Sindhu described in National Anthem flows from Ladakh symbolising ethos of Indian civilisation
Rig Veda describes the Sindhu ‘So swift is Sindhu, nothing can impede’
Ladakh & not Kashmir valley (Kashmir ) is presently & historically boundary land of Bharat
Daya Sagar
Was on 24th June 2020 that the BJP leader Ram Madhav has been quoted as having said while speaking at an event on the India-China border issue organised by ‘Organiser’ that when it comes to the UT of Ladakh, it includes Gilgit-Baltistan and Aksai Chin.
Even after 73 years of independence India has not been able to come out of this web of misconceptions. And hence have the affairs concerning J&K been mishandled. So, there is first need for recasting the concepts and images as regards erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir
Not onlythe British but alsothe Prince / Maharaja of J&Koccasions referred state as Kashmir State. Even the British has been addressing Hari Singh as Maharaja of Kashmir. Why has it been so could be a matter of debate and people may have different logical explanations for that but one thing that could also be said in that regard could be that since right since the times of Mughal Kashmir Valley has remained a place of resort for the rulers/ rich as well as the visitors and hence Kashmir valley has remained more known to the people of ‘class’ and so the state of J&K was addressed as Kashmir even when Kashmir valley had become part of Jammu Raj in 1846 (Ladakh was already in Jammu Raj).
It hadbeen an adopted convention / practice to describe the cultural and geographical limits of India as ” From Kashmir to Kanyakumari” and call Kashmir as crown of India where as the J&K state of India, also included Ladakh Region, a region much larger that Kashmir Region having much larger international boundaries which surely qualified for getting the phrase “Kashmir to Kanyakumari’ replaced with the verse/ phrase “Ladakh to Kanyakumari”. It could have been adopted in routine expressions atleast on 31-10-2019 but was not done.
Every year in June on Guru Poornima Sindhu Darshan is performed and Sindhu darshan Festival is now held for 3 days .The Abhiyan ‘Sindhu Darshan’, too was started to focus attention on the heritage of the ancient Indian Civilization and Culture that ‘Sindhu’ symbolizes and so let us see India as “Ladakh to Kanyakumari”. This would also narrow down the lanes for the separatists, question raisers, black mailers.Those playing communal cards for their illegitimate personal/ community interests and enemies from other lands too would not be that well received by outside worldwith the shift from Kashmir to Ladakh.
Only the common man of Kashmir valley and those staying back, in whose name the so called economic, socio-territorial, political and identity specific game plans have been navigated and played all these years by the so called ‘victim’ leadership from either side , have all these years lived in socio-ideological turmoil. After 1990 a race had been set between the community leaderships for narrating stories of so far ‘undisclosed’ discriminatory behaviors and treatments the classes have been giving to each other. No doubt leaders simultaneously have been adding ‘a word’ affirming that earlier they were example of classical social harmonious living.
No signs have appeared over last 30years of any possible willfull start of return of over 60000 families who are listed as Kashmiri migrants and are staying away from their hearths outside Kashmir valley in their own country. Some may not agree but surely the way J&K affairs have been handled as Kashmir affairs by all the governments has kept the Governments engaged in understanding and dismantling the webs woven with the yarns of Kashmiri aspirations – Commitments made with Kashmiries in 1947 – Kashmir the crown of Indian culture – Kashmir the symbol of communal harmony – and ofcourse the ‘third’ powers too waxing the web with extraterritorial inputs keeping India militarily engaged too. Hence have remained the issues that needed more of attention for making the migrants return possible apparently remaining out of sight for Government of India. Ofcourse the 85% territories of the erstwhile State of J&K other than Valley too have politically and economically not received the needed attention, may be due to over occupation with only ‘Kashmir’ centric issues.
The anti India elements have been quoting the non return of Kashmiri migrants to outside world to support their propaganda professing that it is not a small segment of Kashmir that is against India but it is the major segment that is against India otherwise why those who vociferously call themselves Indian are not able to move back even after 3 decades . It is not out of place to mention here that even a few leaders ( including some who have been even given special honours/ recognitions by Government of India) from the migrants have at occasions accused even Indian Government as well as National level political parties including BJP for not having cared for them worth forcing them to think of even approaching United Nations.
So, rising above all competitive politics a major shift in style of handling J&K affairs must be made by GOI without losing any more time and also seeing& focussing on the territories of the erstwhile State J&K more outside the Kashmir valley ( and not just as Kashmir valley- Kashmir ) would be the better play ground. The verse/Phrase “Ladakh to Kanyakumari” could be hence the first humble kick.
(Daya Sagar is a Sr Journalist and
analyst of J&K Affairs [email protected])
