at least semi-informed on this topic), either Mr. Bagchi or one of the commenters, or may be Mr. Malik himself, should provide a brief background of contentious issues and facts. Without that, 3rd parties like me are left to wonder like the kashmiri grad student- What exactly activists like Mr. Malik want - freedom from What?

R: You did not answer why there are no minorities in Islamic nations? And why does a nation need to declare itself a religious country if it respects all religions?

The funny part is Kashmir has always been ruled by a Muslim chief Minister almost all the time, they have special status, you cant buy land there if you are a non-native, they gets gazillion amount of money to fund their programs and services yet people are so poor with all the bounty God provided them (rivers, weather, forests, tourism) etc. Its a classic example of how not to kill your own prosperity.

Corruption by the bureaucrats (Muslims and Hindus alike) has really hampered the growth of that State and has alienated the populace there. Even though it has 60% Muslim majority, does not mean other religions/communities donot count?

One of the chief problems is Pakistan (even though its such an insignificant country in the world) they have not produced or done anything for the mankind. They always try to compare and compete themselves with India, like an ant trying to compare itself to an elephant.
USA has got their priorities wrong. Instead of invading Pakistan, they went to Afghanistan. The world teething political problems and unrest start with and end with Pakistan. Once you take them out of the map, almost all major issues will be dead overnight.

Yasin killed so many innocents, he is a murderer of the first kind, should have been executed long time ago, have no idea why India allowed him free.