Reaction of Maulana Abbas Ansari to Deoband stand.

Kashmir is a UN mandated disputed territory: Abbas Ansari

Srinagar, October 11, 2010.

Senior APHC Leader and Chief Patron of Jammu & Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM) Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari has reacted sharply to influential Sunni institution of India Darul Uloom Deoband and its social front Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind reference to Kashmir as an integral part of India and the demands of its people should be addressed within the framework of the Indian constitution.

In a statement issued on Monday in Srinagar, Maulana Abbas has termed it a sterile moribund rhetoric and said that “Although they (Darul Uloom) have talked about the excesses being committed on the people of Kashmir they have ignored the real problem of Kashmir and called Kashmir an integral part of India.’’

Ex Chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat said, “We don't think there is anything to welcome in their statement. Their baseline toe Indian line and we don’t see Kashmir from a Hindu-Muslim perspective. It’s a political issue, which needs to be resolved taking into consideration the political aspirations of Kashmiris. Nothing is possible within the framework of the Indian or Pakistani constitutions.

He said Kashmir was an "internationally recognised dispute" and the problem could be resolved through dialogue among India, Pakistan and leadership of the state.

Maulana Abbas reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is the UN mandated disputed territory whose political future is yet to be ascertained. ”Jamiat-Ulema-i-Hind (JuH), a body of Deoband clerics, on Kashmir reference to Kashmir as an integral part of India is contrary to the United Nations record. It is also contrary to various promises and commitments made by the Indian leadership to the people ofJammu and Kashmir in different international Fora and also on the floor of Indian parliament,” Ansari said.

Maulana Abbas stated that former Indian Prime Minister, Nehru’s words were still ringing and echoing when he said, “We had given our pledge to the people of Kashmir and subsequently to the United Nations; we stood by it and we stand by it today. Let the people of Kashmir decide.”

Maulana Abbas Ansari however, welcomed Jamiat's stand seeking revocation of “draconian” laws such as the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

"We welcome Deoband clerics' stand seeking revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). We also appreciate the concern shown by them over human rights violation in the Valley. But Kashmir is an "internationally recognized dispute" and it should be resolved through dialogue among India, Pakistan and leadership of the state", the statement said.

Maulana Abbas also appreciated the concern shown by them over "violation of human rights" in the Valley but at the same time said that highlighting the atrocities in Kashmir at the conference had been negated by the assertion that the state was an integral part of India.

“The conference did not focus attention on the basic problem at all,” Ansari said. “The entire stresswas on issues that spring from the basic problem.”

“The Deoband ulama should not have let anything prevent them from speaking the truth in discharging their religious obligations,” he said.

“They cannot be unaware of the historical fact that Kashmir was a separate and sovereign state which India occupied in 1947 solely by military power,” the statement said.