Kashmir Politics and Plebiscite

The present work entitled, Kashmir: Politics of Plebiscite, is based on the Ph.D dissertation completed by the author under the supervision of Dr. Manzoor Fazili. It takes a close look at the relations of Delhi and Kashmir right from 1947. The relations are analyzed in the light of speeches delivered by Indian and Kashmiri leaders.

In his broadcast of 2nd November, 1947, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru said:

We have declared that the fate of Kashmir is ultimately to be decided by the people, that pledge we have given and the Maharaja (Hari Singh) has supported it, not only to the people of Kashmir but to the world and we will not back out of it"

In early fifties these relations got strained when Jammu Parja Parishad Party launched an agitation against the limited accession which was pledged and guaranteed to the people of J & K under Article 370. They demanded complete merger of State with the Indian union. There slogan was EK Pardhan, EK Nishan and EK Vidhan (one prime Minister, one flag and one parliament), "on June 8, 1970, at the second session of the Jammu and Kashmir people's convention, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, briefly referred to these relations in these words.

"The final break in our relations came in 1953, when Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru suggested that I should get the accession ratified by the Kashmir constituent Assembly. This change in his mind baffled me for he had himself opposed it in the past... I strongly advised him against such a step. This led to my removal from the premiership of the state and long imprisonment without trial".

The refusal of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah to act as a man of Delhi brought untold sufferings, miseries and atrocities to all those people of the State who against the undemocratic dismissal of Sheikh Abdullah's government and his detention on August 9, 1953. The first ministry making business imposed by the central government on Kashmir proved a Himalayan blunder and the practice continues till date. This has caused tremendous alienation of the people of the state. This is examined and explained in this work in detail.

Dr. Abdul Jabbar was born in Village Gockhama, (Kashmir) in 1944. He was the first matriculate of his town-Trodden Village, the first Graduate, first Post graduate, first M. Phil and the first Ph.D. of his economically and educationally backward area. He was appointed Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, S.P College, in 1969 and after serving in a number of premier Colleges of the Valley. He was retired as Principal, Government Degree College, Bemina, Srinagar (Kashmir) in 2002.

Prof. Abdul Jabbar has published number of papers on different Subjects including Politics and has gained fame in the political circles for his work entitled, "Kashmir, National Conference and politics". 'Personality behind Oration, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah', is his another major valuable contribution in the Contemporary Political History of Kashmir.

He has completed his Ph. D. work on the topic "Kashmir politics of plebiscite" 1955 1975. After going on superannuation, he has been an active social and cultural worker. He is a member of many academic Institutions and literary fora.

**Contents and Sample Pages**