When India got independence, Jammu Kashmir was a Princely State. Initially, the King Raja Hari Singh refused to join either India or Pakistan as he wanted to remain independent. The Pakistani leaders believed that since Jammu Kashmir had a lot of Muslims, it would join Pakistan.
The people there were known as Kashmir is Under the leadership of Sheikh Abdulla there was an agitation to remove the King from power. But he also did not want to join Pakistan. National Conference was a secular organization. It was also pro Congress. In October 1947 Pakistan encouraged ,some tribal groups to capture Pakistan. Then the King sought assistance from India.
The King signed the “Instrument of Accession” and so the Indian army helped the Jammu Kashmir King. There was also a condition that when things become normal there would be a referendum. For the welfare of the people Sheikh Abdulla became the Prime Minister. India granted J&K autonomy.
External and Internal Squabbles:
Because of external and internal problems, J&K is always in the list of crisis. On one side there is Pakistan, claiming the Kashmir Valley. After the 1947 War, a part of Kashmir came under Pakistani control. India calls it illegal occupation. Pakistan calls this area Azad Kashmir. Internally also the Kashmir problems is a headache for the Centre.
According to Article 370, Kashmir is given greater autonomy than other States. This Article is applicable only to Jammu and Kashmir.
The special concession causes problems. Many believe that this autonomy given to Kashmir will adversely affect the unity and indivisibility of the country. They feel that Article 370 should be removed. But the Kashmir is feel that the autonomy they got by Article 370 is not enough. Some Kashmir is put forward 3 complaints.No referendum has taken place so far.
The status promised by Article 370 is only on paper, not in practice. They need more autonomy. They also say that the kind of democracy implemented in other States of India is not found in J&K.
Politics since 1948:
After Sheikh Abdulla became the Prime Minister of Kashmir, many land reforms and other welfare measures were taken to help the masses. But there was a difference of opinion between him and the Central Government. He wanted Kashmir to be completely free. So the Central Government dismissed him and kept him in jail for some time. His successors did not get popular support but they administered the region with Central support. The Kashmir is slowly started believing in democracy. According to the agreement between India Gandhi and Sheikh Abdullah, in 1974, he became the Prime Minister. He died in 1982.
Resistance And Later:
In the 1987 election the National Conference won with a huge majority. Farukh Abdulla became the Chief Minister. Many believed that he did some manipulations in the election. From 1980, there have been protests against weak governments there. Some people believed that it was the Centre which made this huge majority possible. It led to the Kashmiri crisis. There was resistance. In 1989, there was an armed struggle for making Kashmir independent.
The insurgents were assisted by Pakistan. For many years, J&K was under Presidential rule. Even as there was strong military presence there, from 1990 there have been frequent clashes between the army and the people who resisted Indian rule. Farooq Abdulla’s government also demanded greater autonomy. In 2002, there was another election. Instead of the National Conference, a PDP Coalition Government came to power.
Secession Movement And After:
The secessionist movement (1969) appeared in many shapes and it took different stances.
- Independent Kashmir without joining either India or Pakistan.
- A group demanding merger with Pakistan.
- A group demanding greater autonomy. The demand for greater autonomy attracted the people of Jammu and Ladakh in different ways. Often there were complaints against neglect and backwardness.
- The Central Government discussed the issue with different groups. The secessionists now say that even as they stay with India, they should be given more autonomy.
