Modi Reframes Kashmir Based on Facts, Finally!!

Things are achanging between India and Pakistan.  The paradigms are being reconstructed.  Along factual reality I would add.

Kashmir situation was the first one.  The facts of the Kashmir situation are as follows:

1. British left the decision of accession to India or Pakistan or being independent on the monarchs of the 565 princely states.
2. Kashmir’s King decided to remain independent.
3. On Aug 12 1947, Prime Minister of Kashmir, RC Kak requested both India and Pakistan for a “Standstill Agreement”.
4. Pakistan agreed to sign the Standstill Agreement, which it did, while India wanted further negotiations.  So Pakistan recognized the independent status of Kashmir categorically!
5. In the UN resolutions pertaining to Kashmir, the final resolution of August 13, 1947 stated that once the Part i and Part II were executed – only and only then the plebiscite could take place in the WHOLE of Kashmir.
6. The UN resolution for plebiscite was rendered void once the Karakoram area was transferred by Pakistan to China, thus changing the ownership and the situation of a third of Kashmir irrevocably.

We haveto realize that per Pakistan’s own Constitution (Article 257), Kashmiris have to accede to Pakistan before any negotiations can occur.

The high-handedness of Pakistan is clearly visible.  As is the pussillanimity of Indian Government and the resultant inaction throught the last 6 decades and more!

The worst thing is that while the entire demography in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir was being altered, no one raised the issue.  While Indian side of Kashmir was given the Article 370, whereby its seccession was the next step!  How could anyone in the Indian Government even sit with a straight face all these years and talk of national security in a meaningful manner?

The Kashmir accession and the UN resolutions were NOT about Indian side Kashmir, but the WHOLE of Kashmir!  Including the Paksitan-Occupied-Kashmir.

Since Pakistan and not India was the aggressor in 1948, after the Maharaja of Kashmir had acceded to India, the real issue of Kashmir should always have been about the PoK and not the Indian side of Kashmir!

Given the most fundamental facts on Kashmir, that was the way forward.  Because of some bizarre and strange thinking and approach, the real issue was never even discussed!

For the first time since independence, the Indian Government has framed the Kashmir issue the way it should have been from the get-go – its about PoK, dummy!  Duh!

Now that we have framed the Kashmir issue based on facts, it is time now to pull Pakistan up for its side of the bargain and set the situation on the ground based again on facts!  That, just as people on the Indian side Kashmir needs to be handled properly, the same needs to happen on the PoK side as well.  But first, the PoK Kashmiris need to return and given the power and role in governance that they deserve!

And that is where PM Modi went in his speech on the Independence Day.  A new change has come 69 years too late though.  But hey, at least the issue has been set on the right track … finally!!