Modi is in better position to get K-issue resolved: Kuldip Nayar

Published at 27/07/2015 01:05:14 0 Comment(s)

 

Both parts of Kashmir should merge and have a common mechanism for everything from politics to economy

Veteran journalist, Kuldip Nayar, is a witness to India’s 68 years of existence. He has seen every facet of India from times of Lord Mountbatten to Narendra Modi. Yet he considers himself a journalist by accident. On the sidelines of Srinagar Media Summit, he talks to Rising Kashmir’s Daanish Bin Nabiabout India’s policy on Kashmir, the alliance between PDP-BJP, election rigging, and rise of Hindutva groups and their impact.

·         Had raiders not invaded Kashmir, it would have become part of Pakistan

·         It became difficult for Congress to do anything on Kashmir Question after rise of Jan Sangh

·         The only wrong about PDP-BJP coalition is that now there is a permanent divide between Jammu and Kashmir

·         There can be no resolution of Kashmir if Hindutva parties do not give it a go-ahead

·         New Delhi used to hand pick chief ministers for Kashmir

·         We would like to know about your journey from Sialkot?

My journey was not through Jammu but I came to India via Lahore by road. When I left my home at that time we thought it as a timely communal thing but never knew that it was the migration which changed every one’s lives. My mother that time said to me to go to Delhi and spend some time with the aunt and gave me 120 Rupees. But what I observed was something different—whole humanity was on road. It was a mass migration. At that time I realized there was no going back then. I started to think of my family, and then we crossed the new border one by one as there was some work left in Sialkot. So when I came to this side of the border, I was penniless. Before partition, I had done just a Law degree but I knew Urdu and Persian languages. One of my friends said that a newspaper is looking for a Hindu who knows Urdu; that’s how I landed in newspaper Anjaam. I started my career from Anjaam. My entire career of journalism is only by accident. Had I not ran out of money, I would never have gone to that newspaper to seek work and had I not worked in Anjaam, I would not have been what I am today.

·         How do you view Nehru’s Kashmir policy?

It is true that Nehru was a Kashmiri and had his feelings attached with Kashmir. But it’s also true that had Pakistan not send their irregulars to Kashmir, the fate of Kashmir would have been entirely different. The raid provided an opportunity for Indians to get into Kashmir. I am sure that had raiders not invaded Kashmir, it would have become part of Pakistan. Why I am saying this is because that time one would have looked at the Muslim population. Kinships, geography and according to the existing factors Kashmir was a natural part of Pakistan. Even Sardar Patel said to Jinnah that you take Kashmir and let Hyderabad succeed with India. But Jinnah resented and said that it is people who will decide their fate.

·         What about the relation between Sheikh Abdullah and Nehru?

Sheikh was against the Maharaja of Kashmir. There was all-out movement against Maharaja led by Sheikh and on the other hand Nehru was supporting everyone who was against their own rulers in princely states, so this was the basis of their relation. Then Sheikh at same time was secular, democrat and had hold on his people and Nehru was lured by these qualities of Sheikh and rest is history.

·         Congress has been in power for more than 55 years. Do you think Congress government has not handled Kashmir issue properly?

Right after the partition, Congress under the leadership of Nehru was very keen to get the issue (disputed Kashmir) resolved. And this was also the time when Congress could have sell anything to Indian people to get the issue resolved but in the process that did not happen. But with the coming up of Jan Sangh, a force with all Hindutva backing, then it was very difficult for Congress to do anything or move forward on Kashmir Question. So, it basically was at the very beginning that there could have been a solution to Kashmir but Congress failed to provide that.

·         Do you think Indira Gandhi tackled the Kashmir problem better than her father?

No, I don’t think so. See, she had to have a policy via Sheikh Sahab. And Sheikh Sahab helped her when she was in wilderness. But then she took Sheikh Sahab for granted because she had a one-person-rule. That’s why I don’t credit her with anything in Kashmir policy. 

·         What is your take on PDP-BJP government?

Firstly, I think that this government will complete its full term because it suits both the parties that are both in power. And to be in power they can go to some extent. The only wrong about the coalition is that now there is a permanent divide between the Jammu and Kashmir. A line now is drawn between both the regions. 2014 election clearly showed that there is a divide between Hindus of Jammu and Muslims of Kashmir which is very dangerous for secular fabric of India. It sends a wrong signal.

·         Do you think Mufti made a mistake by aligning his party with BJP?

See it’s all power game. And at the time of alliance he said that if we do not go for this alliance then Jammu will feel alienated. But in this process he has drawn a line between the two regions of Kashmir that’s why I am and was against this alliance.

·         As BJP has the majority and has the rightwing Hindu parties in its bag. Do you think it is right time for India to get Kashmir issue resolved once for all?

In my view, it is the appropriate time for India to get the vexed issue resolved. If New Delhi cannot resolve this issue this time then we may have to again wait for unknown time for this issue to get solved. What is important now are the Hindu parties (consent implied) for any resolution of Kashmir and as every Hindu party is with BJP it is the right time to get this issue resolved. Congress cannot do anything alone on Kashmir; they have to have blessings from these Hindu parties. For any resolution of Kashmir, the endorsement form Hindutva parties is must. There can be no resolution of Kashmir if Hindutva parties do not give it a go-ahead. Modi is in far better position this time than any other Indian prime minister to get K-issue resolved.  BJP has come to power on its own and on Hindu majority vote.

·         Do you think the successive governments have choked the alternative political space in Kashmir?

Had there been any space given to alternative politics in Kashmir things would have been different. The political space was always rigged in Kashmir, apart from 1977 elections which are considered only free election in Kashmir. New Delhi used to hand pick the chief minister for this State but now with passage of time democracy is deepening in Kashmir also.

·         From past 68 years India is trying to fully integrate Kashmiris but has failed in doing so. Why do you think India fails to win hearts and minds of Kashmiris?

Yes, it’s true that India has failed to win hearts and minds of Kashmir. But Modi will try to do everything to win Kashmiri to his side. He can go up to any extent to win Kashmiris because he has to show and sell to Indian public that he has achieved something in Kashmir. If not integrate at least he can say to Indian public that he has pacified Kashmiris.

·         Till date there have been many several solutions for Kashmir problem? What in your view can be a better solution to Kashmir?

 I think that both parts of Kashmir should merge and should have a common mechanism for everything, from politics to economy. But Pakistan should take care of defense and foreign affairs of her part of Kashmir and vice versa India should look after its defense and foreign affairs of this part of Kashmir, rest both parts of Kashmir should come under one common mechanism of government.  This border-line between the two parts should get dissolved so that there is people to people contact. This can be only of possible solutions which can be accepted to both the sides.

·         The high point of your career was your interview with Pakistani scientist A Q Khan. Tell us about that meeting?

Laughing…Yes that was highlight of my career. Entire world has had its eyes focused on Pakistani nuclear bomb in 1980s. My friend from Pakistan, Mushahid, was with me. He had arranged that interview for me. When we sat with A Q Khan, I tried my best to know it from the horse’s mouth (to know about their bomb) but all my efforts failed. A Q Khan was a hard nut to crack. Then finally after doing every tactics what a journalist has up his selves, I concocted a story and provoked him and said to him that one of the scientists has told me that they neither have material nor men to make a bomb. It’s that time I got it from Khan. He punched his hand hard on table and said it thrice that we have it…we have it…we have it…. But when I said that you do not have tested it yet he was quick to respond that it does not need an over ground test, tests can be done in laboratories too. This is one of interviews which created ripples all around the world. I never knew that this interview would create so much political storm.

·         Do you miss Sialkot (Pakistan)?

Ever body misses his home, its goes without saying. When I migrated to India, I tried my best to at least visit my home place once. Applied for travel documents but was refused time and again till Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came to power in Pakistan. When I interviewed him in Pakistan, I requested him for the travel documents as there was Pakistani army cantonment in Sialkot who did not allowed any outsiders to visit the place. But to my utter surprise my documents got cleared the very next day and then I visited Sialkot after more than 25 years. But for what I had waited for 25 years, I could not stay there for even 25 minutes because there was nothing the way when I left in the September of 1947.