Kashmir The Story

• Watched this series Kashmir The Story series on Amazon Prime Video.
• This series is produced by Times Now Network.
• This is a six part series is having each episode of 22 minutes each.
• It is a very good series to get an understanding of Kashmir issue.
• I will list out few points from the series below. I may have missed a few.
• First Kashmir was a piece of paradise in hostile and inhospitable areas surrounding for hundreds of years.
• People were welcomed from all regions around the world.
• Some people lived there and called it their home while many were travelers using trade and commerce to pass through.
• It changed hands several times.
  
• When Mughal empire collapsed the region of Kashmir came under Sikh empire.
• Sikh empire delegated the region to Hindu Dogras.
• When Sikh empire disintegrated, the Dogra King was kept as Vassal King under the protection of the British. That was 1846.
• That situation continued for a hundred years.
• When India and Pakistan got independence, Pakistan wanted Kashmir as the main river of Pakistan Indus flowed through it. It wanted safety of its water supply.
• But region of Jammu had plenty of Sikhs and Hindus and India was not sure of their safety.
• So India invaded and kept Pakistan at bay.
• British wanted Kashmir to be with Pakistan but when it was not happening due to Indian actions they opted to keep Gilgit Baltistan to remain with Pakistan as it was an important outpost in Cold War with USSR. That was their Plan B.
• If not full Kashmir at least Gilgit Baltistan should be with Pakistan.
• India gained strategic advantage in several areas in Kashmir in 1971 War with Pakistan.
• Kashmir insurgency began in 1989 after widespread election malpractice in 1987 Elections.
• Subsequently India used brute force to crush the insurgency which is continuing till this day.
• Thousands of people have been killed in custody or encounters
  
• And thousands remain missing.
• Earlier borders remained porous and soldiers from India could go 10 to 15 kms inside Pakistan Occupied Kashmir without realising it.
• Similarly Pakistan could also come inside Indian territory.
• General people could also come and go.
• But not anymore.
• The story ends in 2018 when PDP-BJP Govt fell and the state was placed under Presidents Rule.
• The series also shows that China has been a party in Kashmir since the very beginning when Tibet was occupied by China after Second World War and victory of Communists in China mainland.
• People just don't realise that China has stakes in the region since the beginning.
• India is justifying that instrument of accession signed by the erstwhile Kashmir king in 1948 in favour of India as the basis for its claim on Kashmir.
• In 1994, cutting across all party lines in Indian Parliament, a resolution was passed that reaffirmed India's claim on all territories under the erstwhile Kashmir king including Gilgit-Baltistan.
• The 1994 resolution shows that when it comes to Kashmir all political parties are united and people of India will never forgive the Party which hands over areas under Pakistan control to Pakistan and/or areas under China control to China and settles the issue of Kashmir once and for all.
• Thus it is very difficult to solve the issue of Kashmir which is known as "Paradise on Earth".