Mission kashmir

Much has been said about the Kashmir
issue since protests started to rock
Jammu and the Kashmir valley. Many
commentators have offered ways to
resolve the crisis and not all agree with
the official line on Jammu and Kashmir. Such a wealth of diverse wealth is
welcome and we may thank our
democracy for it. However, we ought to
remember that Kashmir is a complex
problem that dates backs to 1947 and
no one has yet found a ready made solution. Yes, the temptation to get
over, at any cost, a dispute that has
consumed so much in time, money and
lives is high in the country. But overly
simple problems without resolving old
ones. Issues have gone beyond the Amarnath land controversy. What are the proposals suggested to
resolve the Kashmir issue? One,
Kashmiris are alienated from the Indian
state and want to join Pakistan. So let
them go. Two,Kashmiris are a
pampered lot and the mass protests in the valley are a threat to the territorial
integrity of India. The protests should
be crushed and Article 370, which
provides social status to Jammu and
Kashmir, withdrawn to integrate the
state with the rest of India. Third, we must recognize the Kashmiri sentiment
of alienation and negotiate with all
groups , including separatist ones, on a
platform of autonomy to the state. To examine the first proposal, the UN
resolution calling for a pelbiscite in
Kashmir to decide its accession to India
or Pakistan in effect rules out the option
of an independent Kashmir. A plebiscite
is possible only if India and Pakistan both withdrw their armies from the
region. That's unlikely to happen at this
point. True, separatists in Kashmir are
supported by Pakistan. But Islamabad's
vision of 'azadi' for Kashmir doesn't
include an independent Kashmiri nation but mere integration of the
region with the Pakistani state that is
called Azad Kashmir. Various surveys,
such as the one carried by outlook
magazine in 1995, suggest that a
merger with Pakistan is not a preferred option in the valley. Moreover, at the
core of the pro-pakistan argument is
the view of India as Hindu state. It
rejects the notion of a ecular India and
argues that religion ought to be the
foundation for a nation. According to this view, Pakistan is the destined home
for the subcontinent's Muslims. The
Kashmir valley has a muslim majority ;
ergo, give it to Pakistan. However, another partition on the basis
of religion might sharpen the
communal divide in this country India is home to more than 150 million
muslims and less than five million of
them live in Kashmir. The rest are not
asking for a separate nation; by and
large, they are as contented in India ,
warts and all, as the other communities of this nation are. But any further
territorial realignment on the basis of
religion might open old wounds. The main target of the integrationist
politics of right wing politicians is Article
370. They want the article to be
withdrawn. This is impractical. Article
370 is an article of faith born out of the
terms under which jammu and kashmir joined the Indian Union. It is more than
a legal clause that determines relations
between Srinagar and New Delhi. The
controversial provision is loaded with
symbolism and tampering with it only
will only strengthen the separatist argument that Hindu India wants to
dilute the unique character of Kashmir.
Clearly, the Han Chinese model of
national integration practised in Beijing
by Tibet is not an option that can be
supported, for moral and practical considerations, by those who want a
genuine resolution of the dispute. That leaves us with the autonomy
option. This seems to be the only
feasible solution at the moment. Article
370 can be the foundation to
restructure autonomy of Kashmir.
Sections of the separatist leadership in Kashmir have hinted that they are
willing to explore this option. New
Delhi should be bold to explore this
option. New Delhi should be bold to
explore innovative suggestions,
including a negotiated return to something like the pre-1953 status of
the Jammu and Kashmir state. the
present international line of control
should stay, but more transit points and
trade routes could be opened along the
border. Any proposal for consensus has to be obtained on it. Political parties
must rise above immediate electoral
interests and see the log term gains for
the country if this tortuous issue is to be
resolved amicably. At stake in Kashmir
is not merely the might of the Indian state, but also its ability to be flexible
and accomodative within a liberal and
democratic framework. The world is
watching us. Bold and imaginative leadership on the
part of New Delhi as well as Kashmiri
leaders is necessary. The challenge is to
negotiate a common ground.
Alienation is as much an issue of
perception as it is of ground realities. The Kashmiri's sense of fear or anger is
fuelled by propaganda unleashed by
Pakistan as much it is a result of
mismanagement of the problem by
successive governments in Srinagar
and New Delhi. A spot of skillful statesmanship is urgently required
from all sides. The issue is far too
complicated to allow easy solutions. Kashmir will ever be with India ,
whatever sacrifices we shall have to
make. By - Sheik Abdullah, in 1948

Mission kashmir

Much has been said about the Kashmir
issue since protests started to rock
Jammu and the Kashmir valley. Many
commentators have offered ways to
resolve the crisis and not all agree with
the official line on Jammu and Kashmir. Such a wealth of diverse wealth is
welcome and we may thank our
democracy for it. However, we ought to
remember that Kashmir is a complex
problem that dates backs to 1947 and
no one has yet found a ready made solution. Yes, the temptation to get
over, at any cost, a dispute that has
consumed so much in time, money and
lives is high in the country. But overly
simple problems without resolving old
ones. Issues have gone beyond the Amarnath land controversy. What are the proposals suggested to
resolve the Kashmir issue? One,
Kashmiris are alienated from the Indian
state and want to join Pakistan. So let
them go. Two,Kashmiris are a
pampered lot and the mass protests in the valley are a threat to the territorial
integrity of India. The protests should
be crushed and Article 370, which
provides social status to Jammu and
Kashmir, withdrawn to integrate the
state with the rest of India. Third, we must recognize the Kashmiri sentiment
of alienation and negotiate with all
groups , including separatist ones, on a
platform of autonomy to the state. To examine the first proposal, the UN
resolution calling for a pelbiscite in
Kashmir to decide its accession to India
or Pakistan in effect rules out the option
of an independent Kashmir. A plebiscite
is possible only if India and Pakistan both withdrw their armies from the
region. That's unlikely to happen at this
point. True, separatists in Kashmir are
supported by Pakistan. But Islamabad's
vision of 'azadi' for Kashmir doesn't
include an independent Kashmiri nation but mere integration of the
region with the Pakistani state that is
called Azad Kashmir. Various surveys,
such as the one carried by outlook
magazine in 1995, suggest that a
merger with Pakistan is not a preferred option in the valley. Moreover, at the
core of the pro-pakistan argument is
the view of India as Hindu state. It
rejects the notion of a ecular India and
argues that religion ought to be the
foundation for a nation. According to this view, Pakistan is the destined home
for the subcontinent's Muslims. The
Kashmir valley has a muslim majority ;
ergo, give it to Pakistan. However, another partition on the basis
of religion might sharpen the
communal divide in this country India is home to more than 150 million
muslims and less than five million of
them live in Kashmir. The rest are not
asking for a separate nation; by and
large, they are as contented in India ,
warts and all, as the other communities of this nation are. But any further
territorial realignment on the basis of
religion might open old wounds. The main target of the integrationist
politics of right wing politicians is Article
370. They want the article to be
withdrawn. This is impractical. Article
370 is an article of faith born out of the
terms under which jammu and kashmir joined the Indian Union. It is more than
a legal clause that determines relations
between Srinagar and New Delhi. The
controversial provision is loaded with
symbolism and tampering with it only
will only strengthen the separatist argument that Hindu India wants to
dilute the unique character of Kashmir.
Clearly, the Han Chinese model of
national integration practised in Beijing
by Tibet is not an option that can be
supported, for moral and practical considerations, by those who want a
genuine resolution of the dispute. That leaves us with the autonomy
option. This seems to be the only
feasible solution at the moment. Article
370 can be the foundation to
restructure autonomy of Kashmir.
Sections of the separatist leadership in Kashmir have hinted that they are
willing to explore this option. New
Delhi should be bold to explore this
option. New Delhi should be bold to
explore innovative suggestions,
including a negotiated return to something like the pre-1953 status of
the Jammu and Kashmir state. the
present international line of control
should stay, but more transit points and
trade routes could be opened along the
border. Any proposal for consensus has to be obtained on it. Political parties
must rise above immediate electoral
interests and see the log term gains for
the country if this tortuous issue is to be
resolved amicably. At stake in Kashmir
is not merely the might of the Indian state, but also its ability to be flexible
and accomodative within a liberal and
democratic framework. The world is
watching us. Bold and imaginative leadership on the
part of New Delhi as well as Kashmiri
leaders is necessary. The challenge is to
negotiate a common ground.
Alienation is as much an issue of
perception as it is of ground realities. The Kashmiri's sense of fear or anger is
fuelled by propaganda unleashed by
Pakistan as much it is a result of
mismanagement of the problem by
successive governments in Srinagar
and New Delhi. A spot of skillful statesmanship is urgently required
from all sides. The issue is far too
complicated to allow easy solutions. Kashmir will ever be with India ,
whatever sacrifices we shall have to
make. By - Sheik Abdullah, in 1948

winter-chill again

Winter.
The first thing that
strikes is Shivering,
loads of clothes, hot
coffees and of course
Warm and cozy beds.
And then leaving our
beds to work or to
study, which many of
us don't like.
I tend to differ a little
here. So here comes the
WAKE UP CALL! Guys it is
winter! Cold and
beautiful ... White and
snowy!
Remember how we
criticize summers?! Oh
it is so hot! Eww, I am
sweating, Oh The heat
is killing me!
But when the long
waited winter comes,
we have new things to
complain about, " It is
coooold" , " I can't get
out of my bed" ,
"Winters make me lazy"
" I hate soo cold".
We don't like summers,
we don't like winters
and we are always
unhappy about how
things are and fail to
realize we are losing it
all without enjoying it.
So, Start enjoying the
winters. Start enjoying
the cold mornings and
sip coffees ( Best time
to try new coffees and
teas ) , Trust me that is
what I am doing! Buy
new Winter clothes,
stylish ones and warm
ones ... Thats what we
call Winter shopping! Go
for ice skating!
Try eating ice cream
and In case you fall sick,
Call me for medication ;)
( Professionalism) It is
joke, don't do it!
And STOP SAYING, "
OHH, IT IS VERY COLD ". I
know it is, you know it
is ...
Sit near room heaters
and continue working ;)
Don't brag, don't cry...
Enjoy!
It is when you will
change your outlook,
winter will become
Chillingly beautiful for
you!

Childhood

When I
was a kid I didn't have
a computer, cell phone,
iPod, Nintendo, DSi,
Xbox, PS3, Wifi or Wii.
I played outside till
evening
I... ate what my mom
made.
If I ever told my parents
"no" or back answered,
I got into TROUBLE!
Life wasn't hard, it was
BEAUTIFUL & I survived.
Re-post if you appreciate
the way you were
raised.... I do.
I love my parents and
the childhood they gave
me... :)

Father day

Every
day is Father's Day and
Mother's Day .. why a
special day for them !! I
would not love my
...parents any less on
another day !!