Social Darwinism, Islam and Kashmir-1990 & Now
Introduction
The events of 19 Jan 1990 in Kashmir have seriously challenged the possibility of any peaceful living of the followers of Indian religions with the fellow Muslims. It has refreshed the pains of partition of India when a large section of the communities of Indian religion were forced to flee from Pakistan and about ~18% of those who did not migrate, were made to perish by now…converted, fled or killed. This is the fact sheet of Muslim majority states…be it Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan or Bangladesh or elsewhere…where non-Muslim religious minorities cannot live with pride and honour…unlike India where Minorities not only live with pride but they are threatening the peace-loving majority community and increasingly making them a minority in own homeland. Genocidal Jihadi events of Jan 1990 made millions of Kashmiri Pandits, the refugees in own homeland. Not a single neighborly Muslim friend could extend a helping hand to their fellow Kahmiri Pandit of reassurance. On the contrary, they advised them to flee Kashmir. In recent years and decade, none of the fellow Muslim brethren want their return to their own homes. This is because the Muslims have grabbed their properties either for free or at a throw-away price in the days of their grief and are reluctant to part with them. In today’s Jammu & Kashmir when article 370 has been abrogated and there are increasing possibilities of return of its Pandits and with that, return of peace; terrorists both Pakistani and homegrown, are striking the Hindu and Sikhs once again...to discourage them.
Survival of Religion (Social Darwinism)
Survival of the fittest laid down by Darwin states “If you have to survive, you have to be among the fittest, best adjusted to the environment”. Although it applied to plant’s evolution, many scientists believe it applies to all…even to human in the form of “Social Darwinism”. The author is no social scientist, but feels that the term could also be extended to “Survival of Religions“…as “The dominant religions and faith will survive and the weak & feeble will perish”. In the last two millennia itself, we have witnessed how Christianity and Islam spread far and wide…engulfing the weaker & feeble faiths, unable to defend. Christianity with Western shine, money, fanfare of huge places of worship called churches, well dressed priests and nuns, organised masses…attracted most in the poor nations and spread mostly among the people who were poor, unorganised, whose original faiths had started wavering because of lack of preaches and practices. This faith in next few centuries increasingly came under a dominant Islam that hated other faiths and compelled the natives to accept it willingly or perish before swords. Islam originated among barbarians of Arab and remains a barbaric faith that could have perished immediately after Mohamed but for one reason…the next Caliph ruled ‘death for leaving Islam’ and that fear was enshrined in their demonic religious law that remains effective even today. This barbaric approach has forced 57 nations in the folds of ‘Islamic nations’ that forms a significant group.
Islam as a faith is barbaric, bigoted right from the days of Mohamed (Islamic intolerance, bigotry and Fascism; The Counterviews; July 2021; https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/islamic-intolerance-bigotry-fascism-global-caliphate/). He hated the Arabian tribes and exterminated many dozens of them in to extinction…a crime that is termed ‘Genocide’ today. The same crime was committed by the later Islamic Caliphs too. Their swords made ‘Parsis’ almost extinct. Hindu and Buddhists in India suffered one of the worst of the genocides of those times in the hands of cruel Muslim rulers, yet survived…but just. Thanks partly to the British who occupied India in the nick of time when Hindus under Islamic threats were becoming a demoralised lot…heading to break-away…in to Islam, Christianity…but for the efforts of the reformers of Arya Samaj who revived it, gave a new lease of life to the bewildered millions of Hindus. Jammu & Kashmir had been on the cross-roads after independence…when this princely state was likely to be decimated by the Pakistani Islamist invaders…but for a bit belated step by the Maharaja who signed the instrument of Accession… that enabled the Indian Forces to prevent it falling to Pakistan…for the sake of lives and honour of the millions of Hindus and Sikhs…that were saved.
Decimation & Genocide of Kashmiri Pandits
In the parts that were taken by Pakistan (PoK), Kashmiri Hindus, Sikhs and Pandits were decimated and only Muslim remains today. That is the grudge of many radical Kashmiri Muslims as to why a handful Pandits, the original inhabitants remained in Kashmir. In the late 1980s, at the behest of their masters in Pakistan, they resumed their hate against non-Muslims, instilling fear by killing and making them flee as witnessed in 1990. This raises a serious question…is Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism weak so as to have been made extinct from Kashmir as well as from the erstwhile Indian states of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh? What if these religions decide at any time to make the barbaric Islam extinct from their areas of dominance? What if Hindu, Buddhists or Sikh form a militant group for spread of own faith/religion and adopts a kind of religious war akin to Jihad, to get their lands freed of barbaric and inhuman Muslims? Unfortunately, they haven’t learnt the lessons and have become extinct in those states and nations. The lesson is to counter any effort of conversion by threat, raise your own religious militant group which can prevail on the barbarians.
A lot many people of prominence have dwelt at length of the slogan “Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat and Jamhuriat” (meaning humanity, feel of empathy for fellow Kashmiri and the democracy) but seldom anyone knows that those words are mere fancy quotes of the fancied leaders after the genocide of fellow Pandits in 1990. When Bharat Ratna Bajpayee used those words in 1999-2000, he must have known that relevance of those words were dead long before. Long before he had sought of bringing benevolence to the Valley of Kashmir, Some Kashmiri Muslims, unarguably the radicals, along with their Pakistani conspirators had hatched a conspiracy in 1990 with the local militant group JKLF, to betray their Hindu Brethren. Many of those Pandits had sheltered numerous many fellow Muslims on own land, in own neighbourhood, out of sheer compassion for them…but they betrayed their faith when they needed their help and assistance the most.
Ralive, Tsalive ya Galive
On 19 Jan 1990, the radical Muslim neighbours of the Pandits in Kashmir valley colluded with their JKLF and Pakistani handlers with a dire threat…”Ralive, Tsalive ya Galive” meaning convert to Islam, flee or die. Further, in order to add salt to the wound, the youths of the neighbourhood added another narrative…’leave your women (for us)’. Any sensible human would say that these words that indicate the humanity among those Kashmiris Muslims were dead. Not only was their Insaniyat (humanity) dead but their acts also dealt a death nail to the empathy of dealing with a fellow Kashmiri (the Kashmiriyat). Hence, before Bajpayee gave that slogan, he would have best known as PM that those were the hollow slogans…and worst, when Muslim Kashmiri leaders like Abdullahs or Mehbooba now tries to invoke those holy words, they are committing murders of their own consciences because all of them know that they themselves or their fathers were inhuman, when they betrayed the faith of their fellow Kashmiri, the Pandits. It may be worth mentioning here that such barbarism in Islam is not isolated events. Recently, in 2014-15 we have witnessed in Iraq when ISIS adopted exactly the same ploy against Yezidis.
Any sensible secular Indian may tend to feel bad to say that Kashmiri Muslims behaved like devils. However, it is a fact that in 1990, to instil a fear in the minds of the fellow Kashmiri Pandits; making them to flee to save their lives and honour of their families. Most of them fled except a handful of brave Sikhs who chose to stay back. As such the threat calls were for the Pandits and the Sikhs of the valley felt they may be left unharmed. With the murders of men and dishonour of their women in the hands of the Pakistani Muslim invaders in 1947; and reluctance of the fellow Kashmiri Muslims to come to their help, the Sikhs would have fully known that Muslims were untrustworthy. Yet, they made a conscious decision to stay back and paid heavily with numerous lives lost to the Islamic betrayal and terrorism. Similarly, a small bunch of ‘well to do’ Kashmiri Pandits of Nadimarg living together stayed back and paid heavily when 24 of them incl women and children, were lined up in front of their house and shot dead point blank on 23 March 2003. It was believed that some neighbours and policemen were also complicit, 38 of them…but they were not even produced before the court. There are several such instances when the non-Muslims of Kashmir were killed by the terrorists of both Paki and home-grown origins. No Muslim neighbours came to their help and assistance.
1990 Conspiracy of Mufti-Abdullah
The response of the Indian and state govts in the period that led to Pandits’ genocide was utterly pathetic. Mufti Mohamed, a Kashmiri himself, was the Home minister of India and Farooq Abdulla the Chief Minister. These two allowed the law and order of the state to be compromised and deteriorate to the extent that there were whispers that the two colluded with Pakistani handlers of the JKLF, towards a greater aim of Azadi to Kashmir valley. The author of the article had witnessed the aftermaths of the mayhem in the valley that year. It is believed that Abdullah had allegedly whispered before resigning, to the JKLF and the local radicals, that I have brought Azadi to your doorstep; now you grab it. Unfortunately for them, PM / President of India could possibly smell the rats and changed the incapable state governor overnight and imposed President’s rule. New Governor, Shri Jagmohan had a huge task of saving the lives and honours of the Pandits. There were not adequate troops in the valley to provide protection and article 370 did not permit the Union Govt to rush in military without a nod from the local govt headed by CM Abdullah. Hence, he decided to evacuate the hales Pandits from the valley. No Muslim neighbours came to their help or assistance. Amidst the continuous chants from loud-speakers atop all mosques in Kashmir of “Ralive, Tsalive ys Galive” all Pandits preferred the option to flee with the hope that they could return some days after the situation normalise. However, the Kashmiri Muslims have not been kind. Seldom any Muslim in their heart want the Pandits to return back. The Pandits have become refugee in own home land with their lands and other assets grabbed by the Muslims.
The Present Spurt of Violence
In the recent years after abrogation of article 370, imposition of curfew undoubtedly gave no scope to the radical and terrorist elements to indulge in any nefarious activities. However, after the curfew was lifted, internet services restored, local political leaderships freed from the house arrests, the terrorism slowly restarted and revived. Pakistan tried all efforts to meddle in but failed. However, after the Talibani victory on Afghanistan, Pakistan has started a new agenda…of asking the radical elements of the valley to follow Talibani principles. They have revived scores of terrorist launch pads across the LoC and pushing the terrorists in J&K. Govt of India knows very well about the launch pads yet has failed to take proactive measures to neutralise those terrorist on the pretext that it will violate the cease-fire agreement with Pak. It defies all logic of Indian counter-terror ops. For last nearly 15 days, counter-terror ops are going on in the jungle of Poonch sector. Very fact that such long Ops are being sustained by the terrorist, it is for sure that they are getting replenishments/supplements…food, water, ammo…from some local sources. These local sympathisers must also be identified and dealt with firmly.
The terrorists have now started targeting BJP/Cong village representatives of Mukhiya and Sarpanch, Hindu citizen, Sikh, vendors from other states running small business…to create a fear factor once again. It is unfortunate that a major chunk of Muslim youths is being brainwashed for decades to give away their lives for Islam…and they are convinced through Mullahs that such cowardly acts serve the purpose of Islam. It is very unfortunate and need to be curbed. We know Quran contains many verses that justify violence against non-Muslims and teaching Quran to young children surely sows the seeds of intolerance and radicalism very early at their tender age.
Is the present problem comparable to 1990?
Let us compare with the situation now with that of 1990. The situation now is that the terrorists have started targeted killing of BJP workers (whether Hindu or Muslim), Hindu/Sikh of the valley and innocent vendors from outside of the state. In 1990, the terror threats were from the Pakistani Jihadists and JKLF but now fairly significant numbers of them are the radical Muslim inhabitants of J&K. Earlier lot many Pandits lived mixed-up with Kashmiri Muslims but now there are hardly a few hundred, mostly in own groups. Earlier there was no law and order in the valley but now significant numbers of security forces are deployed. Earlier the concept of Fidayeen and suicide attacks were not there but in the recent decades, Pakistani training camps have mastered this technique in to the jihadists. Hence, despite the robust security arrangements, suicidal attacks cannot be totally prevented. Earlier in 1990, the Home Minister of India allegedly colluded with the separatists and now, Min of Def has possibly been complacent in not striking the terrorists in their launching pads, knowing fully well that there are many hundreds of them ready to infiltrate. Hence, while it could be said for sure that while radical elements among a handful of local Muslims remain as unfaithful as earlier, the state security is by and large robust.
Resolving radicalism/terrorism in Kashmir
There is no doubt whatsoever that Pakistan, their ISI and their 4th wing of Army…the Jihadists…are sponsoring terrorism in the Kashmir valley. They keep pushing those terrorists through the thick jungle in to J&K. Indian govt must not allow those infiltrations and start proactive measures to kill or neutralise the Pakistani terrorists in those launch pads across the LoC itself. Modi govt has the means to strike them. Undoubtedly the local separatists and radical groups are also involved, who become conduits for the Pak sponsored terror activities. It is wrong to assume that these radicals and sympathisers are working only for money…not at all…many of them are from well to do families, well-educated and even professionals, who indulge in the terror related activities in the name of Islam. Hence, all means that radicalise the children and youth, must be identified and curbed.
Injustice to the original natives, the Kashmiri Pandits will have to be undone. They have to be brought back to the valley at Govt’s cost; with full security provided to them. More importantly, the local Muslims must change their apathy towards them. Return their looted land and other assets.
Quranic education must be banned for children below the age of 16…just like in China. It is fanning radicalism in their tender minds. It may also be prudent for the Govt of India to set-up a commission of renowned academicians, religious educationists and reformists to review the religious literatures of all religions and remove/amend the content that could be considered causing intolerance/radicalism/ terrorism against the fellow Indians. It is well known that many of the verses in Manusmriti preach discrimination against fellow Hindu castes. Similarly, many verses in Quran (as shown) and Hadith teach intolerance against the followers of faiths/religions other than Islam. In a screening carried out in France following the Jihadi attack on the teacher that many of the mosques had employed highly radicalised and unauthorised Mullahs from radicalised nations. In many states of Europe, the Qhutba read during the Friday sermons in the mosques are pre-screened that it contains no hate/intolerance preaching.
Some progressive Muslim thinkers and scholars of Islam had approached our court to remove/amend the 26 verses of Quran that are causing Islamic radicalism but as it often happens, the court mostly hears and understands the voices and languages of elite advocates and unfortunately, the appellant could not afford one such lawyer. The case was dismissed. Govt of India may authorise its Solicitor General to take-up the burning issue once again.
It is also known from Islamic preachers that Muslims regard Islam above nation. This must be amended. There could be nothing above motherland, the nation. A verse has to be inserted somewhere that reminds every national that the nation comes first and then only anything else incl religion.
Govt of India must make all policy decisions that could bring all religions on the level-playing field. For example, if Islam authorises Jihad against actions considered un-Islamic, then Hindu or Christians must also have some instrument to act against activities considered anti-Hindu or anti-Christian. Presently there is no level playing of a religion being totally peace-loving vis-à-vis Islam having the weapon of deadly Jihad. This of course, runs the risk of an eye for eye; terror for terror.
Religious preaching and occasional conversions may be acceptable provided it does not incite unrest in society. Provision must also be made to prevent the change in the religious demography of India under any circumstances. This must be done at the earliest even if it may need a constitutional amendment. This alone will reassure the native Indian religion that they do not run the risk of becoming a minority under Muslims the outcome of which could be fatal. Last but not the least, enough hatred have been indulged against each other communities since the Jihadi terror started in the late 80s. It is believed that many of the places of worships have been converted in to arms & ammunition stores to indulge in the frenzy of riots. Home ministry may get all places of worships searched wherever there is suspicion. India was a peace-loving nation and all efforts must be made to re-establish peace.
