Maqbool Bhat and Kashmir liberation movement

Written By Javed Inayat:

It was 11th, February 1984 when Indian Government had hanged Baqbool Bhat in Tharr Jail New Delhi. He was accused of overthrowing Indian occupied Kashmir state Government and he had launched an armed struggle against Indian occupation. It was somehow true that Maqbool Bhat believed in armed struggle and he did launch armed movement on the Indian Side of the Kashmir valley. Maqbool Bhat twice crossed over the LOC and started armed rebellion against Indian state. Maqbool Bhat was determined that Kashmiris must be granted their right of self determination, as Indian and Pakistani states had promised in front of International forums such as United Nations. Kashmiris had waited 15 to 20 years and that time they did believe that Indian and Pakistani states would be able to up hold their commitments they had made with Kashmiri people . First there was Tashkand agreement without consultation of Kashmiri people. It was enough for conscious Kashmiri leaders like Maqbool Bhat to know the intentions of Both occupied Indian and Pakistani states. Maqbool Bhat launched an armed movement to blow up the so called agreement between the two countries. How Kashmiris could had been accepted this kind of agreement which ignores the real aspirations of Kashmiri people both side of the LOC.

Armed struggle in Kashmir was due to failure of Indian and Pakistani rulers to resolve the Kashmir disputed which was created by British imperialist Government while leaving the region. Indian and Pakistani ruling classes had completely cooperated with their colonial masters and helped them securing their political and economical interests in the Indian subcontinent. Irony is that Indian National Congress and Muslim league both creations of British masters conspired with millions of masses and divided this five hundred years old society in the name of reactionary religious politics. It was Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi who introduced religious politics in colonial India which ended with the division of the country. Indian National congress and Muslim league leaders had been aware of this British conspiracy of dividing the country and they all the way cooperated with British masters. Most of the League and Congress leaders were trained by British and they had schooling in the British educational institutions, where they learned the political tactics from their colonial masters and used them against their own people. After leaving Indian subcontinent, British handed over the power to their puppet Indian leaders. Indian leaders both Congress and league completely failed to delivered what they had claimed before British left Indian subcontinent. These leaders had divided the country on the behalf of British and they did not solve even a single problem after getting so called freedom from British colony. Indian and Pakistani ruler have been adopted the same attitude towards their own people and regional nationalities what British used to do with them. Oppressive state apparatus has been in place since 1947, regional aspirations have been suppressed by British trained armies both side of the border. Civilian bureaucracy have not been changed at all, only white skinned person has gone and his place has been taken over by the brown person but brown person has been more prejudice, more discriminatory, more hypocrite and more brutal than their colonial masters. Pakistani and Indian militaries had been established by British to fulfil the needs of colonial rulers and they were trained to suppress their own people and quell rebellions against colonial rule.



Indian and Pakistani armies had given the same mission in Kashmir to suppress the local aspirations and quell the rebellions against their established colonial rule in Kashmir. Kashmiris had rejected Indian and Pakistani rule in day one. It was known to everyone that Kashmiris have never been accepted Indian and Pakistani occupation. Both countries have been adopted the policy of deception and tried to crush Kashmiris National aspirations but they have been failed again and again. Maqbool Bhat and his comrades had begun this armed movement after both countries refused to accept their own commitments and disregarded their own made promises to Kashmiris. It was the high time for Kashmiris to rebel against Indian and Pakistani ruling classes. Indian and Pakistani states have been following anti Kashmir policy and agreed upon that Kashmiri would not get freedom at any cost and both countries have seen unleashed their brutal forces and made Kashmir a battlefield since 1947. Kashmiris have been deprived of their national democratic rights. Indian armed forces have made Kashmir valley complete bloodbath since two decades. Indian state brutalities have been reached on its peak since the outbreak of armed rebellion in Kashmir valley. Indian state machinery has used all its inhuman tactics to quell the mass rebellion in the valley but failed to suppress the movement completely. Unfortunately, Kashmiri leaders of this movement from valley have not been able to lead this mass movement since the outbreak of this mass rebellion. This mass movement has been leaderless and directionless but common Kashmiri has been thriving for complete freedom which he has been dreaming of since so long and deserves it. Kashmiri leaders have also been failed to come up with the real program of national liberation from both occupied countries. Leadership from has been so confused of leading Kashmir liberation movement and most of them do not know what their liberation would be like nor they are able to convince other regions of Kashmir, in terms of bringing them in this main stream mass movement to liberate the entire state of Jammu Kashmir. They have not badly failed to give a call for total liberation of their people but failed to expel brutal Indian state forces from valley nor have they been able to come up with bargaining position with Indian state since so much blood has been spell in the valley. All leading political parties have been claiming that they are the real freedom fighters but none has been declaring its political program. Most of these valley based political groups have been heavily depending on the Pakistani state secret agencies that have been busy promoting their own agenda and causing so much confusion among common masses. It has been very unfortunate state of affairs that valley based leadership is still not ready to give up proxy politics of the regions two neighbouring countries, even both have been playing politics with Kashmiri masses and made them suffer more.

Maqbool Bhat had a dream of liberating entire state of Jammu Kashmir but those who have been claiming his followers have given up his mission and declared only valley is entire Kashmir. Maqbool Bhat was very determining Kashmiri leader that is why he was eliminated by Indian state. Most the Kashmiri people have been raising question that how Maqbool Bhat was allowed to cross over the LOC, not once but many times without the help of Pakistani state authorities or Indian state authorities. Maqbool Bhat once was elected member of Azad Kashmir legislative but he came to know that this assembly is not real representative of Kashmiri people from this side of the LOC. Maqbool Bhat had looked for all other possible ways out to liberate Kashmir but he could not find any short cut to do all this to help his suppress people. He was completely disappointed from Azad Kashmir assembly which was nothing but forum for a few Pakistani puppets who always trying to please their master in Islamabad. Maqbol Bhat gave up parliamentary struggle and started looking for new way out to liberate his country which has been not only occupied but also forcibly divided by her occupiers. He accepted this great challenge and made a plan to launch a Guerrilla struggle but he used live this side of the LOC . He managed to cross over the divided land of Kashmir and started organizing Kashmiris from Indian side to prepare them to rebel against Indian state. He got help from any occupied authority or not but both state authorities used haunt him like mad dogs. He mission was very much clear on his mind that is why Indian authorities declared him real threat to their occupation. He had courage to challenge the occupied forces both side of LOC and that was later cost his life. He was not confused, he knew very well what his mission is and how he would complete it. Maqbool Bhat was from Indian side of Kashmir and his family members still live in Kashmir that is why he had launched his armed rebellion in that part of Kashmir. Azad Kashmir was not ready to launch an armed struggle nor there was any possibility to liberate this area of Kashmir first, as Pakistani state grip was so strong over this part of Kashmir. Maqbool Bhat knew that it would be easier to launch this armed movement where people were ready to accept it, unfortunately, Maqbool Bhat was soon arrested by Indian authorities and his armed movement was disrupted in the beginning. After long imprisonment Maqbool Bhat was hanged by Indian state on 11th February, 1984. One louder Kashmiri voice was silence in Teharr Jail Delhi but only 5 years later entire valley rebelled against Indian state. Unfortunately, Maqbool Bhat,s dream has not been fulfilled yet because of leadership failure in Kashmir but millions of his fellow Kashmiris have already joined his mission of national liberation of his dream land Kashmir. We hope, sooner or later his awakening Nation would be able to complete his dream of freedom which was dearest to him, even dear than his life.

Maqbool Bhat has completed one precious mission and that was awakening his Nation both side of the divide. It is very true and we all have to confess that If Maqbool Bhat had not sacrificed his precious life for this Kashmir national liberation movement, most of us would not have been part of this movement. I personally got involved this movement after the death of Maqbool Bhat and his death had changed my entire soul just like other millions of Kashmiri youth. Those who have been taken his path and followed him giving their lives to this liberation movement we equally honour them and their struggle for the salvation of our nation. Maqbool Bhat had given his life at the time nobody would had ever thought of it because his nation had gone to long sleep but he knew how to waken them up. Now both side of the LOC no matter what we have been claiming of this struggle but first foundation was laid down by Maqbool Bhat and he was the one who built confidence in our national consciousness both side of the divide. Now there are millions of Kashmiris who have not been only taken up his mission but believe that Independence of Kashmir would be an honourable solution of Kashmir dispute. Maqbool Bhat has also created self confidence among Kashmiri youth and they have taken on Indian military might. Maqbool Bhat is undisputed leader of Kashmiri nation both side of the LOC, even those who abused him during his life and called him Indian agent, some called him Pakistani agent, now accept him as national hero. We Kashmiris never forget Maqbool Bhat,s contribution to his enslaved nation and follow his path to complete his mission of national liberation.