PERSPECTIVE.................
MY CONCEPT OF THE IDEA OF 21ST CENTURY NATION STATE CALLED INDIA AND THE J&K ISSUE............
We keep mixing up two issues here. ONE is the historical perspective of a geographical entity called Bharat or Hindustan and TWO a modern 21st century concept of a geopolitical nation state called INDIA.
It is a different matter to be sentimentally attached to a historical perspective of for example Mauryan imperial boundaries or post 1857 British Imperial India etc.............! It is completely another matter when it comes to modern 21st century nation state defined geopolitical India.
My perspective does not militate against the very idea of India. The idea of India is what we inherited from the British, and what we militarily salvaged in J&K in 1947-48.
What we have inherited on 15 Aug 1947 from the British was a fractured geopolitical landmass which was variously administered by the British, French, Portuguese and 300 odd large and small Desi rajahs, sultans and Jam Sahabs/Nizams etc. Indeed Pakistan too inherited a similar kind of a landmass in characteristics only quantitatively smaller in size.
A contiguous and cohesive entity which we understand today possibly came into being finally sometime in Dec 1961 when the Portuguese were kicked out of Goa, Daman and Diu. That is what is today the modern geopolitical nation state called India.
In the case of Nagaland, we inherited those areas of Nagalim which did not form part of Burma as demarcated by the British. Otherwise a major portion of Arakkan State is Nagalim. Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur etc we inherited what the British left us with or the local Rajah acceded.
As far as status of the erstwhile Jammu Kashmir Riyasat is concerned........... it was a race in which Pakistan jumped the starter whistle.......... nobody called it a foul in India till Maharaja came asking for military assistance. India started running the race late...... Pakistan had already covered 1/3rd distance when we played catch up.
I may be completely wrong in my military assessment of 1947-48 Kashmir conflict but I am of the firm opinion that the Indian Army was at a major disadvantage vis lines of communications accross Pir Panjal and also in the Dras-Kargil-Gilgit-ladakh sector.
Indian army was already overstretched by the time Nehru went to UNSC. Today we can be brave and say that Indian Army could have kicked out complete Pakistani forces from Kashmir, Jammu, Rajauri, Poonch etc and also regain control over rebellious Gilgit-Hunza agency and Northern Areas. But I dont think that is true.
Having said so.......... the situation as on date is.......... by signing the instrument of accession, Lieutenant-General Shriman Rajrajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Sir Hari Singh Indar Mahindar Bahadur, Sipar-i-Sultanat, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO........ told Govt of India.............
"maine apni waseehat tumhare naam kar di hai............ padosi aadhi se zyada jaagir le chuka hai.............. waseehat tumhare naam hai ab tum jaano aur padosi............!! Wapas le sakte ho to le lo"..........
Wapas le sakte ho to le lo..........
Reality stares in our face. Like it or lump it. Either live as eternal enemies and keep squabbling over real estate that obviously neither of us can wrest from the others "occupation" OR come to a mutually sensible understanding and put a stop to the squabble.
MY CONCEPT OF THE IDEA OF 21ST CENTURY NATION STATE CALLED INDIA AND THE J&K ISSUE............
We keep mixing up two issues here. ONE is the historical perspective of a geographical entity called Bharat or Hindustan and TWO a modern 21st century concept of a geopolitical nation state called INDIA.
It is a different matter to be sentimentally attached to a historical perspective of for example Mauryan imperial boundaries or post 1857 British Imperial India etc.............! It is completely another matter when it comes to modern 21st century nation state defined geopolitical India.
My perspective does not militate against the very idea of India. The idea of India is what we inherited from the British, and what we militarily salvaged in J&K in 1947-48.
What we have inherited on 15 Aug 1947 from the British was a fractured geopolitical landmass which was variously administered by the British, French, Portuguese and 300 odd large and small Desi rajahs, sultans and Jam Sahabs/Nizams etc. Indeed Pakistan too inherited a similar kind of a landmass in characteristics only quantitatively smaller in size.
A contiguous and cohesive entity which we understand today possibly came into being finally sometime in Dec 1961 when the Portuguese were kicked out of Goa, Daman and Diu. That is what is today the modern geopolitical nation state called India.
In the case of Nagaland, we inherited those areas of Nagalim which did not form part of Burma as demarcated by the British. Otherwise a major portion of Arakkan State is Nagalim. Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur etc we inherited what the British left us with or the local Rajah acceded.
As far as status of the erstwhile Jammu Kashmir Riyasat is concerned........... it was a race in which Pakistan jumped the starter whistle.......... nobody called it a foul in India till Maharaja came asking for military assistance. India started running the race late...... Pakistan had already covered 1/3rd distance when we played catch up.
I may be completely wrong in my military assessment of 1947-48 Kashmir conflict but I am of the firm opinion that the Indian Army was at a major disadvantage vis lines of communications accross Pir Panjal and also in the Dras-Kargil-Gilgit-ladakh sector.
Indian army was already overstretched by the time Nehru went to UNSC. Today we can be brave and say that Indian Army could have kicked out complete Pakistani forces from Kashmir, Jammu, Rajauri, Poonch etc and also regain control over rebellious Gilgit-Hunza agency and Northern Areas. But I dont think that is true.
Having said so.......... the situation as on date is.......... by signing the instrument of accession, Lieutenant-General Shriman Rajrajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Sir Hari Singh Indar Mahindar Bahadur, Sipar-i-Sultanat, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO........ told Govt of India.............
"maine apni waseehat tumhare naam kar di hai............ padosi aadhi se zyada jaagir le chuka hai.............. waseehat tumhare naam hai ab tum jaano aur padosi............!! Wapas le sakte ho to le lo"..........
Wapas le sakte ho to le lo..........
Reality stares in our face. Like it or lump it. Either live as eternal enemies and keep squabbling over real estate that obviously neither of us can wrest from the others "occupation" OR come to a mutually sensible understanding and put a stop to the squabble.
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