KASHMIRentinelS

Vol. 14, No: 2 February, 2009 Pages 20 Price Rs. 20/-

INSIDEEDITORIALTerrorist Financing-Bring J&K into Focus..................................Page 3

PERSPECTIVE*Cross Border Terrorism:A Historical Perspective*Problems and Prospects ofcombating terroristfinancing.....................Page 6

GUEST COLUMNPakistan should swear,Mumbai won'tbe repeated................Page 8

NISKASAN DIVASMassive Demonstration atJantar Mantar.............Page 9

PHOTO FEATURE.................................Page 11

MEDIA SCANA nostalgic epitaph for thenon-Muslims............Page 12

TRIBUTENilkanth Gurtu-The Last KashmiriPundit........................Page 13

SOCIAL HISTORYBarrister Bishan NarianDar...........................Page 14

HERITAGEThe language calledSiraiki........................Page 16

RITUALMaha Shivratri-Revisiting KashmiriRitual Variants..........Page 17

TRIBUTERemberingBansi Lal Ji..............Page 18

CHRONOLOGY OFEVENTS.....................Page 19

JKENG 00333/26/AL/TC/94 JK No: 1213/18 Regd. JK-219/2009-2011

website:www.panunkashmir.in email: kashmirsentineljk@yahoo.co.in

(Contd. on Page 4)

Let Truth Prevail

Happy Shivratri

ON 24TH JANUARY, an Enforcement Directorate officialSaji Mohan was arrested by ATS Maharastra for allegedlytrying to sell heroin in Oshiwara. Saji Mohan is a 1995

batch Indian Police Service Officer of Jammu and Kashmir cadre.He was incharge of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh andPanjab during his previous posting as zonal Director NarcoticsControl Bureau at Chandigarh. Saji was arrested with 12 kgs ofheroin in a club subsequent to a tip off by two other arrestedpersons Vicky Oberoi and Rajesh Kumar. The duo had been ar-rested earlier by ATS Mumbai onJanuary 17 and 1.85 kg of heroinwas recovered from them. Bothwere linked to notorious narcot-ics smuggler Parminder Singh whoused to smuggle Narcotics fromPakistan and Afghanistan via theinternational border. After inves-tigating Saji Mohan, ATS recov-ered further 25 kgs of heroin atNaigoan in Central Mumbai. SajiMohan had served in Jammu andKashmir Police in different capaci-ties including Additional SPBaderwah, SP Doda, SP Rambanbesides Sher-i-Kashmir PoliceAcademy.

Close to the heels of this ar-rest was a 13 kg heroin haul byBSF after an encounter withsmugglers near the Border out-post Pul Kanjero in Attari sectorof Amritsar. Two of the smug-glers involved came from the Pa-kistan side to deliver the consign-ments to the two smugglers fromIndian side. The two Pakistanisafter sneaking across the bordercrawled up to the barbed wirefence. Using ropes they tried topush the consignment through aPVC pipe laid under the fence and used by the farmers for wateringagricultural fields situated between the fence and the border. A fewdays earlier a woman Saddiqiquan, who had made a fake passportto visit Pakistan, was arrested alongwith AkhtarAbbas at Attarisector and 8 kgs of heroin worth 40 crores was recovered from theirpossession.

With these arrests the deep roots of Narcotic trade linked to

BAD MONEY CREATES PARASITIC CULTURE IN KASHMIRJammu and Kashmir have once again come to the fore. Unfortunatelythe illegal economy in the state and its implications has remained noteven peripheral concern for Kashmir analysts and think tanks. Howthis illegal economy impacts the politics, local, regional and interna-tional and what are its implications on society are subjects whicheventually are ignored.

Regular sezures of drugs along the LoC and IB in the state, Hawalamoney and counterfiet currency has been a feature of counter terror-ism operations in the state and local papers have been regularly re-

porting such incidents. The discourseon Kashmir at the political level in In-dia eschews this dimension. Howeverexperts of International repute havetaken significant and serious notice oflinkages between terrorism in Kashmirand its financial support through drugtrade. Yousuff Bondansky while high-lighting the pan Islamist linkages of ter-rorism in Jammu and Kashmir reportsabout the master plan for Islamist in-surgency in Cacusus and Kashmir drawnat Mogadishu, Somalia in 1996 in whichOsama bin Laden and high ranking Iraniintelligence officers were also present.As per Bodansky Javed Ashraf of ISIwas handed over the task of providingarms and amateurs and paying for thetransportation of Islamist fighters fromthe training camps in Afganistan, Paki-stan, Lebanon and Sudan to the new Is-lamist Jihad fronts in Chechenya andKashmir. Harnessing drug financial sys-tem to support such an endeavour hasbeen the easiest and readily availablechannel given the poppy fields ofAfganistan and parts of Pakistan.

Drugs and Narcotics:The narcotics hauls by police in

Jammu and Kashmir provide an insightinto the magnitude of the problem. The

arrest of Vicky Oberoi, Rajesh Kumar and official of enforcementdirector Saji Mohan alongwith heroin provides a glimpse into en-trenchment of narcotic cartels. But they are not isolated cases.

On 15 November 2008 Ferozpur police recovered 2 kgs of heroinworth 10 crore rupees. The Jammu and Kashmir Police cracked a wellknit racket of Indo Pak trans-border narcotics smugglers operatingfrom Jammu and Sailkot districts. Three smugglers all residents of

Arnia were arrested. During interrogation itwas revealed that consignments of pure hero-ine totalling 60-65 kg were transferred to Indiain one year alone. The value of such quantityis 65 crores.

12 kgs of poppy straw was recovered bySamba Police on August 11, 2006 alongwith 4kgs of charas. The poppy straw or husk is alocal variety of narcotics called as Bhukkiwhich is consumed mostly by the drivers inNorth India. Both charas and Bhukki are localvarieties of narcotics prepared in Kashmir val-ley.

In December 2006 BSF recovered 25 kgsof heroin along the international Border in RSPura area of Jammu sector. In July 2006. 4 kgsof charas was recovered from a smuggler inDoda town.

J&K Police recovered 26 kgs of poppyhusk (Bhukki) and 6.5 kgs of charas in TalabTillo area of Jammu city on June 3, 2005. InApril month of the same year more than

SOURCE OF FUNDINGSOURCE OF FUNDINGSOURCE OF FUNDINGSOURCE OF FUNDINGSOURCE OF FUNDING

Straight funding from Pakistan 20%------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Funding from Narcotic drugs 25%------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Funding from illegal sale of Arms 20%------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Funding through Counterfeit Currency 10%------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Funding from ZOHAT (an Islamic Tax) 5%------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Funding from International Islamic Org. 5%------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Funding from Org. of Islamic countries 5%------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Funding through donations 5%------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Source: Narcotics Control Bureau Jammu Zonal Unit

Fake currency notes recovered from Bangladeshnationals

COVER STORY

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 22222

Kashmir Sentinel and Panun Kashmir Foundation mourn their sad demise and pray for the peace to the departed souls

1. Padamshrree Pushkar Bhanoriginallyresident ofBudshahNagar Sgr, 22-SS Lane Sector-1, DurgaNagar, Jammu and presently residing at 305,Sector-3, R.K.Puram New Delhi. 5/10/2008

2. Smt. Prabha Jee Hakhu W/o Late R.C. Hakhuoriginally resident of 34 Gogji Bagh Sgr; presentlyresiding at185/2 Pamposh Colony, Janipur Jammu. 7/101/2008

3. Smt.Santosh Kumari (Behan Ji) D/oLt. Sh.KanthRam Ananad R/o Kupwara Kashmir andpresently residing at H.No: 291/A Lane No: 6,Lakkar Mandi Janipur, Jammu. 7/10/2008

4. Sh. Satish Kumar Vuthoo originally resident ofSgr; presently residing at H.No: 208, Sector-3,Channi Himmat Jammu. 7/10/2008

5. Sh.H.N. Pattoo S/o Late R.K. Pattoo of Bul BulLankar Sgr; presently at H.No: 475, Pocket-6,Sector-2, Rohini Delhi. 7/10/2008

6. Smt. Roopa wife of Sh. Jia Lal Koul of Lok BhawanAnantnag Kmr; presently residing at H.No: 570,Lane No: 5, Suryavanshi Nagar, Muthi Jammu.8/10/2008

7. Smt. Somawati W/o Sh. Soom Nath Bakshipreviously resident of Wachi Pulwama Kmr;/Chanapora Sgr; presently residing at 16-A-RoopNagar Enclave, Block-B, Jammu. 8/10/2008

8. Smt. Kamlawati W/o Late Sh. S.N. Raina(advocate) presently resident of Flat No: 79,Sector-2, Pocket-3, Rohini Delhi. 8/10/2008

9. Sh Manmohan Bambroo S/o Sh. Nath RamBambroo originally resident of Akura MattooAnantnag Kmr; presently residing at H.No: 125,Ganesh Vihar Lower Muthi Jammu. 9/10/2008

10. Smt. Phoola Bhat W/o Sh. B.L. Bhat R/oBandipora Kmr; presently residing at H.No: 38-E, Lane No: 5, Lower Shiv Nagar Jammu. 9/10/2008

11. Smt. Meenawati W/o Sh. Madhusudhan RainaR/o Drusoo Pulwama Kmr; presently residing atSaraswati Vihar Lane-7, Anand Nagar, BohriJammu. 10/10/2008

12. Smt. Roopa Jigri W/o Late Sh. J.N. Dhar ofBarzulla Sgr; presently residing at H.No: 5,Friends Lane Bharat Nagar Barnai Road,Bantalab Jammu. 10/10/2008

13. Smt. Satyawati Dhar W/o Sh. D.N. Dhar presentlyresiding at Khanpur Nagrota Jammu. 10/10/2008

14. Sh. Sham Lal Bhan S/o Late Sh. AmarchandBhan, R/o D-30, Anand Vihar Delhi. 11/10/2008

15. Sh. Prithvi Nath Peer originally resident of ReshiPeer, Ali Kadal Sgr; presently residing at H.No:51, Subash Nagar, Ext-IInd, Jammu. 12/10/2008.

73. Sh. Daya Krishen Koul S/o Late Sh. ShambooNath Koul R/o Batgund Handwara Kmr; presentlyresiding at Netar Kothian Barnai, Lane No: 10,Jammu. 12/10/2008

16. Smt. Janki Devi Munshi wife of Sh. RamchandMunshi of Chinkral Mohalla Habbakadal Sgr;presently residing at 40-A, Lane No: 1, SharikaNagar Enclave, Gole Pulli Talab Tillo, Jammu.12/10/2008.

17. Sh. Bihari Lal Chirvoo S/o Late Sh. Badri NathChervoo of Nazuk Mohalla Anantnag Kmr;presently residing at Laxmipuram, Sector B-I,Chinore Bantalab Jammu. 13/10/2008.

18. Sh. Jagan Nath Reshi (Raina) S/o Late ShThakur Zoo Reshi originally resident of KhandaBawan Nawakadal Sgr; presently residing atH.No: 17, Sector-A, Bharat Nagar, Talab Tillo,Jammu. 13/10/2008.

19. Smt. Uma Devi Bhan wife of Late Sh. RajnathBhan originally resident of Karfalli Mohalla,Dalhasanyar Habbakdal Sgr; and presentlyresiding at C-5, Surbhi Co-operative HousingSociety, Sector-32 Guergaon. 13/10/2008

20. Pt. Sarwanand Bhat S/o Late Sh. Vishnu Bhat ofZewan Sgr; presently residing at H.No: 114,Vasuki Vihar Paloura, Jammu. 14/10/2008.

THOSE WHO LEFT US

21. Sh. Roop Krishen Channa S/o Late Sh. PremNath Channa original resident of Ganpatyar, Sgr;presently resident of H.No: 16, W.No: 3, Gali No:2, Indira Colony Janipur (Old) Jammu. 15/10/2008

22. Dr. T.N. Vaishnavi S/o Late Sh. Anand JooVaishnaviR/o B-7, Basant Nagar, Janipur, Jammupreviously resident of 154 Bagh Sunder ChattabalSgr. 15/10/2008

23. Sh. Badri Nath Koul S/o Late Sh. Rughnath KoulPurshiyar Habbakadal, Peer Bagh Sgr; presentlyresiding at A-2/211, Phase 5, Mandir Marg AayaNagar, New Delhi. 15/10/2008

24. Smt. Sunita Bindroo W/o Sh. Vijay Kumar BindrooR/o Sarai Bala Sgr; presently residing at H.No:277, Hari Singh Nagar Rehari Colony Jammu.15/10/2008

25. Sh. Soom Nath Koul S/o Late Sh. BishambarNath Koul R/o 319 Vipin Garden, Kakrola Morh,Uttam Nagar New Delhi formerly resident of DadiKadal, Tankipora Sgr. 15/10/2008

26. Smt. Raj Laxmi Chiragi W/o Late Sh. Raj NathChiragi R/o C-5, Pratik, Collectors ColonyChimbur Mumbai, originally resident of BadiyarPayeen Sgr. 15/10/2008

27. Sh. Kanaya Lal Bhat S/o Late Sh. Ram ChandBhat of Gund Gushi Kupwara Kmr; presentlyresident of H.No: 52 Sector-I, Laxmi Nagar Muthi,Jammu. 16/10/2008

28. Sh. Rattan Lal Mattoo S/o Late Sh. Jaggan NathMattoo of Razdan Kocha Banamohalla Sgr;presently residing at H.No: 478, Sector-13,Vasundara Sahibabad, Gaziabad (UP). 16/10/2008

29. Smt. Asha Munshi W/o of TK Munshi R/o H.No:287, Sector-3, Channi Himmat Jammu. 16/10/2008

30. Sh. Girdhari Lal Bhat orignially resident of VillageDevar Tral Kmr; presently resident of H.No: 44,Lane-2, Sham Vihar Gole Pully Talab Tillo,Jammu. 17/10/2008

31. Smt. Sham Rani Nehru W/o Sh. Sham Lal NehruR/o Panzala Baramulla Kmr; presently residingat A/184/1, Vijay Vihar Phase-I, Sector-5, RohiniDelhi. 17/10/2008

32. Smt. Kanta Tickoo W/o Late Sh. Narayan TickooR/o Badiyar Bala Sgr; presently residing at H.No:88, Sector-1, Ganga Nagar Bantalab Jammu. 18/10/2008

33. Smt. Rani Koul (Jai Kishori Koul) W/o Sh. J.L.Koul R/o H.No: 11, Lane No: 4, Hazuri Bagh, TalabTillo, Bohri Jammu. 18/10/2008

34. Smt. Kamlawati Mattoo W/o Late Sh. Tara ChandMattoo originally R/o Mattoo Mohalla, AnantnagKmr; presently resident of 249-J-2, Sector-II, MuthiJammu. 18/10/2008

35. Smt. Lalita Munshi W/o Sh. Vijay Kumar Munshiof Bulbul Bagh Barzulla Sgr; presently residentof H.No: 1268, Sector-17, Faridabad Haryana 18/10/2008

36. Sh. K.K. Raina of Malayar Habbakadal Sgr;presently residing at Ontrio Cannada. 18/10/2008

37. Sh. Avtar Krishen Koul S/o Late Sh. Sham LalKoul formerly resident of 69-Bana Mohalla 2ndBridge Habbakadal Sgr; presently residing atH.No: 325, Shanti Nagar, Topsherkhania Jammu.19/10/2008

38. Smt. Ichawati Handoo W/o Late Sh. RadhaKrishen Handoo originally resident ofChirmanpora Motiyar Rainawari Sgr; presentlyresiding at 940-A, Opp. Govt. Qtrs. Block-T,Subash Nagar, Jammu. 19/10/2008

39. Sh. Prem Nath Nehru R/o Panzala BaramullaKmr; presently at 272-A Vijay Vihar, Phase-1st,Sector-5, Rohini Delhi. 19/10/2008

40. Sh. Mohan Lal Bhat S/o Late Sh. Ram ChandBhat R/o Nagam Chadoora Budgam Kmr andpresently residing at H.No: 93-B, Lane No: 12,Bhawani Nagar, Janipur Jammu. 20/10/2008

41. Sh. Kashi Nath Dhar S/o Late Sh. Sarvanand

Dhar of Gund Villgam Kupwara Kmr; presentlyresiding at Qtr. No: 48, Phase-1st, PurkhooCamp, Jammu. 20/10/2008

42. Sh. Prithvi Nath Raina S/o Late Sh. Shankar NathRania of Chowgam Qazigund (Heera Mohalla)Anantnag Kmr; presently resident of Qtr. No: 704,(Jhari 112) Nagrota Camp, Jammu. 20/10/2008

43. Smt Raj Mohini Raina W/o Late Sh. Girdhari LalRaina (Gurtoo) R/o C-8629, Vasant Kunj NewDelhi. 20/10/2008

44. Sh. Shiban Krishen Zutshi S/o Late Sh. T.N.Zutshi of Gankhan Zainakadal Sgr and now atH.NO: 39, Lane No: 3, Pamposh Colony Janipur,Jammu. 21/10/2008

45. Smt. Gouri Shori W/o Late Sh. N.C. Pandita ofKhalhar Sagam Kokernag Anantnag, Kmr;presently resident of Qtr. No: 192, Muthi CampPhase-IInd Jammu. 22/10/2008

46. Sh. Dwarika Nath Bhat S/o Late Sh. Nand LalBhat R/o Village Chotigam Shopian Kmr;presently residing at H.No: 209, Amitnagar Muthi,Jammu. 24/10/2008

47. Sh. Ram Chand Bhat S/o Late Sh. SarwanandBhat R/o Chowkipora Bagath Kanipora ChadooraBudgam Kmr; presently Qtr. No: 375, TopSherkhian, Jammu. 24/10/2008

48. Smt. Rajni Raina W/o Rajnath Rania originallyresident of Kathwara Budgam Kmr; presentlyresiding at Flat No: 201, Sagar Sarwat, IInd Floor,Malwani Housing Society Maheda COmplex,Malwani Malad Mumbai West. 25/10/2008

49. Smt. Nancy W/o Rajnath Koul orignially R/oKharpora Bandipora Kmr; presently putting up atH.No: 28, Amit Nagar near Church Muthi, Jammu.25/10/2008

50. Smt. Somawati Bhat W/o Late Prem Nath Bhat ofFathipora Anantnag Kmr; presently resident ofH.No: 19, Lane No: 4, Bharat Nagar BantalabJammu. 26/10/2008

51. Sh. Shamboo Nath Bhat originally resident ofKatrasoo Kulgam Kmr; presently residing atH.No: 151 Sector-3, Durga Nagar Jammu. 27/10/2008

52. Sh. Predman Krishen Dhar S/o Late Sh. RadhaKrishen Dhar of Chinkral Mohalla HabbakadalSgr and presently R/o A-4, Ellora Anushakti NagarMumbai. 27/10/2008

53. Smt. Prabawati Langar W/o Late Sh. Janki NathLangar of Zaindar Mohalla Sgr and presentlyresident of H.No: 6A Lane-7, K.B. Nagar BantalabJammu. 28/10/2008.

54. Smt. Santosh Raina W/o Sh. J.K. Raina R/o H.No:50, Pawan Enclave Naseeb Nagar, Janipora,Jammu. 28/10/2008.

55. Sh. Triloki Nath Miskeen original resident ofMalapora Habbakadal Sgr; presently putting upat Delhi. 28/10/2008

56. Sh. Nanak Chand Mantoo S/o Late Sh. BishanDas Mantoo R/o Ram Ghat Baramulla Kmr andpresently residing at Viman Nagar Pune. 28/10/2008

57. Sh. Gopi Nath Pandita of Batapora Shopian Kmr;and presently resident of H.No: 74, Sector-1,Laxmi Nagar, Muthi Jammu. 29/10/2008

58. Sh. Mohan Lal Misri S/o Late Sh. Janki Nath Misrioriginally resident of Bagat Barzulla Sgr; presentlyat Channi Himmat Jammu. 29/10/2008

59. Smt. Mohan Rani W/o Mr M.L. Raina originallyresidento Village (Pulwama) Mahjoor Nagar Sgr;presently putting up at H.No: 444, Sector-2,Vinayak Nagar, Muthi Jammu. 30/10/2008

60. Sh. Ganpatrai Khashu S/o Late Sh. Govind RamKhasru originally resident of Malchimar Ali KadalSgr; presently resident of H.No: 113-C, DurgaNagar Talab Tillo Jammu. 31/10/2008

61. Sh. Radha Krishen Miskeen S/o Late Sh.Sudhama Joo Miskeen Tikoo of GanpatyarSgr;presently residing of H.No: 72, Sector-1,Sanjay Nagar Jammu. 31/10/208

62. Sh. Bansi Lal Koul (Nazir) of Zainakadal Sgr;presently putting up at 46-D, Kanchan JungaAppts. Sector-53, Noida. 31/10/2008

subjects so far.Please accept our thanks an

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 33333

9/11 ATTACK on twin towers in New York forced thestrategic experts in the countries effected by terrorism to address the issue of terrorist financing. Colin

Powel underlined the importance of choking funds to terror-ists by stating unambiguously that, "Money is the oxygen ofterrorism." India's ambivalent and procrastinating attitude todeal with terrorism not to speak of terrorist financing hasstarted raising hackles in the international community. Eventhe UN report on India's anti-terrorism preparedness identi-fies specifically that domestic laws here do not comply withthe UN Resolution 1373.

Post 26/11 situation has created a reasonable space inthe public domain to facilitate political consensus on evolv-ing a comprehensive response to weed out terrorism acrossthe nation. For the first time a serious debate has started inthe public realm on financing of terrorism and the criticalnecessity to strangulate it. The experts on strategic affairs,have been, for more than a decade, urging the political classto combat terrorism as well as the economic subversion ofthis nation.

While the drug cartels churning money for Islamist terror-ism spreading from Afghanistan right into our heart havebeen in some focus, the injection of counterfeit money hasreceived very little attention. This is not to recognise that ourresponses to counter drug trade have been anywhere nearreasonable and adequate. As per-estimates of Ministry ofHome Affairs, made almost a decade back, narcotics valu-ing about 5000 crores are annually being smuggled intoIndia from Golden crescent countries--Afghanistan, Paki-stan and Iran. 75% of all heroin supplied to Western Eu-rope, and 50% to USA goes from this region of golden cres-cent. A significant share of this heroin smuggling uses In-dia as an exit route. The drug cartels continue to ravage oureconomic system by dumping money into our economicsystem. However the menace of counterfeit currency actsas a force multiplier for financial support structures of ter-rorism with relatively low risks and involvement of less man-power.

The Injection of counterfeit money into economic systemof India by Pakistan has assumed critical national securityimplications. It is no longer an issue in the realm of eco-nomic crimes. In mid nineties the security establishment inIndia was shocked when 600 crore rupees of fake Indiancurrency were attempted to be deposited in a Mumbai Bank

our thanks and congratulation for untiring job and services which you are rendering in quite different atmosphere for the sake of country.--K.D. Tiwari

Barra-7, Kanpur4/2/09

EDITORIAL

Terrorist Financing—Bring J&K Into Focusin one go. The recovery of fake currency Indian notes hasrisen from around 2.16 crore rupees in the year 2001 to 10crore rupees in 2007. Almost a five fold increase. But it isonly a drop of the counterfeit money floating around. Asper some intelligence estimates 50,000 crore fake currencyIndian notes were being pumped into India per month dur-ing the year 2008. This means 6 lakh crores of fake cur-rency has gone into our financial system during 2008.

The rough margin of profit in this enterprise is said to be1:5 by experts. This means Pakistan has earned one lakhand twenty thousand crore Indian rupees in a year throughfake currency injection into India. It also means that thecollaborators in India have earned four lakh eighty thou-sand crores during the same year. How these colossalamounts generate a parasitic class which gets incorporatedinto a war of subversion against our nation can only beimagined .

There are no available estimates in the public sphere aboutthe magnitude of the menace of drug money, hawala moneyand counterfeit money involved in running the terrorist op-erations and separatist campaigns in Jammu and Kashmirstate. Although the regular feature of counter terrorism op-erations in the state has been the seizure of narcotics in-cluding local charas and bhukki, hawala money and fakecurrency Indian notes from terrorists and their overgroundoperators, yet this dimension has rarely become an impor-tant element of decision making about Jammu and Kash-mir. The illegal economy in Kashmir Valley is destroyingthe public enterprise and creativity. Tragically this aspectnever figures in the political debate in the state or at thecentre. In the absence of estimates of illegal economy inJammu and Kashmir this debate will never take place andgenerate any public reaction.

India needs to combat terrorism through strong domesticmeasures to stop financing of terrorism. This can be com-plemented by strengthened international cooperation. Bothoperative and legal remedies have to be created. The im-portance of financial support structures for terrorism inJammu and Kashmir has not to be lost sight of. It is more sobecause the illegal economy generated by narcotics andfake currency is gradually taking a grip of the social spherein the state. Also because the destabilisation of Jammuand Kashmir is the core target of the machinations of Paki-stan in its war against India.

LETTERLETTERLETTERLETTERLETTERDated: 4/2/09

"Unique""Unique""Unique""Unique""Unique"Sir,

I have no words to express my heart-felt appreciation of the Kashmir Senti-nel of July 008 issue.

All articles published from front page

to the last line such as your valuable edi-torial quoting immortal words of SwamiVivekanand who visited the Valley withsister Nivedita, hidden agenda, hullaba-loo, derailing yatra, Kashmiriyat's true col-ours, Sinha and Azad’s disclosures re-garding role of a local party and distribu-tion of money by Pak and Saudi Arabia,yatris experiences, tirtha of Lord

Amareshwar Jee narrating its earliest ref-erences and geography, complete history,darshan and its tradition in the Valley andexcerpts from the leading papers and itsjournalists have made the issue worthpreserable.

Due to such type of articles whichwere never read before, K.S. has gainedprestige. This paper has been providing

the readers new dismentions of Kashmir'suntouched subjects so far.

Please accept our thanks and con-gratulation for untiring job and serviceswhich you are rendering in quite differentatmosphere for the sake of country.

--K.D. TiwariBarra-7, Kanpur

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 44444

(From Page 1)10 kgs of charas was recovered froma drug peddler in Kud, Udhampur.

In November 2004 in one of thebiggest narcotic hauls in Jammu citythe police recovered 11 kgs of heroinworth 11 crore rupees. Heroin wasPakistan made to be transferred toDelhi. In January 2002 Phagwarapolice arrested five persons includ-ing two surrendered militants ofHizbul Mujahideen with 20 kgs ofcharas.

In May 2003 Narcotics ControlBureau Delhi arrested Mohd. AminJaffer of Anantnag a member of Al-Jihad with 25 kg of Charas.

The narcotic hauls during lastfew years given above are neitherexhaustive nor complete. Howeverit provides an ample evidence of thestate of affairs. While areas adjacentto LoC and IB in Jammu sector aremainly involved in heroin smuggling.the charas and the local variety ofpoppy husk Bhukki is mainly pro-duced in Kashmir valley. Reportsof poppy cultivation in areas ofSouth Kashmir and hinter land ofWullar lake have also surfaced fromtime to time.

The evidence available of thenarcotics trade in the state is onlythe tip of the iceberg with numberof drug addicts increasing both inKashmir valley as well as Jammu.The menace is making inroads intothe society.

The death of a 12th class stu-dent in mysterious circumstancesat Dalgate Srinagar in January 2004brought the extent of drug cultureinto the society in Kashmir valleyto the fore. The dead body of thestudent Mehfooz Ahmad Khan sonof Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Khan ofSanat Nagar area had been recoveredby a patrol party of Ram MunshiBagh station from a parked Maruticar. Police had recovered the iden-tity card of one Shuja Rasheed whowas a son of Deputy SP, from thecar. The people suspected the deathhad taken place due to overdose ofdrugs.

Hawala money:‘Hawala Money’ has over the

years emerged as a very importantcomponent of the illegal economyin the state. ‘Hawala’ has been usedas a main channel to fund the sepa-ratist coffers and feed the terroristregimes in Jammu and Kashmir.Acting as an alternative Bankingsystem for illegal transactions veryelaborate networks of Hawalaagents as well as innovativemethodoligies have evolved in thestate over a period of time.

A prominent Kashmir Pandit

who visits Kashmir valley fre-quently was amazed this summerwhen one of his Muslim friendstook him to a ready made garmentsshop in Srinagar city to observe thesale transactions. The KP noticedthat out of many sale counters inthe shop only one counter was hav-ing rush and customers had to stayin queue. He saw that after purchas-ing garments from the counter manyof the customers tore off the brandlabels after coming out of the shop.After enquiring he came to knowthat it was a very sophisticatedHawala procedure. Instead of send-ing hard cash the hawala agents sendbranded ready-made garments to val-ley. They are sold at prices lowerthan the market value for thosebrands to ensure their total sale. Todisguise the operation a local brandlabel is pasted over the original one.The sale proceeds go to the ear-marked destination. The sales out-let earns his commission which ishefty. The process takes the shapeof normal business and circumventsthe risk of sending huge sums of hardcash through hawala agents. Hawalaoperations invariably require a chainof overground workers and subver-sive tantacles.

Hawala operation came to pub-lic view with the exposure of JainHawala Scandal. The Kashmir con-nection in this Hawala Scandal wasmost visible. Jamali Khan a Hawalaoperator, GM Bhat a close aide ofseparatist leader Syed Ali ShahGeelani and legal advisor of HurriyatConference and Delhi based busi-nessman RK Jain were booked afterJamali and his wife were arrestedwhile transporting RS 50 lakhhawala cash to Srinagar. As per re-ports all the three had confessed ofhaving pumped hawala moneyworth more than Rs 8 crore in Kash-mir valley at the behest of Gulf, Pa-kistan and England based business-men for almost three years. Thishawala operation was a part of aracket operating not only in Kash-mir but the entire country.

Nasir Safi Mir considered as thefinancial muscle of Hurriyat Con-ference was arrested for ferryingRs 55 lakh and explosives in Febru-ary 2006. Mir is Dubai based andowns carpet showroom and moneyexchange firms in Gulf. Mir wasspotted publicly with Hurriyatmoderate leader Mir Waiz UmarFarooq. Mir’s father was also ar-rested in 2001 for funding militantgroups in Kashmir Valley.

The Mumbai 7/11 serial blastswere also financed through HawalaChannel. One Saudi Arabian opera-

workers who are part of a elaboratesubversive establishment. This es-tablishment is gradually transform-ing Kashmir valley into a den of il-legal economy causing irreparabledamage to the social set up.

Fake Currency:By far the most important as-

pect of illegal economy in Jammuand Kashmir state, particularly invalley which has received minimumattention, is the introduction of fakecurrency Indian notes. During lastdecade the role of Fake Currency inimpacting the socio economic scenein Kashmir valley is more than any-thing else. Injection of fake currencyseems to have crossed the bounda-ries of clandesting operations. It isbecoming the part of socio-economicculture. While the drug trade, despiteits enormous role in sustaining sepa-ratist campaign in valley, continuesto be a social taboo in the publicrealm, the fake currency operatingin valley does not carry the samecannotations.

The interactions of people liv-ing in Jammu with Kashmir in val-ley reveal the widening role of fakecurrency in the valley. AHandicrafts trader who after dis-placement shifted to Himachal wascasually told by his supplier in val-ley to use fake currency to increasethe margin of his profits. “Howmuch do you earn in a month! Don'tyou want to double your earnings.”Baffled he reported back, “You knowit very well that our family has beendoing this business for last six dec-ades. We have done well by the graceof God. I have around 20 employ-ees to pay. Yet I cant imagine a wayto double the earnings in my busi-ness in a short span of time. Areyou talking about some magic.” Hewas stunned when he was told.“Take this currency (fake) and spendit gradually through your sale out-lets. You will double your earnings.”

In an interaction during a party agentleman boasted that he had dur-ing mid nineties himself seen themoney deposits from various postoffices in valley done in a Jammubank. “The post office official alongwith the deposits in the bigger baghanded over a smaller bag to the of-ficial in the bank.” The deposits inthe bigger bag were perhaps in fakecurrency as per him and the moneyin smaller bag was genuine meant tobe commission to the officials in theloop of the racket.

Recently a gentleman had a veryinteresting ancedote to share. He hadreceived Rs 30,000 from a KashmiriMuslim in a business transaction.

He went to deposit it in a bank. Thenotes he had received were all fake.The bank official immediately puthim to enquiry. He revealed thesource of the money to the bank of-ficials. The Muslim businessmanwho had given the money was calledto the Bank premises. The Business-man came to the Bank with a non-chalance and accepted that he hadgiven the money to the person.While everybody else in the roomwas listening with amazement to hisfrank admission the Khwaja got uplifted the lid of the Bukhari (roomheater) and put all the 30,000 fakenotes into it. He then turned to theBank official and told him that thematter was over now. Bank officialthought it prudent not to report thematter to police. The gentleman whohad gone to deposit the money con-fessed that he also felt obliged theway Khwaja relieved him of thetrouble of further investigation.

These coffee table anecdotesmay be exaggerations with a pre-dominant subjective element. But allthe same they provide an insight intothe public discourse. Realisticallythey do not seem to be divorcedfrom the hard realities which havecome to the fore from time to time.On 29th January 2009 BSF alongwith 13 kgs of heroin seized Rs 33lakh fake currency notes in Attarisector in Punjab. In November 2000police arrested smugglers with heroinand fake currency Indian notes worthRs 50,000 in Ferozpur Punjab. Inthe same area a few days earlier twosmugglers were arrested alongwitharms, narcotics and Rs 21 lakh fakecurrency notes. Four KashmiriMuslim Youth were arrested on Nov18, 2006 with Rs 3 lakh fake cur-rency in the denominations of Rs500 and Rs 1000 notes in Jammucity. The incidents of recovery offake notes has been going on foryears and is not a recent phenom-enon. In Jan 2004, J&K police un-earthed a mini composed unit ofmaking fake currency in TrikutaNagar from a police officials son andrecovered over Rs 34,000 fake cur-rency Indian notes.

In Feb 2004 Delhi Police recov-ered fake currency worth over Rs12 lakh from 3 persons. The equip-ment for printing was also seized.In March 2004. J&K police arrestedthree racketeers in Jammu city andrecovered Rs 8.5 lakh worth fakecurrency from their possession. InDec 2004 the Directorate of Rev-enue Intelligence seized fake

Bad Money Creates Parasitic Culture in Kashmir

CONTINUATION

(Contd. on Page 8)

RECOVERY OF FAKE CURRENCY NOTES IN INDIARECOVERY OF FAKE CURRENCY NOTES IN INDIARECOVERY OF FAKE CURRENCY NOTES IN INDIARECOVERY OF FAKE CURRENCY NOTES IN INDIARECOVERY OF FAKE CURRENCY NOTES IN INDIA

FUNDS GIVEN TO TERRORISTS IN J&KFUNDS GIVEN TO TERRORISTS IN J&KFUNDS GIVEN TO TERRORISTS IN J&KFUNDS GIVEN TO TERRORISTS IN J&KFUNDS GIVEN TO TERRORISTS IN J&KForeigners Kashmiris(includes Pak)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Upfront money given Upto Rs 50,000 Upto Rs, 25,000at the time ofRecruitment------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Monthly Payment Rs 10,000 Rs 8,000------------------------------------------------------------------------------------End of tenure payment Rs 2,00,000 to Rs 1,00,000 to

Rs 2,50,000 Rs 1,50,000------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For a spectacular Rs 1 to 2 lacs Rs 1 to 2 lacsact of terrorism------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Payment given to a Rs 50,000/- Rs 50,000/-supremo or top leader month month

tive Rizwan Ahmad Davre, an ITprofessional, is beleived to have fi-nanced the entire operation fromRiyadh by channeling funds sent byLeT Commander Azam Chema fromPakistan to Mumbai through hawalanetwork. Davre had single handelybank rolled the whole operation tothe tune of over Rs 1 crore that hekept sending to Faizal Sheikh thesuspected LeT chief of Mumbai.

Police arrested one NaseerAhmad from Bhatt Dhar in Mendharfor being part of a hawala networkbusted by Police in Rajouri in Sept.2006. He was suspected to be trans-ferring money to Jaish-e-Mohammad network.

In July 2006 a militant AijazHussain was arrested in South Delhiwith 2.5 kgs of RDX and Rs 49lakhs of hawala money.

Police arrested in April 2006 topfunctionary of Hizbul MujahideenMohammad Shafi Sheikh at DoruSopore. He was a trained terroristand financial controller of HM whohad distributed Rs 41 lakh to vari-ous local militants.

In April 2006 a Hawala Networklinked to Pir Panchal Regiment ofHizbul Mujahideen was busted. Itsmain functionary Advocate AijazZaki was arrested alongwith his threeaccomplices. They would distributemoney to various terrorist opera-tives.

In Jan 2005: Intelligence Bureaucaptured a hawala operator of Kash-mir for smuggling cash consignmentsfrom New Delhi to Doda. MushtaqAhmad of Srinagar was arrestedalong with Rs. 50,000 hawalamoney. Alongwith Mushtaq threemilitants were arrested with hawalamoney of 9.38 lakh rupees meantfor terrorists at Bari BrahmnaJammu in 2005.

One of the main financers for ter-rorists in valley has been AyubThakur who died in 2004. He hadcreated a UK based world Kashmirfreedom movement (WKFM) forclandestinely funding secessionistmovement in Jammu and Kashmir.Indian officials handed over evi-dence of Clandestine funding byWKFM of terrorist groups in J&Kto British government.

The UK based Thakur’s char-ity failed to conceal the flow of fundsinto J&K for separatists and terror-ists. The passage of these funds wasthrough standard charteredGrindlays Bank and Developmentcredit Bank. A Srinagar based News-man recovered Rs 4,84,875 into hisaccount in standard chartered Bankand 11,98,00 in Development CreditBank.

In November 15,2003, policerevealed that HM Financer KhalidHussain had given a consignment of10 lakh rupees to brother and sisterin Sidhra Jammu. Ali Mohd and hissister Nadir Tabassum (Sweety) re-ceived the money but a major partof it was either looted or misappro-priated. The brother sister duo wasarrested . They had to transfer themoney to Jamaal Din of Gool whowas the deputy financial chief ofHizbul Mujahideen for Pir Panjalrange.

The ‘Hawala’ transactions re-veals not only the modus operandiof money transactions but also theelaborate network of overground

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Year Total Cases Total Fake Notes Amount

Recovered----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2001 934 2,15,992 5.3 Crore Rupees----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2002 829 3,31,034 6.6 Crore Rupees----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2003 1464 3,88,843 5.7 Crore Rupees----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2004 1176 4,34,700 07 Crore Rupees----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2005 1990 3,61,700 6.9 Crore Rupees----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2006 1789 357496 8.4 Crore Rupees----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2007 2204 -- 10 Crore Rupees----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Source: National Crime Records Bureau

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 55555

By Dr. M.K. TengThe English and the Euro-

pean historians of the Britishempire in India, nursed a vestedinterest in their resistance, to rec-ognise the Sanskirit content ofthe Indian civilisation as a factof the history of the sub-conti-nent. To perpetuate the Britishrule in India, they sought to di-vide the Hindu society in orderto dilute the Hindu majority char-acter of the Indian population,which they knew was the onlyformidable force they had tocontend with. The conflict be-tween the British outlook andthe Indian aspirations came tosurface with the Indian renais-sance which provided ideologi-cal content to the national move-ment in India and forcivilisational frontiers of the In-dian nation.

The Muslims in India hadalso a vested interest in refus-ing to recognise theSanskritisation of India as a factof history. They had ruled Indiafor a thousand years and allthrough their rule they had fol-lowed their religious responsibil-ity to de-Sanskritise as much ofIndia as they were able. TheMuslims spurned the Indian ren-aissance and Muslim India, inwhatever way it was describedby the British and the Muslimsthemselves or even the Hindus,did not share the national re-sponse the Indian renaissanceevoked. They rejected the unifi-cation of India on the basis ofthe Sanskrit content of the In-dian civilizationa, the continuityof the Indian history and the civi-lisation frontiers of the Indiannation, the Indian renaissanceunderlined. The ideological com-

PERSPECTIVEPERSPECTIVEPERSPECTIVEPERSPECTIVEPERSPECTIVE

mitments of the Indian nationalmovement were bound to re-verse the de-Sanskritisation ofIndia, the Muslims had followed.As the national movementspread out to the masses of theIndian people and assumed amore revolutionary course withthe commencement of non-co-operation, the Muslim leadershipstepped up the campaign ofTablig, propagation of Islam andTahreek its operationalisationthrough an organisational move-ment the Tanzim to re-state theirrejection of unity of India on thebasis of its civilisational fron-tiers.

The Muslims leadership didnot take long to recognise theidentity of interests between theBritish and the Muslim in Indiaand assigned themselves insupport of the British empire.Mohammad Ali Jinnah who sup-ported political reform in Indiaon the basis of British liberal tra-dition, parted with the IndianCongress, no sooner, the Con-gress described parameters ofthe Indian struggle for freedom.Jinnah was a Muslim, who con-ceptualised secularism in termsof liberalist reform, which theBritish empire in India enshrined.Freedom of India from the Brit-ish empire, envisaged the em-powerment of the Hindu major-ity in India, which was bound toidentify the Indian unity with thecivilisational frontiers of India.The Muslim leaders, includingMohammad Ali Jinnah, sup-ported the Indian national move-ment only so far it accepted de-Sanskritsation of India as a partof the Indian freedom movement.

The Indian renaissanceevolved widespread responsefrom the Indian states peopleand they assumed a revolution-ary role in the Indian national

struggle. The Muslim leadershipexpressed strong disapproval ofthe extension of the Congressactivities to the states. Thestates people formed one-fourthof the population of India andthe states spread over one thirdof the territories of India. For theMuslim leadership, the states,particularly the Muslim ruledstates were independent of theHindu India which claimed free-dom fearful of further alienationof the Muslims, Gandhi and apart of the Congress leadership,forbade the extension of Con-gress activities to the States, apolicy for which the country hadto pay a heavy price in the longrun.

The leadership of the IndianNational Congress attempted toresolve the ideological conflictby offering to accept a politicalorganisation of a United India,which did not recognise the civi-lisation content of the Indianhistory as the basis of the In-dian unity and which did not rec-ognise the civilisational frontiersof the Indian nation, the Indianrenaissance had described. TheCongress leadership offered toaccept constitutional reorgani-sation of India, within the broadstructure of the British empire,which was based upon a con-figuration of political power, rep-resenting the ethnic diversity ofIndia and the interests of thevarious religious communitiesand ethnic groups which con-stituted the population of India.The Congress leadership wentto the extent of accepting a divi-sion of power in India, on thebasis of religious divisions ofthe Indian population when itaccepted the cabinet MissionPlan for the transfer of power tothe Indian hands.

It is a little known fact thatthe Cabinet Mission Plan wasactually the handiwork of theMuslim leadership in the Con-gress and the whole plan wasstealthy conveyed to the mem-bers of the Cabinet Mission,with the assurance that it wouldbe accepted by the MuslimLeague. The plan appeared tobe acceptable to the British, be-cause, it virtually recognised theseparate identity of the MuslimIndia, ensured a separate politi-cal identity of the princely statesand retained the British thepower to safeguard the politicalarrangement, it envisaged.

The Cabinet Mission envis-aged the establishment of amulti-national state of India

constituted of a Muslim India, aHindu India and an India of theprincely states. The Muslim In-dia was constituted of the Mus-lim majority provinces with thenon-Muslim majority province ofAssam and the Hindu India wasconstituted of the remainingHindu majority provinces. TheIndia of the princely states wasconstituted of five hundred andsixty two large and small Indianprincely states. The three Indiaswere united in a loose federalunion of which the federal centrewas vested with powers in re-spect of foreign affairs, defenceand communications. However,the federal centre was not vestedwith powers to raise finances toexercise its powers.

The Cabinet Mission Plan rec-ognised the separate identity ofthe Indian princely states andoffered them the option to ac-cede to the federation or remainout of it. The princely states,many of them ruled by Muslimpotentates stubbornly refused tojoin the federation. The Muslimrulers claimed the right of con-quest and prescription to hold onto their kingships as well as theprerogative to govern their sub-jects in accordance with the prin-ciples of their faith.

Nehru, who was elected thePresident of the Indian NationalCongress in the meantime, reiter-ated the resolve of the Indianpeople to make the federal centrean effective instrument of gov-ernance and warned the rulers ofthe princely states against anyattempt to remain out of unitedIndia. Nehru's rejoinder unhingedthe Muslim League, which wasreported to be sercretly encour-aging demographic changes toconsolidate its hold on Assamand supporting the Princes, par-ticularly, the Muslim rulers to re-main out of the Indian federation.The League leadership repudi-ated its acceptance of the Cabi-net Mission Plan and in conse-quence gave a call for DirectAction for the realisation of Pa-kistan. The Direct Action,launched in August 1946,plunged the country into a civilwar. Gandhi's non-violence strug-gle for the unity and freedom ofthe country below in smoke. The

Direct Action drove the wedgedeep enough to break-up thecountry and concede the Mus-lim demand of Pakistan.

Maulana Azad's observa-tion's that Nehru had ended thelast effort the Congress had madeto keep India united were pub-lished many years after Indiawon freedom. Many of the Brit-ish officers in India and English-men, who were involved in thenegotiations for the transfer ofpower in India those days how-ever, wrote that the implementa-tion of the Cabinet Mission Planwould have driven India straightto its Balkanisation.

Pakistan, after it was foundedin 1947, inherited the legacy ofthe Jehad the Muslim Leaguehad carried on to divide India. Itassumed an extra-territorial rightto protect the interests of theMuslims left behind in India,which it has reiterated time andagain during the last five dec-ades of the Indian freedom. Itstated claim to interfere in theprincely states, which were ei-ther populated by Muslim ma-jorities such as Jammu and Kash-mir or ruled by Muslim princes,such as Junagarh andHyderabad. The insistence of theMuslim League on the exclusionof the states from the partitionwas in fact, motivated by the in-terests of the League leadershipdo use the states to divide Indiafurther and to provide theground for the continuation ofthe Jehad to expand the Muslimpower of Pakistan eastwards intothe Indian mainland.

The invasion of Jammu andKashmir in 1947, and the inces-sant struggle for the right of theself-determination of the Mus-lim majority of the population ofthe state, Pakistan has spear-headed during last six decadesis a part of the Jehad, that coun-try has waged against India. Themilitarisation of pan-Islamic fun-damentalism, what Pakistan hasused as an instrument of itspolicy against India and the warof subversion and internationalterrorism, which it has unleashedin India, during the last two dec-ades, is also a part of the Jehadthat country has waged againstIndia.

CROSS-BORDERCROSS-BORDERCROSS-BORDERCROSS-BORDERCROSS-BORDERTERRORISM:TERRORISM:TERRORISM:TERRORISM:TERRORISM:A Historical PerspectiveA Historical PerspectiveA Historical PerspectiveA Historical PerspectiveA Historical Perspective

A scene at railway station mumbai after the terrorist attack.

The remains of a car after bomb blast.

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 66666PERSPECTIVE

By S.K. SainiSources of terrorist financ-

ingThere are three primary

sources of financing for terror-ist activities. The first method in-volves obtaining financial sup-port from states or structureswith large organizations to beable to collect and make fundsavailable. The second method isself-funding. In some cases, ter-rorist groups have been fundedfrom internal sources, includingfamily and other non-criminal as-sets. Osama bin Laden initiallygained prominence not as afighter but as a financier of themujahideen fighting to throw outthe Soviet Army from Afghani-stan. The third method of rais-ing funds is to obtain them di-rectly from various ‘revenue-generating’ activities, which canfall into three categories: crimi-nal activities ranging from lowlevel fraud to organized crime,donations, and legitimate busi-nesses.

Donations to terrorist organi-zations are channelled throughcharities, trusts, and direct do-nations by individuals. Commu-nity solicitations and fund rais-ing appeals are effective meansof raising funds to support ter-rorism. It is not necessary thatsuch individuals are rich to makehuge contributions. All Mus-lims, for example, are expected tomake regular charitable dona-tions as part of their religious ob-ligations called zakat It is esti-mated that Al Qaida receivedUS$300-500 million in a decadethrough zakat and direct dona-tions.

Generation of funds by run-ning legitimate business inter-ests is another source for terror-ist financing. Al Qaida had avast trade network in diamondsand precious stones in WestAfrica, with an investment ofUS$50 million. When terrorist or-ganizations obtain their financialsupport from legal sources (do-nations, sale of publications,etc.), detecting and tracing thesefunds becomes more difficult asin the case of charities and ter-rorist front organizations.

Methods of moving fundsThere are three main methods

by which terrorists move moneyor transfer value. The first isthrough the use of the financialsystem, the second involves thephysical movement of money(e.g. through the use of cashcouriers), and the third is throughthe international trade system indiamonds and golds. Terroristsuse both the organized financialsector and alternative remittancesystems like hawala to movemoney around the world. Often,terrorist organizations abuse al-ternative remittance systems,charities, or other captive enti-ties to disguise the use of thesethree methods to transfer value.

Problems and Prospects of Combating Terrorist Financing in IndiaWhile using the financial sec-

tor, transactions are limited toamounts that are small enoughto be moved without triggeringexisting thresholds that requirenotification to law enforcementor regulatory authorities. Terror-ists are also known to take ad-vantage of the Islamic bankingnetwork due to lax regulatoryoversight and the unclear guide-lines for utilizing interest.

Difference between terroristfinancing and money launder-ing

Money laundering is theprocess by which the proceedsof crime and the true ownershipof those proceeds are concealedor made opaque so that they ap-pear to come from a legitimatesource. Money laundering islargely a legitimization-orientedprocess for dirty money, whileterrorist financing does not em-phasize legitimization. However,both money laundering and ter-rorist financing aim to erasemoney trails.

Terrorist funds are not al-ways criminal in nature and canbe obtained from legal sources.Funding from legal sources is akey difference between terroristgroups and traditional criminalorganizations. Unlike criminals,terrorists’ intent is not to gener-ate profit from the fund-raisingmechanisms, but to obtain re-sources to support terrorist ac-tivities. Criminals are often inpossession of large amounts ofmoney because the crime has al-ready taken place. Terrorists, onthe other hand, raise money inorder to plan and carry out fu-ture crimes.

Conceptual framework tocombat terrorist financing

Terrorist financing consistsof two activities—money gen-eration and its distribution to theterrorists. Accordingly, there canbe two ways to suppress the fi-nancing of terrorism—one tocombat the money-making ac-tivities and the other to tacklethe distribution process. Thefirst prong of the strategy forCFT is extremely challenging. Itpartially overlaps with the con-ventional policing role and tasksof the intelligence agencies, asterrorist money could be accu-mulated through different modessuch as donations at grassrootslevel. Consequently, it is inten-sive in terms of manpower andresources. Due to limited re-sources, it may anomalously ap-pear logical to target terroristfunds in their transfer and distri-bution stages only. After 9/11,Financial Action Task Force(FATF) experts concluded thatterrorists generally use the samemethods as criminal groups tolaunder funds in the distributionstage and that the internationalcommunity could use the exist-ing infrastructure already inplace for Anti-Money Launder-

ing (AML). And for the sake ofconvenience, the internationalcommunity did not develop anew infrastructure for CFT bututilized the already existing onethat was established for AML.

Refining international re-sponse

Money laundering and ter-rorist financing: Need for dif-ferent counter measures

Present efforts to fight terror-ist financing by international or-ganizations have used the baseof AML work that began as partof the fight against narcotics traf-fickers in the 1980s. CFT was aneglected area before 9/11, be-ing marginalized both within theAML regime as well as within theframework to combat terrorismas a whole. The strategy and-framework for CFT is still evolv-ing and has unfortunately gotclubbed with AML. 9/11 furtherblurred the distinction betweenthe two, wherein most interna-tional bodies dealing with moneylaundering merely added CFT totheir charter in their exuberancefor an early response. Conse-quently, terrorist financing isbeing viewed from the perspec-tive of the international criminallaw approach of money launder-ing, with emphasis on the finan-cial sector regulatory mecha-nism. The money-making stageof terrorist financing is not be-ing adequately targeted.

Moreover, it has been foundthat efforts within the financialindustry to create profiles of ter-rorist cells and terrorist fund-raisers have proved unsuccess-ful, and the ability of financialinstitutions to detect terrorist fi-nancing remains limited. Finan-cial institutions are, however, ina position to detect suspicioustransactions that, if reported,may later prove to-be related toterrorist financing. Therefore, forCFT the role of intelligence andlaw enforcement agencies in co-ordination with financial/mon-etary regulatory regimes needsemphasis.

Identifying risks of emerg-ing technologies

Terrorists exploit InformationTechnology (IT) to maximize theeffectiveness of their opera-tions. They use cellular/satellitephones, internet, e-mail, and chatrooms. International financialmovements are facilitated by IT.E-commerce and the provision ofinternet financial services add afurther dimension of risk andopen up additional mechanismsfor fraud, money laundering andtax evasion. E-money andinternet banking reduce face-to-face contact and reduce the abil-ity of financial institutions toverify the identity of the cus-tomer/coupled with a possiblelack of investigative or regula-tory jurisdiction. The interna-tional community needs to payspecial attention to terrorist fi-

nancing that may arise from newor developing technologies thatfavour anonymity.

Appraisal of terrorist fi-nancing and counter measuresin India

Methods of terrorist financ-ing in India

Insurgent and terroristgroups in India adopt severalmethods to finance their opera-tions. The main sources of fund-ing are:

• Clandestine contributionsfrom the ISI, including fundsgenerated through narcotics. Atentative estimate of funds madeavailable annually to terrorist or-ganizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen, andAl-Badr is in the range of fewmillion dollars.

• Contributions from reli-gious, fundamentalist, and pan-Islamic terrorist organization inPakistan. Various terrorist out-fits openly raise funds before Idprayers. As much as Rs 100 mil-lion was reportedly collected inKarachi itself at one time.

• Contributions from osten-sibly charitable organizations inPakistan and Saudi Arabia.

• Contributions fromtransnational criminal groups,such as the mafia group led byDawood Ibrahim.

• Extortions and ransom pay-ments for releasing hostages.

• Collections—voluntary orforced—from people living in thearea where terrorists operate anddiversion of government fundsthrough contracts.

• Narcotics smuggling.• Contributions by Indian

Diaspora.• Fake Indian Currency Notes

(FICN).• Stock market operations—

isolated instances of terroristoutfits manipulating the stockmarkets to raise funds for theiroperations have been reported.

It has been found that move-ment and distribution of terror-ist funds in India is mostly con-ducted through informal chan-nels such as hawala, couriersand smuggling of FICN. Pres-ently, terrorists do not rely muchon the formal banking sector togenerate or move their funds,though a close watch needs tobe maintained. The_ PakistanHigh Commission in New Delhihas also been known to act as aconduit of funds to terroristgroups in Kashmir.

The Indian legal approach toterrorist financing

Laws scattered over a numberof parliamentary acts deal withvarious aspects of terrorist fi-nancing. The major legislationsdealing with CFT in India in-clude:

• The Unlawful Activities(Prevention) Act, 1967 asamended, proscribes terroristoutfits, and membership of suchorganizations is deemed to be a

terrorist offence. A person alsocommits an offence if he invitessupport for a terrorist organiza-tion or contributes to them. Ter-rorist acts also include acts offundraising by persons/ organi-zations if such funds are in-tended for the purposes of ter-rorism. It also contains provi-sions for seizing properties, as-sets, and proceeds of terrorism.

• The Prevention of moneyLaundering Act (PMLA) 2003has made the act of money laun-dering a criminal offence. It im-poses obligations on bankingcompanies, financial institutions,and intermediaries to maintainproper records of all transac-tions, the nature and value ofwhich may be prescribed and tofurnish information of suchtransactions. Casinos, interna-tional credit card payment gate-ways such as VISA and MasterCard, full fledged moneychangers and money transferservice providers are likely to bebrought under the PMLA with aproposed amendment.

• Foreign Exchange Manage-ment Act (FEMA), 1999.

• Conservation of ForeignExchange and Prevention ofSmuggling Activities Act, 1974.

• Smugglers and Foreign Ex-change Manipulators (Forfeitureof Property) Act, 1976.

• Narcotics Drugs andPsychotropic Substances Act,1985 as amended, has provisionsto make the entire process ofmoney laundering as punishableoffence.

• The receipt of funds byassociations and charities fromexternal sources is governed bythe Foreign Contribution (Regu-lation) Act (FCRA), 1976 and itsrules.

Comparison with US legisla-tion

In contrast, the United Stateshas comprehensive laws on ter-rorism, including CFT. Thoughthe USA PATRIOT Act is a do-mestic law many of its provi-sions are extra-territorial in ap-plication and affect any institu-tion which has dealings in theUnited States or with the US-based banks. Title III of this actis devoted to CFT and has fa-cilitated prosecution for fundingterrorist activities, which wasdifficult under the pre-USAPATRIOT Act money laun-dering laws. A comparison of theUSAPATRIOT Act and India’smain legal instruments for CFT,Unlawful Activities (Prevention)Act, and the PMLA, shows thatIndian laws lack the followingprovisions.

• Secretary Treasury is au-thorized to order domestic finan-cial institutions to undertake spe-cial measures if specific regions,financial institutions or transac-tions outside the United States

(Contd. on Page 7)

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 77777CONTINUATION

(From Page 6)are of money laundering con-cern.

• Statutory requirement ofcooperation and informationsharing between financial insti-tutions, regulatory bodies, andlaw enforcement agencies.

• Sharing of intelligence withprosecuting agencies to secureprosecution in terrorist financ-ing cases.

• Financial institutions andbrokers prohibited from main-taining correspondent accountsfor foreign ‘shell banks’—banksthat have no supposed presencein their home countries.

• Jurisdiction over foreignpersons and financial institu-tions for prosecutions.

• Forfeiture of property trace-able to proceeds from offencesagainst foreign nations. In theIndian case, it is only applicableto countries with which a bilat-eral extradition treaty or recipro-cal arrangements have beenconcluded.

• Forfeiture of accounts heldin a foreign bank if that bank hasan interbank account in theUnited States.

• Use of special investigativetechniques like electronic orother forms of surveillance andundercover operations.

• Payment of monetary re-wards to combat terrorism.

Need for comprehensive le-gal response

Lack of political will to dealeffectively with terrorism is re-flected in India’s multiple andstand-alone CT legislations. AUN report on India’s anti-terror-ism preparedness has statedthat the country’s laws on ter-rorist financing do not fullycomply with the UN Resolution1373. The report notes that‘many of the problems faced byIndia’s current CT regime couldbe tackled if India were to adoptcomprehensive CT legislation’.It also alludes to major gaps be-tween the work of the prosecu-tion agencies at the union andstate levels. While it is true thatenacting legislation is notenough, a comprehensive law tocombat terrorism, with explicitprovisions to counter terroristfinancing will be indicative ofthe declared intent of the nationto effectively deal with the men-ace of terrorism.

CFT mechanismFor the first time in independ-

ent India’s history, a compre-hensive review of the nationalsecurity system was undertakenby a group of ministers after theKargil War. This report broadlycovered four major areas of na-tional security, i.e. intelligence,internal security, border manage-ment, and management of de-fence. Accepting that a largeamount of fake currency wasbeing smuggled into the coun-try, it noted that co-operationand collusion between organ-ized crime and terrorist elements

had also grown. However, therewere no specific recommenda-tions for CFT in the country.

While the MHA is responsi-ble for implementing the Unlaw-ful Activities (Prevention) Actunder which terrorist financingis an offence, economic offencesare dealt with by the FinanceMinistry. The Central Bureau ofInvestigation (CBI) also has re-sponsibilities for economic of-fences, terrorism, and FICN.

Indian stance on informalmoney transfer

India is the world’s top re-ceiver of remittances. Flows intothe country have grown dra-matically in recent years, touch-ing US$17.4 billion in 2003, upfrom some US$2 billion a year inthe late 1980s. Although meas-ures to curb money launderingand terrorist financing havebrought more transfers into theofficial fold, actual amounts re-main much llarger than officiallyrecorded figures as informal re-mittance systems such as hawalaelude data collection.

Hawala transactions are notpermitted in India under theFEMA and are illegal. India hasconsistently taken the standagainst registration and regula-tion of hawala transactions, stat-ing that these are clandestine innature and can only be curbedand not regulated. While the so-lution for eliminating hawala isto expand regular money trans-fer services, making them morecustomer-friendly, cheap, andaccessible, it amounts to seek-ing a perfect solution that is un-likely to be realized. Therefore,India needs to , amend its lawsand make hawala a legal busi-ness with the aim of regulatingit. While this may not cease un-derground money transfers alto-gether, the volumes are likely toreduce.

Regulation of overseas dona-tions to non-profit organizations

Over a period of seven years,between 1991-1992 and 1997-1998, India received about Rs14,400 crores as foreign contri-butions but the government isunable to authenticate its use forgenuine causes. For overseasdonations to charities, the MHAis responsible to grant permis-sion under the FCRA. While therole of some NGOs/charities islaudable, the UN report men-tioned earlier points out thatthere are no comprehensivestrategies in place to prevent ter-rorist organizations from posingas legitimate charities or to pre-vent the diversion of funds tosupport terrorist activities.

Perspective on FICNCounterfeiting of currency is

a preferred method beingadopted by Pakistan to fund ter-rorist activities in India. FICN isprinted in Pakistan and smug-gled into the country throughthe land borders and coastalroute. Large amounts of highquality counterfeit Indian cur-

rency are detected each year,the normal route being via Ne-pal and Bangladesh. Recently,FICN has also been recoveredin Malaysia, indicating the exist-ence of a transnational networkin the region. CBI is the nodalagency for tackling cases ofFICN.

Integrated national responseto deny financial means to ter-rorists

Contours of strategy for CFTWhile constitutional and le-

gal modifications need time toevolve a consensus, in the .in-terim there is a need to evolve amulti-pronged and integratedstrategy for CFT in India. Ter-rorist financing being a globalproblem, a counter strategy hasto be based on international, re-gional, and domestic measures.Therefore, diplomatic and legalmeasures need to be coordi-nated with actions of intelligenceand domestic law enforcementagencies.

Aim of CFT strategyTwo spin-offs of CFT—pre-

venting terrorists from raisingmoney, and using financial cluesto find terrorist modules plan-ning attacks—are not mutuallyexclusive and ought to be pur-sued simultaneously. Whilechoking terrorist funds shouldremain the desirable goal, follow-ing the money trail to identifyterrorist operatives and sympa-thizers provides a useful meansin the fight against terroristgroups. This will be particularlyhelpful in busting the largenumber of terrorist cells thathave been established at thebehest of the ISI across India.

India-specific counter-meas-ures

It needs to be recognized thatthere cannot be a universallyapplicable template to fight ter-rorist financing, and thereforeIndia needs to evolve its ownmodel based on the peculiar andunique regional and domesticconditions that are prevalent. Asdiscussed earlier, terrorist fundsin India do not get routedthrough the formal financial sec-tor in a significant manner. Ex-isting structures and proceduresin place, including the FinancialIntelligence Unit (FIU), are es-sentially focused on large scalefinancial fraud and cannot detectmoney being channelled to ter-rorists. It is difficult for the agen-cies dealing with economic of-fences to distil terrorist financ-ing cases from the reports theyreceive. FIU received 21,40768cash transaction reports and 817suspicious transaction reports in2006-2007 and disseminated 398cases to intelligence and law en-forcement agencies, though itseffect on CFT has been negligi-ble. Therefore, intelligence andlaw enforcement agencies needto take the lead in the fightagainst terrorist financing in In-dia.

Lead role for intelligence and

law enforcement agenciesTerrorist financing-related in-

formation at present is not a pri-ority for the central or state in-telligence agencies and the po-lice at the grassroots level. As aresult, intelligence reporting onthe issue lacks overall coordi-nated direction and is incidentdriven. Moreover, responsibilityfor the problem is diffusedamongst a plethora of agencies,each working in watertight com-partments, resulting in lack of ac-countability.

Law enforcement and intelli-gence agencies need to assignadditional resources for. gather-ing critical information related toterrorist financing, conductproactive investigations, andfollow leads provided by finan-cial oversight agencies. Intelli-gence gathering~ capability andefforts need to be enhanced incountries through which FICNis smuggled into India. The Re-search & Analysis Wing(R&AW) and IB need to createlong-term institutionalized ex-pertise in terrorist financing.These agencies need to havecommitted individuals ear-marked to track terrorist financ-ing. CFT should not be given asan additional task for those deal-ing with CT in general. Suchseparate cells focusing on ter-rorist financing also need to bereplicated at the state level in thespecial branch of the police deal-ing with intelligence gathering.There is also a vital need to en-hance the effort against terroristfinancing at the level of the dis-trict superintendent of police,sub divisional police officers andneighbourhood police stations,which have the relevant informa-tion at the functional level. Thecapability deficit in CFT at thestate level needs to be overcomeat the earliest. Moreover, per-sons dealing with CFT in vari-ous agencies need to be trainedand provided job continuity toenhance their capacity.

Integration of terrorist fi-nancing with CT measures

The fight against terrorist fi-nancing requires a joint effortbetween various ministries andallied agencies and concurrentlyit has to be closely integratedwith the overall CT campaign ofthe country. This can beachieved by defining andstrengthening institutional link-ages between the CT and CFTmechanisms and economic intel-ligence organs and other intelli-gence agencies like the IB for aneffective response. A decentral-ized model, with an apex policy-making and coordination bodyfocusing on trends is likely towork better for India Countermeasures need to be more effec-tive at the grassroots level dueto the peculiar nature of financ-ing of terrorists in India. Whilethere is no requirement of creat-ing a separate organization forterrorist financing, an intergov-

ernmental panel should ensureincreased coordination betweenintelligence, law enforcement,and financial regulatory agen-cies to identify, disrupt, and dis-mantle terrorist financing net-works. This panel should be ledby the MHA which is the nodalagency for CT in the country andinclude representatives of otherministries like external affairs, fi-nance, law as well as from theNational Security Council Sec-retariat (NSCS), intelligenceagencies, army, and states.Within the Department of Inter-nal Security in the MHA, a coun-ter terrorist financing sectionstaffed from relevant agenciesshould be constituted to moni-tor CFT. It is important to clearlydefine its mandate and scope ofresponsibility vis-a-vis theNSCS. The NSCS should avoidassuming an operational role inCT initiatives, which only servesas a distraction from its assignedrole and results in diluting theresponsibility and accountabil-ity of the MHA and the states.Implementation of CFT policyand coordination at the opera-tional level should be left to thestates.

ConclusionTo combat terrorism effec-

tively, strong domestic meas-ures need to be complementedby strengthened internationaland regional cooperation to en-sure that the fight against ter-rorism is not restricted only tothe perpetrators but also encom-passes the countries who spon-sor them. Attacking terrorist fi-nancing is one of the means todestroy terrorist organizationsand to prevent terrorist acts.When funds available to terror-ists are constrained, their over-all capabilities decline, limitingtheir reach and effect. Chokingof terrorist funds needs to begiven the importance that it mer-its and be integrated into thelarger CT effort of the country.

(Excerpts of the paper pub-lished in Strategic Analysis Jan2009.)

Problems and Prospects of Combating Terrorist Financing in India

JKENG 00333/26/AL/TC/94JK No: 1213/18Regd. JK-219/2009-2011Printer Publisher B.N. Kaul for andon behalf ofPanun Kashmir Foundation.Editor: SHAILENDRA AIMAComputer Graphic:S.K. BabbuPrinted at : The Kashmir TimesPress, Gangyal, JammuOwned by:PANUN KASHMIRFOUNDATIONPublished from PANUN KASHMIRFOUNDATION, 172, Sector-3,E.W.S Colony, Lower RoopNagar,Jammu-180013 (INDIA)Tele/Fax: 0191-2593166emal: kashmirsentineljk@yahoo.co.inwebsite: panunkashmir.in

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 88888GUEST COLUMN

By J N Raina

INDIA’S persistent “coercivediplomacy” with Pakistan, forits ‘involvement’ in

orchestrating Mumbai terrorattacks, has ultimately paiddividends and started working.‘Sanity’ has prevailed uponPakistan—or should we say it hasbeen imposed—which has belatedlyacknowledged that India’s 26\11dossier contained ‘leads and goodclues’. It has admitted Pakistanielements’ complicity in theMumbai carnage.

Obviously, Pakistan was in acatch-22 situation. Its repetitive andominous pack of lies had no legs tostand upon. As a result oftremendous pressure brought uponit by India and the U S (the USpressure was more visible)Pakistan’s bullying tactics failed towithstand. India presented itsenormous volume of facts, andassiduously explained to theinternational community that theperpetrators of Mumbai holocaustwere inbred in Pakistan, whereIslamic terrorism is growing fast andthat suicide bombers were vulnerableand equivalent to the weapons ofmass destruction. Ergo, it isimperative for the civilized societynot to allow the ‘proliferation’ of

Pakistan should swear, Mumbai won’t be repeatedPakistan should swear, Mumbai won’t be repeatedPakistan should swear, Mumbai won’t be repeatedPakistan should swear, Mumbai won’t be repeatedPakistan should swear, Mumbai won’t be repeatedsuch ‘weapons’ (Islamic bombers)as a guarantee for world peace andharmony.

Forget about atomic weaponsin possession of Pakistan. They willhave no chance to ‘utilize’ bombsagainst India. The suicide jihadibombers are enough to bringdestruction and inflict a thousandcuts on India and elsewhere in theworld. Because Pakistan has beenusing terrorism as a potentialweapon of State policy. Anydoubt?

The impact of unrelentinginternational pressure was such thatovernight there was a perceptiblechange in Pakistan’s attitude. It wasunbelievable a day earlier. Hitherto,Pakistani officials had scoffed at theIndian evidence, linking Mumbaiattack to ‘elements’ inside Pakistan.So far Pakistan had maintained thatthe evidence was ‘nothing new’ butjust ‘information’ that was alreadyavailable with the media.

The officials had just laughedat the dossier. Even former PremierNawaz Sharif chewed up his wordsand contradicted his own statementabout Kasab ( Pakistani terrorist inthe hands of Mumbai police) thathe is a Pakistani national. Thisclearly shows the Army’s grip overthe beleaguered civilian governmentand its political system. Pakistanileadership, which had been in thedenial mood, on-again, off-again,ultimately buckled under pressureto announce that the dossiercontained ‘leads and good clues’.Promising fair investigation,Pakistan’s Interior Ministry ChiefRehman Malik announced that Indiahad provide ‘quite a lot of material’,and his country will work to convertthat into an ‘evidence that can standup to judicial scrutiny’. What acontrast to his earlier goof off. In

fact, there was no need for Pakistanto seek evidence from India, becausethey are themselves the victims ofterrorism. It is ok for the U S to‘beat’ them. India does not have thesame ‘privilege’. Rather Pakistanshould have sought internationalcooperation to wipe out terrorismfrom its soil. Are they waiting forthe doomsday when the LeT et alwill force Pakistan to plunge intostone- age? Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD),the political wing of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) is totally againstPakistan’s modernization.

U S faith in Pakistan has goteroded. The 26\11 gruesome eventhas changed world opinion in India’sfavour. The civilized nations areaghast at the ever-growingTalibanisation of Pakistan. TheTalibans have turned Pakistan intoa rogue State. Any doubt? Pakistantoday is the epicenter of terrorism.

Any doubt? Pakistan is doomed tobe a failure State. Any doubt? Thereis no end to such epithets.

Now Pakistan has taken followup action and certain steps,intentionally or unintentionally, onthe dossier. Some activists of JuDhave been arrested, who werefunctioning at various levels. Theyinclude ‘top level’ handlers likeZaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. Pakistanhas also constituted a committee toprobe the Mumbai attack. Five JuDtraining camps have been reportedlyclosed down. Certain websitesconveying the message of globaljihad, have been ‘banned’. Whetherthe exercise is just a ‘whitewash’,as India believes, only time will tell.It is certain Pakistan army, ISI andthe dreaded terrorist organisationswill never allow civilian

administration to act independently. Several countries like France,

followed suit in expressingsolidarity with India. They haveadmitted India’s dossier was‘perfectly credible’. Be as it may,Britain has never forsaken its oldhabit of blowing hot and cold,particularly when it comes toKashmir. While the entire worldcommunity is focused oninternational terrorism emanatingfrom Pakistan, British ForeignSecretary David Miliband has raisedthe bogey of Kashmir, linking its‘resolution’ with the eradication ofterrorism. His contention that “Kashmir will have to be resolved forterrorism from Pakistan to stop” ismischievous. In a recent diatribeMiliband has said that the “resolution of the Kashmir disputewould help deny extremists one oftheir main calls to arms and allowPakistan authorities to focus moreeffectively on tackling the threat ontheir western borders.” It ispreposterous. He should firstunderstand that Kashmir is anintegral part of India. If anything isto be settled, it is about Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. India shouldnever allow such misfeasance. Suchinferences are biased in nature andcan be dismissed The hydra-headedLeT blamed for Mumbai attacks hasmade its intention clear once for allthat it had nothing to do withKashmir. LeT chief Hafiz Saeed hassaid that their aim was to ‘recoverlost Muslim land’ in Asia andEurope. LeT is deadest against India,Washington and Israel, and againstanything considered un-Islamic. Itis against the Pakistaniestablishment, although it is noteven a secular State, for its playingfootsie with the U S. Saeed has beenquoted as saying that Kashmir is

DOSSIER

merely “ a gateway to capture Indiaen route to LeT’s other targets”.What remains? LeT wants to hoistflag of Islam in Washington, Tel Avivand New Delhi. It is just a wishfulthinking. But in the process of suchdelirium, they will kill millions ofpeople worldwide. Miliband shouldunderstand that London is not faraway from LeT’s loop.

On the contrary, we have asagacious statement from the U SSecretary of State-designate HilaryClinton that Pakistan is a ‘complexissue’She has indicated that aid toPakistan would be linked to itscommitment to fight terrorism on itssoil. There is going to be a tilt in theU S-Pakistan relations, because theAmericans are more worried aboutLeT gaining ground in Pakistan andthe subsequent fear that atomicweapons might fall in terrorists’hands. There can be no global peaceunless the civilian government iscompletely de-linked from the armyand ISI, and democracy is allowedto survive. Pakistan has to giveguarantees and commitment thatterror mills are completely wipedout in Pakistan, before it is too late.War clouds are still hovering overthe subcontinent. Will they turn intoclouds of glory? Let us see.

Prime Minister ManmohanSingh has contended that States thatuse terrorism as an instrument offoreign policy, must be isolated andcompelled to abandon such tactics.Union Home Minister PChidambaram has well said thatPakistan will have to give ‘cast ironguarantees’ that such an incident likeMumbai will never be repeated.Otherwise, Pakistan will have to paya heavy price.

*(The author is a veteranjournalist based at Pune)

(From Page1)currency with the value of Rs 46lakhs and arrested four persons in-cluding two Bangladeshi conduits.

The injection of fake currencyinto Indian economy has started re-ceiving some attention now. In Au-gust 2008 Uttar Pradesh police un-covered over Rs 4 crore worth ofFake currency Notes from two stateBank of India Branches inDomariagunj. It was the largest seizeof high value currency notes and thisforced a joint meeting of IntelligenceBureau, Directorate, of Revenue in-telligence, the Ministry of Finance,the Central Bureau of Investigators,and Central Economic IntelligenceBureau in September 2008.

The meeting as per reports con-cluded that, “the problem had longslipped out of criminal activity andentered the realm of national secu-rity.” As per estimates of IndianIntelligence leaks which have ap-peared in press from time to time in2008, 50,000 crore fake currencynotes were being pumped into In-dian economy per month.

However the role of illegaleconomy including Fake currency isyet to attain the importance it de-serves in the case of Jammu andKashmir. This is despite the fact thatregular seizures of Narcotics, HawalaMoney and Fake Currency notehave taken place in Jammu and Kash-

mir from time to Time.Army officials in J&K are on

record of having said, “Earlier fakecurrency was handed out to allowterrorists to sustain themselves whenthey entered the valley. However inthe past two years it has taken on alarger objective of hurting India’seconomy.” Experts now admit thatin Jammu and Kashmir, a mix of fakecurrency with genuine money is usedby terror organisation to pay theircadres and enlist clandestine logisticsupport from locals. It may be stillan understatement. How fake cur-rency and other illegal and crimeeconomy is impacting the social mi-lieu and effecting the legitimate pro-ductivity of the people is yet to berecognised as a crucial concern.

Prof. Dipanker Sen Gupta ofJammu University comments ongovernment policy and terroristeconomy to highlight the parodoxof low productivity and high con-sumption in the state. "The state'sresponse to an economy damagedby militancy developed along pre-dicted lines. As in North East India,the Central Government came inwith packages aimed at revivingeconomy through grants intended torestore infrastructure as well as otherparts of economy. The effect of allthis was to create an economy whoseState Domestic Product (SDP) de-fied common logic. The ultimate

received any public attention point-ing subtly towards public involve-ment in such economic enterpriseswhich are more lucerative than gov-ernment jobs.

The percentage of populationbelow poverty line in Jammu andKashmir is 5.4% while the nationalaverage is 27.50%. While the gen-eral public seems to be moving to-wards affluence in the state as de-picted by the percentage of peoplebelow poverty line or statisticsabout health care in the state, theeconomic productivity in the stateis going down. The contribution ofJammu and Kashmir to NationalGross Domestic Product has de-creased from 0.87 percent in 1999-2000 to 0.78 percent in 2005-06.The apparent affluence in the stateand the unproductive economic sta-tus cannot be understood if inter-play of illegal economy in the stateis not factored into the policy mak-ing.

Conclusion:Illegal Economy destroys entre-

preneurship of society and creates aparasitic cultures. The symptomsof such a state can be seenmanifestedly in Jammu and Kash-mir. Uttar Pradesh Police for instancerecognises that the fake currency cir-culation is as high as 30 percent ofthe total currency notes circulation.The situation is being described as anational security threat. In J&K de-spite the manifest role of Narcotics,

twist to this bizarre economic his-tory was the revelation by NationalSample Survey Organisation thatJammu and Kashmir ranked highestof all states when it came to perhousehold asset ownership in thecountry with Rs 10.87 lakhs perhousehold." In an economy ravagedby violence of worst kind how is itpossible?

The meat consumption in Kash-

mir is three times more than nationalaverage. The state has the capacityto meet hardly 30 percent of thedemand of the meat for local con-sumption while it has to importnearly 70 percent from Rajasthanand Gujrat where consumption issaid to be 3 times less than J&K.The state on an average is consum-ing meat more than Rs 600 crores.An interestingly feature of the eco-nomic paradox came to fore in 2006when the state accepted that despitereferring 12,200 posts to PublicService Commission (PSC) and sub-ordinate services Recruitment Board(SSRB) for advertisement and fill-ing up thousands of posts were ly-ing vacant in different state govern-ment departments which includeover 7600 gazetted cadre posts. Howis it possible when all the respectivegovernments have harped on unem-ployment as the main cause drivingyouth to militancy? The issue never

Hawala money and fake currency inthe sustaining violence and instabil-ity no deffinitive estimates of illegaleconomy are available. Experts sayfor example about fake currency that,"the absence of an established quan-tity of fake currency in circulationhas led to regime of denial which hasin turn prevented regulation".

With the opening of LoC fortrade one question which comes tothe fore is that if the economic logicof such a trade does not suit separa-tists and Pakistan why do theywhole hog support it.? MirwaizOmar Farooq gave a baffling state-ment about opening of cross LoCtrade. “It is the first step towardsKashmir's economic independence”.JKLF leader Yasin Malik said, 'Free-dom is closer', after the opening ofLoC trade. The issue cannot a ad-dressed unless there has to be a clearunderstanding about the importancewhich the pan-Islamist economicmafia attaches to the increased po-rosity of LoC in J&K in relation todrug grade, Hawala transfers and in-jection of counterfeit money. Theinterest shown by Dubai basedKashmir Muslim traders in crossLoC trade has to be thoroughly ana-lysed. The implications of directflight to Dubai as a starting point ofinternational air traffic to Kashmirin the light of entrenchment of ille-gal economy in Kashmir needs to belooked from a wider perspective ofeconomic subversion of India.

Bad Money Creates Parasitic Culture in Kashmir

CONTINUATION

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 99999NISKASAN DIVAS

KS CorrespondentNEW DELHI, Jan 19: Kashmiri

Pandits held a massive demon-stration at Jantar Mantar NewDelhi to observe the 19th Holo-caust Day. The programme wasjointly organised by Panun Kash-mir and Kashmir Samiti Delhi.The demonstration was followedby a peaceful march.

A memorandum was submit-ted to Hon'ble Home Minister ofIndia through Minister of statefor Home Affairs Sh. Sri PrakashJaiswal and through Sh S.K.Skandan Jt. Sec. Kashmir Affairs,MoH. Speaking on the occasionDr. Ajay Chrungoo ChairmanPanun Kashmir lamented on theimportance of observing theHolocaust Day and called it asthe day of "Samriti". He empha-sised the need to remember thesame and said that memory leadsto Sanskars, it protects the iden-tity and civilisation. This cultureof remembrance and struggledemonstrated by exiled KashmiriPandit community virtuallyforced the attention of the glo-bal community towards the men-ace of Jehadi terrorism. Our con-stant hammering of forced dis-placement, from Kashmir Valleyhas brought us to central focusof attention of the authoritiesand the results are there for all ofus to see. Dr Ajay added.

Supporting the Homeland de-mand, Kashmir Samiti DelhiPresident, Dr LN Dhar said thatthere is consensus among thecommunity on the demand. Headded that 98 percent communityis convinced that creation ofhomeland is the only means totheir return and political empow-erment and 2 percent of the com-munity members who try to cre-ate confusion are those who areguided by vested interest.

All State Kashmiri PanditConference General Secretaryand Spokesperson Delhi Unit,Sh. Kundan Kashmiri said that

MASSIVE DEMONSTRATION AT JANTAR MANTAR NEW DELHIDELINK EMPLOYMENT WITH THE RETURN

there should be no confusion onthe "Homeland" and "KashyapState" demands as there is nodifference. He added that, in fact,ASKPC has tried to give thename to the land as demandedby Panun Kashmir.

Dr. Shakti Bhan, Vice Chair-person of Panun Kashmir, saidthat the demand of 'Homeland'needs the population mass aswell. Decrying the negativepopulation growth she imploredupon the community to have atleast two children. She exhortedparents to persuade their chil-dren about the same with logic.

Sh. M.K. Kaw: PresidentAIKS whilespeaking onthe occasionsaid that therecent Bom-bay blasts isthe water-shed in thehistory of In-dia and it isgoing to

change the scenario in the daysto come.

Rakesh Kaul: General Secre-tary Kashmiri Samiti Delhi, saidthat time has come to work forthe consolidation of Homelanddemand and appealed the youthto come forward in propagatingand consolidating Homeland de-mand by using the modern tech-nological methods.

The proceeding of the delib-erated was conducted by Sh.Kuldeep Raina General SecretaryPanun Kashmir.

The deliberations were fol-lowed by a peaceful march to-wards North block. The march-ers were stopped by the Delhipolice by erecting the barricadeson the road. A delegation of fourmembers led by Dr. AjayChrungoo met Jt. Secy. Kashmir

Affairs. The delegation submit-ted a copy of the memorandum.During their deliberation with Jt.Secy. the delegations empha-sised the delinking of employ-ment package with the return ofthe community to Kashmir Val-ley. The other members of thedelegation were Sh. AvinashTickoo Vice President KashmiriSamiti, Sh. Rakesh Kaul GeneralSecretary Kashmir Samiti andVijay Tickoo Vice ChairmanPanun Kashmir.

Later in the evening a sixmember delegation led byDr.Ajay Chrungoo called onMoS for Home Affair Sh. SriPrakash Jaiswal to submit thememorandum to Home Ministerand discussed various issues re-lated with the displaced commu-nity. The meeting lasted threequarters of an hour in coordinalatmosphere. The delegation em-phatically justified the Homelanddemand and said that when In-dian state is ready to discuss allalternatives there should be notaboo on the Panun Kashmir de-mand that is a nationalist solu-tion. He was told that the crea-tion of Panun Kashmir willstrengthen GoI, encourage letdown-Kashmiri Hindus and pro-vide a space to the nationalisticforces in the Valley.

Referring to the linking ofEmployment Package with returnof the community to Valley thedelegation emphasised that thereturn policy of the governmentabout displaced community hasnot to be linked with employ-ment package. Our return to Val-ley is a political issue and hasserious human rights and inter-national dimensions. We haverepeatedly requested the govern-ment not to trivalise this seriousissue and whenever governmentin the past has talked about re-turn of the community it has leadto massacres. We want to returnin a situation where we have notto leave again.

We welcome the employmentpackage of Prime Minister forunemployed youth but urge youto delink this package from re-turn. Employ the youth in Jammutill the situation becomes con-ducive for return.

Mr. Jaiswal assured the del-egation of his full cooperationand sympathetic consideration.

The other members of the del-egation were Sh. Vijay Tickoo,Sh. Avinash Tickoo, Sh. RakeshKaul, Sh. Kanwal Wangnoo,and Sh Kuldeep Raina.

(See full text of memoran-dum on page 11) (Contd. on Page 10)

Panun Kashmir organises Community Meet Panun Kashmir organises Community Meet Panun Kashmir organises Community Meet Panun Kashmir organises Community Meet Panun Kashmir organises Community MeetKS Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 18: Panun Kashmir organised a community meethere at Invitation Banquet Hall to observe the 19th Holocaust Day.The meeting observed silence in the beginning and paid tributes to

Sh. Radha Krishan Sher, who passed away recently at Jammu. Whilerecalling his contribution the speakers praised Sh Pt. Radha KrishanSher who throughout his life till the very end remained a highlydisciplinarian and a nationalist to the core. His fight against official/administrative apathy was the result of his high moral values whichhe exercised throughout his life. The whole community pays tributethis great departed Kashmiri Pandit.

Recalling 19th Jan 1990, Dr. Ajay Chrungoo said that, "It was onthis day when terrorist entrepreneurs under the aegis of JKLF and

Sh. B.L. Koul conducting the meet at Jammu.

Litting candles at Sansad Marg as a tribute to martyrs.

Dr.Shakti Bhan, Dr.Ajay Chrungoo & Dr L.N. Dhar at thedemonstration venue.

Kashmiri Pandits marching towards north block in N.Delhi

Photos by Raj Raina

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 1010101010

Memorandum Submitted to Hon'ble Union Home Minister Dated 19th January 2009 at New Delhi

To,Mr. P. ChidambaramHon'ble Minister for Home affairs,Government of India.New Delhi.

Sir,Today the community of Hindus of Kashmir, the Kashmiri Pandits is completing the nineteenth year in exile due to

Islamic terrorism in the Jammu & Kashmir inducted by Pakistan and aided and abetted by global pan-Islamist movement,which dreams of creating a new Islamic Caliphate. We do need to emphasize, as we have repeatedly brought it to thenotice of the Government of India, that, during the forced exile of the community, the Government of India and theGovernment of Jammu and Kashmir have made no efforts to:i) Reverse the genocide, the community of the Hindus was subjected to in Kashmir.ii) Redress the wrongs done to the community by the wide spread and grave violations of the fundamental and human

rights, guaranteed by the Constitution of India.iii) Take measures to retrieve the community from the present state of devastation, distress, economic deprivation and

social disorganisation brought to it by its uprootment from its homeland.iv) Measures to protect their properties, temples and institutions in Kashmir plundered, burnt, destroyed, fraudulently

usurped or grabbed through distress sales and bringing to an end the marginalization of the Kashmiri Hindus by theState Government & Administration

v) Address the question of the social, political and economic aspirations of the community, which must be consideredas an indispensable component of any future settlement on Kashmir.

Hon'ble Sir, what we need to emphasize here is that the community of the Kashmiri Pandits, has survived by its ownfortitude. The Hindu Community of Kashmir finds itself under an obligation, devolving upon it as apart of Indian nation,and out of the historical continuity of its commitment to the national unity, to affirm that:i) The Kashmiri Hindu community will not accept any settlement which is reached with the Muslim separatists forces

represented by Jehadi groups, Hurriyat Conference or other militant regimes, which underlines a separate disposition,outside theconstitutional organization of India and the conversion of the State into a Muslim state under the coverof autonomy, self rule, Azadi short of Independence, Muslim identity and the Muslim majority character of theState;

i) Hindus of Kashmir will not accept any political settlement, reached with the Muslims of Kashmir which is notreached in consultation with them and does not have their approval,

ii) Any settlement reached with the State of Pakistan, in disregard of the aspirations and rightful freedom of theHindus of Kashmir will not be acceptable to them and will attract their strong disapproval;

Hon'ble Sir, the community of the Hindus of Kashmir, has watched with consternation the way the Central Governmenthas bowed to the pressures and opened negotiations with Pakistan for the settlement of Kashmir dispute with separatistforces in the State, acting as facilitators. Pakistan is determined to grab as much of the State as it is able to and is atpresent hammering on its demand to the Muslim majority regions of the State, which include the province of Kashmiralong with the Muslim majority regions of the Jammu province situated to the west of the river Chenab. Pakistan seeksto squeeze out the Hindus of the State and confine them to the two and half district of Jammu, Kathua, and Udhampur,situated east of the river Chenab. The Hindus will not accept any second partition of India, which is aimed to uprootthem from the major part of the State.

Hon'ble Sir, we want to impress upon you, that Kashmiri Pandits, the Hindus of Jammu and the Buddhists ofLadakh, have a perspective of Kashmir problem. They have a view point on Indian unity, equality and right to protectionagainst discrimination on the grounds of religion, and right of freedom of faith as guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.They have been equal partners with the people of the other parts of the country in the struggle for Indian freedom.Therefore, they do not visualize freedom in the context of the Muslim majority character of the population of the State,on which Pakistan has based its claim of the State. They do not approve of any structure of negotiations, whichunderlines the recognition of the Muslim majority character of the population as the basis of any negotiations withPakistan. The Indian Government has repeatedly made it clear, that India does not accept or subscribe to the Two-Nation Theory and reiterated its stand, time and again, that the accession of the State to India negates the Two NationTheory. Any solution and any settlement of the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan, on the basis of Muslim majoritycharacter of the population of the State, conflicts with the Indian stand and has a dangerous portent for all the minoritiesin India.

The Hindus of Kashmir entertain no doubt about the fact that their safety and security, their faith and their future canbe safe only within the constitutional organization of India. The political aspirations of Hindus and other minorities of theState are as sacrosanct as the aspirations of the Muslims there.

Pakistan, in collusion with the Muslim separatist forces in Jammu and Kashmir and the Muslim fundamentalistforces in the rest of the country, is waging a Jihad against India for the last two decades. The sustained terroristviolence perpetrated in India, including the latest terrorist strike in Mumbai is a continuation of the Jihadi war initiated inJammu and Kashmir in 1990.The Jihad is aimed to separate Jammu and Kashmir State from India to open the way foreastward expansion of the Muslim power of Pakistan.

Kashmiri Samiti, Delhi, and Panun Kashmir have the firm view that the Indian vision, of its sovereignty and integrityin Jammu and Kashmir, can be strengthened by politically recognizing the State to satisfy the aspirations of Hindus inthe Jammu province, Buddhists of Ladakh and the aspirations of the Hindus of Kashmir for constituting a homeland forthem in the Kashmir Valley: in the regions situated to the East and North of river Vitasta (Jhelum), in a CentrallyAdministered Union Territory governed by the Constitution of India. Kashmiri Hindus shall return only to this dispensation.In the environment of present intolerance, creation of this pocket of tolerance is a national necessity.

Hon'ble Sir, we fervently appeal to you to end the deprivation and suffering the Hindus of Kashmir have borne for thelast two decades and to take steps to satisfy the aspirations of the Hindus of Kashmir to a centrally AdministratedUnion Territory, so that they are able to return to their homeland in a spirit of freedom.

We also appeal to you, that in the interim period, till they return to their homes, steps are taken to relieve theirdeprivations and suffering, to provide for their employment from which they are completely excluded at present and toensure them their due participation in the government and politics of the State.

Thanking YouFor & on the behalf of Panun KashmirFor & on the behalf of Kashmir Samiti, Delhi

Dr. Ajay Chrangoo Dr L.N. DharChairman President

Panun Kashmir organisesCommunity Meet

(Contd. from Page 9)other allied outfits declared waragainst minority Kashmiri Panditcommunity through hate campaigns,threats, selective killings, bombattacks etc. This paved way forreligious cleansing of KashmiriHindus, the aborigines of Kashmir","No Kashmiri Pandit who has livedthose days in Kashmir and retainssome sensitivity can over come thosenightmarish experiences", said Dr.Ajay Chrungoo. He further said that,this is why on this day KashmiriHindus hold protests, take out ralliesand make resolve to keep remindingthe world that this community willnever accept its cleansing as a faitaccompli. Kashmiri Pandits havebeen great survivors and havesurvived seven exoduses in the past650 years, they retain the will tosurvive in future also, Dr. Chrungoodeclared.

Sh. O.N. Trisal praised PanunKashmir leadership for carrying onthe struggle with vision anddetermination. He recalled the greatmoments in December 1991 whenKashmiri Pandits under the aegis ofPanun Kashmir at a place in Jammunamed after the great Saivite AcharyaAbhinavgupta and passed aresolution demanding "Homeland"."We have been thrown out seventimes and no exodus any more wasour resolve, we gave slogan ofHomeland for our rehabilitation," Sh.Trisal lamented. Displaying strongoptimism Mr. Trisal said, "We havedreams and dreams will come tofruition, when winter comes canspring be far behind".

While welcoming the Govt. ofIndia in seeking global cooperationin the war against terrorism. Sh.Kuldeep Raina said that, "TheMumbai terrorist violence hasgalvanised the national opinion andcrystalised national consensus morethan any act of violence in recenttimes, the religious cleansing ofKashmiri Hindus from Kashmir didnot outrage the nation even thoughin the intensity and by implication itcontinues to be the more gruesomeattack on the "Idea of India". Sh.Raina said, "Pandits may be lackingin population mass but retained greatsymbolic significance. Every singleact of defiance by them wouldbecome a force multiplier".

Prof. M.L. Kaul called upon thecommunity members to preparethemselves for the demonstrativephase of Panun Kashmir Moment.

The meet concluded with aresolve to fight the internal and wellas external enemy, to raise theirbanner of struggle against all kindsof terror and to awaken a worldopinion for reversing the genocideof Hindus in Kashmir as a cardinalprincipal of fight against terrorism.

Sh. B.L. Kaul Secretary PanunKashmir conducted the proceedingsof the meet effectively. Mr Kaulunderlined the need to observe theHolocaust Day for the sustenance ofcommunity struggle. He lamentedthat the community since its forcedxile, has moved far a head in everyaspect of life and has virtuallybecome a role model for othercommunities who are in distress.

MEMORANDUM

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 1111111111PHOTO FEATURE-NISKASAN DIVAS

Sh. Sri Prakash Jaiswal, Minister of State for Home Affairs alongwith the members of the delegationaftre receiving the memorandum.

Photos by Raj Raina

KASHMIRSENTINEL

December2008 1212121212OpinionsKASHMIR

SENTINELFebruary

2009 1212121212MEDIA-SCAN

By Khaled Ahmed

PAKISTAN got out ofhand after 1947 andthreatened its non-

Muslims, and then graduallyjourneyed towards eating itsother children too, the‘borderline Muslims’ that itwanted to push into the whitepatch in its flag. The Ahmedileader Zafrullah Khan assured –mistakenly – the Hindu membersof the Constituent Assembly in1949 that the ObjectivesResolution was not meant to hurtthem, and then saw themabandoned by the state.

The Shias too got togetherwith the Sunnis after 1973 toapostatise the Ahmedis, thinkingthe state would accept the Shiaas normal Muslims. By 1985, thestate began to supportorganisations that demanded theapostatisation of the Shiacommunity too. Next in line arethe Ismailis, Bohras and Bahais.Pakistan in this mode is like asnake eating its own tail.

General Zia-ul Haq got theBlasphemy Law into the statutebooks, which struck mostly atthe Pakistani Christians. Themost moving story is that of theAnglo-Indian Christians whodecided to stay back in a ‘caste-free’ Pakistan. They thoughtsince they were mostly involvedin education and health andserving mostly Muslims – inaddition to picking up theirrubbish – they would be sparedthe wrath of Islam. But Muslimpoliticians, after being educated

A nostalgic epitaph for the non-Muslims

in Christian missionary schools– as is the case of Nawaz Sharif– forced death as minimumpunishment for blasphemy evenwhen they knew that the law wasbeing used against poorChristians.

In March 1993, the then PrimeMinister Nawaz Sharif declaredthe Objectives Resolutionaffixed to the wall of the SupremeCourt of Pakistan. But the textthus affixed omitted the word‘freely’ when it spoke of thefreedom of the non-Muslims topursue their religions.

Most Pakistanis think theminorities enjoy completefreedom in Pakistan. They areshocked when such internationalinstitutions as the Human RightsCommission object to Pakistan’sconduct and not to India’s,forgetful of the rule that onlymaltreatment emanating fromlegislation is blamed on the state.Most Pakistanis don’t countAhmedis as Muslims but thendon’t treat them as a protectedminority either. The liberalGeneral Musharraf gave jointelectorates to all the minoritiesexcept the Ahmedis. Pakistanispompously accuse Americansof being discriminatory to theblacks and moan about Israelistreating the non-Jews cruelly butforget what Pakistan does to itsnon-Muslims and some othersthat it wants to declare non-Muslims.

Statistics on the human rightsperformance of Pakistan areavailable but are rejected as lies.The NGOs who undertake topublicise these statistics areangrily condemned as foreign-funded institutions carrying outforeign agendas in Pakistan.When organisations likeAmnesty International revealPakistan’s negative record, theyare rejected; but when theyreveal India’s negative record,their findings are gleefullyhighlighted.

The Christian communitycontinues to complain ofdiscrimination in various forms.Some of them have been

threatened into embracing Islam.Some have succumbed, othershave resisted at great risk to theirlives, while some have actuallyused conversion as a way ofmaking money off bigotedMuslims. Shantinagar andSangla Hill in Punjab are twoprominent communities whereentire populations were soughtto be destroyed. The processbecame more gruesome whenincendiary powder and otherdevices distributed by the stateamong jihadi groups came to beused against the Christians.

Persecution of Ahmedis hasnot ceased. The current scandalof Layyah is an eye-opener. FourAhmedi boys of a private tuitioncentre were accused of writingblasphemous lines in the lavatoryof a nearby Sunni mosque. Theboys were arrested while thepolice said there was no proofagainst them, but they were keptin jail because the newly bannedJama’at-ud Dawa was interestedin punishing the Ahmedis. Nowthey are at the DG Khan jail, thecity where Sipah Sahaba hastraditionally killed the local Shia.

A TV channel caused thedeath of three Ahmedis in Sindhin 2008 after a discussionprogramme called them insultersof the Prophet PBUH. From April1984 to December 1999, as manyas 753 Ahmedis had beenarrested for displaying the‘Kalima’ and another 379 for‘posing as Muslims’. Now theytake persecution silently andhate to be noticed by hypocriticalMuslims feeling the rare twingeof conscience.

Hindus are treated well inparts of Sindh but the statedoesn’t like the Hinducommunity too much, especiallyas a potential fifth column forIndia. The Hindus of Balochistanwere treated well as long as thetribal environment was intact butwith the advent of a toughclerical order, campaigns offorcible conversion and ousterfrom property became common.Hindus are used in Sindh as slavelabour. One can say that in many

places they are virtually slavesof the landlords who use themas farm hands.

Pakistan has demeaned itselfby degrading its non-Muslims.In Sindh, Nanak-Shahi Hinduswere close to the mysticalheritage of the Sindhi man whostill adheres to his culture andignores the call of highorthodoxy. It is no surprisetherefore that no Sindhi has sofar presented himself to theTaliban as a suicide-bomber.

Today, Karachi is anunderworld of violent Islam andethnic politics. When the non-Muslims lived here before 1947,it was a great city. Self-diminishment of the Muslimstoday actually makes oneremember the great non-Muslimswho made Karachi what it istoday. The Parsees came to beknown as such in the 19thcentury. People often say ofthem: ‘Parsee, thy second nameis philanthropy!’ But one can saythat about all the communitieswho came to Karachi fromGujarat.

The traders and businessmenof Gujarat – the state of Akbar’sTodar Mal – were the mostintellectually advanced people inIndia and deserved to rule it buthad to make way for the warriorsof the north instead. All Gujaratisof Karachi are famous for theirphilanthropy. In the words ofArdeshir Cowasjee, his greatgrandfather, HormusjeeJamshedjee Rustamjee used tosay that it is the duty of theprosperous to look after their lessfortunate brethren. He was amember of the municipality for along time and also representedthe public on the Board ofKarachi Port Trust.

Dadabhoy Naurojee and hisclose companions – BayramjeeMalabar Sorabjee ShahpurjeeBengali, Kaikhusro N Kabraji,and Khurshidjee R Kama – wereat the forefront of the Parseeefforts for welfare works in thefield of education and health inKarachi and Sindh. KR Kama wasalso devoted to religious reform

and set up the Rahnuma-e-Mazda Yasir Sabha .

Reference must be made toEdulji Dinshaw’s philanthropy.In 1885, when Lady Dufferin, wifeof the Viceroy, launched anappeal for funds to buildhospitals for women in variousparts of India, Dinshaw, who hadalready set up two hospitals inSindh, came up with a grant ofRs 50,000. When this provedinadequate, he gave another35,000!

Out of Karachi’s total Hindupopulation of 9,000, the merchantclass dominated. Hindumerchants in Karachi were moreprosperous than theircounterparts in other parts ofSindh. They were mostly fromthe Lohano clan which wasaffiliated to the Vaishya caste. In1933, Karachi Municipality wasaccorded the status of KarachiMunicipal Corporation. Hindu,Muslim and Parsee communitiesplayed important roles in it.Harichand Rai Vishildas, aHindu, remained the electedPresident of Municipality from1911 to 1921.

Famous Parsee figureJamshed Nussarwanji held thepost from 1922 to 1933. He alsoremained Mayor in 1933-34. Theother Parsee mayors include KBArdeshir H Mama in 1936-37, RKSidhwa in 1939-40, Sohrab KHKatrak in 1942-43.

The untouchable leader andPakistan’s first Minister for Law& Labour, Jogendra NathMandal, bemoaned the fact thatthe cruel hands of ‘fate’ hadsnatched the Quaid just whenPakistan and the minoritycommunities most needed him.He was in for more shock whenMaulana Shabbir AhmedUsmani in the ConstituentAssembly told him that non-Muslims could not hold keyposts and had to pay a specialtax, jiziya . After Jinnah’s death,he went back to Bengal and diedsoon thereafter of a broken heart.

In Lahore, CW Forman wasbusy providing religious

After a steady trend of maltreatment of non-Muslims, the Pakistani nationsuffers from a paucity of good men. Muslim leaders are unreliable and

dishonest but no one realises why this diminution of character has taken place

A VIEW FROM PAKISTAN

(Contd. on Page 18)

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 1313131313TRIBUTE

By Prof. M.L. Kaul

TO the utter shock and griefof scholarly circles, Prof.Nila Kanth Gurtu left this

mortal world on 18th Dec., 2008,after having suffered the blisters andbruises caused by the Alzeimers dis-ease.

Prof. Gurtu was a gentleman parexcellence. He was a perfect shavitein word and above all highly oblig-ing. He was a perfect shavite in wordand deed. He was at peace with him-self and peace with the world allaround him. He bore no ill-willagainst anybody nor had others anyreason to bear animosity unto him.‘Ajatshatru’ is the apt word to de-scribe his character, demeanour andmanner. I believe he lived his allot-ted length of life meaningfully,puruposefully and more than mostgracefully.

Assiduous pursuit of Sanskritscholarship, especially the theoreti-cal and esoteric knowledge en-shrined in the Sahiva texts was hissole pre-occupation. He possesseda golden heart and a scintillating head.His depth of understanding of theseminal shaiva texts was phenom-enal and amazing. Though the bor-ders between a professor and a pun-dit often blur.

Yet I would call him a pundit, areal Pandit, a historically consciouspandit. In the words of Bhagwatgita,he could be called a 'sthith prajmna'and a 'sanyasi' if sanyas means con-sciously ignoring ordinary desiresthat encase and engulf the mind of aman. 'Kamyanam karmana nyasam'.

Prof. Gurtu had a father, wholoved Sanskrit lore and learning andwas a shaiva practitioner too. He wasresponsible for moulding his son insuch a domain of learning as wasshunned by many Kashmiri Panditsbecause of the existential insecuritycaused by the oppressive Muslimrule. He was put to a traditionalseminary which alone could shapehim out in the field that his respect-able father had chosen for his son. Itwas not a 'run of the mill' decisionthat the father, a lover of Sanskrit,had made. Despite opposition fromnear and dear ones, hassled by thefather's decision, the decisive willof Prof. Gurtu's father prevailed.And the pupil continued with thecurriculum as was prescribed by thethen university of the Punjab. Theson worked hard to earn the degreeof 'Shastri';, equivalent to graduationin Sanskrit, just at the age of seven-teen causing consternation in the stu-dent population of those days.

Initially Pt. J.N. Dhar and Pt.

Nilkanth Gurtu: TheNilkanth Gurtu: TheNilkanth Gurtu: TheNilkanth Gurtu: TheNilkanth Gurtu: TheLast Kashmiri PunditLast Kashmiri PunditLast Kashmiri PunditLast Kashmiri PunditLast Kashmiri Pundit‘Although we wear this sheet with ever so much care,‘Although we wear this sheet with ever so much care,‘Although we wear this sheet with ever so much care,‘Although we wear this sheet with ever so much care,‘Although we wear this sheet with ever so much care,it has to be given up even as it’--Kabirit has to be given up even as it’--Kabirit has to be given up even as it’--Kabirit has to be given up even as it’--Kabirit has to be given up even as it’--Kabir

Late Sh. Nilkanth Gurtu

M.N. Nehru initiated Prof. Gurtu inthe general studies in Sanskrit. Pt.Lalkak Langoo and Harbhatt Shastri,awesome scholars of Sanskrit, fur-thered and deepened his understand-ing and grip of Sanskrit grammar,linguistics, and aesthetics.

Having earned two masters inSanskrit and Hindi, Prof. Gurtujoined a government run academiccollege and rose too the status of afull-fledged professor of Sanskrit. Inthis capacity he served many an aca-demic ̀ institution of the J&K State.Prior to his join the college depart-ment, he had a short stint in the Re-search Department of the state thatwas set up by Maharaja RanbirSingh, who was responsible for therenaissance in the domain of San-skrit learning and research in thestate.

Prof. Gurtu was a great scholarof Kashmir Shaivism, which hewould always nomenclature as'Shaivadvai' philosophy of Kashmiras the name, was assigned to thisstrand of thought by Abhinavgupta,an unrivalled erudite of the said-phi-losophy. In the specific regime ofShaiva thought Prof. Gurtu was ini-tiated and guided by Swami LaxmanJoo Maharaja at the hermitage atIshber, near the Nishat Garden. Hewas an ardent devotee of Swami Ji,who infused a bubbling spirit andenthusiasm among his devotees tolearn the seminal texts of the indig-enous Shaiva though. He was alearned devotee of the Saint of Isbherand naturally got more benefited thanmany others in acquiring the knowl-edge of the subject and it is amplyauthenticated by the books authoredby him. He began as a devotee of thesaint and died as his devotee. Thesaint had bestowed such 'shaktipat'on his devotee as had enabled him toleave a fine yarn of the shaiva thoughtin glittering language and express thesubtleties of the though in highlyexpressive language. To me he al-ways appeared as a Pundit becauseof his analysis of the issues relatedto Shaiva thought. He would alwaysstart with language, texture and con-text and then the clarifications andexpositions would follow. In one ofmy brushes with him, I pointed outword and meaning make poetry(Shabada-arthav kavyan), he re-torted--word and meaning do makepoetry (Shaibda-Arthav NanuKayam).

Unlike many other Shaiva schol-ars Prof. Gurtu had an extensivestudy of the five schools of Indianthought. Focused on the Shaivathought as he was, it was with greatease that he could relate the Shaiva

positions on broad theoretical issueswith the positions exposited in allsystems of the Indian thought. Hewas a great expositor, his explana-tions would be quite lucid and lan-guage apt and selective. He had theskill of an orator to choose his wordsdirectly touching the grooves andridges of the brain-membrane of theaudience. His teaching of theBhagwatgita at the Ishber Hermit-

age would hold his audience as if in amagical spell. The gift of the gab andperfect understanding of the philo-sophical issues are what distin-guished him from his illustriousteacher, Dr Balji Nath Pandit, whohad an equal share in fashioning thecerebral capacities of Prof. Gurtu.

Prof. Gurtu as a theoretician didnot rest his oars at the mere knowl-edge of the Shaiva thought, but asrequired by the thought itself he wasa devotee, a bhakhta, of Lord Shiva.The brilliant verses from Shiva-stotravali of Utpaldev, were on thetip of his tongue and he would recitethem lovingly and liltingly as if hewere in a recaptures and hilariousflight. Then the explanations wouldgush out with firm emphasis onShaiva Bhakti which is certainly adifferent cup of tea from the typesof devotion as are found in othersystems of thought. 'Separation' and'Union' as two phases in the domainof Bhakhti became lucid clear withthe quotes from the Shiva Strotravali.Aware of my background he oncesoftly introduced a mantra to mewhich I could not practise becauseof the genocide that our communityhad to face a the hand of the cruelJehadists. He as an exilee in Delhicontinued with his practices and Icould not, not because of lack of faith,but because of existential angst andpain caused by a phenomenon oftotal annihilation. As a high browspiritualist he took it as a phase inShiva sport. But thoroughly mun-

dane in approach and premis I tookto the writing of history of genocidethat Kashmiri Hindus were subjectedto since the inaugural of Muslim rulein Kashmir.

Prof. Gurtu could be a masterlyguide for any person genuinely in-terested in attempting to re-orien-tate a vital figure of the standing ofLalla Ded, a representative of thecivilisational and cultural ethos ofKashmir. He knew the skill of tex-tual criticism and importance of thecomparative study of available manu-scripts in such attempts. As a HeadPandit in the Research Departmentof the state he had chanced upon aslew of manuscripts of the AmarnathMahatamya, which he studied anddetermined the text and published itwith a sound Hindi translation andan invaluable introduction. All typesof variations in different versions ofthe text were foot-noted and miss-ing spaces were filled in with thehelp of other manuscripts. His guid-ance for everybody was that re-ori-entation of a text-never means tomutliate the original text or imposeda new matter on the available text.

'Sambpancha Shikha’ is anotherwork of note that Prof. Gurtu as-siduously studied, translated thetext with Khemraja's commentaryinto Hindi and lucidly highlightedthe Shaiva contest of the original text.As Kashmir has a history of writingMahatamyas we have a work of thesame hue called HarsheshwarMahatamya. Prof. Gurtu translatedthe text into English along with anilluminating introduction to thebook.

'Spand-Karika' and'Paratrimshikha' are the two otherseminal works of Kashmir Shaivismwhich the professor studied at thelotus feet of his venerable guru,whose opinions on issues of theoryand praxis of the said-philosophyof Shaivism he always upholds asthe final word. In the SpandkarikaProf. Gurtu's expository skills standout and subtle issues and conceptsof the thought stand comprehen-sively explained, exposited and ex-pounded. 'Paratrimshikha' is deemedas the subtlest of the Shaiva worksand Prof. Gurtu ably determined thetext and translated it into Hindi withcopious explanatory notes and ex-positions that unravel the esotericcontent of the text.

Be it said, the publications of the'Paratrimshikha' with its amazingHindi translation and profuse expla-nations was not savoured well bymany devotees of Swamiji Maha-raja at the Ishaber hermitage. Prof.Gurtu was grievously hurt when he

was accused of unravelling the eso-teric content for a consideration. Hechose me for expression of his hurtsentiments. I expressed lot manyempathies to dispel his hurt andcarefully chose a language in appre-ciation of the tremendous work hehad done. His temperament wascool and sedate and nothing wouldflap his temper. But, this develop-ment at the hermitage was what hecould not bear with. The fact is thathis publisher had harvested his bookand given him a mere pittance. Morethan most, he had done a great serv-ice to the very philosophy ofShaivism by translating a formida-ble work like 'Paratrimshikha'. Andit should have been recognised byall who mattered at the Hermitage.

Soon after Prof. Gurtu's'Paratrimshikha' was published Dr.Jaidev Singh who too had studiedthe work at Swami Ji Maharaja's lo-tus-feet put it into English. He tookthe text as the most authentic as wasdetermined by Prof. Gurtu and addedhis own explanations and exposi-tions to the work thereby making itmore useful for a wider section oflovers of Kashmir Shaivism. Thework is published and carries an in-troduction by Dr. Betina Baumer, adevotee of Swami Ji Maharaj.

As Prof. Gurtu was a senior col-leagues and I had thick contacts withhim, I once expressed my desire tohave a nodding acquaintance with thetheoretical postulations of KashmirShaivism. He took no time in con-ceding my humble request. A dex-terous teacher with a missionary zealProf. Gurtu taught me seminalworks like Tattava-Sandoha,Shaivsutra, Spandkarika,Ishwarpratibijjna-Vimarsini andsome portions of Shiva-Drishti. Icould not continue as we as mem-bers of Hindu community got up-rooted and scattered under the de-termined onslaught of Jihadis.

I owe a great debt of gratitude tohim for the pains that he took toenlighten me with the whole spec-trum of philosophical developmentsin Kashmir. Since he taught me somevital texts with care and deligence Ialways considered him as my guruand in Shaiva parlance guru is shiva-guru who initiates a pupil in theShaiva-marg in accordance with hisworth. Perhaps, he considered mehis worthy pupil when he disarmedDr. Balji Nath Pandit by telling bhimthat his materialist pupil would workwonders thruogh his initiation in theShaiva thought. Prof. Gurtu prod-ded me to take up a research projecton Somananda's Shivadrishti. At hisinsistence I had submitted a synop-sis to the Rashtriya. SanskritSansthan for approval. But displace-ment and exile topsyed and turvyedeverything we had planned.

Those who are born are destinedto die (Jatasya hi mretu druvam-Gita). Prof. Gurtu had all the an-gelic qualities. But, in the wordsof John Keats, 'had he not died,he would have been an angel'.

In the end, As a mortal I prayfor peace to his soul.

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 1414141414SOCIAL HISTORY

WHENEVER a person tries tobreak the existing social barriers of his times he has to pay

a heavy price for it. There are innumer-able such instances in the history whenthe great men had even to sacrifice theirlives because the ideas propounded bythem were not acceptable to the peopleof their period. We should not forget thatJesus Christ was crucified, Socretes wasforced to drink poison and Mahatma Gan-dhi had to face the bullets not for commit-ting any sin, but for cherishing certainbasic human values and ideals which werenot to the liking of a certain section of thesociety in their era.

Pandit Bishan Narain Dar likewisewas excommunicated by his own com-munity members from the Biradari for un-dertaking a sea voyage which was con-sidered to be an unpardonable sin inthose days although he created historyby becoming the first Kashmiri Pandit togo to England and the first Indian to be-come a Barrister

Pandit Bishan Narain Dar was born in1864 in Barabanki district of United Prov-inces. Incidentally it was the same year inwhich Canning College was establishedin Luc know by the Taluqdars of Oudhloyal to the British for imparting Europeaneducation to the Indian students and toperpetuate the memory of Lord Canningwho was the Governor General and firstViceroy of India at the time of annexationof Oudh by the British.

After crushing the Mutiny of 1857 bythe native sepoys of East India CompanyLord Canning read the proclamation ofQueen Victoria from the ramparts of theAllahabad Fort on 1st November 1858.Allahabad was made the capital of thecountry during that period. Thus Victo-rian era began in India.

The ancestors of Pandit Bishan NarainDar left the Kashmir Valley in the first halfof the 19th century. His grandfather Pan-dit Hari Ram Dar travelled whole of NorthIndia in search of a good job and ulti-mately succeeded in becoming an AkhbarNavis for king Wajid Ali Shah, who wasthe last ruler of Oudh.

Pt Hari Ram Dar’s cousin Pt. Tika RamDar had a printing press. During the Mu-tiny of 1857, Pt. Tika Ram Dar to hood-wink the British secret agents gatheringinformation about the revolution arise,shifted his printing press on a big boat inthe river Gomti from where the pamphletswere printed against the British to be dis-

Our Founding Father

BARRISTER BISHAN NARAIN DARBy B.N.Sharga

tributed among the citizen of Lucknow torise in revolt. But when things becamequite difficult for Pt. Tika Ram Dar to con-tinue his campaign due to British intelli-gence, he very secretly migrated toBenaras now Varanasi to avoid beingframed for treason by the British.

Since Bishan Narain Dar’s father Pan-dit Kishan Narain Dar became a Munsif’in the post-annexation period and got hisposting at Lucknow so his family shiftedfrom Barabanki to this city after the Mu-tiny of 1857 and settled down again inK a s h m i r iMohalla around1860 when theBritish had totaladministrativecontrol over thiscity after crush-ing the rebellionof native forcesunder the com-mand of BegumHazrat Mahal.The KashmiriMohalla ofLucknow washaving a bigconcentration ofthe populationof Kashmiri Pan-dits in thosedays.

Pandit BishanNarain Dar hadhis early schooling in Lucknow like manyother Kashmiri Pandit boys of that pe-riod. He also did his graduation from theCanning College in 1884 which was affili-ated with the Calcutta University at thattime. In Canning College he came in con-tact with Pandit Pran Nath Bazaz who wasa teacher there. Pandit Pran Nath Bazazwas a student of La-Martiniere College in1850, so he was having a very broad out-look and was slightly ahead of his timesin his ideas and thinking than many otherKashmiri Pandits of that period. Actuallyhe inspired young Bishan Narain Dar totake a trip to England for higher studiesalthough the Biradari members were notat all in favour of such a preposition andwere on the contrary deadly against thismove of Bishan Narain Dar which wasconsidered to be something highly inaus-picious for the entire community due tovery rigid social customs and beliefsprevalent in the community at that time.

Naturally under such adverse circum-stances with no support forthcoming fromthe community members and not evenfrom his close blood relatives Bishan

Narain Dar had no choice left but to planhis trip to England very secretly so that itmay not lead to any unpleasant situationor might not create an embarrassment tohis parents.

He somehow managed Rs. 3,000/- fromhis close friends and well-wishers and leftfor London along with Professor Gaulwho was his teacher in Canning Collegeon 21st March, 1884. Before his depar-ture from Bombay by ship, he wrote a let-ter to his father in Lucknow demandingmore money for his stay in England. His

letter further elec-trified the alreadysurcharged at-mosphere inLucknow. Thenews about hisclandestine de-parture to Eng-land spread like awildfire amongKashmiri Panditfamilies living inK a s h m i r iMohalla andaroused a stormof indignationp a r t i c u l a r l yamong thewomen folk of thecommunity.

Consequentlya meeting of theBiradari was

called on 1st June 1884 in Ganjoo WalonKa Shadikhana and the crisis was pre-cipitated to such an extent between thesupporters and opponents of BishanNarain Dar that a sharp division of theBiradari took place into two groupsknown as Bishan Sabha and DharamSabha on this major issue concerning theBiradari.

As a good majority of the KashmiriPandits living in Kashmiri Mohalla wereeither big landlords or zamindars withvast rural properties under their command,so they were wielding a considerable in-fluence on the community due to theirposition in the society and money power.These highly orthodox and traditionalpeople who were not at all prepared tointroduce any reform in the communityconstituted the Dharam Sabha under theleadership of Pandit Raj Narain Bakshiwho was against acquiring western wayof life, whereas very small number ofKashmiri Pandits with progressive ideasand who were against the very rigid so-cial customs and traditions and were infavour of Bishan Narain Dar’s trip to Eng-

land formed a separate group in theBiradari known as Bishan Sabha.

The prominent members of this groupwere Dewan Amar Nath Kaul, Pt.Tribhuwan Nath Sapru Hijr, Pt. RatanNath Dar Sarshar, Pt. Baij Nath Kaul, Pt.Udit Narain Chakbast and Pt. Lalta PrasadBatpori, etc.

It is interesting to note here thatthough this division of the communitytook place in Lucknow, but this contro-versy reached upto Lahore and dividedthe community even in that city becauseof the matrimonial alliances between theKashmiri Pandits of Lucknow and theKashmiri Pandits of Lahore. Many arti-cles on this topic were published in theTribune an English daily of Lahore in thosedays strongly condemning the action ofBishan Narain Dar.

It may be recalled here that prior tothis incident in 1834 Pandit Mohan LalZutshi was excommunicated from theBiradari for undertaking extensive jour-neys to the Arabian countries. On his re-turn to his home land this unfortunateKashmiri Pandit was subjected to so muchof humiliation and insult by his own com-munity members that he became a Mus-lim by embracing Islam. Simply becausethere was no one in the community tosupport him at that time.

It should be mentioned here thatyoung Bishan Narain Dar was an activemember of the circle of disciples of PanditSheo Narain Bahar who was the editor ofMursala-e-Kashmir a caste journal ofKashmiri Pandits which was brought outin Kashmiri Mohalla in those days.

This group for the first time around1870 established a Kashmiri Young Men’sClub under the guidance of Pandit SheoNarain Bahar. The main object of this clubwas to inculcate good habits in KashmiriPandit boys and to inspire them to dis-card bad Nawabi habits like visiting theKothas of tawaifs in Chowk indulgenceand addiction which were spoiling thefuture prospects of the youths of the com-munity by deviating their attention andconcentration from their studies.

This club also used to provide accessto information about modern society andstandards of living so that the KashmiriPandit boys could compete with othersin every walk of life without any handi-cap or hesitation.

Now one could very well imagine theimpact of all these developments at homeon the tender mind of young BishanNarain Dar who was busy in studying lawin England far away from his land of birth.

(Contd. on Page 15)

Barrister Bishan Narain Dar

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 1515151515CONTINUATION

Our Founding Father (From Page 14)

The mental state of mind of BishanNarain Dar on a foreign soil could verywell be imagined by his speech, which hedelivered to the Carlyl Society in Londonon 4th November, 1886 describing abouthis departure from India Being the first ofmy sect who intended to visit Englandand I had to manage everything very se-cretly. Nobody with the exception of fewfriends and relatives know anythingabout my resolve and I have actually leftIndia than there was commotion in mycommunity and those who were sup-posed to be my instigators were excom-municated. I myself received a telegramwhile my ship was passing through SuezCanal to return at once. I did not mindthe telegram and my friends did not mindexcommunication from the Biradari.

While living in England Bishan NarainDar realised the true meaning of inde-pendence and observed the differencebetween the democratic rights being en-joyed by the citizens of a free countryand that of subjects of a country undersubjugation of a colonial power.

He decided to launch a crusade againstthis injustice being meeted out to Indi-ans by treating them as second class citi-zens. He resolved that he would fight tillhis last breath against this exploitation ofIndians by the British till his fellow coun-trymen would get their legitimate demo-cratic rights like any other European citi-zen in the country so that they could alsolive with honour and dignity. Because thetreatment of the British towards Indianswas very bad in those days and they weregenerally subjected to all sorts of insultsand humiliations.

In July 1887 Bishan Narain Dar cameto Kashmiri Mohalla from England as aBarrister, but he had to face a hostile at-mosphere from community members.Even his own mother after great persua-sion allowed him to enter his ancestralhouse in Kashmiri Mohalla. Eventuallyhe was excommunicated from theBiradari.

It is interesting to note that PanditTribhuwan Nath Sapru Hijr who was aprogressive Urdu poet of that periodcomposed a number of poems in praiseof Bishan Narain Dar and his achieve-ments. He also wrote a number of articlesout rightly condemning the attitude ofhighly orthodox and traditional KashmiriPandits for downgrading Bishan NarainDar. Some of ardent admirers of BishanNarain Dar even ridiculed those ortho-dox and traditional Kashmiri Pandits fortheir hypocrisy. Because some of theseorthodox Kashmiri Pandits were foundtravelling with Muslims in railway com-partments, taking meals cooked by Mus-lims and even keeping Muslim Begumsas their concubines as a status symboland a sign of affluence like Pt. MehtabRai Gurtu, Pt. Shyam Prasad Taimni, Pt.

Maharaj Narain Saraf, Pt. Laxmi Narain Darand Pt. Jawahar Krishnan Zaru etc. Whenat that time it was supposed that aKashmiri Pandit would only take a mealcooked by a Kashmiri Pandit cook andnot by any other person belonging to adifferent caste-group.

Though Bishan Narain Dar was veryprogressive in his views but he was notan Arya Samaji. He was an ardent ad-mirer of Swami Daya Nand Saraswati. It isinteresting to note here that in 1873, threeyears before the Arya Samaj was estab-lished at Lahore Swami Daya NandSaraswati was invited to the house ofPandit Daya Nidhan Ganjoor who wasTahsildar ofLucknow in thepost annexationperiod where hegave a lecture tothe assembledKashmiri Pan-dits on how theHindu religionought to be in-terpreted ac-cording to theVedas. The auraof Swami ji’spersonality andhis convictionsabout life hadgreat impact onthe mind ofBishan NarainDar. His Englishspeeches al-ways reflectedthat bent of mind.

Though Bishan Narain Dar was verycritical about Brahminical caste system,yet at least in his poems in Urdu he al-ways felt proud of having a Kashmiri Pan-dit lineage. Because he always had a greatpraise for his ancestors in Kashmir whowere determined to lose everything butto preserve their name.

Chhote bade amiro fakiro mard-o-zanSab ke dilon mein chashmaye iman

tha muazamkahte the tan sejan chhote jar. se

badanLekin kisl tarah na mite nam-c-

brahman.Bishan Narain Dar commemorated the

Kashmiri Pandits who were persecutedin the period after the death of ZainulAbideen in Kashmir and his feelings werethoroughly conservative in tone For ourreligion hundreds of us gave our lives.They could take everything from us ex-cept our faith.

In one of his poems he described themigration from Kashmir as an exile. Be-cause according to him leaving Kashmirfor us was like the soul leaving the bodybehind.

Hai arzue dil ki teri arzu karenJab tak zuban hai teri guftagu karen

Gul se aziz humko tera khar khar haiMuddat se ishtiaq hai ek bar dekh

laienBulbul hai chashme shauk mein

gulzar dekh laienOne day Bishan Narain Dar had to at-

tend a party arranged by some of his Eu-ropean friends in his honour. He wore athree piece black dinner suit for this oc-casion, which was not to the liking of thetraditional Kashmiri Pandits of the local-ity. As he was a man with a dark complex-ion so to make fun of him a Kashmiri Pan-dit poet in a sarcastic way recited the fol-lowing Urdu couplet:

Hazrate Dar nein bhi, aaj ek suit nayapahana hai Kali rangat pe syahjame, kakya kahna hai

He was a true patriot. He had an im-mense love for hismotherland whichis reflected fromhis followinglines in Urdu :

H a b e e b - e -mulk hein, apnewatcm se hamkoulfat hai

T a m a n a evilayai kyak a r e n ,Hindustan hokar

Once he wentto Delhi to attenda Mushaira. Dur-ing his stay inDelhi he also paida visit to somehistorical monu-ments there. Heclimbed the stairsof historic Qutub

Minar to have a bird’s eye view of thewhole city. When he got down from theQutub Minar a fellow Urdu poet who wasaccompanying him asked curiously Pan-dit Ji Kya Dekha Bishan Narain Dar inhis own poetic style replied :

Duniya ki ajeeb ham ne hasti dekhi,Pahunche jo bulandi pe to pasti delhi,

Minar-e-Qutub se ham ne dali jonigah. Ujri hui Dilli ki bhi basti dekhi.

Bishan Narain Dar was a great vision-ary, a renowned scholar, a prolific writerand above all a reputed Urdu poet. Hehas written a number of articles in Eng-lish on topics of social relevance and alsoauthored a few books in English. His Urdupoetic compositions were published inBahar-e-Guishan-e-Kashmir which wasbrought out in two volumes in 193 1 and1932.

The revolutionary speeches of BishanNarain Dar brought him very close to thetop leadership of the Congress Party inthe country in those days. Participatingin the session of Indian National Con-gress held in 1887 at Allahabad he earnedvery high appreciation from the Congressstalwarts who applauded his oratory andcommand over English language. He be-came a member of the Imperial Legisla-tive Council in 1914. Though after 1904

he was not very active in politics due tohis poor health yet his close friends andadmirers in the Congress Party felt thathis calibre would not be allowed to berusted like this. He was persuaded to pre-side over the 27th Plenery Session of theIndian National Congress held at Calcuttain December 1911 and was unanimouslyelected as the President of the CongressParty.

Somehow in the fag end of his life thisgenius became a frustrated and dejectedperson. Because he could not get the rec-ognition and the active support and co-operation from his own community mem-bers which he was dreaming althroughhis life, with the result that he developedTuberculosis and ultimately died on 19thNovember 1916 at the age of 52 years inhis new found home in China Bazaar.

According to C.Y. Chintamani, he wasone of the most learned among the na-tional leaders of his period. Yet he wasvery modest, a great writer, many ofwhose writings are still renowned. It wasgenerally believed that Bishan Narain Darwas one of the two most outstanding lit-erary political leaders of India, the otherbeing Rash Behari Ghosh.

Though it is alleged that Pt. BishanNarain Dar had very close links with somewomen of that period but there is no offi-cial record about his marriage with anyone of them. Some elder members of thecommunity still believe that he was mar-ried with Lakshmi the daughter of Pt. JankiNath Safaya of Bazaar Sita Ram, Delhi.

Pt. Bishan Narain Dar’s youngerbrother Pt. Ratan Narain Dar was born in1889 at Faizabad where his father Pt.Kishan Narain Dar was posted as subjudge. After completing his education atLucknow he became a teacher on 17thJuly, 1917 in a government school atKanpur. He became the deputy inspectorof schools in 1926 at Sitapur. He was alsoan Urdu poet. He had no problem in get-ting married within the community fold.The social stigma of the excommunica-tion of his elder brother did not come inhis way and he had a happy married lifewith full respect from one and all in thecommunity. His one of the descendantsPt. Pramod Kumar Dar, still lives in KatraBizen Beg, Lucknow.

Though Pt. Bishan Narain Dar was theonly person from Lucknow till date tobecome the President of the Indian Na-tional Congress and a leading light of ourfreedom movement, yet there is no me-morial in his honour at Lucknow, whenhe was the real Bharat Ratna. Our presentday political leaders of all hues have com-pletely forgotten the contributions madeby this great son of the soil in variousfields. To quote the golden words ofSamana Sultan, subdue pride by modesty,overcome hypocrisy by simplicity anddissolve greed by contentment, is perhapsthe ideal way to remember this great sonof Bharat Mata.

*(The author is a intense social his-tory Researcher leaving at a Lucknow)

Queen Victoria

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 1616161616HERITAGRE

The Sculpture found in Pakoccupied Kashmir

By Sanjay Godbole

MUZAFFERABAd, the historically important city, ispresently the Capital of Pakistan occupied Kashmir.Here several age old and ancient relics and remains

have been unearthed and brought to light. The classificationexercise of these remains into Hindu and Buddhist categories, ispresently in the offing. Here, there is an ancient whitish knoll,where broken pieces of terracottas, pot sherds, ancient objectsand beads of numerous shapes and designs frequently surfaceduring explorations and expiditions. It is here only that many ageold and ancient sculpture have been reported and the work oferreting a small museum of these precious items is in progress, inMuzafferabad.

Dr.Sabir Afaqi, an erudite professor was the Head of Department,of Urdu, Persian and Arabic studies, at the University of KashmirMuzaffarabad. He has translated into Persian, a book depictingthe ancient history of Kashmir, titled “Rajtarangini”. Sabir Sahib,was also the President of Kashmir Gujar Association. I Ie providedme from Muzafferabad a photograph of

Kashmiri Sculpture, for my persual and for studying the same.Dr.Sabir is of the opinion that many ancient remains and antiquities ofhistorically and archaeogically importance do exist in the nearviscinity of Muzafferbad and even these old remains are possiblyconnected with many events and occurances thereof since theMahabharata era.

Dr. G.B. Deglurkar, an eminent authority on Iconography, hasopined that the Sculpture which was found at Muzafferabad re-cently, belongs to the class of sculpture categorized as “HeroWorship” type. The sculpture can be described as under :-

Under the decorative arch, there is a Warriar in a fighting andCombatant stance. He holds in his hand a Sword like weapon. Inthe front of the Sculpture, there is a niche in the wall for illuminatingthe Sculpture with the help of a Lamp. Below the nich, mere is anornamental decoration of the temple. On. account of the aureaolebehind the sculpture, it could be surmised that unless the sculptureis that of a deity, could possibly be of a noble soul or a majesticpersonality like a “Virgal” type Sculpture of Southern India. Thesculpture can be assigned to eighteenth century.

PRIOR to the partition of India, the‘Siraiki’ language was mainlyspoken in undivided Punjab. After the

partition, many’ Siraiki’ speaking peoplemigrated to India, but in Pakistan this Siraikilanguage was developed to a great extent.

In India, too, programmes are arrangedunder the auspices of Siraiki Sahitya Sangam’of Delhi, for the development of Siraiki. Inthis connection a gathering of poets of Siraikiwas being arranged on 12th of March 2006 atDelhi.

I had an opportunity to talk to Dr.Jagdishchandra Batra, the president of SiraikiSahitya Sammelan’, and to know his viewsabout the history of Siraiki language.

Dr. Batra explained me that Siraiki is likeSanskrit and other Indian languages, havingan ancient history and tradition. Thislanguage was spoken principally at Multan,hence it is also called as ‘Multani’. At presentwhere there are centres of Siraiki’ there arecentres of Indus Valley culture also.

The great formulator of ‘ Yogic SciencesPatanjali and the famous grammarian ‘Panini’were experts of the Siraiki language. Todaythe prominent centres where Siraiki languageis spoken in Pakistan are ‘ Muzaffergarh, DeraGazi Khan, Dera Ismail Khan, Zang,Miyanwali, Kohat, Bahawalpur, RahimyarKhan, Jacobabad, Sarvar and Larkhana’.

The number of people who have settledIndia after partition and those who speakSiraiki is 20 million or even more.

Even as on today, the Siraiki speakingpeople during their various festivals, SingMultani songs, folklores, and special musicin the forms called ‘Dohade, Tappe, Mahiye& Dhalle; this way they have retained theSiraiki culture. The Christian missionaries,who arrived in India, translated the HolyBible, first in Siraiki language only.

In the 19th century, Mr. Oberine, the thenBritish commissioner of Multan, was highlyimpressed by the Siraiki Language as spokenin Multan and he published a bookelaborating the richness of that language. Mr.Pearson, a British scholar has mentioned thatthe Siraiki language was spoken on both thebanks of river Sindhu in the North side.

This language is also known as ‘Sindhavi’and Lehenda’. Originally, the Siraiki languagehad its own script. It was also known as

The Language called 'Siraiki'‘Lehenda Script. In Pakistan, the ‘Siraiki’‘Language is written in Persian script only, inIndia, however, many senior citizens can readand write the ‘Lehenda’ script.

The famous linguist. Dr. Vazir Aga, opinesthat the language, the gypsies of Europe speakis originated from Siraiki. Perhaps, theseGypsies have migrated to Europe in the 11thcentury from the province, where Siraiki wasspoken and this could be the result of it. Thechasht-e-Punjabi as spoken these days is adialect of Siraiki only.

An expert and an authority on the ‘Siraiki’language, Dr. Shaukat Mughal of Pakistan isof the opinion that the language, referred to;by Abul Fazal in ‘ Ain-e-Akabari’ and whichwas spoken in the valley of River Sindhu inMultan is none other than Siraiki. Accordingto Dr. Batra, the Siraiki spoken around Lahorehas a great influence of Sanskrit and thePunjabi, spoken there has influence of Persian.The rules of grammar of Siraiki are similar tothat of Sanskrit. But now that in Pakistan, Siraikiis only spoken, but not written, the schooltextbooks are not in Siraiki.

In India, about 20 million people speakSiraiki. The no of Siraiki speaking people iseven more beyond the borders.

All these Siraiki speaking people haveforged an United Front and have put forward ademand for independent ‘ Siraikistan’. Theyhave also proposed that the National languageof Pakistan must be ‘Siraiki’. In India, tlieprogrammes in Siraiki are regularly broadcastfrom Jalandhar and Suratgarh centres of allIndia Radio.

Some Baloch from Baluchistan speak Siraiki.Similarly in the North West of Sindh also,Siraiki. is widely-spoken. Dr. JagdishchandraBatra hails originally from Muzaffergarh inPakistan. He mentions mat ‘Basant Panchami’was the festival of Siraiki speaking people.Today ‘Basant Panchami’ has become theNational Festival of Pakistan. Some of theprominent Sirnames of Siraiki speaking peopleare ‘ Bhatiya, Aroda, Narang, Batra, Chawla,Nagpal etc.

Siraiki language has a rich tradition ofliterature, says Dr. Batra. He further mentionsthat Damodar authored an epic ‘Heer Ranza’in Siraiki in the 12th century. Siraiki boasts of along tradition of talented and gifted literateursBaba Farid and Shah Hussein have given somebeautiful compositions in Siraiki. Following isan excellent specimen of the poetry of ShahHussein.

Even as on today also, in, Pakistan, a lot isbeing written in ‘ Siryaki’ many newcompositions and poems are being creativelygenerated for example, please look at the odeof Uinmid Multani. Like in India, there are alsopatrons of’ Siraiki’ language and culture inPakistan. Numerous journals, periodicals arepublished in ‘Siraiki’ language and interactionsbetween literary circles are being promoted.The Sindhi Academy is also doing constructivework for the promotion of’ Siraiki’ language.Mr. Batra is confident, when he asserts thatthe Siraiki language will be a major contributoryfactor as far as the mutual intimacy and a closerapport between India and Pakistan, in nearfuture, is desirably woven.

By Sanjay Godbole

The Author is a noted archaeologist, based in Pune/

The sculpture found in Pak Occupied Kashmir.

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 1717171717RITUAL

Maha Shivratri-Revisting Kashmiri Ritual Variants

By Upender Amardar

FESTIVALS are vibrantrepresentatives of traditional values, cultural and

religious ethos and mytholo-gised past. The various ritualsand religious rites having local-ised distinctive uniqueness arevital components of festivals.They add substance, strength,warmth and spiritual colour to theweave of human life. The indig-enous ritual variants of KashmiriMaha Shivratri carry multilayeredmystic truths and meanings.They not only denote ancientroots but also our cultural andreligious moorings. The variousShivratri rituals having a timewrap of antiquity signify centu-ries old beliefs, traditions andwisdom. The festival is believedto symbolize the celestial wed-ding of Lord Shiva and GoddessParvati and that of Goddess Satiin Her previous birth. As per abelief, the auspicious divinefunction was solemanised by theLord Brahma Himself in presentof all Deities, Rishis and Saints.Maha Shivratri is an eagerlyawaited and enthusiasticallylooked forward festival as LordShiva, the great God of the Uni-verse is the most favourite andlovable God, WHO is reveredequally by all the Gods, humanbeings and the demons.

Lord Shiva represents a con-trasting life of a householder andan ascetic.

Lord Shiva also connotes ahappy and contented family life,Who is believed to reside in thesnowcapped mountain ofKailash along with His ever aus-picious spouse Goddess Parvati,sons Lord Ganesh, Lord Kartikeyand a host of His faithful attend-ants like Nandi, Kubera, Yakshas,Gandharvas and other 'Ganas'.Rightly Kailash mountain is alsoknown by an alternative name of'Ganaparvata', the mountain of'Ganas' as it is frequented by allthe Deities, saints, sages, demi-Gods and the Divine incarna-tions. As per a popular lore, Lord

Shiva also personifies the fright-ful and disturbing aspect of na-ture in the form of snow andharsh chilly winter. It is one ofthe reasons that Maha Shivratriis celebrated in the severe andrough winter. The festival cel-ebrated in the night designatedas 'Kalratri' also symbolises ig-norance, obscurity, seclusion,tranquillity, quietness, impiety,depravity, incomprehension anddegradable imperfections. LordShiva is the only Supreme God,who grants redemption from allthese imperfections. The darknight of Maha Shivratri is also ametaphor for 'Tamogunic' aspectas Lord Shiva is believed to haverevealed His divine appearancejust before the Universe steppedinto 'Kaliyuga', the fourth andlast era of Hindu mythology.

Lord Shiva is also regardedas the foremost God of the wholeUniverse, which comprisesearth, sky, air, fire, sun, moonand space. Lord Shiva is alsoknown as the lord of music anddance, both of which are re-garded as the divine arts. LordShiva is also the God of 'Prates','Pischas', Kirates, demons, gob-lins, ghosts, wandering spirits,the forest spirits of Yakshas' andthe troublesome forces of theUniverse. It is indicative of thebenevolent nature of Lord Shiva,Who is believed to give refugeand shelter to all those, who feelrejected, disregarded, ignoredand margianlised. The festivalalso signifies all that is sacred,pious and auspicious in thisUniverse. As such, as a run-upthe preparations for the festivalstart nearly a month in advanceas the whole house is spruced-up and readied for the welcomeof the divine spouses and thedivine guests. In tune with theaupiciousness of the Cosmic al-liance, all the dress-up attires,utensils are washed and oldearthen utensils are replaced bythe new one's. The smearing ofthe house with a mix of mud,water and cowdung and use ofearthenwares in the pooja aremetaphors for the essential ele-ment of Earth, which speak vol-umes about earths generosityand benevolence.

The various Shivratri rituals,which are deeply embedded inour social life denote the celebra-tion of mythologised heritageand indigenous individuality ofour presence. The glory of theserituals is like a sweet memory forSh. P.L. Razdan, an erstwhileresident of Purshiyar Srinagarand now stationed at SubashNagar, Delhi. He recalled withpride that ritualistic 'Panch-ratri'pooja was an essential compo-

nent of Shivratri festival in theearlier times. According to him,apart from the customary 'Vayur',two water-filled vessels knownas 'Auster Kalash' and 'MantarKalash' were reverently seatedon the left side corner of thePooja-room. On the day prior to'Haerath', in addition to 'Vagur'eleven number of earthenwaresknown by the name of 'Haerkai'occupied a reverential place inthe Pooja-room, They were re-garded as special invites for thesacred occasion. On theShivratri day, in addition to'Vatuk Bhairav', one more set ofeleven earthenwares designatedas 'Vatkai', six number of claypots known as 'Khaterpals' andan additional set of eight moreutensils collectively called as'Asht Bhairav's' were an essen-tial component of Pooja vessels.The eleven 'Vatkai' are said torepresent the divine 'barat', whileas the eight earthen utensils of'Asht Bhairav', 'Symbolize theeight guarding deities of Srinagarcity, who as per a religious be-lief are under the direct supervi-sion of Lord Shiva. The 'AshtBhairav' are also regarded as thebody-guards of Lord Shiva. Thenotable exclusion of the usualwide-mouthed vessel 'Dul', rep-resentation of Goddess Parvatiis peculiar to Shivratri pooja ofhis clan. An enormous quantityof flowers along with 'Arg' (a ritu-alistic mix of dry rice grains andflowers, was used in the'Panchratri' pooja performed uptomidnight for the first five day'sof the festival. Speaking further,Sh. Razdan revealed that on'Amavasya' locally known as'Doon-maves', in addition to thefamily members, all the close rela-tives including married daugh-ters and sons-in-law would jointhe ritualistic pooja, which wouldcontinue upto midnight. The'doon-mavas' pooja was per-formed amidst the recitation of'lila rabdha' stories and offeringof Sugar Candy (Kund) offeredto the vessel of 'Vatuk Bhairav'and waving of 'ratan-deep'brought individually by them.The said pooja would culminatewith the mixing of water con-tained in 'Astur Kailash' and'Mantar Kalashi' vessels with aconnecting Kusha grass wovenstring remaining on both the ves-sels during the ritualistic mixing.The Kusha grass string wasknown by the name of 'GinanKhadak'.

Afterwards, drops of mixed-upwater were sprinkled on thehouse inmates with the help of'Ginan Khadak' amidst the reci-tation of 'Bahu Roop Garab'sholkas. As a final part of

'Amavasya' ritual, pooja was per-formed on the river bank of'Vitasta' at midnight with riceflour made rotis locally knownas 'Chochivar' and fried sheepliver pieces forming the mainpooja ingredients.

The festival of Shivratri is likea walkdown on the memory lanefor Sh. Bushan Lal Bhat, originalresident of the villageChanderhama, district Baramullaand presently living at PalouraJammu. Recapping the holy fes-tival, he recollected that sevendifferent items consisting of rice,haize, moong, barley, cooked riceand cotton seeds, locally called'Kapsi tout' were put in a waterfilled earthen vessel called 'SataeLaej' on Shivratri day.

A few families of the villagewould also offer uncooked fishto the 'Bhairav Dul'. A small por-tion of snow usually procurredfrom the shady area of the vil-lage called 'Asthan' also formedan important offering. On 'Tila-Ashtami' evening, walnut shellsfilled with edible oil were utilizedin place of oil lit earthen lamps.As per a local belief snow offer-ing and oil lit walnut shulls givea touch of auspiciousness to theoccasion.

The oil lit walnut shells wereusually kept at the front door ofthe house, front varandah, court-yard wall, ash-storing container(Soore Laej) and cow-dung heap,locally known as 'gush loedoh'.Recollecting the festival celebra-tion of the yore, Sh M.L. Kemu,an erstwhile resident of ZaindarMohalla Srinagar and presentlyat Kunjwani Jammu opined thatrituals lend a sense of belongingand an area specific identity to acommunity. He recollected thatoffering of a live fish locallyknown as 'neej gadh' to the des-ignated vessel of 'Bhairav-Dul'was an integral part of Shivratriritual. Reminiscing about the fes-tival, Sh M.K. Khushoo, an origi-nal resident of Wazapora,Alikadal Srinagar recalled that afew families in his neighbour-hood would offer a small part ofsheep's hair coating locally

known as 'moon' to 'Bhairav Dul'.In case of its' non-avalability, thesaid offering was substituted byunspure cotton. Recollectingfurther, he revealed that a smallquantity of liquor was also a partof ritualistic offering to the ves-sel designated as 'Vatuk Nath'.A few drops of the liquor put onthe palins and taken as 'naveed'by the house inmates was alsoan integral part of religious faith.

Memories of Shivratri cel-ebration at Srinagar are like asweet recollection for Sh. PapujiKhazanchi of Sathu BarbarshahSrinagar and now a resident ofBakshi Nagar Jammu. He recalledthat sheeps' lungs alongwithheart put on an oval earthenwarecalled 'toke' as a token of sacrifi-cial offering during 'ShivratriPooja' was led to the kites on thefollowing day of 'Salam'. Accord-ing to him, apart from the lavishdelectable meat cuisines, thepreparation of roasted mincedmeat was a special meat offeringto the specific pooja vessel of‘Bhairav Dul’ on Shivratri festi-val. Sh. Papuji Khazanchi also re-counted that fragrant smell ofincense resulting from the burn-ing of gugal, locally known as'Kanthgun' and black seasomeseeds was ensured for the entirelength of Shivratri Pooja as it'sfragrance and aroma are believednot only to please Lord Shivabut also to ward off evil andnegative influences. Sh H.L.Bhat, hailing from Sangam,Kokernag Anantnag and nowresident of Durga Nagar, Jammuregards rituals as watchwords ofa festival as they reinforce ourimplicit faith for the time-testedtraditional customs.

Recounmting the ShivratriPooja of yesteryears he remi-nisced that about seven familiesof his village would make a sac-rificial offering of coagulatedblood of slaughtered sheep tothe designated pooja vessel of'Bhairav Dul'. It was procured ei-ther from the butcher or from thevillage abattoir (Zabahkhana).He also stated that a preparationof cooked lungs offered to'Bhairav Dul' was also a part oftantric rituals.

--To be continued

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 1818181818TRIBUTE

By Prof. A.N. Dhar

I had the good fortune of gettingto know Shri Bansi Lai Khar atJammu over a decade back . Our

relationship flowered into a closefriendship within a couple of years.How sad it is that only after a shortillness his health deteriorated so fastthat he gave up his mortal coil within afew weeks and he is now no longeramidst us in his human form ! The newsof his sad and untimely demise cameas a rude shock to his numerous friendsand admirers from all walks of life inJammu and kashmir.

Precisely speaking, Bansi Lai Ji and1 remained closely associated witheach other as active members of theUpanishad Vatika, which is housedin a room of the residential buildingowned by the Sadhus (KP family atPatoli, Janipur). It was founded by thesaint-scholar Shri Jankinath KoulKamal’, who left for his heavenly abodein the year 1997. Later on, with the pas-sage of time, the Vatika grew into avibrant spiritual centre, though verymodest in terms of\’ physical accom-modation and also short of any trap-pings. The members get together, asdevotees, every week in the eveningon Tuesdays, offer congressionalprayers and also participate in religiousdiscourses on some select spiritualtexts. It is with a sense of nostalgia anddeep gratitude that I recall the valu-able contribution of some members tothe growth of the spiritual centre inquestion over a period of time. Theyunfortunately passed away in quicksuccession one after the other:

Remembering Bansi Lal JiSarvashri Kashinath Toshkhani,M.L.Qasba, C.L Durrani. Prem Nath Raina,Dina Nath Yach (well known Sanskritscholar and researcher) and Anupam jilearned son of his illustrious father, Late.Jankinath Koul ‘Kamal’.

Then, followed the recent exit of thegreat personality we affectionately calledKhar Sahib, the “”Bansi Lai” I addresseda poem to in English. He rendered his valu-able services to the Vatika through hislectures on the Gita fora couple of years fol-lowed by his textualanalysis of the slokasof the Sunderlahri. Hewill be painfully remem-bered when we meetnext at the Vatika af-ter a long break!

Bansi Lai Ji’s signalcontribution, throughhis continuous serv-ices rendered all theyears to the PushpatiMandir. upper LaxmiNagar, deserve specialmention. Persuadedby him last year, Ichose to become a life-member of the General Body of theMandir. During the past one year or so. 1occasionally joined the Puja at thisMandir. 1 am, however, not knowledge-able enough to write in detail about BansiLai Ji’s great contribution to this spiritualcentre. All that I know is that he was an-chor man of the religious body here; henever missed his morning and eveningprayers at the Pushpati Mandir. He wasin fact the prime mover of all the religious

activity that has been going on here.What I consider as Bansi Lai Ji’s

crowning achievement is the hard labourhe put in during the last two years in en-riching the contents of the English sec-tion of the Khashir Bhavani Times- Jour-nal, published by the K..P Sabha. He gaveit fine touches and contributed not onlyvaluable editorial pieces but other write-ups too that won him the reader’s ap-plause. He had a flair for writing and was

very knowledgeableabout the topics hechose to write on.He had all the mak-ings of an accom-plished writer andhas left behind alarge number ofpublished essaysthat can be compliedinto a posthumousvolume.

Above all, I haveknown Bansi Lai Jivery intimately asone advanced in thespiritual path. Wellread in the scrip-tures, he was at the

same time a Karmayogi of high order, alsoa Bhakta who attached due importance toreligious rituals. A few months back hecalled on me when I was absorbed in sing-ing Bhajans to the accompaniment of myharmonium. I had a glimpse of his spir-itual stature in a momentary ‘vision’. Hewill continue to live in my thoughts. Hewill indeed be remembered by his friends,admirers and dear ones as an out stand-ing person, a great soul.

By Prof. M.L. Raina

I was, like any other person,shocked over the passing awayof Sh. B.L Khar. I had the good

fortune of knowing him from closequarters and was immenselyimpressed by his sterling qualities ofhead and heart. He endeared himselfto all who came into contact with himby his sweet disposition, candour,gentleness and above all his modestyabout his achievements in variouswalks of life. He was a versatile andaccomplished writer in his own rightand had a good grounding inindology. He was deeply religious andpossessed an in-depth knowledge ofour scriptures. Sh Khar was verily asparkling jewel in the crown of hiscommunity.He took great pains in serving peoplein general and the members of hiscommunity in particular in the capacityof a dedicated and committed socialactivist. Humility, which accompaniedhis entering and result-orientedefforts, set him apart from most of thepeople around him.

Sh. B.L Khar has served as atypical example of the philosophicalconcept of ‘life in death* insofar ashe, in his life time, placed himself atthe service of people selflessly andwith dedication and has thereby madehimself immortal. He will live in thememory of people for his noblethoughts and commendable deeds.May his soul rest in eternal peace!

instruction and educationalfacilities, assisted by six of hismissionaries including PanditGokal Nath Chatterjee, RadhaRaman and KalicharanChatterjee. They openedschools in many other cities too,including one in Karachi in 1862.Adult literacy centres were alsostarted by them.

Sisters of Jesus & Maryopened their own conventschools in Murree (1872) andLahore (1876), and, in 1882-83,the Saint Thomas Collegecommenced its classes. At aboutthe same time, schools werestarted in Hyderabad andMultan, while a girls’ schoolcame into being at Rawalpindi.

Forman remained busy in Lahorefor 45 years. He died in Kasauliin 1894 and was buried in Lahore.

One Wellesley Baileycollected 600 pounds in Englandand established a mission in

India exclusively for the aid andtreatment of lepers. He wentback in 1882, but then hecollected another 348 pounds (ofwhich his own contribution was14 pounds) and dispatched theamount to Wazirabad for theeducation of untouchablechildren who were new convertsto Christianity.

His work was followed up byhis son, Graham Bailey, who

came out to Punjab as amissionary and acquiredscholarly fame as an expert inPunjabi. He compiled a grammarof the language which is stillregarded as a basic referencebook. His daughter married Dr LTaylor who set up a missionhospital in Jalalpur.

After a steady trend ofmaltreatment of non-Muslims,the Pakistani nation suffers froma paucity of good men. Muslimleaders are unreliable anddishonest but no one realiseswhy this diminution of characterhas taken place. It is not hard toguess after realising how badlythey have treated the minorities.

(Source:The Friday Times)

A nostalgic epitaph for the non-Muslims(Contd. from Page 12)

CONTINUATION

"ANNUAL HAWAN OF HARMUKHCHARITABLE SOCIETY (REGD.)

AT VIPIN GARDEN, NEW DELHI-59

Harmukh Charitable Society (regd.),345-A, Vipin Garden, New Delhi-59, isorganising its Annual Hawan which willstart on Saturday, 7th March 2009 at 8PM and Pooran Ahuti will be offered onSunday, 8th March 2009 at 2 PM. Allour Biradari members are requested toparticipate in the Hawan Ceremony andhave Navid/lunch alongwith theirfamilies.

Sd/-M.L.Bhat

President

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 1919191919CHRONOLOGY

Chronology Of Events Jan 1, 2009- Jan 31, 2009Jan 1: Two jawans and a JeM commander are reported to have been killed in

a gunbattle in Bhati Dhar forests in Mendhar, Poonch. An ex-service-man's body was found in Dak Bungalow area of Surankote. Five peo-ple were killed and 50 others injured in three Guwahati blasts.

Jan 2: Four LeT terrorists are reported to have been killed in Bhati-Dhar for-ests while a Retd. ASI was held for terrorist links. Two HuM terroristswere killed in Sopore. Defence Minister AK Antony said that Pak hasno right to advise India on troop movement.

Jan 3: An SPO was killed in continued gunbattle in Bhati-Dhar, Mendhar.Security forces busted a terrorist hide out in Kandi Budan forests inSheeri, Baramulla and recovered 10 kg RDX. Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh said in Shillong that there will be no compromisewith those holding gun and govt. will go to any extent to root-outterror. Home Minister Sh. P Chidambaram will travel to the US withdossier on Mumbai terror.

Jan 4: The encounter in Bhati Dhar continues and security forces picked upMuneeza Beghum wife of Mohd. Shafi of Bhatri Dhar and presently inSaudi Arabia for terrorist links. A terrorist fell to death in forests inTral. A CRPF jawan was injured in accidental fire in Channi Himmat,Jammu.

Jan 5: Army reportedly mined Bhati Dhar and mulls aerial operation to nailthe terrorists as the encounter entered seventh day. Sh. Omar Abdullahwas sworn in as Chief Minister with Deputy Chief Minister and eightcabinet ministers.

Jan 6: Army used smoke bombs as the Bhati Dhar operation continues forthe eighth day without any specific success. A CRPF jawan endedhis life in ITI Complex Poonch. Addressing the Chief Ministers meeton "Internal Security" Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said thatPakistan was using terrorism as state policy while J&K CM Sh. OmarAbdullah favoured proper implementation of terror laws.

Jan 7: Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor aid that holed up terrorists atBhati Dhar belong to JeM and the army is trying to wear out terrorists.Pak admitted that Ajmal Kasab belongs to Pakistan. Defence Minis-ter Sh. AK Antony expressed apprehension about stepped up infiltra-tion in J&K. Governor of J&K Sh. N.N. Vohra reconstituted AmarnathShrine Board.

Jan 8: Two more civilians arrested for helping ultras even as the Army calledoff the Bhati Dhar operation as all holed-up terrorists reportedly es-caped. Two LeT over ground workers were arrested in Pulwama. 25crossed Kaman Post but no fresh guest from PoK. Inaugurating PravasiBhartiya Divas programme at Chinnai, Prime Minister said that terror-ists won't be allowed to destabilise economy.

Jan 9: Even as Army called off Bhati Dhar operation many civilians wentunderground for helping terrorists amidst reports that the area wasused by terrorists for last five years. After elections, Hurriyat saysthat it was ready to shun rigidity. Sh. Omar Abdullah said that thegovernment would facilitate talks between the centre and separatists.

Jan 10: Police recovered two grenades and 10 pistol rounds in Kandi sector ofRajouri. A CRPF jawan held after killing his colleague in a camp inAnantnag. Sh. Pranab Mukerjee ruled out Israel type action againstPakistan as there are reports that Pakistan has wound up indentifiedterror camps and relocated other camps.

Jan 11: A girl forced to marry by ultras earlier was rescued. A CRPF cop washeld with poppy. Nasir Safi Mir, alleged financial brain of Hurriyat, hasreportedly fleed from India on forged passport. Sh. P Chidambaramsaid that Bangladeshis have no business in India.

Jan 12: A territorial Army jawan was injured in an encounter in Dachan,Kishtwar. 100 people crossed LoC at Chakan-Da-Bagh. Jammu po-lice display seizures including arms and ammunition in one monthlong operation in the district. 32 people including HUJI terrorists andOGWs were arrested during the operation,.

Jan 13: Two top ultras of HM and two cops were killed in a encounter in Kalakotewhile two OGWs were arrested with Hawala money in Thathri, Doda.Three civilians were injured as terrorists made an abortive bid to blowup a CRPF bunker in Batmaloo, Srinagar.

Jan 14: One time HM Chief Commander and presently Coordinator of fourterrorists outfits, Ahsan Dar was arrested in Bandipore. Dar had re-cently warned Pandits not to return to Valley if they were unwilling tojoin freedom struggle. Police recovered arms and ammunition inPoonch. Thereis unlikely release of any Pak terrorist as intelligenceagencies go tough on foreigners. Army Chief said that all optionsincluding war were open but final decision vests with the political lead-

ership.Jan 15: An Al Badar Commander was killed in Handwara and four OGWs

were arrested in Kangan. An Ex-HM Comdr was arrested in Kishtwar.Five of a family cross over to PoK in Poonch while 29 cross LoC inKarvan-e-Aman. GoC Northern Commander Lt. Gen. P.C. Bhardwajsaid that 800 terrorists were active in J&K.

Jan 16: A minor boy was killed in a blast in Gursai, Mendhar. Police is goingto identify illegal immigrants for deportation as Intelligence Agenciesgo hard on Bangladeshis. Sh. Pranab Mukerjee said that Pak musthandover suspects to India as there is no dilution on extradition.

Jan 17: One person was killed and another injured as they were boiling scrapand explosion took place at Jaganu, Udhampur. Three cops werearrested for extortion. Two persons from Mumbai were held with Swit-zerland gold in Jammu. The reports suggest that number of womenare being trained in PoK for terrorist activities. Pak said that Indianevidence gives good clues on Mumbai terrorist attack. Sh. PranabMukerjee said that easing tension with Pakistan will take time.

Jan 18: A top LeT Comdr was arrested in Bhaderwah, Doda. A cop was in-jured in an accidental fire in Loran, Poonch. On the eve of Holocaustday Panun Kashmir organised a community meet at Jammu.

Jan 19: Five Bangladeshis were arrested in Niki Tawi area of Jammu. Thetension between India and Pak led to cancellation of many cross LoCvisits as only 45 freshers changed sides at Chakan-da-Bagh. Indiaasked for zero tolerance to terrorism scourage. Pandits organisedvarious programmes across the country to observe 19th NishkasanDivas.

Jan 20: Vegetables exported to PoK via Chakkan-da-Bagh, New MLAs tookoath.

Jan 21: After Kerala, Andhra Youth's involvement surfaces in terrorist activi-ties in J&K as an LeT operative Abdul Sattar of Kerala conferred ofsending youths from the twin states to J&K. Traders from Poonchreceived fruit etc. from PoK.

Jan 22: Two powerful IEDs were detected and defused in Budhal and Kandiareas of Rajouri. 22 cross sides at Kaman Post. Militant groups inPak are reportedly reassessing their Kashmir policy.

Jan 23: Police gunned down a top HM Commander and his associate in amajor gunbattle in Batyas forests in Gandoh and recovered huge quan-tity of arms and ammunition. Police claimed to have arrested a youthincluding a Sikh youth Popinder Singh of Chowgal Handwara for ter-rorist activities and recovered hand grenades from the Singh's resi-dence.

Jan 24: Two LeT terrorists were killed in Handwara.Jan 25: On the eve of Republic Day, forces foiled an infiltration bid in Kanachak

sector. Forces destroyed a 10'x8' underground terrorist hideout nearNational Highway at Sher Bibi in Ramban, Police recovered arms andammunition in Thannamandi, Rajouri. Union MoS Home Sh. ShakeelAhmed accused Pakistan of mobilising funds for armed campaign inJ&K. Two Pakistani terrorists were short dead in Noida.

Jan 26: Republic Day functions passed off peacefully in the state as GovernorSh N.N Vohra described People's support must for eradicating mili-tancy. A BSF jawan was murdered by his wife and son-in-law inMendhar, Poonch.

Jan 27: A terrorist was killed and a Security Force Personnel injured in twodifferent encounters in Sopore and Handwara areas of Kashmir.

Jan 28: Four terrorists including two LeT Commanders and two jawans werekilled in three major gunbattles in North Kashmir. Four security per-sonnel were also injured in these encounters.

Jan 29: Police arrested two hawala operators and recovered Rs 2.20 lakhrupees from their possession in Rajouri. Heroin, fake currency andweapons were seized on Indo-Pak border in Attari sector. NawazSharief asked for resolution of Kashmir as per Lahore declaration as aHurriyat delegation met him in Pakistan. After 14 years, Police ar-rested an HM Commander Zahid Saroori, allegedly involved in R-Dayblast in 1994, in Kishtwar.

Jan 30: Two cops were detained and flown to Mumbai in connection with ille-gal narcotic trade involving a IPS officer of JK Cadre. India askedPakistan to respond to dossier through proper channel.

Jan 31: A woman, allegedly gangraped by four LeT terrorists in Doda, caughthold of one of the accused and thrashed him in a police station inDoda. Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor described Pak nuke weap-ons as threat to mankind and said that Army is ready for any mission.

KASHMIRSENTINEL

February2009 2020202020INTERVIEW

Q.What in your view is themessage of the mandate of2008-9 assembly elections inJ&K?

S.K. These elections havebeen a clear verdict againstterrorism, disruptive andsecessionist forces in the state.The boycott call failedmiserably. Nobody across thespectrum even among theseparatists could raise a doubtabout the genuineness of theseelections. The allegations ofsecurity forces forcing people tovote were also conspicuous bytheir absence.

Q. There was a protractedcampaign by the cross sectionof separatists to boycott andanalysts were very skepticalabout a reasonable turn out.What actually happened on theground?

S.K. Analysts in rest of Indiaare usually wrong about theground situation in KashmirValley. Despite the heatgenerated by the Amarnathissue nobody in Kashmirbelieved that the boycott callwould succeed. The first phaseof elections in Bandipora,Sonawari and Gurezconstituencies clinched theissue.To hold elections in theseconstituencies at the very outsetwas a master stoke. The effortsput in by Usman Majid and Parryfamily in Bandipora andSonawari to mobilize peopleagainst terrorism and in supportof democracy has beenphenomenal .With a huge turnout of voters in the very firstphase the boycott call gotburied.

Q. Some people say largenumber of Kashmiri Panditcandidates forced theseparatists to withdraw theboycott call. Is it true?

S.K. It is farthest from truth.The number of candidates whojumped into the election fray hasbeen perhaps the highest thistime which included a largenumber of Kashmiri Muslimindependent candidates. Itraveled to the remote areas andhighlands before the elections.In such remote places previouslypeople used to ask who thecandidate of NC, Congress orPDP would be. This time thebuzz was I am the candidate.Everybody of someconsequence fancied his

S.K. Usman’s popularity evenafter loosing is not in doubt. Hegot more than 20,000 votes thattoo when everybody elsewanted him to loose. I have nohesitation in saying that evenCongress played a dirtyrole.Without taking Usman intoconfidence Congress highcommand declared that Usmanwas their own candidate. Thisannoyed that group of voterswho favoured Usman but wereanti Congress. Peerzada Sayedsaid on television that Usmanwas their candidate. Then in asurprise move Congressdeclared at the last momentHabibullah as their officialcandidate.This was done so late

that Habibullah did not get theclearance papers from theCongress high command and thepoor fellow had to file hisnomination papers as anindependent. In case of HassanMir and Haqim Yasin Congressdid not field any candidate butthey also did not declare themto be their own candidates.Eventually Habibullah got 15033votes and Usman lost by amargin of 800 votes.

Q. There was a hope thatImtiaz Parrey the son of KukaParrey will also perform well.He was generating lot ofpopular support during theelection campaign. Whathappened in his case?

S.K.: Dont have any doubtsabouts the popularity of Parraysin Sonawary. Imtiyaz lost to a

S.K. Money was used asfreely as it is used in any otherpart of India. At many places1000 and 500 rupee notes wereused to woo the voters. AboutMufti Mohd Sayed it was widelyrumoured that in the last nightof campaigning in Anantnag hedistributed lakhs of notes to woothe voters. Surprisingly whenthis was brought to the noticeof PDP leaders instead ofrefuting the allegations theytried to justify the same bysaying that NC was also doingthe same. It was being said invalley that the Pandit candidatescontesting used money and alsoearned money. About the LokJan Shakti Pandit candidate fromSrinagar it was widely rumouredthat evenafter spending moneyhe saved 4-6 lakhs. We heardthat money was distributed evenat migrant polling booths ayJammu. 1000 repee notes usedeventually in many cases turnedout to be fake.

Q. What do you think aboutHurriat stance that peoplecame out to vote for Bijli Paniand it is not a mandate aganstseparatism?

S.K. They are only befoolingthemselves. Elections areguareented to us by IndianConstitution. Otherwise wecannot have them. All assemblyelections are contested on theissues of Bijli Pani. People ofKashmir know these things morethan any body else.

Q. Why did fundamentalistsof various hues support PDP?

S.K. Jamat decided vote forPDP. The intelligentsia inKashmir, including bureaucrats,lawyers and teachers havepredominantly the Jamaajinfluence. They mobilized thefundamentalist quarters to voteFor PDP.

Q. Do you think that the newcoalition at the helms in thestate has any lessons to learnfrom these elections?

S.K. NC has to decidewhether it has to continuespeaking the same language asPDP.They have to realize thatKashmiris no longer like theambivalent language. Firstconsignment of goods fromMuzaffarabad sold out in no time.But we have no takers for thesame goods in Kashmir now.Competing with PDP will onlysuit PDP and not NC.

The Boycott Call Failed Miserably-Capt. Tickoo

chances. That is why so manyindependents contested theelections this time.

Q. Some say that the electionboycott call was only a bluff bythe separatists. After all theycame out in support of PDP ina big way particularly theJamaat. What are your views?

S.K. There was no such bluff.They failed at the very outset.During the electioneering, beforethe first phase polling they sawthe enthusiasm of the people inthe elections. This forced themto change the tract. TV coverageof campaigns by the candidatesin Bandipora and Sonawari is aclear testimony of the fact. AlJazeera crew came to Bandipora

and talked to me. They told methat they were disuaded by localmedia and separatist rank andfile from going to Bandipora.They were told that there wouldbe a total boycott in Bandipora.In Bandipora at a place like Arinwhich is considered to be astronghold of terrorists they sawwomen, children and olddancing and singing in atraditional Kashmiri styleelection campaign. They saidthat they were stunned by thepeoples’ response in favour.Newspapers openly predictedthat Usman would win. Thisforced Jamaat to abandon theirboycott call and openly canvassfor PDP.

Q If there was such a supportfor Usman then why did heloose?

very deft strategy by PDP . InSonawari constituency PDPdeclared Yasir Reshi as theircandidate. He is the nephew ofAdvocate Mohd Shafi Reshiwho is the right hand man of AliShah Geelani and secretary ofHurriat Conference. The ShiaPDP leader Iftiqar Ansari fieldedhis brother Aftab Ansari to cutthe Shia Muslim votes. Animpression was generated amongvoters that Imtiyaz may looseany way. If Reshi wins it will beavictory for PDP and if Aftabwins it would still be a win forPDP. Polarizing fundamentalistvoters and weaning away Shiavoters was the key to successfor PDP.

The way the results wereannounced also raised somedoubts about some hankypanky. After the elections aparticular polling percentagewas declared in the evening. Thesame was confirmed by theDivisional Commisioner the nextday.But after two days it wasofficially confirmed that thepolling percentage was actuallymore than 10% higher. How didit happen? Sonawari is not a bigconstituency stretched intoremote areas whose votingpercentages were not available.Inan age of electronic votingsuch discrepcancies do raisedoubts.

Q. Nowadays money is usedin a big way in elections. Whathas been your experience in thisregard in valley?

Captain S.K Tickoo is a retired army officer. After retirement he has participated in politics of Kashmir withintensity and has been witness to tumultuous developments in the state for last more than four decades. He had

to leave Kashmir under threat to his life in 1990.He returned to Kashmir scene immediately after the emergence ofcounter insurgence movement as a guide philosopher to its leaders. He was the guiding force behind the resolve ofKuka Parry, Usman Majid, and Liquat to actually start the democratic process in 1996. This eventually lead to thecreation of Awami League-a political platform for a bunch of revolutionary young leaders in Kashmir who wantedto weed away terrorism and encourage the Kashmiri youth to shun violence and adopt a democratic path. Capt.Tickoospent more than two months in Kashmir during the recently conducted elections in the valley. He traveled extensivelyduring the electioneering. Kashmir Sentinel talked to Capt.S.K.Tikcoo about his experiences during the electioneeringin the Valley. We produce here the excerpts of an interview with him. --Editor

Capt. S.K. Tikcoo alongwith late Kukka Parrey. File photo