Significance of November 6 for Muslims of Jammu & Kashmir

November 6 1947 has a very special significance for Muslims of Jammu & Kashmir. Indian Army had already landed in Srinagar on October 26, pursuant to a controversial accession alleged to have been entered between Mahraja Hari Singh & Indian Government. Fearing reprisals at the hands of people & hurt at the loss of northern areas, Maharaja had fled Kashmir valley to rest in the safe environs of Jammu.
Upon reaching Jammu he spew venom against Muslims and privately ordered his army & fanatics aided & abetted by RSS cadres to butcher them. An organized genocide of Jammu Muslims was launched by them in all areas of Jammu. Muslim Women were abducted & raped. Even the daughter of Legendary leader, Chowdhary Gulam Abbas was not spared. Men & children were massacred with swords & rifles provided by the Dogra Army. Local Police & administration became mute & willing spectators. The Muslims were massacred by the same ruler who was supposed to be their savior. The pogrom bears very close resemblance to the Gujarat carnage enacted in 2002.
A gory incident needs a mention here. Thousand of Jammu city Muslims were made to assemble in parade ground on the promise of safe passage to Sialkot. They were herded like cattle in many trucks & brutally killed near Samba & Kathua Borders. No mercy was shown to these defenseless persons by the same very Jammu people & administration who swear by secularism & non-violence.
It is said that Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah made fanatic calls to New-Delhi to impress upon Maharaja to stop the genocide of Muslims but his calls fell on deaf ears. The administration there was either too busy with the aftermaths of partition or were deliberately ignoring his calls.
Another incident is worth mentioning here. A few thousand Hindus migrated from Muzaffarabad and reached Kashmir. Sheikh Mohd Abdullah made elaborate arrangements for their transportation to Jammu through 250 odd tongas. These tonga drivers who were kashmiri Muslims were butchered in Jammu after offloading the migrant passengers.
Kashmiri Muslims need to keep this in mind while deciding their future at any given opportunity. Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah who was instrumental in driving us to the Indian lap in 1947 will definitely have to face & answer those innocent Jammu
martyrs on the day of Reckoning. Let his son & Grand son take a note of this & rectify the mistake committed by their ancestors.
(The author is a practicing Chartered Accountant & can be contacted at amzargar1@indiatimes.com for feed back)