ALL PARTIES NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR (APNA-J&K)

Prof. G.M. Athar

Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler of Jammu and Kashmir State wanted to keep his kingdom away from both India and Pakistan so he submitted his Standstill Agreement proposal to the Government of India and the Government of Pakistan through an identical telegram on 12th August 1947. The Government of Pakistan accepted the Standstill Agreement in principle, pending details on 16th August 1947. The Government of India suggested the Maharaja to depute some cabinet minister to New Delhi to discuss the details of the Standstill Agreement. While the political bargaining of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir with the Government of India was going on, the Pakistan sponsored a tribal raid in Kashmir on 22nd October 1947.The announcement of the local warriors of Poonch-Mirpur to have established the Azad Government of Jammu and Kashmir under the leadership of Sardar Mohammad Ibrahim Khan on 24th October 1947 as well as the human bloodshed caused by the invaders in North Kashhmir compelled Maharaja Hari Singh to ask for military assistance from New Delhi.The Government of India demanded accession of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir with India prior to any military assistance. Maharaja Hari Singh was obliged to submit the Instrument of Accession of Jammu and Kashmir State with Indian Union with respect to defence, foreign affairs and communication on 26th October 1947. Maharaja Hari Singh in his covering letter to the Instrument of Accession had made it abundantly clear to the Government of India in advance that the provisions of the future Constitution of India will not be a binding on his government except for the subjects included in the instrument of Accession. Early in the morning on 27th October 1947 the Indian troops landed at Srinagar Airport to drag out the Pakistani tribal raiders from Kashmir. After a fight of more than a year a Ceasefire Line between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir State was implemented on 1st January 1949 through the persuasion of United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP). On 28th April 1949 India and Pakistan formally accepted the Ceasefire Line in the presence of UN representatives during the Karachi Agreement.

Government of India was interested in diluting the provisions of the Instrument of Accession so Maharaja Hari Singh was exiled to Mumbai on 20th June 1949 and his son Karan Singh was appointed as the regent because he was as yet a minor. Subsequently, New Delhi wanted to have the ratification of the Instrument of Accession by the Jammu and Kashmir State Constituent Assembly so Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir State was dismissed on 8th August and put behind the bars on 9th August 1953. Government of India appointed Bakhshi Ghulam Mohammad as the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir to get the Instrument of Accession ratified by the Jammu and Kashmir State Constituent Assembly on 16tb February 1954. Subsequently Ghulam Mohammad Bakhshi and Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq were used to erode the autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir from 1954 to 1965. During the Chief Ministership of Syed Mir Qasim, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah and Ghulam Mohammad Shah many Central Government laws were extended to Jammu and Kashmir State. Even during the Chief Ministership of Ms Mehboba Mufti the GST was introduced in Jammu and Kashmir State. Finally on 5th August 2019 after arresting all the .mainstteam political leaders and their political workers, the Article 370 granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir State was unconstitutionally inoperationalised, the Article 35- of the Indian Constitution was abolished and the state was degraded into Ladakh Union Territory and Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.

The time has come when all the regional political parties of Jammu and Kashmir State must abandon the electoral politics and form All Parties National Alliance of Jammu and Kashmir to be called as APNA-J&K to struggle for the reverting back the Centre-State relationship in accordance with the provisions of the Instrument of Accession signed by Maharaja Hari Singh on 26th October 1947.The exile of Maharaja Hari Singh on 20th June 1949 was basically an interference by New Delhi in the internal sovereignty of Jammu and Kashmir State which must be opposed tooth and nail by every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir. The political leadership of Jammu and Kashmir must resist all political changes in the State following the forced resignation of Maharaja Hari Singh on 20th June 1949.

Email: ghathar@yahoo.co.in