Jammu & Kashmir has been a subject of great dispute between India and Pakistan soon after the partition of the country. Although Hilal Ahmed has written a book on Realities Behind Kashmir Problems, the present book “The Great Disclosures – Secrets Unmasked” unfolds the history of the Kashmir dispute from the beginning as well as analyses the basic problems which have rendered the entire issue into an enigmatic, complex and most puzzling subject for the people as well as the leaders of India and Pakistan.
Hence in plain and simple words, the book essentially provides a detailed study of the history of Kashmir issues relating chiefly to the struggle of the Kashmiri people for what the author calls a “fair and just settlement of the dispute”.
The entire book pivots around the subject revealing the attitude of different sections of the people towards the issue, the purpose of the Hindu ruler of the State, the wishes of the Muslim subjects of the place, the attempt of Pakistan at what it calls “enabling Kashmiri people to exercise their choice for their right to plebiscite” and the attempt of India to maintain the right of the country by keeping the state as an integral part of India.
In Focus
To add to all these, the author has also revealed the role of external agents like the UN and foreign countries like America, Russia, China and other powerful countries of the world.
The author, however, focuses on the various organisations that take recourse to violence and terrorist activities in order to achieve their demand for self-determination and independence of their state. While unfolding the secrets and clandestine activities of these agents, the author also reveals the country’s anti-insurgent agencies which add a new problem to the entire issue.
The issue acquires new dimensions when we find that the leaders of Kashmir take different roles in the entire drama; while some leaders appear true to their stand, other leaders like Yasin Malik and others who, while vouchsafing for their people, secretly help the other protagonists in order to achieve their self-centred wishes and personal gains. This adds a new dimension to the entire issue which, therefore, remains unsolved till date, although more than 70 years have elapsed.
The book, acquires further value, when the writer discusses the various internal political problems of India and Pakistan which were directly or indirectly linked with the problem. Such events as Gandhiji’s murder, Indira Gandhi’s murder, Ayub Khan’s plan and Janta Dal’s role in Indian politics have been recorded revealing their close relevance to the Kashmir problems.
Similarly, the author appears to be obsessed with the role of Mufti Sayeed, whom he has painted as a wolf in the garb of a ship in the drama of the Kashmir problem. His allegation that Mufti Sayeed had an indirect role in the murder of Rajiv Gandhi appears rather far-fetched and fabricated.
Here it may be noted that the declaration of the author on the flap of the cover page of the book that it reveals the secrets of the murder of Jinnah, Nehru and others appears to merely sensitize the issue, chiefly because when he narrates the death of Jinnah or Nehru, he fails to provide sufficient and convincing evidence to the cases of their death which he calls assassination.
Similarly, his narration of Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen’s plan and attempt to murder Dr Farooq Abullah, in which the author was to play a vital role, again lacks in cogent and convincing evidence.
The author, while unfolding the history of Kashmir, takes recource to narrate a few episodes that add much interest to the entire book. For example, the story of the kidnapping of Mufti Sayeed’s daughter Dr Rubiya Sayeed is full of interest as narrated below:
Consequently, one night, in the first week of December 1989, a secret meeting was held, at the residence of the then Director General of Police, J&K State, Ghulam Jeelani Pandit, in which Mian Sarwar, Yaseen Malik, and Doctor Guru participated. According to this secret plan, Dr. Rubiya Sayeed, the daughter of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the then Home Minister of India, would travel by a public transport Matador van, from L.D. Women’s Hospital, Srinagar, where she was on duty, as a Doctor, on Internship.
Similarly, the story of Maqbool Bhatt adds a good deal of suspense to the event:
The mysterious hanging and burial in the jail premises, has created reasonable doubts, whether Maqbool Bhat was actually hanged-till-death, or it was a mere stage show, and the grave, shown as the grave of Maqbool Bhat, was fictitious and a ‘mock grave’.
At the same time, his account of the execution of Z.A. Bhutto in the following passage is quite astounding:
Alarmed by Bhutto’s popularity, the Zia regime wasted no time to get Bhutto involved in a concocted ‘murder case’, which ultimately ended in Bhutto being sentenced to death, through the Pakistan Judiciary – which started at the Trial court, and ended at the Supreme Court…..
Similarly, the story of General Zia’s killing is quite revealing of the inner secret:
By a careful and foolproof planning, Murtaza Ali Bhutto ultimately succeeded in blowing up the aeroplane (C-130 Transport Aircraft) on 17th August, 1988, by planting a powerful mango-shaped time bomb, which was carried into the plane, in a basket of special mangoes, presented to General Zia, by way of gifts, just before boarding the aircraft. Thus, General Zia met the punishment, which he deserved, for becoming a tool of the American C.I.A., and for killing Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and frustrating his ‘National Agenda’. In this plane crash, 30 persons died, including two Americans, Ambassador Arnold L. Raphel and Brig. General M. Wassom, the Chief American Military Attache in Pakistan.
But the book acquires great significance when the author reveals the game played by America in helping the arms insurgency to drive out the Russians from Afghanistan. His account of the USA in playing a double game as narrated below gives a correct picture of the case:
Thus, America used the Islamic World, through General Zia, for getting rid of the Chief of the Communist Bloc, and thus, become the ‘only Superpower in the world’. America considered the Communist Bloc, as well as the Islamic World, as the two foremost enemies of its global interests. Therefore, America formulated a policy of exploiting the religious sentiments of the Islamic world, against the irreligious, anti-religion and materialistic philosophy and ideology of communism. For realizing this objective, the C.I.A. created various Islamic organizations, such as Jamaat-e-Istemi, Ikhwan-ul-Muslimeen and others. Millions of Dollars’ were being spent lavishly, for aiding and funding these Islamic organizations, to wage a worldwide ideological crusade, in the name of Islam, against Communism, and its social, economic and political order and system. After disintegration of the Soviet Russia, U.S.A. started diverting its attention and policies, towards preventing the possible formation of a mighty Islamic Bloc, with nuclear capability.
The book, however, acquires an added value and significance when the author states some harsh and bitter facts regarding the roles of the leaders of the two countries. Hence he rightly observes General Zia’s conduct:
In fact, General Zia’s Military regime exploited religion, for its own purpose. Islamization was used to legitimise the regime that came to power through a Military coup. He was also used by America, to convene a Special Islamic Conference, against the then Soviet Russia, to support Diplomatically and Materially, the War waged by the Mujahideens (crusaders) in Afghanistan, to drive out Russia, and put an end to the ‘Puppet Government’ in that country.
Here it is important to note that his comment on Islam as a religion and the way it has been misused is quite relevant as stated in the following words:
Unfortunately, the clean and bright image of Islam has been distorted by various International Agencies, and its teachings have been misinterpreted and misrepresented, before the world community. Nowadays, a campaign has been started, to present Islam as a ‘terrorist religion’, by vested interests and anti-Muslim forces, in spite of the glaring fact that, Islam is the religion of peace, security, justice and righteousness. The letter and spirit of the teachings of Islam, is fully in conformity with the principles and concept of humanity, good deeds and the service and emancipation of the down-trodden human beings, without any kind of discrimination.
The article is authored by Bibhuti Pati, an environmentalist and a senior journalist.