The Kashmir Dilemma

Kashmir is again in news. It is unfair to comment about Kashmir without being there. Other people’s opinions available now are simply not an indicator of the true feeling in the valley. We must remember that news channels/papers show what they want to show which is in turn what people want to see. So it is not a true indicator at all. To add to the confusion, let me add my two paise as well.

The BBC has an article of seven possible solutions. The solution that is most viable to me is solution 5 or 6 wherein there is an independent Kashmir. India controls Jammu and Ladakh region, Pakistan controls what it already has captured as Pakistan Administered Kashmir. (Why nobody bothers about the Chinese controlled Aksai Chin is as big a mystery for me as human rickshaw pullers in Kolkata).

Here’s how I think it will help India. I do not think that the tiny Kashmir valley which becomes independent Kashmir gives much tourism revenue. We can surely develop other tourism spots in the Ladakh, Kargil and Jammu regions which we retain. As for what the people really want, the people will be given a 2 months period in which they can migrate to any part of India they want (ofcourse after intense security checks). If they really love their place of birth like those die hard New Yorkers or Bostonites or even the Delhites or Mumbaites, my advice is grow up dude. Life is not so easy. Look at me; here I am, staying in 5 places in the last 10 years.

Now that the places and people taken care of, let’s look at the consequences. We deploy a good non porous border line with hopefully much less army investment. So we can save that money and probably invest that in buying cycles for the human rickshawpullers in Kolkata. Just kidding, but really there are zillions of ways in which the money that is unfairly spent in military can be spent. We can develop really safe and good tourist places in the rest of the region that India retains.

We can deploy our troops along the Chinese side. Thus Ladakh will be a peaceful place where we can bring more refugees from Tibet. The Tibetian people will feel more at home in Ladakh than in Dharmashala.

In all probability, the independent Kashmir will be a failed nation. If not, then excellent but even if it does, who cares. The people were given a choice to change their location. If they did not, they deserve it. As for the natural reserves, there is nothing as breathtaking which a world tourist will miss which cannot be found in rest of Himalayas or Alps. There are no endangered animals to take care of and neither is there any big industry which will go bust. It will be a small country of people who get what they want.

Another concern that India has is that in all probability, Pakistan will capture the country and then demands in Punjab and Kutch will start off as well. It will symbolize to the whole world that Indian is a weak country who gives up on demand. My answer to that is during the transition time between Kashmir as an independent nation and Pakistan capturing it, we can make a really strong protected border along the new lines. As far as world opinion is concerned, with good PR we can really tell the world that it is a step for greater good of humanity and it is the culture of India for centuries. (For this bit of PR, we may need the help of Karan Johar who can show us on how to brainwash the world and even make a crappy movie sell).