Bharat s Kashmir War

Gautam Navlakha In the last two years a lot has been written on Kashmir But arguments on all sides have been more in the nature of assertions rather than informed reasoning. Just as most Indians instinctively recoil at the very suggestion of Kashmir's secession, among those who uphold the right of self determination, Kashmir's separation is an article of faith. A principle, however, does not have a priori application. More importantly each time a demand for separation is made it reflects on the character of the polity from which separation is sought. This paper attempts to clarify the Kashmir imbroglio by investigating its genesis in the context of the Indian state's responses.