great. Great nations demonstrate the moral courage to keep their word. India has to ponder whether it has fulfilled the commitments made by its leaders, like late Mahatama Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru and others, to hold plebiscite in the State of Jammu & Kashmir. The whole world knows, they havent. Now, when India is aspiring for a permanent slot in the UN Security Council, India should think seriously whether it really qualifies for that, because it has not only reneged on the promises it made on Jammu & Kashmir but has also defied with impunity the resolutions of the UN Security Council on Kashmir, the same body in which India desires a permanent seat. If India is interested to play its role at the international level, it should, in the first instance, amicably resolve all pending issues with its neighbours, including the issue of Jammu & Kashmir, so that India may emerge as a peace loving nation. This publication contains commitments made by the Indian leaders for holding plebiscite in the State of Jammu & Kashmir. Because of the demand of this brochure, its first edition has been exhausted. The second edition has a new chapter, comprising views of the world notables. CHAIRMAN MAULANA FAZL-UR-RAHMAN CHAIRMAN PARLIAMENTARY KASHMIR COMMITTEE MARCH 31, 2010 Download Translations French (MS Word| PDF) Spanish (MS Word| PDF) Russian (MS Word| PDF) CHAPTER-I COMMITMENTS OF INDIAN LEADERS MAHATAMA GANDHI The People of Kashmir should be asked whether they want to join Pakistan or India. Let them do as they want. The ruler is nothing. People are every thing. (Speech at Prayer Meeting July 29, 1947) The princes being the creation of British imperialism and the British having quitted India, the people in the States were their own masters and Kashmiris must, therefore, decide without any coercion or show of it from within and without to which dominion they should belong. (During visit to Srinagar) I want to repeat the Government of India will stand by that pledge, whatever happens. That pledge itself stated that it is for the people of Kashmir to decide their fate without external interference. (August, 1947) If the people of Kashmir are in favour of opting for Pakistan, no power on earth can stop them from doing so. They should be left free to decide for themselves. (Speech at Prayer Meeting October 26, 1947) The accession was provisional upon an impartial plebiscite being taken by the Kashmiris. (October 30, 1947) (Speech at Prayer Meeting, 26thOctober, 1947. Complete Works of Mahatama Gandhi) LORD MOUNTBATTEN, GOVERNOR GENERAL OF INDIA The question of the States accession should be settled by a reference to the people. (Letter to Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir October 27, 1947) JAWAHARLAL NEHRU, PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA I should like to make it clear that the question of aiding Kashmir in this emergency is not designed in any way to influence the state to accede to India. Our view which we have repeatedly made public is that the question of accession in any disputed territory or State must be decided in accordance with wishes of people and we adhere to this view. (Telegram to the British and the Pakistani Prime Ministers October 27, 1947) In regard to accession also, it has been made clear that this is subject to reference to people of State and their decision. (Telegram to Prime Minister of Pakistan October 28, 1947) Our assurance that we shall withdraw our troops from Kashmir as soon as peace and order is restored and leave the decision regarding the future of this State to the people of the state is not merely a promise to your Government but also to the people of Kashmir and to the world. (Telegram to the Prime Minister of Pakistan October 31, 1947) We are anxious not to finalize anything in a moment of crisis and without the fullest opportunity to be given to the people of Kashmir to have their say. It is for them ultimately to decide. And let me make it clear that it has been our policy all along that where there is a dispute about the accession of a state to either dominion, the accession must be
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 03:26:17 +0000
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