This refers to the letter We Mourn by Dr.Dhar (Greater Kashmir, August 4). He says that it was Pandir Ram Chandra Kak, the then Prime Minister of the Jammu & Kashmir State who had raised his voice for Independent Kashmir but his plan was thwarted by Sheikh Abdullah and Nehru Family. Pandit Ram Chandra Kak, rose from an office clerk to the highest status as the Prime Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, through his foresight and intelligence. Belonging to the original Malamasi section of the Kashmiri Pandits, he was aware of our distinct identity as a nation in the comity of nations. Being a great scholar, he was aware that there was nothing common between the Kashmiri culture and the cultures of the South Asian countries. In 1947, he sincerely believed that it was not right for the State to accede to Pakistan or India, because of the fact that the State consisted of various nationalities, the Baltis, Gilgatees, the Buddhists, Dogras, Muslims, Pandits, with Muslim majority, ruled over by the Hindu Maharaja. Hence he rightly advised the Maharaja to remain independent.
Among other things, I remember that I used to visit his residence at Dara when he was leading a retired life after having been removed from the post of P Prime Minister at he behest of Mahatama Gandhi. He was my Guru in the field of archaeology and I revere his mastery over the subject. During my several meetings , I would never venture to ask him any question about the political situation at that time when Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah was made the Prime Minister under Maharaja Hari Singh, through the machinations of Pandit Nehru. However, once , at the spur of a moment, he said: India cannot hold Kashmir permanently. His words seem prophetic when we see that after 60 years of illegal possession, India is facing protests in Kashmir, even from teenagers.
I visualize that had Sheikh Abdullah joined hands with Pandit R.C. Kak and Maharaja Hari Singh, in keeping the State independent, we would never witnessed killings of thousands of Kashmiris from 1947 to 2010.
Prof. Fida M Hassnain
Srinagar

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