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Fifth column: A new jihad in Kashmir


Written by Tavleen Singh |
Published On: April 23, 2017 1:53 Am

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So if peace is to be restored, what we need is a strategy for war. (Express Photo By Shuaib Masoodi)


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The Kashmir Valley has become a warzone today because of radical Islam. This
is the exact same genre of Islam that caused the terrorist attack in Paris last
week. And the exact same genre that lies at the root of all jihadi terrorist
attacks. Until we admit this, we cannot begin to talk of peace. Just as it is
impossible to defeat the worldwide jihad as long as moderate Muslims
continue to support it, albeit inadvertently, for reasons of piety, faith and
community, so will it be impossible to defeat the jihad in Kashmir. The violent
mobs that abuse security personnel on the streets of Srinagar are made up of
small boys and youths who are too young to understand politics but who have
been bred on their difference from other Indians for reasons of faith.

If anyone has any doubts about Islam being at the centre of the current spate
of violence, please watch the video recently released by the man who took
over as commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen after Burhan Wani was killed.
Zakir Rashid Bhat says, When we pick up stones or guns, it should not be with
the intention that we are fighting for Kashmir (as a nation). The sole motive
should be for the supremacy of Islam so that Shariah is established here. Bhat
clarifies that nationalism and democracy are not permitted in Islam. Is it any
wonder that the recent election saw enraged mobs burning down polling
booths and smashing EVM machines? Is it any wonder that we saw the lowest
polling in decades? What we should wonder about is why Kashmiri politicians
contesting the election continue to speak of the stone throwers as nationalists

and misguided youth.


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These things they are definitely not. They have been carefully guided in the
tenets of radical Islam and think of themselves as soldiers in a holy war
against a land of infidels. Frankly, after watching their vicious verbal and
physical assault on armed CRPF personnel in that video that has gone viral, I
am no longer convinced that they need guidance any more even from their
paymasters across the border. If moderate Islam could become the reason for
India breaking in 1947, imagine what radical Islam can achieve in Kashmir
today.

So if peace is to be restored, what we need is a strategy for war. Liberal


commentators suggesting dialogue and interlocutors are quite simply idiotic
romantics living in the past. If they open their eyes they will see that a new
chapter of our Kashmir problem has opened. It has nothing to do with the
historical problem, or the one created by Indira Gandhi when she toppled
Farooq Abdullahs legitimately elected government in that hot, horrible
summer of 1984. In that last summer of her life Mrs Gandhi made two of her
biggest political mistakes: Operation Blue Star in Punjab and the imposition a
month later of an illegitimate government in Srinagar.

These mistakes have little relevance today so I mention them only in passing.
Punjab has fully recovered from the insurgency caused by the military attack
on the Golden Temple, and Kashmirs current cycle of violence has nothing to
do with what happened in 1984. It has everything to do with the worldwide
jihad as Burhan Wanis successor has so clearly explained, and the reason why
the Modi government has not been able to deal with what has happened is
because the problem can no longer be dealt with under the old rules of the
game. The goalposts have changed.

My own ever humble opinion is that even if Indian prime ministers had not
made the long list of mistakes they have made since 1947, there would still be
a problem in the Valley today inspired entirely by the worldwide jihad. Having

said this,
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find it hard to offer a solution other thanWant


isolating the Valley from more
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Jammu have never played a role in Kashmirs troubled history and yet, they
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have paid for it. Ladakh has such a repository of wild natural beauty and
ancient Buddhist history that it could draw more foreign tourists than
Kashmir, but the infrastructure for this is totally missing. Jammu already
thrives on Hindu pilgrim tourists but could attract many, many more if some
investment were made in infrastructure.

The Prime Minister can play an important role in this and in making a policy
that states as clearly as possible that even if violence in the Valley continues
for another hundred years, Kashmir will remain a part of India. For those
Kashmiris for whom Islam is more important than the nation, there are
welcome mats laid out in the Islamic republic next door.

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Piyush Reply
P Apr 23, 2017 at 1:11 pm

Wow ! It needs courage to call a spade as spade....let w Kashmir terrorist burn for 100 yes
and make gud of ladakh & jammu

Sivakumar Reply
S Apr 23, 2017 at 1:10 pm

Some people are taking about Hindu majaritarian. Nonsense, Hindus are majority that's
why you are living peacefully and taking about your right. When any state become
Muslim majaritarian the minority's cont live peacefully and cannot ask for any right, it's
proven world wide. In India its proven in Kashmir. Take any city/villege in India, it's
happening . Some places even the police cont enter without some permission . You dirty
mindset people don't talk about Hindu majaritarian, Hindus consider you are one of your
family member but you dirty mindset people never consider us a Hindus as one of your
family members because of your Cult , the teachings of your cult, the world peace is in
stake because not for Hinuidm but because of your cult, because of the teachings of your
cult, first introspect yourself , what it teaches to, time is not riped to take war footing
surgery to sa uard your religion.

Jio Reply
J Apr 23, 2017 at 1:08 pm

Shame on IE. Censors "P a k i stan" the enemy nation of all mankind. You cant even print
this sick countrys name in our comments? Shame Shame


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Common Man Reply
C Apr 23, 2017 at 12:57 pm

Indians in general have not read their history about political integration of India and
independence. Congress party and Nehru are to blame for most of the issues. Jinnah
never asked for stan, it was Nehru led Congress that divided the country. History would
have been different if Netaji Subhash Bose was at the helm. Kashmir issue is the creation
due to ego battle of two individuals - Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah. Nehru disliked
Maharaja, hence Maharaja didn't initially join India. Later he acceded when s-tan led
forces entered Kashmir. Sheikh Abdullah misled Indian army regarding boundary due to
which they stopped where LOC stands today. It's not well understood why Nehru went to
UN but narrative goes that he wanted to become UN Secretary General. Lack of political-
will resulted in Indian army not regaining Northern Kashmir. Current situation can be
solved by taking hard decisions. Revoke article 370, allow rest of India to march in to
Kashmir

Subramanyam Swaminathan Reply


S Apr 23, 2017 at 12:57 pm

Perfect essment. Media persons and politicians have to realise and accept this.its as clear

as daylight.

Shakeel Reply
S Apr 23, 2017 at 12:55 pm

Your analysis is wrong madam. First problem is unemployment.That is root cause and
no-one is addressing that. Second is the extra use of force in the 2008 and 2010. Third is
PDP betraying the voters by joining the BJP. Fourth is that GOI has not talked to stake
holders through various channels. No-one here supports hard line Islam and that I can
say with authority . Madam you should visit here and see that truly is the case. GOI needs
to talk to stakeholders if not publicly they can do it through back channels
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S Apr 23, 2017 at 1:05 pm Be Beautiful Magic Crate

On what basis do you say that there is no radicalisation? Kashmiri youth don't
want to work hard for a living. They are misled by the propa a from across the
border. Unemployment is prevalent everywhere in India as in other places all
over the world. But, no one takes to arms or indulges in stone throwing due to
that. The main issue is that Muslims do not accept other religions bonafide and
think that only they have the God given right to kill, maim, loot and impose
their way of life on everyone else. Unless this at ude is given up, there will be
violence and bloodshed where Muslims are in a majority. The facts speak for
themselves even though the Muslims themselves fail to see this.

Anil Reply
A Apr 23, 2017 at 12:54 pm

Well said. The gloves should come off now for the army. These brainwashed zombies will
only understand brute force--- trying to mollycoddle these regressive freaks of nature
who belong to the 7th Century will only embolden them further.

Nkm Reply
N Apr 23, 2017 at 12:52 pm

Islam is dangerously radical. Its clear from the incidents worldwide. Muslims fight non-
muslims and where there are no non-muslims they fight each-other. Islam is the
universal threat. No one in the world want to see islam except those minor human-
activists who don't know what islam is all about. The supreme law making authority of
islam often proposes insane practices. Islam is the least rectified religion in the world. It
doesn't incorporate amendments as often the other religions do and thats the main
reason why islam will bring the world to an end before it is destined.

Arsene W Reply
A Apr 23, 2017 at 12:38 pm

Thank you for speaking the truth. Always a fan of your writing!


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Ch.Srinivasa Rao Reply
C Apr 23, 2017 at 12:32 pm Want Thicker, Get your
Muslims cant become like hindus and cantHealthier
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hindus,because islam is opposes from TV a
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all other religions. Only solution to relocate To
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Kodi Raj Reply


K Apr 23, 2017 at 12:27 pm
Very true and refreshingly honest article. Spot-on. Written from heart. In my opinion -
only one solution exist for valley - change the demography. That's the only way.

Subramanian Reply
S Apr 23, 2017 at 12:11 pm

Well said and clearly analysed. There is nothing more to add to it. Hope as Tavleen says
the PM, who has made the maximum efforts to work out something tangible, will turn
his attention to tourism in Jammu and Ladakh. Kashmir will remain a part of India.

Dr Reply
D Apr 23, 2017 at 12:10 pm

Spot on. But I have a better solution to suggest. Scarp article 370, split JK into 3 states. All
of them must be like an other state in India. Simple. This alone will bring trade and
employment to the state and over time violence will subside.

Sagar Reply
S Apr 23, 2017 at 12:02 pm

Well written!

Pawan Reply
P Apr 23, 2017 at 11:41 am

Brilliant article and hope the clueless governance learns from the mistakes...

Er Mohammad Tass Reply


E Apr 23, 2017 at 11:40 am

THIS ARTICLE IS TOTALY MISLEADING AS KASHMIR ISSUE IS OF POLITICAL NATURE


AND ALL HAPPENING IN KASHMIR IS HAVE IT ROOTS TO THE POQUESLITICAL
ASPIRATION OF THE PEOEPLE OF J&K SIINE NINTEENTH CENTURY. ALL ARE
REQUESTED TO STUDY THE THE HISTORY OF STATE TO UNDERSTANT THE PROBLEM.

Ch.Srinivasa Rao Reply


C Apr 23, 2017 at 12:38 pm

It is religious dispute

Aw Reply
A Apr 23, 2017 at 12:49 pm

Islamic state was carved out of INDIA based upon the two nation theory and the
land and resources proportional to the muslim po tion as STAN. All muslim
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were supposed to migrate to STAN as per the agreement in 1947 based upon the
choice of majority of Muslims of Want
the sun continent ? But the HINDU nation born
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not force out the muslims who were
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and resources were already transferred to the new nation STAN.So those who
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live in INDIA they have to believe in INDIAN cons ution ,SECULARISM AND
DEMOCRACY , as the land for an ISLAMIC nation is already acceded to for all
including the Indian Muslims to stan in 1947?The MUSLIM brothers wanting to
live under theocratic ISLAMIC nation have a choice to migrate to the islamic
nation carved out of INDIA for them . There is no question of any theocratic
state in J&K or any where else in INDIA

Shahid Reply
S Apr 23, 2017 at 11:31 am

recently happening in the planes where everyone has to chant modi modi to live in India
and chant of yogi yogi have become necessary to live in UP and all those talks of hindu
rashtra, terrorism in the name of cow protection have also pla role in increase in
violance in valley.

Jio Reply
J Apr 23, 2017 at 1:07 pm

Sheeshe ke ghar me rehne wale doosro pe pathar nhi pheka karte! All Muslim
govts are dictatorial. Oppose them first. Oppose stan first. stan is forgiven for
killing 100s of Kashmiris because of your silly bookish brotherhood in I$lam. ryt
mr hypocrite?

Kamal Reply
K Apr 23, 2017 at 11:28 am

Modi has lost the Kashmir plot in his eagerness to follow Vajpayee doctrine. These
Kashmiris have become Islamic jehadi animals. They are not humans anymore. The govt
should stop all this money going to Kashmir and instead remove article 370, try to throw
out atleast 50 if the highly radicalised kashmiri po tion out of India , use real bullets
bombs and tanks to deal with these rascals. India needs a Shivaji , or Chanakya to defeat
the jehadis. No hi, Vajpayee. Hope this govt realises this

Arsee Reply
A Apr 23, 2017 at 11:27 am

Kashmir has been influenced by Islam just as so called middle cl Indians likes of Tavleen
Singh have been influenced and gobsmacked by hindutava politics .Why don't u talk

about rising Hindu majoriatarism in the rest of the country.U r surprised and disma at
rising Islamic influence on Kashmiri's but can not see the rising Hindu influence in the
rest of the country.Talk of hypocrisy tavleen Singh is thy name.

Suresh Chennala Reply


S Apr 23, 2017 at 1:10 pm

Hindus have risen seeing how they are taken for granted by one and all. Our
tolerance has been misinterpreted as weakness. Blatant and deceitful
conversions, mocking Hindus and their way of life and on top of that crying out

PROMOTED STORIES loud that the minorities are being abused by Hindus is the last straw thatbybroke
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the tolerance of the Hindus, Now the minorities need to behave and respect the
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R Apr 23, 2017 at 11:20 am

It was one of your such a column in early 90s which first gave me the idea of the
seriousness of the situation then in the valley.....years down I just hope that you are
wrong in your analysis of the situation now...but also feel that you may be again right !
Feelings Reply
F Apr 23, 2017 at 11:15 am

Immature thinking...immature words..More hatred than a solution.

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