8 Myths About Kashmiris, Everyone Should Clear in Their Mind

Myth 1: Kashmiris live on Indian Tax Payers money and enjoy subsidies

The people of J&K pay tax more than 11 Indian states, they pay more than states likes Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam and even Goa and  almost equal to Bihar. Source here

And on that only 1% of Indian population pays income tax, so before telling Kashmiris they live on Indian tax payers money , dont forget rest 99% of India lives on those 1%  who pay tax. Keep in mind  what you owe to your own state before you remind someone else. Source here

The subsidies are largely for industries and urban areas, and that benefits Jammu far more than the Valley, so in the name of Kashmir, they spend on Jammu, and then ask, why are the Kashmiris so ungrateful? source here 

Myth 2: Kashmiris are totally dependent on India for survival

Yes right now, it is because Srinagar-Delhi highway is the only road  open for trading with the outside world, rest all roads have been closed by India leading to Kashmir.

Before its division in 1947, Kashmir’s trade was largely with Pakistan and the JV road was an important route. “There was no direct link with present day India, and it too was connected via Pakistan.

In early times Kashmiris went as far as Orenburg, Russia to trade their goods, merchants and trading agents from Central Asia, Persia etc., used to come personally to Kashmir for making on the spot purchases of shawl and other goods.

There was a time when Kashmiri embroiders are even reported to have been travelling long distances to Russia for assessing the actual requirements of their Russian customers. source  here 

For more what Kashmir has please see this https://www.gyawun.com/kashmir-in-numbers/

Myth 3: Army & Security forces are helping Kashmiris in daily life.

9 lakh security personals  (which are meant to kill 129 militants in Kashmir) apart from killing 1,00,000 Kashmiris, raping 6300 Kashmiri women, enforcing 10,000  disappearances, making thousands handicapped and torturing millions, did launch schemes like Op Sadhbhavana,  Watan ki saer etc.  But does taking a tribal or a village boy/elderly to Taj Mahal or India tour mean anything to peace deficit Kashmir? Does distributing few blankets infront of camera mean anything? The answer is a big ‘NO’ 

Myth 4: It was because of Army Kashmiris were saved during flood else their wont be any Kashmiris left now

So lets see history of Kashmir floods! The first flood which has records happened in AD 879,  then their was one in 1841, then their was flood of devastating proportions to hit in 1893,  then the greatest flood ever known in 1903 converting the city into “a whole lake”, then one in 1929, then in 1948 &1950 , again in 1957 &  1959 and one in 1992. source here 

It would be wrong to say army played no role in recent floods, they did to a extent. But quoted in army reports itself, it is said to majority of work was done by local themselves and where ever they went they couldn’t have helped  anyone without the help of local youth.

So by harping on army’s role in Kashmir flood and converting into a PR stunt doesn’t mean Kashmiris wont have survived the floods. They have survived numerous floods previously aswell, even when the army didnt exist. And on that army didnt do it for free, it sent a bill of 500 crore which was deducted from assistance (it is assumed that it was given ) to be given from National Disaster Relief Fund.

Myth 5: By writing open letters to Kashmiris asking what to and what not to do, will make them behave like you

No Kashmiris wont be like you! They have a conscience and they have a voice. They protest whats wrong! For them true Kashmiri is one who stands for Kashmiriyat be it a muslim, sikh, or pandit, They stand in lakhs with their matyrs, protest every evil eye on their women and  would lay their life for a cause.

Unlike a good Indian by default who is  born Hindu, non beef (meat) eating, khaki shorts clad, holier than thou saint who never questions the actions or the thought process of the state-whatever they may be. Who worships the ground the Prime Minister walks on , never minds the fact that he is more out of the country than in. (Shazia Bakshi) Who never questions why his country is called rapistan. Who never bothers about the people sleeping on footpaths and only cares how to make his life more luxurious. Who from his 2 room flat proclaims to be proud of his country and while on road calls his own country  and fellow country men dirty,corrupt and  desh drohi.

Myth 6: Kashmiri Pandits want to go back to Kashmir but they are not welcomed 

Everyone in Kashmir supports the comeback of Kashmiri Pandits. While if you ask majority of Kashmiri pandits why dont you go back to Kashmir now the answer will be ” We are now settled here and our children got settled too, so no point of going back”

Majority of Kashmiri Pandits know the history of Kashmir better than anyone else and they are more than aware of mistreatment with people of Kashmir by India, but because India acted as savior for them they are  obliged to chant India zindabad.

Myth 7 : Removing article 370 will solve Kashmir issue

Yeah! An article which is just for name sake and is like an eroded shell.  While the article gave central  government only rights over  Kashmirs defense, foreign affairs and communications but in reality Indian state controls all affairs and powers except the no. of people who attend the funeral of a matyr and the sentiment of Azadi in Kashmiris, which no one can take, not evening by removing article 370.

Myth 8: By abusing and threatening Kashmiris on social media you will be a Patriot

Yeah a self acclaimed patriot who needs Kashmiri blood to satisfy conscience & whose patriotism is restricted to fancy emotional updates about soldiers.

Atleast those soldiers sacrifice their lives for your nation, what did you do in return, stay silent on “one rank one pension” , voted Arvind Kejriwal instead of Kiran Bedi,  betrayed them and deliberately lowered the status, dignity and remunerations of the Armed Forces personnel by pimping your  politicians, the bureaucracy and  other civil services.

Author of the article can be reached for any hate mails on manan@www.gyawun.com