Ladakh -Land of Passes

 The article appeared in Newsvichar https://www.newsvichar.com/Encyc/2019/8/10/GAME-CHANGING-DECISION-Ladakh-in-spotlight-as-Union-Territory-.html  

GAME CHANGING DECISION: Ladakh in spotlight as Union Territory

       Ladakh borders both Pakistan and China, and has faced aggression from both sides. In the present security environment, it has finally got the place of prominence it deserves.

 

 

 

NIDHI BAHUGUNA

On August 6, 2019, in Lok Sabha the young first time MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal stood up to speak eloquently on the revocation of Article 370 and reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir. The nation was enthralled by his brilliant oratory and everyone wanted to know more about the speaker. Most were hearing details about Ladakh for the first time. A region, out of national focus for decades, was bought into spotlight by the eloquent first speech of the first time MP.

Ladakh was historically one of the five Himalayan kingdoms in ancient and medieval times. Contrary to its present obscurity, it was at the centre of Eurasian trade routes and hence a very important geographical region. The Yarkhand-Leh-Srinagar trade route was among the important ones. The kingdom of Ladakh had wars with many neighbours over centuries. Gulab Singh conquered Ladakh and it became a part of Jammu and Kashmir and when J&K acceded to India, it became a part of India. Before that, for centuries, the ancient route to Kailash Mansarovar passed through Demchok in Ladakh, through Tibet and finally the pilgrims reached Minsar, a village that was for centuries a part of the Ladakh empire.

Claude Apri, an expert on Ladakh and Tibet writes : 

Immediately after J&K Accession to India, Ladakhis took the stand that their future was linked with India, though culturally, racially and linguistically they were closer to Tibet. 

In May 1949, the first delegation of the Young Men's Buddhist Association of Ladakh led by Kalon Chhewang Rigzin met Nehru in Delhi and presented him a memorandum: “We seek the bosom of that gracious Mother India to receive more nutriment for growth to our full stature in every way. She has given us what we prize above all things - our religion and culture.” 

Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, the head Lama of Ladakh and long-time minister in Srinagar was another one who, as early as in the 1950s, defended the rights of the Ladakhis. Bakula never chose the path of confrontation; he always tried to get a greater autonomy by working with the system. As his method did not fully succeed, faced with Delhi's decades-long apathy and the 'larger issue of Kashmir', in 1989, the Ladakhis had no alternative but to resort to an agitation, a concept alien to Buddhism. A greater autonomy and closer links with India were not granted till the Ladakh Buddhist Association organised a non-violent movement; after many frustrating decades, Ladakh was finally offered an Autonomous Hill Development Council as a compromise in 1995. Though the chairman and his executives councilors (ministers) had vast executive powers on paper, they often faced a frustrating situation with Srinagar. 

Ladakh region has two districts, Leh and Kargil and two Autonomous Hill Development Councils, Ladakh (LAHDC ) and Kargil. In February 2019, Ladakh was granted Divisional status and on 6 August 2019, Lok Sabha passed the Bill granting Union Territory Status to Ladakh. 

Making Ladakh a Union Territory will help localise the Kashmir ‘issue’ to the Valley. The centre will be able to provide a better administration to the mountainous region. Ladakh borders both Pakistan and China, so this move will streamline the security and send a message to China: ‘India cares for Ladakh’. Ladakh has faced aggression both from Pakistan and China on both sides of the borders.

In October 1947, when ‘raiders’ from Pakistan began pouring into the Valley, looting and burning villages in their way, Ladakh was thought to be safe.But Pakistan decided to also 'liberate' their Buddhist brothers in Ladakh. The objectives of Operation Sledge, supposed to occupy the vast Ladakh plateau, were strategic and economic, the treasures of the Buddhist gompas (monasteries) being the great lure. The invaders were invited by the then Muslim population of Padam (Zanskar) and great looting took place, forcing many Buddhists to leave for Himachal Pradesh. The invaders were beaten back to the present day Line of Control (LoC).

In 1999, the Kargil war took place in Ladakh region. 

Siachen, since 1984, has been a highly militarised zone with India maintaining control of the strategic reaches.

On the eastern side, 1954 onwards, China occupied the strategic territory of Aksai Chin by Building Highway 219 connecting Kashgar in Xinxiang to Lhasa in Tibet. In 1962, it occupied the Aksai chin territory and since then, Ladakh faces security challenges from the Indo Tibet border.

In the prevailing security environment, Ladakh now has got place of prominence it deserves.

THE HEROES OF LADAKH 

Captain Prithvi Chand 

In February 1948, Brigadier S.P. Sen, the Brigade Commander in Srinagar got wind of the fact that more than 800 tribal Pathans were ready to enter Ladakh. The formidable Zoji-la pass was an uncrossable barrier between the Valley and Ladakh and there was no way to airlift reinforcements to Leh. Wheels other than the prayers wheels were unknown in Ladakh. 

It was then that Captain Prithvi Chand, a young Buddhist officer from Lahaul, the Himalayan region beyond Manali and the Rothang Pass, offered his services. He told Sen that he was ready to cross Zoji-la with a small caravan of men and mules carrying arms and ammunitions. Though Buddhists and believers in ahimsa, they were ready to risk the bitterly cold weather and high altitude, to fight the raiders and defend their co-religionists in Ladakh. Nobody thought the mission feasible, but there was no other solution. 

So, without the knowledge of army headquarters — which was reluctant to permit such a risky operation — the young captain crossed the pass with about 60 volunteers and reached Leh safely to prepare a ‘surprise’ for the raiders.The first airfield of Independent India was constructed at Leh by a Ladakhi engineer Sonam Norbu without any heavy machinery and fund of RS 13000- post completion of airstrip he returned the unused amount . 

 

 

Colonel Chewwang Rinchen

Colonel Chewwang Rinchen, who was twice awarded the Mahavir Chakra — first for having stopped the advance of raiders in the Nubra Valley in June 1948 and second for the bravery displayed in the Turtuk sector during the 1971 War.

 

With the creation of Ladakh as a Union Territory, the Heroes will get their space in national spotlight .

FUTURE OF LADAKH

Tourism will get a fillip as the Article 370, which impeded it, has been revoked. Negotiations with China to open the Demchok route for Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage will go a long way in reviving tourism and as a CBM (confidence building measure ). 

The question of Minsar, an Indian principality in Tibet ,which was a part of Ladakh and catered to Kailash Mansarovar, needs to be addressed. 

To conclude, the Grant of Union Territory status to Ladakh is a game changing step. Ladakh has finally got its due after decades.

Forgotten Minsar – An Indian hamlet in Tibet

 Most Indians would be startled to know that there exists a small hamlet in Tibet West of Mount Kailash, which was administered by Ladakh and then by Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) for over 300 years. The hamlet comprising of village of Minsar (Mansar) was part of Kingdom of Ladakh from early Seventeenth Century. The revenue from this region was used for the maintenance of Kailash and Mansarovar Yatra. The first official reference to Minsar is found in the Treaty of Tingmosgang signed between Tibet and Ladakh in 1684, wherein Ladakh was allowed to retain Minsar. When Ladakh became part of J&K, Minsar became part of the State of J&K and consequently, became a part of India when Maharaja Hari Singh acceded to India. The state of J&K regularly collected revenue from Minsar, and its officials periodically visited the village and kept doing so till the 1950s, even after J&K acceded to India. This article is an attempt to enlighten the readers about this forgotten Indian hamlet in Tibetan Plateau, which has gone out of Indian consciousness.

 

  

Historically, Minsar was an enclave of the princely state of J&K situated in Tibet. For centuries Minsar was the centre for pilgrims visiting Kailash Mansarovar and revenues of Minsar were used for maintaining the holy sites at Kailash Mansarovar. The old route to Kailash Mansarovar was from Demchok Village on the border of Ladakh via Minsar, which was closed after the occupation of Tibet by China. The Indian rights to this small town were inherited from the Peace Treaty between Ladakh and Tibet signed in Tingmosgang in 1684. Besides the confirmation of the delimitation of the border between Western Tibet and Ladakh, the Treaty affirmed, “The king of Ladakh reserves to himself the village of Minsar in Ngari-Khor-sum (Western Tibet)”. For centuries, Minsar has been a home for Ladakhi and Kashmiri traders and pilgrims visiting the holy mountain.

 

A report of Thrinley Shingta, the 7th Gyalwang Drukpa, head of the Drukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism, who spent three months in the area in 1748; makes interesting reading. It states “Administratively, it is established that the next village of Minsar and its surrounding areas are ancient Ladakhi territory. After Lhasa invaded West Tibet in 1684, it was agreed and formally inscribed in the Peace Treaty between Tibet and Ladakh, signed in 1684, that the King of Ladakh retained the territory of Minsar and its neighbourhood as a territorial enclave, in order to meet the religious offering expenses of the sacred sites by Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash.”

 

For centuries, the inhabitants of Minsar, although surrounded by Tibetan territories, paid their taxes to the kingdom of Ladakh. In the 19th century, when Ladakh was incorporated into Maharaja Gulab Singh’s State, Minsar became de jure and de facto part of the Dogra Empire, which regularly collected taxes from Minsar. The process continued even after Indian independence. The last official to visit the region was Rigzen Ghagil Kalon, a special officer of the Government of J&K. He visited the village in 1950, and his report was subsequently forwarded by the Government of J&K to the Ministry of States New Delhi, informing it about the circumstances under which the Special Officer visited Tibet.

 

Rigzen Ghagil Kalon’s report titled ‘Village Minsar in Western Tibet’ and dated September 13, 1950, stated that Demchok was the last Village on Indian Border. The report also mentioned that it took ten days to reach Minsar from Demchok “The village Minsar is situated to the east of Gartok and about 32 miles west of Mount Kailash. It is a broad valley with vast plains in it. There are 68 families with 271 souls of which 120 are males and the rest females and are all adherents of Buddhism.” The report further mentions “I found there a few Garhwal tradesmen who did a lot of propaganda in my favour among the people telling them that I belonged to the National Government of J&K which is a part of India. It proved a great help to me. I asked for the recovery of revenue and the people told me that they had not the least hesitation in paying the amount to the State Government.”

 

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) report of 1960 during the Indo China Boundary talks also establishes India’s right over Minsar, “The Indian side had similar records to show that the village of Minsar was from 1684 under the effective administration of the Kashmir Government:

 

(a) An extract from an original document prepared in about 1862 showing that during the time of Mehta Basti Ram, that is about 1853, a sum of Rs 56 was collected from this village as revenue.

 

(b) An extract from the tour report of Faqir Chand, Wazir Wazarat of Ladakh in 1905, stating that the village of Minsar belonged to Ladakh and that a sum of Rs 297 was being collected annually as revenue from this village.

 

(c) The Indian side had shown earlier that the Assessment Report of 1905, the Final Assessment Report of 1908 and the Settlement Officer’s report regarding the amount of revenue payable had all mentioned Minsar also as one of the villages.”

 

On May 23, 2014, Scoop News reported that the Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Rigzin Spalbar wrote to J&K Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed demanding re-opening of Demchok route wherein he stated that till the 17th century, the Manasarovar Lake and Mount Kailash were part of the Kingdom of Ladakh and the village of Minsar, near the Kailash continued to pay revenues to the J&K State up to 1960. He cited Ven. Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, then a Minister in J&K Government who in 1954, along with Sonam Khangsar, a judicial clerk of the Leh District Commissioner's Office, visited Kailash/Manasarovar via Demchok; at that time, they collected taxes from the Minsar villagers.

 

So, how did India give up its rights on Minsar? Claude Apri, who has written extensively about Minsar, Ladakh and Tibet says that in his quest to make Panchsheel successful, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru decided to forego all rights on Principality of Minsar during Indo China Border talks in 1953. Claude Apri states, “Nehru was aware that Minsar had been providing revenue for maintaining the temples around the sacred mountain and the holy Manasarovar lake, but believed that India should unilaterally renounce her rights as a gesture of goodwill towards Communist China.” 

He instructed the diplomats negotiating the Panchsheel accord in Beijing, “Regarding the village of Minsar in Western Tibet, which has belonged to the Kashmir State, it is clear that we shall have to give it up if this question is raised. We need not to raise it. If it is raised, we should say that we recognise the strength of the Chinese contention and we are prepared to consider it and recommend it.”

 

Eventually, Minsar was not discussed at all during the 1954 talks, and therefore, it continues to be legally and constitutionally a part of J&K State of India. No change of boundary was ever ratified in the Parliament via amending Article 1 of the constitution, as was done for the Indian and Bangladeshi Enclaves. John Bray, President of the International Association of Ladakh Studies, wrote, “the Sino-Indian boundary dispute remains unresolved. Since the 1960s, the attention of the two governments has focused on the demarcation of the frontier and, more recently, on the prospects for mutual trade. The status of Minsar is no more than a minor footnote to these concerns, but one that has still to be cleared up.”

 

Minsar, besides having a historical and spiritual context for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains in India, raises many unanswered questions. The Legal status of Minsar has never been addressed. The treaty of 1684 has never been formally revoked by ratification in the Parliament, neither the boundary been changed by amending Article 1 of the constitution. Till 1961, MEA was proving its rights over Minsar by providing revenue records, maps and administrative documents to Chinese, but never formally staked a claim. Neither was any compensation demanded giving up Minsar from the Government of China. The issue was never highlighted in public domain inspite of repeated clarifications sought on Minsar by the Member of Parliament from Ladakh constituency since 1982 in the Lok Sabha.

 

Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage holds a very important place in the hearts of Indians. The Yatra at present is either via Nathu La or via Niti pass in Uttarakhand, both being very rigorous and prone to Suspensions due to unfavourable weather conditions. The reopening of Demchok route has been a constant demand from the people of Ladakh. In the eventuality of the route becoming a reality, the significance of having an Indian enclave in the vicinity of Kailash Mansarovar cannot be overemphasised.

 

At present, Minsar is situated at southern end of Gar (Gartok) County on national highway 219 in Ngari Prefecture. Its Chinese name is Men-shi which is pronounced something like “Men-sher.” Minsar is separated from India by the width of Zhada (Tsamda) County, also in Ngari Prefecture. The nearest point in India would be the Malari and Niti Passes in Uttarakhand State. India must take up with China the unresolved issue of Minsar. Given its historical and spiritual context, Minsar cannot and should not be allowed to become a forgotten footnote in History of India.

Note : this article appeared in organiser https://www.organiser.org/Encyc/2019/2/20/Forgotten-Minsar-An-Indian-hamlet-in-Tibet.html 

NO ! MR ABDULLAH -PAKISTAN HAS NO CLAIM ON POJK !

November 11,2017-Mr Farooq Abdullah made a very shocking statement asserting that Pakistan owns POK and Kashmir should be divided accordingly into 2 parts.Of late Mr Abdullah senior and Abdullah junior have been making irresponsible comments. Farooq,being the son of Sheikh Abdullah, does not shock oby the seditious nature of his statements.

 Let the statements be contested with facts and also  the readers be refreshed and informed about the actions of Sheikh Abdullah to understand the present stand of the Abdullahs. 

First some points regarding the Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir     

            

J&K was the largest princely state of erstwhile British India,with borders adjoining both Dominions of India and Pakistan. It must be clearly understood that only British India was divided into dominions of Pakistan and India-There was NO scope for any division of any princely state.The state had to accede completely to either Dominion and the power of accession was given to the ruler of princely state. Thus,within the scope of India Independence act 1947-Maharaja Hari Singh,Ruler of Jammu-Kashmir signed the instrument of accession like other princely states,Lord Mountbatten countersigned it and on 26 oct 1947 State of Jammu-Kashmir acceded to India.This accession was not reversible and under Art 1 of Indian constitution,Areas can be added but not reduced. So is Farooq Abdullah advocating Sedition of a part of Jammu-Kashmir? 

It is an Established historical fact that Pakistan attacked the princely state of Jammu-Kashmir on the Night of 21-22 Oct 1947 .Gilgit, Baltistan,Mirpur,Muzzafarabad,Kotli, Bhimber, parts of Poonch remained under its occupation post UN mandated 1Jan 1949 ceasefire .How can  this area be a legitimate part of Pakistan? When this area was never in British India but belonged to Maharaja Hari Singh ruled Jammu-Kashmir? A large part of Jammu Kashmir is occupied by China,Minsar in Tibet which was a part of J&Kwas gifted away by Nehru to China,In 1963 Shaksgam valley in Pak occupied  Gilgit Balistan region of J&Kwas Gifted by Pakistan to China. How can there be any basis for Pakistan to Claim occupied areas?

Now let us analyse other legal Documents in addition to the instrument of Accession , cementing the assertion that Whole of JK state is an integral part of India 

1) UN resolutions- India approached the UN as a nation attacked by a neighbouring country-UN resolutions do not make any case of Pakistan having a right over Indian territory measuring upto 85,000 sq km it has occupied. The UNCIP Resolution of August 1948 clearly states that Pakistan is occupying Areas in J&K and has to vacate these areas. The clarifications issued by UNCIP also state that Pakistan have NO Sovereign rights on occupied territories.

So Pakistan will have to denounce UN resolutions to claim its rights on POJK  

2) The  proclamation Signed by Karan Singh on 25 Nov 1949 regarding implementation of Indian constitution in J&K .

3)The judgement of AJK HC on Gilgit Baltistan in March 1994 that Gilgit and Baltistan are parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

 4)Jammu Kashmir is not a part of Pakistan as per the constitution of Pakistan . Also Pakistan S.C Has ruled that GB is not a constitutional part of Pakistan which has only 4 provinces.

4) February 22,1994 Resolution by the Indian Parliament unanimously proclaiming whole of Jammu Kashmir to be an Integral Part of India. 

Examining the role of Sheikh Abdullah in the pre and post Independence  History of India with regard to Jammu and Kashmir. 

1)In 1930-31-Sheikh Abdullah led agitations and protests against Maharaja Hari Singh.He gave inciting speeches in Mosques in Srinagar and incited stone pelting and violence.He was helped in this by Muslim youth coming in from British controlled Punjab.Maharaja Hari Singh arrested him for provoking unrest,but the protests continued until Maharaja Hari Singh signed  60 year lease of Gilgit-Balistan  with the British.Then the protests stopped. 

2)When the Cabinet Mission came to India ,Sheikh Abdullah started a movement called 'Maharaja,Quit Kashmir'.He was arrested for sedition.  3)Sheikh Abdullah was not popular With Shias,Gurjars,Buddhists,Pahadi Muslims,Baltis , Shina and Hindu population of Jammu,Kashmir.He left Muslim conference and formed Jammu Kashmir National Conference in 1939 which got support from Jawaharlal Nehru.

4) After Accession when the First Assembly elections were held in JK,Sheikh Abdullah cancelled the nomination of the Jammu  based Praja Parishad candidates and thus ensured win of National Conference.He propagated  the Idea of a separate flag, Emblem and Permit for JK.This was opposed vehemently by Sri SP Mukherji and Praja Parishad Members.Many Praja parishad members attained Martyrdom while hoisting the tricolor and Sri SP Mukherjee attained Martyrdom in Srinagar while opposing two flags,two constitutions and permits to visit JK within India .

5) The Delhi accord which was more of a committment between Nehru-Abdullah and the events leading to Martyrdom of SP Mukherjee led to lots of Unease within NC itself.Deputy PM Ghulam Bakshi led the Revolt against Sheikh Abdullah -15 members were against Sheikh Abdullah's statement that Jammu Kashmir accession was conditional while only 4 supported him.The Members of Cabinet informed Karan Singh that they had lost confidence in Sheikh Abdullah ,Leading to Dismissal of Sheikh Abdullah as Primeminister of JK.Sheikh Abdullah was in Gulmarg that time and was on his way to Gilgit to proclaim Independence of JK . His plans were thwarted and he was Arrested . 

Thus it comes as no surprise that Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah make Pro-Pak statements and bat for Autonomy of JK and term the accession as conditional, inspite of proof present to the contrary.

Time has come to condemn such Statements. Not only condemn but according to laws these statements of Farooq Abdullah can be termed Seditious. As a citizen one hopes that the Government gives an adequate and befitting response to Farooq Abdullah who is an MP in Parliament  

Where Naseeruddin Shah's Fluffy article legitimises 'Hindu Mobs attacking Muslims' narrative of MSM

 

Today morning my WA groups were posting an Article of Naseeruddin shah in HT times and getting emotional about his 'secular' 'deeply personal' article-I read his article,was deeply distressed at how by just claiming he is not a 'good Muslims' he gets emotional Hindus to toe the libbie line.
To me both the title and content of the article are just an extension of sagarikha ghose's tweet about Hindu mobs hunting down Muslims.
He starts with an insidious victim playing, calling himself not a 'good Muslim' by emphasising the Binary of a good Muslim in salafi/Arab wear, and by mentioning his 'deeply personal' detail of marrying Ratna,a Hindu and by bringing in the love Jihad Binary of Muslim-Hindu marriage ,places himself on a pedestal and starts preaching . He totally neglects the fact that inter-religion marriage is not love jihad, marrying Hindu, Christian girls and making them convert to Islam as a hidden agenda is love Jihad .
He rues that he never remembers Muslims being viewed with suspicion --till about 30 years back there was no salafi Islam inspired Islamic terror--in India it started in Kashmir in mid 80's but was legitimised as call for Aazaadi . It is since global terror by Muslim youth, professing to be inspired by Quran and the ideological idea of a Muslim Caliphate that Muslims are being viewed with suspicion .
Then the normal monkey balancing starts--first by equating the horrors of Islamic terror with the new narrative of 'gau rakshaks'--while gau raksha is revered by most Hindus ,equating a few stray incidents of alleged gau rakshaks ( which have in most cases turned out to be local Spats between rival gangs of smugglers, between local goondas masquerading as gau rakshaks, villagers fighting with cattle thieves) which are condemned and not given sanction -either by ruling party or by Hindu society-stray incidents are compared to horrific bombings, knifing,car mowings etc .
Then another ridiculous equivalence starts--that of creeping radicalising of Muslim society ,esp in dressing up in full body Burkhas, toddler girls in hijab,men in beards and Islamic long Kurta and short pyjama --with 'creeping tilak and saffron' -in Hindus !!!!
The Most offensive part was his fear of Mobs asking for religious identity of his kids in future-just to remind him-mobs asked for religious identity on direct action day in 1946, in 1989,1990, mobs in Kashmir caused mass exodus of Kashmiri pandits based on religious identity,1984 Sikhs were massacred by congress leaders based on religious identity,In nandigram 2003, Kashmiri pandits of an entire village were killed based on religious identity, last couple of years Violent Muslim mobs in Malda,Dhulagarh have gone on rampage over religious identity.
Then Shah plays 'Sare jahan se Accha ' card --rueing that Audience did not know that a Muslim wrote the song --well most of audience may not know that later Iqbal supported partition, and wrote Tarana-e-Mili - supporting the idea of Ummah or Islamic nation! 
In eulogising Iqbal Naseeruddin forgets that after writing ' Hindi hai hum watan hai Hindustan hamara' Iqbal was the philosophical father Of Pakistan and influenced Jinnah in creating Pakistan .Naseeruddin may not know the poem was later changed to -Chin o Arab Hamara,Muslim hain hum, watan hai Sara jahan hamara
To conclude , the real Brave Muslims taking on the problems in Islam are Salman Rushdie who wrote satanic verses, Tasleema Nasreen, Ayaan hirsi Ali -And who have and are paying a price for it ! 
The article would have been a honest one had Naseeruddin not given in temptation of bringing in 'mobs',Gau rakshaks,Tilak, saffron and Sania Mirza's skirt length from decade ago . 

Forgotten Victims of Partition- POJK and Gilgit Baltistan refugees -Unearthing them from National Archives

 15 August is approaching . In the run up to the Independence Day we remember our freedom fighters , our leaders and evaluate our progress as a young nation with an ancient civilisation . Often forgotten is the fact that it was British India that was partitioned and declared ‘Independent’ while for the 562 plus princely states , the Paramountcy of British power ended and existing treaties ,leases etc were dissolved . The princely states could accede to either Dominion of India or or Pakistan- there was no provision for a third Dominion. The time preceding and post Partition was violent and turbulent -a fact often forgotten in the euphoria of celebrations.

Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India on 26 October 1947. On the night of 21-22 October 1947 , Jammu and Kashmir was invaded by Pakistani raiders from Pashtun areas, supported by Pakistani Army. The events in the Kashmiri valley are well known, and the looting and violence that was unleashed is well documented, the Indian Army soon forced the raiders to retreat .

The story of Non Muslims of Mirpur -Muzzafarabad districts and Gilgit Baltistan province is however forgotten. The Hindu and Sikh victims of the events of 1947 are but an erased footnote in the post 1947 history of  India .

The National Archives has documents relating to the hapless victims of partition , both in Mirpur Muzzafarabad and Gilgit Baltistan area , both under Pakistani occupation since UN mandated Ceasefire of 1 January 1949. Till 1950, the issue of evacuation and release of Hindu and Sikh girls, women and children was in national headlines, but soon was relegated to the dusty files of National archives.

Here, an effort will be made to bring out the story of the forgotten victims. Where are these girls,women and children now? Their present generation ,both in india and Pakistan ,may not even know they existed once as Hindus and Sikhs 

Refugees and Abducted victims of Mirpur Muzzafarabad now termed POJK 

From the night of 22 October , violence and terror was unleashed on Hindus and Sikhs of Mirpur, Muzaffarabad , Bhimber, Kotli ,Poonch and surrounding areas. Thousands of Hindus and Sikhs perished and thousands of young women,Girls and children were kidnapped and taken captive by Raiders. The lucky Hindus and Sikhs who managed to flee reached Jammu and later lived on as POJK refugees. The violence did not stop even after Indian Army was deployed. For two years, until ceasefire was announced, the indian army protected the refugees ,often under siege, surrounded by Muslim areas and Pakistani Army. The woes of non Muslims worsened after cease fire was announced and the areas came under Pakistani occupation. 

Recovery commissions were set up to locate and free kidnapped non Muslims from Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Applications abound in the archives for securing release of young girls held captive in villages by refugees from POJK. One such application from a refugee camp in UP ( refugees from POJK were not settled in Kashmir valley, this story will be explained another time) states that young girls as young as 12 years were abducted, converted and married off to old men . 

Mridula Sarabai made efforts to locate, secure release and evacuate the unfortunate Hindu and Sikh girls. Her report in national archives, even though in official language ,cannot hide the terrible human tragedy that was being witnessed in the open, in front of everyone’s eyes. The report speaks of 3 abducted girls , in Mirpur ,who were recovered . But public pressure was so intense that a person of the Rank of a Deputy Commissioner returned the three girls back to the abductors. 

There were confirmed reports of the kidnapped girls being taken to ‘closed’ villages in the interiors and by the raiders back to their villages. Any efforts to return the abducted girls and even children was resisted by the whole village. Before ceasefire, it was still possible to recover girls via Indian armed forces, but after ceasefire , the Pakistan recovery office and police did not make any credible efforts to secure release of the girls. 

About 200 young girls were reported to be kept in an non official camp, in Mirpur head water works, for ‘use’ of Millitary .

In refugee camps in Pakistan occupied territory of J&K , these women,girls and children were kept as bargaining tools and not returned to their families even when located.  A Muslim conference meeting held in Lahore upheld the view that the kidnapped persons and those in refugee camps should not be returned until accession of Kashmir to Pakistan, these views were also supported by the officers of the recovery police. 

Two refugees who had returned from POJK made this disclosure to Mr Rishi, head of congress committee in Delhi. The ministry of states has reported The meeting with the Refugees and Mr Rishi, where the refugees informed that camp commandants were refusing to release women and children unless a corresponding number of Muslim women and children were given in exchange . A camp in Datya, was reported to have 79 women and 38 children, who were not being released .

Areas of Mirpur Muzzaffarabad were under the recovery office and there were reports, recoveries and evacuations , though reduced to a trickle . The case of Gilgit Baltistan was even more pathetic as that came under ministry of state. After the mutiny and accession of Gilgit to Pakistan, there was no way to contact non Muslims in Gilgit Baltistan. The Hindu traders of Kashgar were the first to inform the British consulate there to the plight of Hindus and Sikhs .

The government of India initially put up its hands ,but the pressure of the Hindu traders in Kashgar made it act.

The Sikh and Hindu employees of the Kashmir government were the first victims. They were kidnapped and taken to frontier areas and made to work for Pakistan. Many were killed . A tragic application stating that Daughters and even wives of J&K government employees were converted and forcibily married to army officers of Pakistan army . Elder daughter of a postal clerk Shankar Lal Dhar was converted and forcibily married to a Pakistani army officer.

The traders who managed to escape Gilgit informed that 150 Hindu and Sikh traders in Gilgit ,along with their women and children had converted to Islam.

Further application from a Sikh trader in Dehradoon requesting evacuation of his family members from Gilgit  Informed that the family ,along with the women, had converted to Islam. 

Hindu and Sikhs of Gilgit were confined to the Gilgit fort and converted , fate of their womenfolk were unknown, but were supposed to have been converted and forcibly married off.

Applications requesting evacuation of Hindu and Sikhs in Skardu, Astore, Chilas also abound in national archives . Tragic stories of Husband not being allowed to leave while the wife was lucky to have been released abound.

These stories ,written in cold official language, nevertheless , speak of a great human tragedy. These are victims of our political freedom which we got on 15 August 1947.

Mridula Sarabai gave a list of about 2317 abducted persons ,which she stressed was neither final, nor the least, as every released person gave details about further persons.

The kidnapped women,girls and children were leading secure ,happy lives, having dreams and their Little joys - when events not in their control turned their lives upside down. What terrible experiences must have befallen these hapless girls ,women, children, to be snatched away from their known lives and becoming slaves and living in hostile villages. Did their children even know the past of their mother? How did the families of these abducted girls carry on with their lives . Did they pass on their tragic stories to the next generation? 

The employees of the Kashmir government were thrown into these events by virtue of being posted to these areas. Many were kidnapped, their daughters forcibily married off! What happened to them and to the traders and others who were converted ? Did their second generation know the history? 

These answers were never sought ! A few survivors did write about their experiences but somehow, these stories never made way into the Kashmir Narrative. The wife of the Wazir -e-Wazarat of Muzzafarabad , Smt Krishna Mehta has written about these terrible times . Her husband was pushed to his knees and killed by raiders for being a kaffir . A person so powerful could be killed like this. She recounts girls defacing themselves in refugee camps to save their honour and women killing themselves to escape rape and kidnapping.

These are gross human right violations , which happened under eyes of UN commissioners ,Red Cross , British Authorities- all these profess to be beckons of human right protection. The nation of India  watched Helplessly while its women, girls ,young men and children were enslaved and converted or who killed themselves or were killed . 

Let us not forget them, for they payed a great price for our political freedom .