On 13th April 1990, a Hindu Pandit had escaped from the Kashmir Valley's terror-struck Baramulla district and traveled to the UK following the mass exodus of nearly 700,000 Kashmiri Pandits from India's only Muslim-majority state.
Today, Vinod Tikoo is one of the many Hindu Pandits who has hailed Modi Government's initiative of abrogation of Article 370. The Government's decision to split the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two separate entities- the Union Territory of Ladakh governed directly by the Centre and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir which would have a legislature of its own- has provoked debate. This comes at a time when many within the Congress Party including Jyotiraditya Scindia have supported the Modi Government in the revocation of Kashmir's “special status”.
The historic revocation has been met by jubilation in the UK by the Kashmiri Pandits and other Indians. Many parts of the UK, especially areas that are dominated by Indians such as Leicester, North West London have seen celebrations to rejoice this initiative.
From the Valley to the UK
But what is Article 370, what is its origin and what implications will it's withdrawal have on local citizens?
Following the messy Partition of 1947, India and Pakistan have kept Kashmir a boiling pot with both countries attempting to assert territorial claims, and engaging in ceasefire breaches. In 1947, after the UK had withdrawn from the South Asian countries, Kashmir’s Hindu ruler Hari Singh was fervently hoping to keep control of his kingdom. However, Hari Singh soon found his position becoming more and more untenable. On the other side of border after the partition, Pakistani PM Liaquat Ali Khan began making plans for armed intervention in Kashmir using "demobilised Army personnel, willing serving army personnel and tribesmen". The leadership of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) was also tapped with a view to mobilising lashkars for the planned invasion.The attacks finally occurred in end-October 1947. On October 22, the maharaja's soldiers were crushed and slaughtered by tribesmen from NWFP who were marching towards Srinagar.
He had approached the then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru with the intent of joining India and requested the Government of India to send in the military and India accepted the offer of accession.
In the subsequent years, the two most significant concessions given to Kashmir in the Indian constitution were Article 370 and Article 35A. Article 370 was inserted through Presidential Proclamation in 1954 and gave Indian-administered Kashmir autonomy in all areas except finance, defense, communication, and foreign policy. Article 35A gave only “permanent residents” of Kashmir the right to own property.
“Owing to increasing disturbance, quite a significant proportion of youngsters have moved out of the Valley and left the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Article 370 also barred women of J&K from marrying anyone outside of the State for the reasons of their children staking inheritance claims in the State. This was an extremely regressive decision.
“I think it is a historic moment for every Indian and the Government has undone the wrong that was done 70 years ago and scrapping Article 370 is imperative for the integration of the country,” says Vinod Tikoo, a Kashmiri Pandit settled in the UK ever since the 2000s.
Over the years, several debates on Kashmir have been held in the UK Parliament where MPs have urged for open dialogue between India and Pakistan considering the diaspora communities that are settled in the UK. Conservative MP Bob Blackman has long campaigned for the rights of Kashmiri Pandits who were forced to flee the region.
“Pandits must be guaranteed right to return”: Bob Blackman
“I strongly support the revocation of article 370. Kashmiri Pandits must be guaranteed right of return after they were the victims of ethnic cleansing and this move should prevent any other minority groups being forced to leave the Kashmir Valley,” said Bob Blackman.
One of the main drawbacks of Article 370 was the prohibition of external investment in the State which according to many Indian politicians has led to lack of jobs, rampant unemployment, the radicalisation of youth and a breakdown in the State's tourism.
“Jammu and Kashmir has always been an integral part of India and A370 has always been an anomaly: it has held the area back by starving it of investment, through the prevention of external ownership of land.
“The valley provides excellent opportunities for agricultural and cultural handicraft exports, the development of hydro-electric power and tourism.
“Narendra Modi has again shown proper and strong leadership in honouring the manifesto of the BJP – now is the time to properly integrate Jammu and Kashmir into the Indian constitution. Most important, however, is clearing the area of terrorists – high security is paramount,” said Bob Blackman.
Conservative Friends' of India supports Modi's decision
Conservative Friends of India in a statement said, “The BJP Government led by Hon. Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has delivered its manifesto commitment of removing Article 370 and 35A which gave the Kashmiris a special status in India. Under the provisions, the Kashmiris could enjoy every right in India but Indians could not enjoy any right in Kashmir.
“On Monday 5th August the Indian government announced through a Presidential order the revocation of Art 370 and Article 35A of the Indian Constitution which had created division in India. This truly now makes the State of Jammu and Kashmir part of one India.
“Unfortunately this status had the effect of holding back Jammu and Kashmir from the benefits from the development seen across the rest of India. The Article also prevented the unity of India as it meant that Jammu and Kashmir had its own constitution, a separate flag and independence over all matters except the three matters of foreign affairs, defence and communications. It also gave the wrong signal to Pakistan that India was not sure of the status of India until this historic declaration, made on 5th August 2019.
“Former Finance Minister, Mr Arun Jaitley, wrote on Twitter in relation to the revocation of Article 370 and Article 35A , that this would lead to "more jobs and more revenue" for people in Jammu and Kashmir. "Separate status led to separatism ... a historical wrong has been undone today".
“Jammu and Kashmir will now be governed by the laws applicable throughout India and everyone will be equal under the rule of law and more importantly, women will also enjoy equal status.
“India's Home Minister, Mr Amit Shah, said in Parliament, "Right to Education is not implemented in Kashmir; why should valley children not get the benefit of education. Healthcare is crippling in Jammu and Kashmir as no private hospital could be set up due to Article 370, Article 35A. We will make Jammu and Kashmir the most developed State".
“The Government of India by revoking this historic wrong has also paid a great tribute to the brave men and women of India who have been defending the integrity of Jammu and Kashmir through their supreme sacrifices since Independence, but had no rights accorded to them under the Article 370. They will now be able to enjoy every right under the Constitution of India.”
“This is not about the economy, it is about ideology”: Shabana Mahmood
However, Shabana Mahmood, MP for Birmingham, Ladywood who has been one of the few Kashmiri origin MPs in the UK with her ancestral roots from Mirpur has been one of the few politicians who are concerned about the prospect of changing demographics and ethnicity in the Muslim dominated state. She said, “Arun Jaitley’s claims on the economy are offensive fiction. Let’s be clear - this is not about the economy, it is about ideology. There are outstanding UN resolutions in place, and it is incumbent on the UK and other UN powers to come together, draw a line in the sand and to de-escalate the crisis.”
Today, the political and security status in Kashmir has a domino effect on not just India and Pakistan. But the Centre's increased power in the two newly formed Union Territories will be moniored by China and what happens in Kashmir also resonates in the UK.
