Nationalists of J&K who oppose Maharajah Hari Singh do so in the name of democracy and independence.
I have analysed the stance taken against Maharajah Hari Singh by our so called Nationalists and haven’t found any other reason apart of these two points.
By Sameena Raja Jammu and Kashmir
Democracy:
The democratic system which Maharajah Hari Singh had proposed for J&K was the British model. In fact Maharajah Hari Singh was very keen to establish true democratic institutions in J&K and he was negotiating the terms of his plans with popular public leaders when Pakistan invaded J&K in 1947.
The rights which Maharajah Hari Singh had already bestowed upon the people of J&K by 1947 were in fact much better than the rights which people of divided J&K enjoy today. Particularly the rights being enjoyed by people of AJK and GB in 2015 are much inferior and lesser than what these people had been enjoying in 1947.
There is very poor democratic set up in AJK and GB and even in Indian Controlled J&K the democratic institutions are far from being of any standard. People of J&K have lost their sovereignty and free exercise of will since 1947.
Thus I am unable to understand any logic and rationale behind hatred being shown by people of AJK towards Maharajah Hari Singh in the name of democracy.
Independence:
The second point which has been advocated against Maharajah Hari Singh by the Nationalist circles of AJK is the love for independence of the country. I haven’t been able to understand what is meant by independence and what AJK people wished to achieve?
Independence of what and by who and for whom?
What?
Independence is always sought from foreign occupiers and Maharajah Hari Singh was not a foreigner, he was son of the soil. So independence of what is still not clear. Our country was already independent country under Maharajah Hari Singh in 1947 and thus independence of What had been sought?
Who?
Who were the people seeking independence from Maharajah? In 1947 those people were the elements who wanted to divide J&K on religious grounds. In fact Sheikh Abdullaha and his party were trying to create a divide among the people of Jammu and people of Kashmir. Thus this phenomenon of independence is again unacceptable to all those who wish to keep the geographical and political boundaries of 84471 sq miles J&K in tact.
Whom?
Who should have been the beneficiaries of independence and has this objective been achieved in past 68 years? The simple answer is general public and a big NO.
The general public haven’t attained any betterment in their living conditions and law and order, education, social security and National wealth have all gone down since 1947. In fact the people have now even lost what they already had in 1947.
Thus this independence stance against Maharajah Hari Singh has no ground either.
In fact it was two-nation theory which was activated and publicised against Maharajah Hari Singh and nothing else.
Only some Muslims wished to get independence from Maharajah even if that was at the cost of the basic existence of the country and that’s what has been achieved.
Is our today better than our yesterday?
The answer is NO.
Have we got independence?
The answer is NO.
Have we got democracy?
The answer is NO.
Have we got better living standards and rights today?
The answer is NO.
Then why is being Hari Singh opposed today?
Why by Nationalists?
Why by so called progressives?
The answer to all these questions has been given by people of Jammu on the streets of Jammu on the birthday of Maharajah Hari Singh.
It’s only the religious factor and nothing else.
No love for democracy.
No desire of any independence.
No question of civil rights.
It’s only Hindu Muslim divide and nothing less than that and nothing more than that.
(Sameena Raja J&K)
