Whereas peoples of the free world celebrate their independence days, the people of Kashmir have important days to remember the lives of its countless martyrs who gave complete sacrifice for the struggle to further the justice and freedom of their divided and occupied nation. First and foremost, Shaheed Maqbool Bhat is remembered and cherished as the pioneer of the people’s struggle for independence and re-unification of Jammu & Kashmir. And his death anniversary on February 11, the day upon which the government of India executed Maqbool Bhat despite serious judicial irregularities and a last minute mercy plea from the then President of India, is perhaps the single most important day on the Kashmiri political calender. February 11 might be the day upon which India put to death Maqbool Bhat the man, but it is also the day the dream and struggle of Maqbool Bhat became eternally embedded in the hearts and souls of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. On this day the dream, the struggle, and the sacrifice of Maqbool Bhat is eulogized by the masses with great fervor and public outpouring of pure dedication and determination.
An onlooker may ask why is it that the life and example of Shaheed Maqbool Bhat has assumed such central position in the ideology and methodology of the struggle for freedom and justice in Jammu & Kashmir? The reason why is simple yet powerful. It is said that a person does not truly live unless he advances the condition of humanity. In the case of Shaheed Maqbool Bhat and his struggle to awaken his nation towards the fight against oppression and injustice it would not be an exaggeration to say that he lived a thousand lives. Not only did he take up the political independence of Jammu & Kashmir as a goal but he paid deep attention to the overall condition of the common man and humanity at large. His was a complete struggle that encompassed reform of society, promotion of tolerance, and push for economic justice. His oft-repeated saying indicates that he possessed great depth in his vision: "It's far better to die in the field in struggle against illiteracy, poverty and oppression and to achieve the glory of humanity while fighting against evil forces than to die in bed." Simply put, it is his ideology of justice and the sacrifice he gave for that which has won him eternal love from his people and respect the world over. It is safe to say that the allegiance of the common people to the path of Maqbool Bhat is unquestionable.
However, 15 years after the death of Maqbool Bhat it pains me know that this great Shaheed right no would definitely be turning in his grave and deeply hurt to see what has become of his beloved country. Violence and chaos appears to have taken over in such a way that there appears to be no sense or strategy to it and somehow the people’s struggle for independence has been by-passed. The course being followed by certain leaders and groupings of leaders has virtually no chance of achieving what Maqbool Bhat’s and the thousands of other Kashmiris’ sacrifice was for. As the recent spectacle of "bus diplomacy" rings true, the dynamics of the Kashmir problem has become slowly confined to the very bilateralism between India and Pakistan over Kashmir that Maqbool Bhat loathed. Furthermore, the ignoring of Kashmiris at the table can be attributed directly to the position which many of those who presently claim leadership took as willing benefactors to Pakistan’s territorial approach in Kashmir.
In addition to knowing about the suffering of his people, Maqbool Bhat would feel deep pain by observing the lack of direction and mistaken leadership that has befallen the present movement. For this reason alone, there is a pain and sorrow that many admirers of Maqbool Bhat feel weighing heavily upon their souls. This is a pain in knowing that the present struggle and particularly the present condition of leadership is far from being on the true path and example of Shaheed Maqbool Bhat and as such there exists a deep black cloud of uncertainty hovering over the fate of the people of Jammu & Kashmir - the very nation which Shaheed Bhat loved so very much. Maqbool Bhat said that even in captivity a freedom fighter is liberated as long as he remains conscious of his goal and principles. For this reason, the uncertainty and confusion existing in the present political atmosphere in Jammu & Kashmir can be called a warning sign that things are not on the right track and that in order for this movement to succeed, the people of Jammu & Kashmir must reform the present shape of the movement and return its course directly and solely on the path that Shaheed Maqbool Bhat paved for his nation.
One thing remains very clear: this movement is not lacking in the area of sacrifice and dedication of the people. After all, more than 50,000 Kashmiris have given their very lives for this cherished goals of freedom. Shaheed Bhat anticipated that terrible obstacles would be pushed in front of the people of Jammu & Kashmir if they were to demand their freedom. Indeed, his own lonely struggle was a taste of this hardship to come and it is a known fact that he faced terrible police-state oppression from the authorities of Pakistan and then later was actually murdered by India. Maqbool Bhat described his struggle: "It is easy to talk about freedom. But it needs a lot more courage and patience to fight for freedom. It is a path where every turn is full of tests. You go through such stages where your own friends on whom you relied, don't want to know you for their vested interests. They, even, leave you and make alliances with enemies."
It would be no exaggeration that Shaheed Maqbool Bhat would be proud of the common people who have demonstrated such patience. But with the same certainty, I am sure that Maqbool Bhat would be angered and ashamed of the way in which the leadership has behaved, specifically how it has bartered away the ideology and goal of independence by entering strange alliances or adopting ambiguous demands. To be more specific, I would like to discuss the way in which those claiming exclusive leadership have confused the struggle for independence and have reduced the Kashmir struggle to a squabble between India and Pakistan - as it is wrongly seen by the outside world now - because of the way it has been subservient to dictates of the occupiers.
Though these leaders criticize Pakistan and India’s mutual overtures and bilateral talks it is absolutely true that these leaders who have played the role of Pakistan and have confused the Kashmiri struggle by holding it hostage to their communal approaches and demand for UN resolution implementation. The very "help" they took from "friends" allowed the hijacking of this struggle. And above all, these leaders - some of whom were Indian politicians while Maqbool Bhat was struggling and when he was hung and some of whom have in the past labeled the Shaheed as an agent and his ideology as "kufr" - have conspired against Independent Kashmir thought. Namely, the present APHC Chairman has recently given statements only two-option self-determination and has ruled out what he called the "third option" of independence.
Interestingly, some of these same leaders are endorsing a strike for February 11. One can only guess that they want to exploit the genuine sentiments in order to fool the outside world that they command the sole leadership. Even Pakistan this year has had to make some vague recognition of Feb. 11: a sign that independent Kashmir is strong in the hearts of Kashmiris. To these individuals Maqbool Bhat is honored for only the fact that he was killed by India. But Maqbool Bhat’s contribution was not only going to the Indian gallows. So to these people it must be said that if they wish to honour the memory of a person they must honour the ideology and strategy of the person. Otherwise, it is just a publicity stunt exploiting the sacrifice of a great martyr they still have failed to truly understand.
So for the sake of the generations to come and for those who are currently carrying on the real struggle for the real goal of independence it is of the utmost importance that they endeavor to understand and heed the ideology and approach of Shaheed Maqbool Bhat. Indeed, a re-dedication to the path of Maqbool Bhat will serve to solve many of the problems currently facing the movement. In particular, two things must be emphasized: 1) his exactly defined goal of achieving a re-united and independent Jammu & Kashmir with a strong democratic and tolerant framework and 2) his strong belief that the struggle must remain in essence a struggle for the people and by the people.
On the first aspect, Maqbool Bhat’s goal of the re-unification and independence of Jammu & Kashmir, most people are quite clear what this implies and this is well understood by the masses. Above all many are aware that the solution of independence is perhaps the only way in which both India and Pakistan can make a just peace in Kashmir.
Regarding this, Maqbool Bhat was very determined that the struggle must be a truly egalitarian and unified struggle for national independence. He was also worried about the possibility that the struggle could be "hijacked" should the struggle’s goals be made ambiguous. In his own struggle, Maqbool Bhat refused Pakistani dictates and decided to struggle alone rather than allow his group to be used as a tool for a proxy war for different ends.
He emphasized the importance of the goal of independence: "Any fight without an ideology and without a clear goal can be hijacked by anyone with bigger power- we want to fight our own war, we will accept help but not interference". When asked about the need for Kashmiris to receive recognition, help, and sympathy from the outside world, Maqbool Bhat emphasized that this could not be at the cost of loosing the reigns of the movement: "We have to first prove that we are capable of running such a movement. Once we organise our nation help will come to us without any strings".
Maqbool Bhat was particularly worried that this conflict would become communalized by foreign conspiracy. Instead he insisted that the struggle for freedom be based upon the principles of universal justice. Indeed the following warning of Maqbool Bhat has come true in a prophetic way: "Any organisation or individual attempted to carry out independence movement in Kashmir on the basis of sect and religion will be deemed as an arch enemy of the nation, because it will lead to the division of the Motherland - where ethnic, linguistic and sectarian disputes and clashes will undermine the national unity and character - ultimate output of which is constant turmoil and infighting and an ideal situation for foreign subjugators to continue their direct and indirect rule and oppression. Kashmiris freedom movement based on sectarianism and religion can't muster international support whether it is launched at the behest of "secular India" or Islamic Pakistan. The only way to achieve national freedom for Kashmir is to demonstrate as United Kashmir Nation."
Regarding the rest, I would like to conclude with a strong request that the present intellectuals as well as the common people of Jammu & Kashmir contemplate the following advice of Shaheed Maqbool Bhat- I am sure that its implications are obvious regarding certain leaders’ erroneous belief that Kashmiris can look to the outside world as a saviour: "I can't be unjust to history, I would like to make it clear to you that regarding our problems which include wheat or educational problems to national political independence, until and unless Kashmiris themselves command and lead it - They will not succeed. It is the verdict of nature and history even. I'm here to give up this struggle if anybody from you comes up with a single example from nation's history, that any other nation of the world had fought, or lead freedom movement of another. No, never. But unfortunately, Kashmiri leadership always looked forward to others to organise and lead their movement (contrary to the wishes and aspirations of common Kashmiri people). Hence, loosing the image and status of a nation interested to be recognised as united under indigenous leadership and command. "
Since the departure of Maqbool Bhat, leadership has become in many ways a hated word in the minds of the common Kashmiri who has time and again given sacrifice for the just cause of freedom but has seen their goal become more and more elusive. Why is this? Perhaps it is because while the sacrifice of Bhat has been honored, his ideology and methodology has not been held as the standard for leadership. Maqbool Bhat believed that the Kashmiri leadership’s role was to serve the people and to live by example. He would never ask his people to do something he himself was not prepared to do. Is there a leader or any leaders today that can come close to this great person when all one observes is a group of individuals spending most of their energies in politicking, ego, and exaggerating their importance?
With my critical and even harsh analysis above, a reader may accuse me of being too cynical and demanding of the leadership. But with the level of supreme sacrifice that the people of Jammu & Kashmir have offered in the last 50 years, we should all expect impeccable leadership despite the conspiracies hatched by New Delhi and Islamabad. Some may say that such a servant of the people like Maqbool Bhat can never emerge again in Jammu & Kashmir. To this I conclude with a hopeful challenge to every political activist and every free-thinking Kashmiri who hopes for the freedom of his nation. People have matched the sacrifice of Maqbool Bhat, but have they endeavored to emulate the strategy of Maqbool Bhat?
I propose that such a leadership can emerge if they dedicate themselves to upholding true justice and understanding the complete picture that this father of the nation painted with his own blood. And it is for the purpose of keeping the dream alive that February 11th is so very important.
Perhaps we will have to wait for the children of today to grow but the struggle is far from being over. I conclude with a prayer that the following words of the visionary, Shaheed Maqbool Bhat, will come true: "Political and economic liberation of our nation demands incessant struggle and commitment, even lives be sacrificed so that next generation could follow our steps and could live an honourable life with a dignified way - and after death we would re-appear with different names and characters to continue the just struggle."
A Challenge: Follow the path of Shaheed Maqbool Bhat by Manzoor Dar
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