| At last the Indian National Congress had to accept | | | | free to go or come. But before long these pilgrims |
| the two nation theory. Who accepted it first or why | | | | came back. The land that had held no attraction a |
| he did so, did not matter. The country was divided | | | | few days ago did not object to their transmigration. |
| based on the theory that the Hindus and the Muslims | | | | Now the question is did any Hindu who had come |
| constituted two different nations, while nobody cared | | | | from Pakistan to India, go back to Pakistan |
| to ask the question during the days of the Mughal | | | | disillusioned? Not that it maters much. But why didn't |
| rule or earlier. Even Mohammed Ali Jinnah did not relish | | | | they go? Did they really accept the two nation |
| the idea when it was first mooted by the Ali | | | | theory? It was thrust on them and so they had to |
| brothers. Nobody had then expected that it would | | | | accept it out of sheer compulsion. |
| gain acceptance and from the basis for the country's | | | | The Nawabs of Nizam and Jhunaghad did not think |
| division. People had lived for hundreds of years-both | | | | that they had a duty to respect the will of their |
| the Hindus and the Muslims - side by side, breathing | | | | subjects. They felt that as rulers they could let their |
| the same air, drinking the same water, living here and | | | | free will shape the course of history. But the story |
| dying here. Not that there was perfect cordiality all | | | | of Kashmir was different. The Hindus King had no |
| the time. A number of Muslim invaders slaughtered | | | | choice before him. When his kingdom was attacked |
| the Buddhist and the Hindus alike, pulled down their | | | | by the so called tribal, he knew fully well who was |
| places of worship, plundered their wealth, and | | | | really behind the thrust. Even then Pandit Nehru did |
| persecuted them mercilessly. Their rulers taxed them | | | | not concede to the request of the Kashmir Prime |
| heavily and forced them to live a life of constant | | | | Minister until Sheik Abdullah who Nehru thought was |
| fear and suffering. But still, the Hindus put on a brave | | | | the real representative of the Muslim majority, |
| demeanor and put up with all the hardships | | | | endorsed the Maharajah's proposal. When |
| courageously and lived even though a few embraced | | | | subsequently elections were held, the Abdullah |
| Islam when they were threatened to choose | | | | government was not voted down, which though not |
| between death and Islam. The Muslims invariably felt | | | | directly, amounted that the Muslims of Kashmir did |
| that their destinies were tied with that of the land, | | | | not subscribe to the two nation theory. If Pakistan |
| though they robbed some of the Hindus of their last | | | | without attacking Kashmir, had allowed the Maharaja |
| penny, reducing them to the status of 'hewers of | | | | or his people to express their free will whatever |
| wood' and 'drawers of water' and the idea of two | | | | course it might have taken, the situation would taken |
| nations had never entered into their minds. | | | | been different. |
| When Zinnah succumbed to the idea, Gandhiji tried to | | | | Now the upsurge in Kashmir with its Pakistani |
| win him back to his side with the offer of Prime | | | | manipulations, tries to move the clock back to the |
| Minister ship of free India. He said if Zinnah accepted | | | | eve of partition. To brush it aside as a trouble |
| to head the interim government Pandit Nehru would | | | | created by a few hundreds of Pakistani trained |
| be his deputy. Zinnah was not to be baited, if it was | | | | militants does not sound very convincing. If it was |
| bait, He had already turned towards the west and | | | | that simple and that the militants did not sound very |
| the creation of anew nation completely occupied his | | | | convincing. If it was that simple and that the militants |
| mind and heart. | | | | did not have a popular base in at least a few areas in |
| And so was Pakistan born. But India had won its | | | | the valley why were they not liquidated yet? If there |
| freedom. Never mind if Punjab and Bengal were | | | | was no sufficient justification, why did the |
| divided. We had our midnight freedom. Not a drop of | | | | government of India give Kashmir's a special status? |
| blood was shed. The lion had shaken to the core at | | | | Things have gone too far. The present situation is |
| the sight of the magic wand. We simply held it | | | | distressing now that the popular government was |
| before its eyes. This was only a dream. It did not last | | | | dismissed. For more than two years, the gun has |
| long. The country plunged into a blood bath that no | | | | been in fully play, with a great degree of freedom. |
| where had a parallel. Thousands were butchered; | | | | But the voices are not silenced, firing and counter |
| millions ran for life, leaving everything behind, leaving | | | | firing continue. Peace is not near in sight. It is time to |
| the land that was suffused with the breath of their | | | | denounce meaningless prestige and bring all the |
| fathers and forefathers, the land they had loved so | | | | people connected to a conference table and chalk |
| dearly. | | | | out a way out. As long as India talks about Pakistani |
| That was not all. A number of Muslims from many | | | | intransigence it will go on harping on the UN |
| parts of the land left for the newly born country | | | | resolutions. There are people all around ready to nod |
| which perhaps looked like a paradise on earth. India | | | | approvingly at what Pakistan does. |
| did not object to the mass migration. Any one was | | | | |