Real Kashmir Narrative Unfolds: No Azadi but Islamic State

Brig Anil Gupta

The recent events in Kashmir have made it amply clear that the slogan of “Azadi” by Kashmiri Muslims was only a façade to keep under wraps the real motive of establishment of an “Islamic State” in Kashmir. Much against the popular belief the fact is that Pan-Islamisation is not a recent phenomenon in Kashmir. Under the Dogra rule, Jammu & Kashmir was the most secular state in Princely India wherein Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Buddhists all practising different faiths lived together peacefully. In pursuance of its agenda Anglo-Muslim alliance wanted to destabilise the Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir, Mahrajdhiraj Hari Singh, who had openly challenged the propriety of continued British Rule in India at the Round Table Conference held in London. Buoyed by their successful policy of “Divide and Rule” in the British India, the British conspired to encourage Muslim uprising against the Maharaja.   In Abdul Qadeer Khan Ghazi, a Pathan, they found the perfect collaborator they were looking for.

The Kashmiris then were generally peace loving and submerged in Sufi Islam that preached co-existence, inclusivity, tolerance and multilateralism. Pan- Islamism was introduced in the Kashmiri society in 1931 by Abdul Qadeer Khan who appeared suddenly in a street meeting in Srinagar where Sheikh Abdullah, a Kashmiri Muslim, was also present. Abdul Qadeer Khan, a non-Kashmiri was the follower of Islamic ideologue Maulana Jamaludin Afghani. The main goal of Syed Jamaluddin Afghani was to unite the Islamic world under a single caliph. Abdul Qadeer Khan was highly radicalised who through his skilful oratory aroused the peace loving Kashmiris against the Maharaja and the air reverberated with the slogan of Allah o Akbar. He urged the crowd to unite for the sake of Islam. Sheikh Abdullah who was vying at that time to assume the mantle of the leader of Kashmiri struggle was quick to grab the idea.  In his speech, in the Jamia Masjid, Srinagar on the 10th of July, 1931 Sheikh Abdullah had said that “Maulana Abdul Qadeer Khan Ghazi has been prosecuted for the cause of Islam and for the Kashmiri Muslims. He asked the people to pray for his acquittal and show complete solidarity with him.” In his another speech, he had asked the Kashmiri Muslim to prepare themselves for sacrifices for the sake of Islam. Thus, Sheikh Abdullah became the flag – bearer of Pan Islamisation in Kashmir, much before the arrival of Wahabism, the seeds of which had been sowed by Abdul Qadeer. At the same time, Sheikh Abdullah also emerged undisputed leader of the Kashmiri Muslims. His political party National Confernce formed in 1938 also followed the ideology of exclusivity in as much as it looked down upon non-Kashmiri Muslims like the Punjabi Muslims, Paharis, Shias, Gujjars, Bakkerwals and Dogra Muslims along with the other minorities.

Sheikh succeeded in fulfilling his ambition, with active support from Jawahar Lal Nehru, in ensuring exile of the Maharaja after the accession of the State with India and he assuming absolute powers as Prime Minister of J&K. He continued to harbour the idea of converting J&K from a secular State to a Muslim state. To blackmail his bosses in Delhi, he began hobnobbing with Pakistan, successor of the ideology of Anglo-Muslim Alliance, whose evil intent of annexation of Kashmir by hook or crook had become amply evident by now. In his recent book, Mission R & AW, former senior Research & Analysis Wing official RK Yadav has explained Sheikh Abdullah's questionable conduct and policies. Yadav refers to the agitation by the Praja Parishad in 1952-53 for complete integration of the State with the Indian Union on the basis of one Constitution. He writes, “Sheikh Abdullah tried to use this agitation as an excuse to stall his previous commitment of accession to India in all fairness. He openly challenged India's secularism on this incident and put forward an argument that the integration of Jammu and Kashmir and particularly of the Kashmir valley and certain adjoining parts which had Muslim majority with Hindu India would not be in the interest of the Muslims of Kashmir.” Sheikh started showing his true colour and his growing closeness with Pakistan forced New Delhi to dismiss him and order his arrest on charges of treason.

Formation of Jamat –e Islami- Kashmir (JEIK) in 1953 which was closer to Jamat-e-Islami- Pakistan than Jamat-e-Islami- Hind was the first attempt of Pakistan of direct interference in Kashmir with aim of Islamisation in the garb of freedom or “Azadi.” The constitution of JEIK is based on the principle of “Ikmat-e-Deen” – to establish and maintain the Shariah in the universe. Syed Ali Shah Geelani is a founder member of JEIK and was the first to give the slogan of “Azadi Barai Islam”- “Freedom For Islam.” Before the emergence of Hurriyat it emerged as the main separatist organisation in Kashmir. After introduction of terrorism in the Valley, Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) led by Syed Sallahudin, an avowed Jammati, became the militant wing of JEIK with the support of Pakistan's ISI. The next phase of radicalisation in the Valley is related to Pakistan's humiliating defeat in 1971 and its adoption of the strategy of “Bleed India through Thousand Cuts.” At the same time Wahhabism or “Petro Islam” entered the Valley, via Pakistan.  Free flow of petro-dollars began to gradually side line the Sufi Islam and marginalise Kashmiriyat (a mix of Sufi Islam and Hindu culture) in the veil of “Azadi”. It also gave spur to the growth of political Islam that had been pioneered by Sheikh Abdullah and his followers. The so-called mainstream political parties also realised the importance of “Islamic Card” to remain relevant and did not prevent their cadre from being radicalised. The unhindered growth of Wahhabism particularly among Kashmiri Muslims posed a strategic challenge to India which the governments of the day chose to ignore leading to the present state of affairs when the Sunni Wahabi Jihadi Terrorist outfits (with their bases in Af-Pak region) feel that they are close to realise their cherished dream of “Gazwa-i-Hind” with Kashmir as the launch pad. There is a direct connect between Wahhabism and terrorism. Unable to justify their violent form of Islam involving mass killings, beheadings and other inhuman forms of torture within the realm of Quran or Sharia, the Wahhabis embraced jihadi terrorism as a tool to propagate their ideology of “Takfeer.”  The ultimate aim of Wahhabis is “establishment of an Islamic Caliphate which is co-terminus with the ideology of JEIK. The involvement of Pakistani Deep State in promoting jihadi terrorism in Kashmir as furtherance of its agenda has been exposed to the hilt. Creation of Hurriyat after marginalisation of JEIK, terrorising the Kashmiri Hindus and other minorities to force them to leave Kashmir, radicalisation of Kashmiri youth using the petro-dollars, financing of unrest in Kashmir and attempt to indigenise the growing unrest by encouraging Wahhabised Kashmiri youth to take to arms are all part of Pakistan's agenda of total Islamisation of Kashmir and part of the global pan-Islamisation movement now spearheaded by the Saudi backed Wahhabis.

The Hurriyat leaders, mostly with Jammati background and are Kashmiri Muslims which constitute only 30% of total Muslim population of Kahmir, are used by Pakistan as pawns to hide the real intent of Islamisation by portraying them as seekers of “Azadi.” With growing influence of Wahhabism among the terrorists the farce separating the terrorists and separatists was to be exposed sooner or later. Remember the slogan of Geelani, “Azadi Barai Islam”!!! Though working for a common cause, Kashmiri Muslims except a handful of nationalists were wearing different masks of Separatists, Soft Separatists, Mainstream Politicians, Stone Pelters and Terrorists. The killing of Burhan Wani lifted the veil when his father said openly that he was happy that his sons have died for the cause of Islam. His successor Zakir Musa refused to mince words and came out openly in favour of creating a Muslim Caliphate and challenged the farcical concept of Azadi of the separatists. The Wahhabi indoctrination of the terrorist commander encouraged him to unveil the real Kashmir narrative to the entire world much to the dismay of the Hurriyat whose leadership stood exposed and feared the loss of whatever international sympathy they have. The conflicting statements issued by local terrorists led by Musa, Pak based Syed Sallahudin, Hurriyat leadership and ISI financed Pak jihadi terrorist outfits points towards a widening rift between the major stakeholders of Islamisation in Kashmir. Pakistan has a major role to play in this. Sensing that Hurriyat was getting marginalised and losing relevance, even HM cadre was getting restless due to non-availability of arms and ammunition and most important the youth was getting disenchanted from the promise of Azadi, the ISI has changed the strategy by propping up Zakir Musa who announced to go the Al Qaeda way thus promoting Islamist nay Wahhabi ideology for liberation of Kashmir as first step towards for establishment of Islamic Caliphate.

The silver lining is that even today more than 70% of Muslims in Kashmir believe in Sufi Islam and are opposed to Pak sponsored politico-religious militancy fuelled by Wahhabi ideology. Unfortunately, the 30% Kashmiri Muslim minority dominate the political landscape of Kashmir and are the real power brokers. They have managed to befool the rest of the nation and international community as real representative of the Kashmiri people. Even the media is playing into their hands when they permit them to rant unabashedly on national channels that it's a political problem and refuse to acknowledge the real truth that it's Islam vs India, it's Jihad vs democracy, it's not political but 100% communal. All is not lost as yet. We need to catch the bull by horn and empower 70% Sufi Muslims of Kashmir to challenge Wahhabi dream of an Islamic Caliphate with full government support. The exposed Hurriyat leadership needs to be proceeded against legally and ensure that their marginalisation is full and final. Due to political inept handling in the past the Hurriyat leadership has been provided much needed oxygen for their renaissance. It should not be allowed this time. Also the government needs to ensure that there is no political interference and security forces are given a free hand to eliminate jihadi terrorism and politico-religious militancy from Kashmir Valley.

(The author is a Jammu based political commentator, columnist, strategic and defence analyst. He can be contacted at anil5457@gmail.com)