Legacy of Kashmir’s Accession to India: A Historical Mistake

Talha Imran

Kashmir Accession Day serves as a reminder of the challenges and complexities surrounding the Kashmir issue. The region's political status remains a contentious topic, with both India and Pakistan claiming sovereignty over it. The day provides an opportunity for people in the region to reflect on their shared history, the sacrifices made by those who fought in the conflict, and the importance of finding a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir dispute.

The accession of Kashmir to India was controversial from the start. Pakistan rejected it as illegitimate and claimed that it was coerced by India. It also argued that the Kashmiri people had the right to self-determination and should be allowed to decide their own fate through a plebiscite. India, on the other hand, maintained that the accession was legal and final, and that it had fulfilled its obligations under the UN resolutions by holding free and fair elections in the state.

One of the major issues plaguing the region is the persistent human rights violations committed by security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir. Reports of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and torture have been documented by various human rights organizations. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) gives Indian security forces broad powers, including immunity from prosecution, leading to concerns about impunity for their actions.

The question of whether Kashmir’s accession to India was a historical blunder or a political necessity depends on one’s perspective and interests. For India, it was a strategic move to secure its northern frontier and to prevent Pakistan from gaining access to a vital water source. It was also a way of upholding its secular and democratic values, as opposed to Pakistan’s religious and authoritarian ideology. For Pakistan, it was a betrayal of the two-nation theory that justified its creation as a homeland for Muslims. It was also a loss of a cultural and historical affinity with the Kashmiri people, who shared their religion and ethnicity.

For Kashmiris, however, the accession was neither a blunder nor a necessity, but a tragedy that denied them their agency and dignity. They have suffered decades of oppression, violence, and human rights violations at the hands of both India and Pakistan. They have been denied their political rights, economic opportunities, and cultural identity. They have been subjected to massacres, rapes, disappearances, torture, curfews, lockdowns, and censorship. They have been caught in the crossfire of two nuclear-armed rivals who have fought three wars over their land.

Kashmir’s accession to India is not just a historical event, but an ongoing reality that shapes the lives of millions of people. It is not just a territorial dispute, but a humanitarian crisis that demands justice and peace. It is not just a bilateral issue, but an international concern that affects regional stability and global security.

People in Kashmir have been living under a state of siege, oppression, and violence for decades. They have been denied their basic rights, such as freedom of expression, assembly, movement, and information. They have been subjected to arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and sexual violence by Indian security forces. They have been deprived of their economic opportunities, social services, and cultural heritage by Indian policies and laws. They have been silenced and marginalized by Indian media and propaganda.

The Kashmiri people have also been betrayed by the international community, which has failed to uphold its obligations and commitments to them. The UN resolutions that called for a plebiscite to determine the will of the Kashmiri people have been ignored and violated by India. The human rights violations and atrocities committed by India have been overlooked and condoned by the world powers. The voices and aspirations of the Kashmiri people have been disregarded and dismissed by the global institutions.

They have not given up on their struggle for self-determination and dignity. They have resisted India’s illegal occupation and colonization with courage and resilience. They have expressed their dissent and discontent through peaceful protests, civil disobedience, art, literature, and journalism. They have sought solidarity and support from their fellow Kashmiris across the Line of Control, as well as from other oppressed peoples around the world.

Kashmiris deserve to live in peace, freedom, and dignity. They deserve to have their rights respected, their grievances addressed, and their aspirations fulfilled. They deserve to have a say in their own destiny, without any external interference or coercion. They deserve to have a future that is secure, prosperous, and democratic.

About the Author

Author is specialized in political and strategic studies. He is a researcher and Lecturer at National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad.

 *Opinions expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of The South Asia Times