November 6: When Earth Saw Blood

November 6: When earth saw blood
Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt. Nov. 9th, 2008
Abdul Majid Zargar
November 6, 1947 has a very special significance for the Muslims of Jammu & Kashmir. Indian Army had already landed in Srinagar on October 26, pursuant to a controversial accession deal alleged to have been consummated between Mahraja Hari Singh and Indian Government. Hurt at the loss of northern areas, and fearing reprisals at the hands of people, Maharaja had fled Kashmir valley to rest in the safe environs of Jammu.
Upon reaching Jammu he spewed venom against Muslims, and privately ordered his army and a band of fanatics aided and abetted by RSS cadres to butcher them. An organized genocide of Jammu Muslims was carried out by them in all areas of Jammu. Muslim Women were abducted and raped. Even the daughter of the most popular Muslim leader of Jammu at that time, Chowdhary Ghulam Abbas was not spared. Men and children were massacred, and the weapons to carry out the carnage, swords and rifles, were provided by the Dogra Army. Local Police and administration acted as a mute and willing spectator. The Muslims were massacred by the same ruler who was supposed to be their savior. The pogrom bears very close resemblance to the Gujarat carnage enacted in 2002.A gory incident needs a mention here. Thousands of Jammu-city Muslims were made to assemble at parade ground on the promise of safe passage to Sialkot. They were herded like cattle in many trucks, and brutally killed near Samba and Kathua borders. No mercy was shown to these defenseless persons by the people and administration of Jammu who otherwise would swear by secularism and non-violence.It is said that Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah made frantic calls to New-Delhi to impress upon Maharaja to stop the genocide of Muslims but it all fell on deaf ears. The administration there was either too busy with the aftermaths of partition or were deliberately ignoring his calls.Here is another incident. A few thousand Hindus migrated from Muzaffarabad and reached Kashmir. Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah made elaborate arrangements for their transportation to Jammu. These tonga drivers of the 250 tongas that were arranged, were Kashmiri Muslims. They were butchered in Jammu after they faithfully helped dropped the migrant passengers at their destination. These are the historical memories that have their relevance even today. Kashmiri Muslims need to keep this in mind while deciding their future at any given moment. Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, who was instrumental in making us fall in the Indian lap, in 1947, owes an answer to those innocent Jammu martyrs, on the day of Reckoning. Let his son and grand son take a note of this and rectify the mistake committed by their ancestors.