Everything you wanted to know about The Kashmir problem

Description

On 26 October 1947, the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir formally became a part of theIndian Union. Pakistan never accepted the decision of Maharaja Hari Singh, who was legallyempowered to sign the instrument of accession, as final. It has repeatedly tried to use force andterrorism to change the status quo, in the process muddying the issue.Even today, whenever the issues of J&K’s accession to India and Article 370 are raised,emotions run high. Information is cherry picked, arguments are aggressive and thus, ameaningful discussion becomes impossible.The author seeks to provoke thought and does not claim the views expressed in article are thelast word on the subject.This essay tries to be comprehensive covering the following aspects: accession of J&K, geopoliticalissues then, Article 370, Sheikh Abdullah’s arrest in 1953, who is a permanent residentof J&K, why refugees can vote in Lok Sabha but not in State polls, Order of 1954, populationand delimitation, lopsided development in the state and, State Finances. It ends with a picture ofJ&K as a pampered brat.Chakravyuh is an advanced battle formation. During the Mahabharata war the Kauravas decidedto capture Yudhister by engaging the Pandavas with a chakravyuh. Just like Arjuna’s sonAbhimanyu knew how to get in but not out of a Chakravyuh, successive Governments have notbeen able to get out of the situation created by Nehru in J&K.First, a brief chronology of key events in Jammu and Kashmir (hereafter referred to as J&K).• 5,000 Pathan tribesmen invade J&K starting 21/10/1947.• Instrument of Accession (hereafter referred to as IOA) signed on 26/10/1947.• IOA unconditionally accepted by Mountbatten on 27/10/1947.• Nehru chose to go to the U.N. on 1/1/1948 on the aggression.• Resolutions adopted by UN Commission for India and Pakistan on 13/8/1948 and5/1/1949 provide for a plebiscite after withdrawal of troops from Pakistan.• Regent of J&K Yuvraj Karan Singh issued a proclamation on 25/11/1949 that legallydeclared total oneness with the Constitution of India.• Article 370 became a part of Indian Constitution in 1950.• Elections to Constituent Assembly held in 1951-Sheikh Abdullah became PM of J&K.• Sheikh Abdullah arrested in 1953.• Kashmir Constituent Assembly confirmed legality of State’s accession to India in 1954.• State Constitution came into force on 26/1/1957.For easy reading essay is split into ten parts. Matter covered in each part is given below. Thisincludes answers to commonly asked questions on J&K.