In the summer of 1993 the journal Foreign Affairs published an article by Harvard Professor Samuel P. Huntington titled” The Clash of Civilizations”. That article, according to the Foreign Affairs editors, stirred up more discussion in the three years than any other article they had published since the 1940s.

The article successfully shifts the discussion of the post-cold-war world from ideology, ethnicity, politics, and economics to culture–and especially to the religious basis of culture, a subject generally ignored in contemporary political science.

Huntington talked about the increasing threat of violence arising from renewed conflicts between countries and cultures that base their traditions on religious faith and dogma.

This theory has enormous implication for India.

Partition was a grim reality. The two nation theory was successful and geographical borders of India were decided on the basis of religious bias.

Even after decades of partition local politics in India is easily swayed on the basis of religious differences. Politicians have successfully developed vote banks along religious lines.

Unable to implement the uniform civil code is our single biggest failure. Also continuation of policy of special status for the J&K state prevents the state from integrating into the country.

India is unable to take strong measures on Pakistan just because it will affect the local Muslims. Inspite of repeated provocations from Pakistan we are unable to come up with a single strategy. Even simple steps such as cutting off trade relations & stopping of issuing of visas are not being implemented.

The UPA government is pulling all stops to consolidate the minority votes before the next general election. It is crossing all limits in minority appeasement and is disregarding the constitution feature that ensures equality to all citizens.

Professor Huntington, who passed away in the US on Dec 24, must have gone to his grave a contented man. His theory has survived the test of time and is very relevant to the peace & stability of Indian subcontinent. Fundamentalist Islam will be the primary source of conflict in most parts of the sub continent.

In India, we seem determined to prove him right since as a nation we are more divided on religious basis now than ever before. And it will only end up weakening India as a nation state.

Several leading columnists, editorials and eminent authors have recently given their opinion that it is better to give freedom to Kashmir. It not only gives a indication on the level of nationalism of English media but also their courage in adversity. Thankfully a diverse country such as India is not run by opinion polls and editorials. Since everybody has an extreme opinion on other community.

Those advocating separation are being plain stupid, ignorant about history or both. A separation of region will be result in bloodshed almost in same scale as partition. It is not as though just because there are protests in a region there will be a border redrawn and everybody going to work next day.

Kashmiris are spread across India. All colleges, districts, private sector companies have kashmiris. Should not they all leave? Soon there will be calls to throw them out whether they want to leave or not. Next, how do you identify a Kashmiri? Naturally Muslims will be targeted.

Questions will arise as to whether pseudo secularists such as Shabana Azmi are Kashmir? Bus/truck filled will bodies will cross the new border.

Kashmir does not have any food producing or manufacturing capacity. So there will be a new Gandhi in India who will go on fast asking for financial assistance etc to the new country. There will be boundary issues. There are several regions of Jammu district which have muslim majority who may align with Kashmir and visa versa. Kashmiri pandits have a long pending demand for separate region.

I don’t have the heart to write further, you may read a few books on partition such as – train to Pakistan, toba tek singh etc as there is a chance that history may be repeated.

And again the next generation of Indian Muslims is tainted as traitors!

When India was partitioned 19^th July 1948 was kept as a date for people to decide as to on which sides their loyalties lay. The decision was individual and on that behalf citizenship was offered. Similarly all regions have to be taken as a whole J&K +POK + Ladhakh + Aksai chin. Let the people choose between the 2 options and regions be allocated based on the votes.

The inhabitants of the region are varied and can be broadly classified as Jammu hindus, Jammu muslims,kashir Muslims, Kashmir hindus,paharis,POK muslims,POK hindus, Ladhakh budhists, ladhak hindus,ladhakh muslims,gujjar,sikhs.

The result is most obvious – kashmiri muslims will have to shift & POK +Akasi chin + some area of poonch be allocated to them.

But first people must be made to understand that they have to choose one option, there is no option for independence. There are several lessons to be learnt from the previous partition. Especially from Muslims, who chose to create Pakistan but did not go there!

Pl. comment!

What is the solution?

• A sound trashing
• Throw him out
• Surrender everything to eldest to get peace
• Partition
  

Pl. comment.