Subject: Your tweet on Kashmir on Aug 9th 2019.
Dear Nicola,
A little introduction about myself before jumping to the subject.
I am a Scot of Indian origin, living in Scotland for almost 12 years with my family. I am a Software Architect by profession and have been living in Edinburgh since my arrival in the UK. Like many Scots of Indian Origin, I was disturbed by your recent tweet on Kashmir shown below
It's a late response but still important that you read this because a large section of Scots of Indian origin, will vote en masse against SNP in the election. Corbyn has taken a similar view on Kashmir and they will be voting against Labour too. If antisemitism can be an election issue why not anti-Hinduism. Our votes matter too.
Let me give a background of Kashmir issue, from an Indian perspective (the perspective from a free and open society) and it is not based on the Islamic view. You have upset the Indian community which will en masse vote against SNP because of your tweet.
First, a short history.
When the British ruled India, there were 565 princely states in India -- they were not directly ruled by the British. So, when the British decided to leave and India was to be partitioned into two countries. The princely states were given a choice of joining either a non-theocratic "Republic of India" or the theocratic "Islamic Republic of Pakistan", giving due consideration to geographical contiguities and religious composition.
Three princely states that stood out were Jammu and Kashmir (J & K), Junagadh, and Hyderabad.
The latter two were Hindu majority states ruled by Muslim kings and J & K was different.
The Nawab of Junagadh--egged on by Shahnawaz Bhutto, his minister (whose son ZA Bhutto went on to become future PM of Pakistan) acceded to Pakistan. India sent troops, held a plebiscite and Junagadh was incorporated into India.
Hyderabad and J&K kept vacillating. Eventually, India sent troops to Hyderabad, which duly became part of India. In Kashmir, Pakistan sent "irregulars" to invade. Just like Pakistan operates in Afganistan under disguise today. ( People with the knowledge of the region will acknowledge that "Taliban leaders are nothing but Pakistani ISI in baggy pants !!!". It was not a coincidence that Osma Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan )
Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of Kashmir, was Hindu. With Pakistani irregulars knocking at the doors, Maharaja Hari Singh appealed to the Indian government for military assistance. He signed the Instrument of Accession, ceding Kashmir to India on October 26, 1947.
Here it is important to give the religious demographics of the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Unlike the popular opinion that circulates today, it was not a Muslim Majority state even in 1947. J &K has 3 major regions Kashmir, Jammu & Ladak. Kashmir - a Muslim majority with also had about 400,000 Hindus. Jammu - Hindu Majority and Ladak - Buddist Majority.
The Prime Minister of India at that time, Mr. Nehru, took the Kashmir issue to the UN Security Council.
Pakistanis misquote the US security council resolution that it suggested Plesbicite for self-determination, without ever reading it. If you have not please read the UN resolution, it was short and very clear. The UN resolution proposed 3 things and they are sequential in nature.
1. Pakistan should withdraw troops and should refrain from interfering militarily by direct or indirect means.
2. Once the first condition is fulfilled to the satisfaction of the Commission, India has to reduce the military presence in Kashmir to the minimal.
3. After the above 2 are done then conduct the plebiscite to know the will of the people of Kashmir.
The first condition never happened, so there is no need to get to the second and Third. Three wars have been fought by India and Pakistan over Kashmir. About 400,000 Kashmiri Hindus server-driven out by forcibly out of Kashmir. This mass exodus happened after Benazir Bhutto called for "direct action" and Mosques in Kashmir started threatening calls in their speakers.
Please refer to the recent testimony of a Kashmiri Hindu Journalist named Sunanda Pushkar in the US congress about the Kashmiri Hindu massacre and exodus. After listening to it then you can decide whether you still feel parallels between Scotland and Kashmir.
Imagine driving out the population of the size of Glasgow and then asking for a referendum. The calls for the plebiscite are irrelevant unless the displaced Kashmiri Hindus are resettled.
The recent removal of Article 370 is nothing but integrating Kashmir fully with India. Muslims always wanted to be treated special. The SNP government has given in to this wish with "Islamophobia" law in Scotland. Unlike Muslims, we Hindus do not want to be treated special instead be treated equally like other citizens. That is a fundamental difference.
Even when we disagree, we Hindus will not go on a rampage like the Muslims cause a carnage because that is not in our culture instead, we will express our displeasure democratically with votes.
If you wish to hear the Hindu Perspective and engage with us, then we will have a Hindu Delegation to meet the SNP leaders. We will continue to engage with SNP & Scottish Labour, but our community can't vote for you unless the SNP position on this issue changes.
References:
1. US security council resolution of April 1948.
http://unscr.com/files/1948/00047.pdf
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi4Vqdfreeo
3. https://www.opindia.com/2019/09/london-pakistani-mob-led-by-british-labour-mp-attacks-indian-high-commission-smash-windows/. It is worth noting there is no BBC news link coming up in search results. That tells a lot about the BBC.
