Early Times Report
Jammu, May 22: President of NC and former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has ultimately accepted the truth and openly admitted that there is sectarian unity in Kashmir. He didn't say that Kashmir was known for communal amity; he said that Kashmir was an example of sectarian unity. Those objective commentators and Kashmir-watchers who had been studying the nature and composition of the ongoing secessionist movement in the valley had all along held the view that members of a particular sect, who were, and are, at the helm of affairs in J&K, were involved in the anti-national movement and that the Shiite Muslims, barring a few disgruntled Shiite Muslims, and Kashmiri Pandits, had nothing to do with the ongoing anti-India movement in Kashmir.
Their view was that all the Kashmir-based political, secessionist, civil society groups, media, trade unions, Bar association, business organizations and so on were dominated and controlled by one sect to which the leadership of the NC, the Congress, the CPI-, the CPI-M, the PDP, the Peoples Conference, the Hurriyat (Geelani), the Hurriyat (Mirwaiz), the JKLF, the Muslim League, the J&K Democratic Freedom Party, the Hizbul Mujahideen, to mention only a few, belonged and belong. It was also their view that this was, and is the sect, which New Delhi all along pampered and promoted much to the chagrin of others in the Valley, or for that matter the entire state, and the result was that New Delhi failed to tackle the issues confronting the country in the Valley and elsewhere in the State. They also held the view that the members of this sect controlled, and continue to control and dominate, all or almost all the vital political, administrative and financial institutions and nation-building departments such as universities. But no one paid any heed to them. Instead, those who consistently pointed out that the ongoing secessionist movement was not just-Pakistan centric, but also fundamentally sectarian, were dubbed by the Kashmiri leaders and their supporters in Delhi and elsewhere as communal and anti-Kashmir.
What exactly did Farooq say, when and where? Addressing people at the Chaharum of Begum Late Aga Syed Al-Safvi Al-Moosvi (Shia Muslim) on May 20, Farooq Abdullah not only highlighted the contribution of Late Aga Sahib in forging ties of unity and brotherhood between the Shia and Sunni communities in Kashmir, but also said that Kashmir was an example of sectarian unity. It was not an off-the-cuff statement. He actually meant what he said.
"Kashmir is truly a remarkable island of sectarian unity and brotherhood. We have always believed in living in peace and harmony as brothers. This has been recorded in golden letters by numerous historians and Kashmir will continue to be a harbinger of amity. Late Aga Syed Al-Safvi Al-Moosvi was a remarkable personality and had a close association with Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, with whom he shared a mutual vision of sectarian unity and brotherhood. National Conference continues to be the guardian of this spirit of brotherhood", NC President was quoted as saying.
Now that Farooq Abdullah has acknowledged the truth, it is time for all commentators and historians to rewrite the history of the ongoing secessionist and sectarian movement in the Valley. It is also time for New Delhi to refashion its whole policy towards Kashmir taking into consideration what Farooq Abdullah said, of course, at a wrong place.
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