Kashmir Issue and Article 370

THE KASHMIR ISSUE AND THE ARTICLE 370

Right from the day India got independent, Kashmir has been an agonizing issue among all the governments that came and went and it still stands as a pain in the neck for Indian administration. Even after several bloodbaths, innumerable arrests, protests, lathi charges and a major diaspora, Kashmir issue and Article 370 still remains as it was 70 years ago.

THE BACKDROP

The Northern region consisting of Jammu and Kashmir Valley, in the early times, remained aloof from the other parts of India. Jammu & Kashmir used to be two separate states initially. Jammu, which was under Dogra rule, lost its ruler Ranjit Deo and was aquired by Sikh Armies under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab in 1780. Kashmir Valley, in 1817, also went in the hands of Sikh rule after several hundred years of rule under Durrani Empire of Afganistan. After that, there was a Sikh rule in the merged state. The grandnephew of Ranjit Deo, Gulab Singh, started serving in the court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. After doing some sublime work, he was appointed as a governor of Jammu in 1820. Thenceforth, the Anglo-Sikh War broke out in 1845 and Maharaja Gulab Singh acted as an efficient arbitrator ending the war with two treaties. According to first treaty, Sikhs gave away Lahore to the British for 10 million rupees and according to second, Gulab Singh got freed from all the Sikh rule devoirs at the cost of 7.5 million rupees and became the Maharaja of the Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir in 1846. The Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was, thus, constituted in 1846. After that, Maharaja Ranbir Singh ruled the state as a successor to Maharaja Gulab Singh and Dogra rule continued till the Partition of India in 1947. The Inception of Kashmir Issue and Formulation of Article 370
During 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh was ruling the state. The protests erupted in the regions of J&K giving rise of formation of rebel groups which demanded collaboration with either Pakistan or India. Hari Singh, to avoid a hasty solution, signed a standstill treaty with Pakistan which allowed trade, movement, communication regardless of the conflict. Meanwhile, the rebels declared a separate government for a large area of the state and it was called "Azad Kashmir". Until now, there had not been any sort of collaboration of J&K with India. In the light of protests in Jammu Region, Pashtuns from Pakistan's Northwestern Border along with Poonch rebels attacked Kashmir in 1947 and started killing and looting whatever came in the way. The attack was planned, apparantly, to drive Hari Singh towards giving up the state of J&K. 
Consequently, Hari Singh, finding no other option, sought help from the Union of India. Sir Mountbatten, then Governor General, accepted the proposal on the term that India will help Kashmir only if the state of J&K signs an instrument of accession and gives its administrative access to India. After signing the accession, the troops from Indian Army stormed the state and steered the rebels out of small but significant part of the state. This instrument of accession was then added to the constitution of India as Article 370 which provided for a special status to State of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Conflict of Kashmir started when Pakistan refused to recognize the instrument of accession as they believed that no such instrument could be signed when the standstill agreement was still in force. This led to a major clash of thoughts between the two newly formed governments. In 1948, India appealed at United Nations for a solution. After much of a dialogue, the UN told both the states that the decision will be made on the basis of vote from people of J&K on a condition that the armies of both countries will withdraw their troops from the state. India and Pakistan called up the meetings for the truce but unfortunately couldn't come to a decision as the Azad Kashmir Troops were neither Indian nor Pakistani and refused withdraw. After that, the Kashmir became an unsolved issue between both the nations. A lot has happened in the state after that. There were mass movements, terrorist operations, government programs, demonstrations, stone pelting, killing and innumerable operations but none could provide a viable solution to Kashmir Issue which continues to haunt the government of India as well as J&K. 
The Princely State of J&K (as called earlier) stands divided today and is currently ruled by India (Jammu & Kashmir), Pakistan (Azad Kashmir & Balochistan) and Peoples Republic of China (Aksai Chin). 
www.defenceguru.co.in
Jai HInd.
Stay tuned with us for more blogs.