Army chief don’t have any right to call Kashmiri children terrorist: Former Union Minister

‘Role of army should be reduced if govt want to solve Kashmir’

Wahid Bhat

SRINAGAR, JAN 04 (PTK):  Former Union Minister of India Kamal Morarka said Army chief don’t have any right to call Kashmiri children terrorist problem can’t be solve by calling Kashmir’s children terrorist adding that the role of army should be reduced if govt want to solve Kashmir issue.

In an exclusive conversation with news agency Press Trust of Kashmir Kamal Morarka said “In 1953 Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was dismissed from office and a new Government was formed with Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad as the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, the problem started from their and it is seen from 1953, the issue is same and the hotline was started”.

He said that  the first mistake by GoI was to dismiss Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah as accession was done already between India and Kashmir”.

“The people had been fighting for freedom since British rule and with their struggle was about to bare fruit as they were not willing to let the princes fill the vacuum”.

He added that although many princes wanted to be “independent” (which would have meant hereditary monarchies and no hope for democracy) they had to succumb to their people’s protests which turned violent in many provinces.

He added that because of its location, Kashmir could choose to join either India or Pakistan. “Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of Kashmir, was Hindu while most of his subjects were Muslim. Unable to decide which nation Kashmir should join, Hari Singh chose to remain neutral in 1947”, he added.

He further added “His (Maharaja) hopes of remaining independent were dashed in October 1947, as Pakistan sent in tribesmen who were knocking at the gates of the capital Srinagar”.

He added after 1987 elections in Kashmir, which was largely perceived to be rigged) that the real problem started. “Throughout the 1990s we had difficult situations, then with some modicum of order elections were held. Hari Singh appealed to the Indian government for military assistance and fled to India. He signed the Instrument of Accession, ceding Kashmir to India on October 26”, he added.

He further added “Kashmir accessed with India based on three things which is written on documents, and article 370 is part of the accession with India”.

He said, “The reality is that congress government dilute article 370 and BJP from the first day they said that Kashmir is like other state of India, but when congress was in government they dilute the article 370 step by step now article 370 is just for the name nothing more than that, now they want to take article 35A just because they can buy Land in Kashmir”.

He further added “BJP is never happy with accession as they thing that Kashmir is fully like other state and PDP join hands with Them (which is out of my mind), Mufti Sahab was my good friend, he said that this alliance is north pole and south pole’s alliance, how is this possible that North pole and south pole can alliance with each other?”

“It’s really difficult to say that we can do anything political leader can say anything but common people are facing problems” he added.

He said government should start dialogue with Pakistan to resolve issued, when Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had proposed to solve Kashmir issue almost Kashmir issue was solve but RSS tried issue that time and Kashmir issue remain same”.

He further added “to Solve Kashmir Issue both country should declare LoC as International border and should adjust to solve K issue.”

He further added “Delhi should provide their right to Srinagar which is written in accession and should not interfere in every issue of Kashmir, Delhi should give maximum autonomy to Srinagar”.

Kamal Morarka said “Army Chief Bipin Rawat is ashamed India, he is given political opinion he should focus on army”, it’s the responsibility civil government to look into the matter”.

He added “Army chief don’t have any right to call Kashmiri children terrorist problem can’t be solve by calling Kashmir’s children terrorist, the role of army should be deceased if govt want to solve Kashmir issue”. (PTK)