Kashmir Timeline

A 4500 year timeline of Kashmir:

2629-2564 B.C.:	Rule by King Sandiman.
2082-2041 B.C.:	Rule by King Sunder Sen rules Kashmir.
1048-1008 B.C.:	King Nara rules Kashmir.
250 B.C.:	Shrinagari (today’s Srinagar is located about three miles from Shrinagari) near the ancient capital Pandhrenatha is founded by Ashoka the Great.
7th century:	King Lalitaditya builds the famous Sun temple and formed the city of Pharihaspura.
813-850:	Pampore was founded by Padma, during the rule of King Ajatapida
855-883:	King Avantivarman builds the town of Avantipur and the famous Sun temple.
883-902:	King Shankaravarman builds Shankarapura-pattan (now known as Pattan).
1128-1149:	Reign of King Jayasim.
mid-12th:	Muslim invasion of Kashmir.
1322	Turks, under ferocious Zulkadur Khan, first invade Kashmir.
1394-1416:	Central Asian ruler, Sikander invades Kashmir and brings about mass conversion to Islam. After the tyranny of Sikander was over, only eleven Kashmiri Hindu families survive.
1540:	Mirz Haidar, a relative of Humayun (of the Moghul invader dynasty) conquers Kashmir. Kashmir gradually absorbed into Moghul Empire.
1810-1820:	Maharajah Ranjit Singh, one of the greatest rulers of India, regains Jammu and appointed his Dogra feudatory Gulab Singh to rule the State.
Mar 16, 1846:	The present State is created by a treaty between the British East India Company acting on behalf of the British Government and Maharajah Gulab Singh in Amritsar.
1931:	One of the worst communal riots led by Sheikh Abdullah and his Muslim Conference.
1939:	Muslim Conference becomes the National Conference.
Aug 15, 1947:	India gains independence. The ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh yet to make up his mind regarding accession.
Oct 22, 1947:	Pakistan violates the Standstill Agreement by preventing essential supplies to the State, then hoards of armed Pakistani tribesman entered Kashmir.
Oct 26, 1947:	Hari Singh signs the instrument of accession, it is no different than the one signed by over 500 other rulers. The accession of Kashmir was accepted by the Governor General of India Lord Mountbatten.
Oct 27, 1947:	The first Indian forces arrived in Kashmir to defend against Pakistani troops.
Dec 31, 1947:	A highly unconstitutional offer of plebiscite was made by Prime Minister Nehru in the U.N.
Jan 1, 1948:	India under Nehru declares a unilateral cease-fire and under Article 35 of the U.N. Charter, India files a complaint with the U.N. Security Council. Pakistan still controls 2/5 of the State.
Jan 20, 1948:	The U.N. Security Council in its resolution of establishes the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP).
Jul 1948:	Mohd. Zafrulla Khan, then the Foreign Minister of Pakistan and principal Delegate of Pakistan in the U.N. admits to the U.N. Commission for India and Pakistan that the Pakistani Army had been in Kashmir.
Aug 13, 1948:	UNCIP adopts a resolution on Kashmir accepted by both India and Pakistan. Pakistan is blamed for the invasion of Kashmir and is instructed to withdraw its forces from Kashmir.
Jan 1, 1949:	Amidst great tension, one minute before midnight, India and Pakistan concluded a formal cease fire agreement.
Jan 5, 1949:	Almost a year after Nehru’s offer of plebiscite, the UNCIP passes a resolution that states that, “The question of accession of the state of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through the democratic method of free and impartial plebiscite”. However, Pakistan has yet to comply with the earlier resolution and withdraw from the State. Also, Pakistan is now busy changing the demographic composition of the State.
1949:	Not withstanding the opposition by several authors of the Indian Constitution, including Dr. Ambedkar, its chief architect, Article 370 was inserted in the constitution of India. This article is meant as a temporary measure, to be in effect until the formal constitution of Jammu and Kashmir is drafted.
Jun 1948:	Sheikh Abdullah declares, “We the people of Jammu and Kashmir, have thrown our lot with Indian people not in the heat of passion or a moment of despair, but by a deliberate choice. The union of our people has been fused by the community of ideals and common sufferings in the cause of freedom”.
1949:	Following the cabinet decision taken by the Abdullah Government, Hari Singh steps down. Hari Singh’s son, Karan Singh is named his successor.
Apr 1950	UN Security Council appoints Sir Owen Dixon as the UN representative in place of UNCIP to find expeditious and enduring solution to the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir.
Oct 1950:	General Council of the National Conference demands elections to create a Constituent Assembly.
Sep 1951:	Elections for the Constituent Assembly are held The National Conference wins all 45 seats unopposed.
Oct 1951:	Constituent Assembly of the State of Jammu and Kashmir is inaugurated.
Nov 5, 1951:	The Constituent Assembly is given four tasks by Sheikh Abdullah which including the accession to India.
Nov-Dec 1951:	Karan Singh steps down as the ruler, and is elected by the Constituent Assembly of the Jammu and Kashmir State as Sardar- i-Riyasat (Governor).
1952:	Jana Sangh begins campaign called “Ek Vidhan Ek Pradhan” (One Constitution, one leader) and demands that the State of Jammu and Kashmir be totally integrated into India and that the people from the other States be able to visit Jammu and Kashmir without a passport.
1952:	Jana Sang leader Shyamaprasad Mukherjee dies in a Kashmiri Jail under mysterious circumstances.
Aug 9, 1953:	Sheikh Abdullah is arrested. He had turned corrupt and autocrat. He tried to hold India for ransom by giving increasingly anti-India speeches and preserve his power.
Feb 1954:	Under the leadership of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED Constituent Assembly of the State of Jammu and Kashmir ratified the State’s accession to India.
May 14, 1954:	The President of India promulgates the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order placing on a final footing the applicability of the other provisions of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir.
1956:	Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act 1956, the category of Part B State was aboilished and Jammu and Kashmir was included as one of the States of India under Article I. However, Article 370 of the Indian constitution is still retained.
Jan 26, 1957:	After the formal inauguration of its constitution, the Constituent Assembly dissolves itself.
1958:	All-India services extended to J and K through an amendment in Article 312.
1964:	Sheikh Abdullah released from the prison.
1965:	Pakistan attacks India, in operation code named, Gibraltar. The defeat of Pakistan results in the Tashkent Agreement between the two countries.
Mar 30, 1965:	Article 249 of Indian Constitution extended to Jammu and Kashmir whereby the center could legislate on any matter enumerated in state list (just like in any other State in the Union). Designations like Prime Minister and President of the State are replace by Chief Minister and Governor.
1971:	Pakistani attack on India results in the third war between the two countries. Pakistan is completely defeated, over 90,000 of its men surrendered.
1972:	India and Pakistan sign the Shimla Pact. Two agree to respect the line of control until the issue is finally resolved.
Feb 24-25, 1975:	Following an accord signed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Abdullah on February 24, 1975, Jammu and Kashmir is made a “Constituent Unit” of India on February 25, 1975. Through this accord Indian Parliament reaffirms its right to legislate on any matter concerning the territory of the State.
1977:	National Conference wins the first post-Emergency elctions.
1982:	Sheikh Abdullah nominates his son, Farooq Abdullah as his successor setting up a political rivalry between Farooq Abdullah and his brother-in-law G. M. Shah.
1986:	In one of the most shameful acts of religious massacre, several ancient historical Hindu temples are destroyed and scores of Hindus were killed in the city of Anantnag. Chief Minister G. M. Shah looses power to his brother-in-law Farooq Abdullah.
1990-2007:	In a spate of terrorist violence, 35000 minorty kashmiri hindus have been killed by Islamic fundamanetalist and 700,000 Kashmiri Hindus have been driven out of their homes. Pakistan’s involvement in this carnage of violence is beyond doubt.

From: Facts & News About Kashmir . By Pawan Durani: http://thekashmir.wordpress.com/

Image Source: CIFJKINDIA.ORG

The Real Story of Kashmir

Kashmir: The Real Story


All of Kashmir as it existed under Maharajah (King) Hari Singh as a "Princely State" prior to the partition of India (see pre-partition maps of India: one, two) became an integral part of the (secular democratic) Republic of India (ROI) when the King signed an instrument of accession, just as did 567 other princely states in joining either India or Pakistan.

When Hari Singh was in the process of making his decision on which course to take for his princely state (i.e. whether to merge it with India, or Pakistan, or become an independent nation, which were the three options that every princely state ruler was given per the protocol set up and agreed upon for the partition of India) post-partition, Pakistan broke the conditions of the "standstill agreement" it signed with him and invaded Kashmir using militias in an attempt to try and steal Kashmir by force from the King. That precipitated and created the Kashmir mess, but the fact remains that all of Kashmir, including the two portions currently being illegally occupied by China (Aksai Chin) and Pakistan (PoK), is legally part of ROI by the virtue of the instrument of accession that Hari Singh signed.

Background information and links:

1. Kashmir Timeline: link

2. Letter from Maharaja Hari Singh to Lord Mountbatten on the eve of Pakistan's invasion of his princely state in 1947, link

3. Instrument of Accession executed by Maharajah Hari Singh on October 26/27 of 1947, link

4. Kashmir legal documents collection: link

5. Kashmiri groups condemn Pakistan's 1947 invasion, 22 October 2009, article , Video

6. Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK): link

7. China-Occupied Kashmir (Aksai Chin): link

8. The persecution and ethnic-cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus/Pandits by Islamic terrorists: around 1988/1989, Pakistan infiltrated the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir with about 20,000 Mujahadeen and other brands of Islamic terrorists (diverted from the then-concluding Afghan-Soviet war) who then killed and ethnic-cleansed Hindus from the valley. There apparently used to be about a million Hindu Pandits in the Kashmir valley (their ancient homeland of 5000+ years, pre-dating by around 4000 years the violent arrival and spread of Islam in the valley from c. 1000 AD) before that spate of terrorist violence, but now only a few hundred of them are found living there. Approximately half a million of the Pandits that were driven out of the valley have since been living under horrible conditions in the refugee camps that are being run by the Government of India in Jammu and Delhi, with their livelihoods stolen and an entire generation or two of their children being deprived of a good future. Islamic Terrorism and Genocide of Kashmiri Pandits , Videos: (1), (2). See also The Kashmiri Pandit Plight.

9. The terrorist infiltrators wreaked havoc all around, making the lives of Muslims also miserable. Muslim Kashmiri Indians don't want the Jihadi terrorists around either, as evidenced in this heroic story of Rukhsana Kausar:

-- This 20-yr-old Kashmiri killed a militant, shot another, The Indian Express.
-- Rukhsana Kausar honoured by M S Bitta in Jammu, Merinews.

The Plight of Kashmiri Pandits

From: http://www.kashmir-information.com/Kilam/index.html

History of Kashmiri Pandits by Jia Lal Kilam Preface Chapter 1.   A survey of the Ancient Hindu Rule Chapter 2.   Advent of Islam Chapter 3.   Spread of Islam  Chapter 4.   The Pandit Reborn Chapter 5.   Pandits during the latter Salatins Chapter 6.   Civil War Chapter 7.   Emperor Akbar and the Pandits Chapter 8.   Pandits and the latter Moguls  Chapter 9.   Pandits after Aurangzeb Chapter 10. A Survey of Mogul Rule in Kashmir  Chapter 11. Afghans appear on the scene Chapter 12. Sukh Jiwan's Meteoric career Chapter 13. Kailas Dar comes to power Chapter 14. Kailas Dar and Conquest of Kashmir  Chapter 15. Murder of Kailas Dar  Chapter 16. Rise of Pandit Dila Ram Chapter 17. Dila Ram the Madarulmiham Chapter 18. Dila Ram wins fresh Laurels Chapter 19. Dila Ram's Murder and After Chapter 20. Pandit becomes Dewan at Kabul Chapter 21. Pandit Sahaj Ram - The Diwan Chapter 22. Pandits after the Sikh Retreat Chapter 23. Pandits and End of Afghan Rule Chapter 24. A Survey of Afghan Rule in Kashmir Chapter 25. Sikh Rule and the Kashmiri Pandits Chapter 26. Pandits and the later Sikh Rule Chapter 27. Kashmiri Pandits at Ranjit Singh's Durbar Published by: S. N. Dar Secretary Gandhi Memorial College, Managing Committee SRINAGAR, KASHMIR

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(Typesetting of this segment will be corrected soon. --gnu)

From: http://www.kashmiri-pandit.org/sundry/genocide.html

Islamic Terrorism and Genocide of Kashmiri Pandits
Genocide in Kashmir

• 400,000 Kashmiri Pandits, constituting 99% of the total population of Hindus living in Muslim majority area of the Kashmir Valley, were forcibly pushed out of the Valley by Muslim terrorists, trained in Pakistan, since the end of 1989. They have been forced to live the life of exiles in their own country, outside their homeland, by unleashing a systematic campaign of terror, murder, loot and arson.
• Genocide of Kashmiri Pandits has reached its climax with Muslim terrorism succeeding in 'CLEANSING' the valley of this ancient ethno-religious community.
• With the completion of 11th year of their forced exile, this peace loving, culturally rich community with a history of more than 5000 years, is fighting a grim battle to save itself from becoming extinct as a distinct race and culture.

Main Camp Sites in Jammu

• Muthi Camp, Jammu
• Transport Nagar, Jammu
• Purkhoo Camp, Jammu
• Stadium Camp, Jammu
• Jhiri Camp, Jammu
• Nagrota Camp, Jammu
• Mishriwala Camp, Jammu
• Battalbalian Camp, Udhampur

Main Camp Sites in Delhi

• Nandnagri
• Sultanpuri, Kailash Colony
• Maviya Nagar
• South Extension
• Palika Dham
• Lajpat Nagar
• Aliganj
• Bapu Dham
• Amar Colony
• Mangol Puri
• Patel Nagar
• Sultanpuri
• Moti Nagar
• Begampura

Kashmiri Pandits in Exile

 

 

Terrorist Violence against Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir - Role of Pakistan

* Terrorism in Kashmir is an ideological struggle with specified political commitments which are fundamentalist and communal in character.
* Terrorist violence is aimed at achieving the disengagement of the state of Jammu and Kashmir from India and its annexation to Pakistan. It is, the continuation of the Islamic fundamentalist struggle for the homeland of Pakistan which claims Jammu and Kashmir state on account of its Muslim majority character.
* The major dimension of the terrorist violence in Kashmir is the terrorists' commitment to the extermination and subjugation of the Hindus in the state because Hindus do not subscribe to the idea of separation from India, nor do they expect to be governed by the authority of the state which derives its sanction from the law and precedent of Islam. Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus) have always been in the forefront of the struggle against secessionism, communalism and fundamentalism. Hence this peace loving minority with a modern outlook became the main victim of terrorist violence. The strategies involved in the terrorists' operation against the Hindus in Kashmir include:
o The extermination of Hindus
o Subjecting Hindus to brutal torture to instill fear among them in order to achieve their submission.
o To engineer a forced mass exodus of Hindus from the land of their ancestors and birth by way of issuing threatening letters, kidnappings and torture deaths on non-compliance of the terrorists' dictates and ensure the destruction of the secular and pluralistic character of the socio-political fabric of the Kashmiri Society.
o Attacks, molestations, kidnappings, gang rapes of the women folk of the Hindus in order to instill fear and humiliation in them.
o Destruction and burning of the residential houses of the Hindus who leave their homes in look out for safety. Looting of their properties and appropriation of their business establishments to ensure that they do not return.
o Attachment of their landed property.
o Destruction of the social base of the Hindus by the desecration and destruction of their places of worship.
o Appropriation of the property of the Hindu shrines and its attachment to Muslim religious endowments.

Fact sheet On Atrocities On Kashmiri Pandits

Educational Institutions burnt, damaged forcefully occupied : 105

Religious & Cultural Institutions Destroyed/burnt, damaged : 103

Shops, Factories looted/burnt/occupied : 14,430

Agriculture dependent families deprived of their land and source of income : 20,000

Horticulture dependent families deprived of their resource : 12,500

Houses Burnt : more than 20,000

Houses looted : 95%

Torture killings of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley : more than 1,100

Religious Sadism At Its Peak

* Killing of Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir by terrorists clearly depicts extreme sadism. All victims have been subjected to extreme torture and terror.
* Torture deaths have been brought about by such inhuman practices as:
o Strangulation by using steel wires
o Hanging
o Impailing
o Branding with hot irons
o Burning alive
o Lynching
o Bleeding to death
o Gouging out of vital organs
o Dismemberment of Human bodies
o Drowning alive.
* Terrorists have frequently indulged in barbaric acts like performing 'death dances' after killing their target.
* Many a time, dead bodies were not even allowed to be properly cremated.

Universal Apathy

Failure of Government of India:

* The Jammu and Kashmir Government and Government of India have failed squarely to protect the Kashmiri Pandits against Islamic terrorism.
* Jammu and Kashmir being the only Muslim majority state in whole of India, the protection of minorities and their living peacefully, in their homeland, is crucial for India to remain as a Secular Democratic State.
* Ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus) from Kashmir valley is the crucial failure of Indian state to uphold its commitments to people of India as enshrined in Indian constitution which provides right to live with dignity and honour to every citizen irrespective of caste, creed, religion or colour.

Failure of Human Rights Organisations:

* Leading International Human Rights Organisations like Amnesty International, Asia Watch and others have yet to take proper cognisance of the genocide perpetrated on Kashmiri Pandits.
* Their representatives have so far failed to visit the camps in Jammu, Delhi and other parts of India were thousands of families are putting up for the last five years.
* Gradual extinction of a civilised community with an ancient culture is yet to shake the conscience of the world.

After The Exodus

* More than 5000 persons have died in camps and elsewhere after their forced exodus from the valley. They died of sunstrokes (more than 1000) as most of them were used to cold climate of Kashmir and could not acclimitize to extremely hot temperatures in rest of India.
* Heart attacks and accidents which have been mainly attributed to extreme psychological trau ma and mental pressures by the doctors.
* Gastroentritis and typhoid epidemics, snake bites etc.
* The cohesiveness of the displaced families has broken as they were to undergo diaspora for finding livelihood in various parts of country.
* Cultural Dilution - The whole displaced community with a distinct culture is facing the threat of extinction after loosing its natural habitat.

Kashmiri Pandits

- Representatives of Glorious Heritage And Legacy of Kashmir
- Symbols of Brotherhood and Peace

* Kashmiri Pandits have always been devoted to spritual and academic pursuits.
* They have during their history of more than 5000 years nurtured values of peace, co-existence and tolerance.
* They are the original inhabitants of Kashmir.
* Kashmiri Pandits are progenitors of Kashmir Shaivism the philosophy of oneness of mankind.
* Hinyan and Sarvastivadin sects of Budhism found highest expression in Kashmir and Kashmiri Pandits spread their message to China and Central Asia.
* Kashmiri Pandits have contributed immensely to the evolution of human thought by contributing to almost all fields of creative human endeavour like literature (mainly Sanskrit), language, science and philosophy from times immemorial.
* Since the advent of Islam in 14th century, Kashmiri Hindus have been subjected to extreme persecution. To escape religious fanaticism in the form of forced conversions to Islam they had either to embrace death or leave Kashmir more than once during the last six hundred years.
* Present exodus of Kashmiri Pandits is fourth mass exodus in the history of Kashmir since the advent of Islam in this part.

Kashmiri Pandit: A Rare Pocket Of Tolerance

* Inspite of repeated rejection of co-existence and pluralism by Muslim society for the last six hundred years, Kashmiri Pandit has not given up his faith in these values.
* He has not reciprocated fanaticism with fanaticism and violence with violence.
* In a world threatened with ethnic and religious strifes where various parties have invariably resorted to violence and force, to further their claims, Kashmiri Pandit isthe only example who has totally rejected the violence as a means to fulfill socio-political aspirations.

World therefore has a stake in protecting this culturally rich, educated and peace loving community, from becoming extinct, if it has to move towards a Modern World Order of Peace and Universal brotherhood.

Terrorist violence cannot be justified on the ground of its political and ideological motivations or value basis. Terrorist violence in the valley is not a Freedom Struggle at all. Cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir is a clear testimony of this fact. There is no freedom which impringes upon freedom. There can be no equality which leads to inequality.

Killings of Kashmiri Pandits

Mrs. Ganju - Banamohalla, Srinagar

Prem Nath Bhat - Anantnag

Sushil Kotru - Rainawari, Srinagar

Mrs. Roopawati - Pulwama