Moving Movie on Kashmir

I recently watched the 2014 Indian Hindi movie "Haider" set in Indian occupied Kashmir, directed and produced by Vishal Bhadwaj. The story is based on the age old theme of love and treachery, but it depicts quite graphically the hardships of the Kashmiri people and the atrocities of the Indian army. Alongside repeated suggestions that political freedom is meaningless without freedom from the obsession of revenge which has constantly poisoned the communal life in India, it also shows how the lives of most Kashmiris revolve around the freedom struggle. It clearly shows the role of the Indian army as an oppressive, cruel and vindictive occupation force. By projecting the story characters, it also hints that the Muslim Kashmiri politicians who are participating in the puppet elected government of Indian occupied Kashmir are committing treachery towards their brethren.

The United Nations Security Council resolutions no.  47 is copied below from the UN archives:

  

Decision of 21 April 1948 (286th meeting): Modification of instruction to the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan. On the return of the Indian delegation the Council continued consideration of the question. The draft resolutions submitted to the Council eventually were replaced at the 284th meeting on 17 April by a joint draft resolution submitted by the representatives of Belgium, Canada, China, Colombia, the United Kingdom and the United States, ⁵³⁵ which was voted upon paragraph by paragraph and adopted at the 286th meeting on 21 April 1948.⁵³⁶ The resolution read as follows: ⁵³⁷

 “The Security Council,

 “Having considered the complaint of the Government of India concerning the dispute over the State of Jammu and Kashmir,

 “Having heard the representative of India in support of that complaint and the reply and counter complaints of the representative of Pakistan,

 “Being strongly of opinion that the early restoration of peace and order in Jammu and Kashmir is essential and that India and Pakistan should do their utmost to bring about a cessation of all fighting,

 “Noting with satisfaction that both India and Pakistan desire that the question of the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan should be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite,

“Considering that the continuation of the dispute is likely to endanger international peace and security, 

“Reafirms the Council’s resolution of 17 January,

 “Resolves that the membership of the Commission established by the resolution of the Council of 20 January 1948 shall be increased to five and shall include in addition to the membership mentioned in that resolution, representatives of------ and------, and that if the membership of the (Commission has not been completed within ten days from the date of the adoption of this resolution the President of the Council may designate such other Member or Members of the United Nations as are required to complete the membership of five;

 “Instructs the Commission to proceed at once to the Indian sub-continent and there place its good offices and mediation at the disposal of the Governments of India and Pakistan with a view to facilitating the taking of the necessary measures, both with respect to the restoration of peace and order and to the holding of a plebiscite, by the two Governments, acting in co-operation with one another and with the Commission, and further instructs the Commission to keep the Council informed of the action taken under the resolution, and to this end, ……”

India has been postponing that plebiscite for the last 68 years on a series of inordinate excuses and started wars with Pakistan when pushed to the limit. The situation now is totally acceptable for anyone with even a modicum of humanity.

The Indian leaders need to realize that the Plebiscite in Kashmir will not be their defeat, but the triumph of the principles of democracy and human rights which they claim to cherish and will free Kashmiris, Indians and Pakistanis alike from the bondage of revenge.

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