FREE ESSAY ON KASHMIR CONTROVERSY

KASHMIR CONTROVERSY

Kashmir Controversy
Lately, in the national news, Kashmir has been the hot topic. The intense religious,
political, geographical, and economical debates have been heard all over the world, and
yet, there has been no conclusion to this war between Pakistan and India. As an Indian
myself, it is almost impossible to be unbiased in any kind of analysis of the subject, so
I will not attempt to be impartial, but yet present the story as how I, first of all see
it, secondly, researched it, and thirdly, believe it. There is a truth behind the Kashmir
story, and the Indians and the Pakistanis must understand it. There are real people
involved in this governmental affair, and being such an affair, one must realize that it
is time to stop the killing and resolve this century-old war between the Muslims and the
Hindus.
Kashmir was once a tourists' paradise. The land has been known for centuries as the
greenest and most temperate spot in the Himalayas. A land so beautiful, one could not
even picture it in their dreams. Clear blue lakes reflects the snow-capped mountains, and
lush forests of fir, pine, and spruce lining the rivers. The land was once the summer
vacation spot for the British raj as well as the wealthy Indians who wanted to escape the
heat of the intense summers of India.
However beautiful Kashmir is, the land is valued more than for it natural beauty. The
land is a path through the Himalayas to the entire subcontinent. From Kashmir, the rivers
Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum flow. These rivers are the primary sources of water for
Pakistanis. The land provides for a spy camera on the nearby powerful countries of China,
Afghanistan, and the Soviet republic of Tajikistan.
The Kashmir problem dates back to 1947 and the partition of India and Pakistan. Maharaja
Hari Singh, the hereditary ruler of Kashmir, stalled for several months over the decision
as to which nation Kashmir would join. Singh, a Hindu ruling a majority-Muslim
population, finally agreed to Indian dominion on October 27, 1947, partly to gain Indian
military assistance against an Islamic revolt. Muslim Kashmiris have always challenged
the Instrument of Accession; India regards it as final. 
In the past 50 years, India and Pakistan have fought three wars-two over control of
Kashmir. The issue has been on the United Nations docket as long or longer than any
other-a U.N. military observer's office has monitored activities at the line of control,
the cease-fire line separating the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir from
Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir, since the end of the first Indian-Pakistani war in
1947. The cease-fire, which gave 65 percent of Kashmir to India, was to be temporary. A
treaty was supposed to follow, allowing the Kashmiris to decide their future. To date,
there has been no treaty. 
The main problem obviously lies in the fact that Kashmir is divided between the Muslims
and Hindus. It is impossible for two such strongly opposed religions to live together,
harmoniously. Therefore, for over five decades, this war between the religions have been
forged. One might say that it is a geo-political, socio-economic debate, and there are a
million reasons to why Kashmir should be handed to one country or another, but why have
the civilians of the country not been asked to their fate. Why have the governments of
India and Pakistan stopped to consider that maybe, if the Kashmir valley was made into
its own republic, then the fighting would cease, and so would the reason for the wars. 
But, this is the twentieth century we are talking about, and nowadays no one just "gives
up." This land is valuable beyond measures for each country and therefore, the fighting
is justified. There are many possibilities to end this war. There should be a cease-fire
for Ramadan, the Muslim holiday, and maybe this cease-fire will continue into peace.
Kashmir could be made into its own state, and peace could be renewed, however, the
politics of the countries get in the way of freedom from the oppression of the
governments of India and Pakistan. The governments of these countries have used Kashmir
as an excuse for their religious warfare, and the people have suffered as a result of it.
No more is the Kashmir issue a geo-political issue is it an economic one. For the most
part, it has been a religious war, and therefore, it has not been justifiable for any
kind of solution. Only when the governments of these countries end their religious
warfare, will there be an end to this problem. Kashmir should be made into its own state,
with its own government. The people have lived quietly and humbly for this long, why not
let them be free to run their own regime? This problem has been going on far too long,
and its time that people recognize how beautiful and peaceful the land used to be before
the governments of India and Pakistan ravaged it with warfare.