Autonomy vs. Integration: The Eternal Kashmir Debate

by Sandeep Bamzai

As Kashmir boils in the past many days, the debate continues over unfettering the State and granting them some sort of ‘autonomy.’ Autonomy is desired not only by the Valley; Jammu and Ladakh are seeking regional autonomy within the same narrow confines. But with the Sunni-dominated Valley holding the entire State to ransom, it stands to reason that other divisions also require to be unshackled. What constitutes this so-called ‘autonomy’ within the purview of the Indian Constitution, as well as Article 370 giving special status to the state enshrined in the same Constitution? Indian prime ministers have spoken of an architecture within the confines of the same Constitution. What is the leverage possessed by the current prime minister? Analysts reckon that the Delhi Agreement was the defining moment in the contractual relationship between India and Kashmir; the seed of doubt was planted in Sheikh Abdullah’s mind that this actually paved the way towards full integration with India and did not grant autonomy as structured in Article 370. The author ponders the 70-year-old Kashmir question, using documents bequeathed to him by his grandfather, who served as a close aide to both Sheikh Abdullah and Jawaharlal Nehru.

17 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2016