Failures of 1857 revolt and Kashmir Intifada

The revolt of 1857 is one of the historical and pragmatic event in Indian History. This is also called as India’s First War of Independence and some historians called it Sepoy Mutiny. The cartridge of Enfield rifle used by British-Indian Army was heavily greased with animal fat. The grease was a mixture of cow (sacred to Hindus) and pig (abhorrent to Muslims) fat. This is said to be one of the trigger cause of revolt 1857. The soldiers refused to use this cartridge and were court marital.  The revolt 1857 had more failures than its causes and in Kashmir imbroglio same is the case. Although the revolt 1857 was big event in the history of India , but it had less chances of success against an organized and powerful enemy and every unrest or uprising is registered as big event in Kashmir against occupied Indian regime but contemporary intellectuals too believe it is very hard to successes against  well organized Indian Nation. The revolt 1857 was suppressed within a little over a year of its outbreak and Kashmiri uprisings are too suppressed within months of its outbreak. There were many failures of revolt 1857 which resemble with the failures of Kashmir revolts some of them are as. The middle and upper class and the modern educations did not support the revolt same is the case in every uprising of Kashmir as there is no moral support of upper class and modern educations and there say is always nothing will come out of this. The revolt 1857 was an un-organized effort and all the uprisings of Kashmir lack organized efforts.  The leadership of the revolt was very weak and was motivated by narrow personal gains. No national leader emerged to coordinate the movement and give it a purpose and direction. The pro-freedom leadership of the Kashmir is messed with separate goals. Some leaders are hand in hand with Pakistan ideology, others are believers of separate Kashmir but lack in strategy is their main failure to deliver purposeful mission. No doubt during last year uprising pro freedom parties coordinated under unified resistance leadership but there is still no framework of unified leadership under which they can deliver future strategies.  They have unified only for spreading strike calendars without any logical conclusion. Pro-kashmiri groups must dissolve their respective groups and come under one framework and leadership with strong and binding future strategies.

For Kashmiri people and pro-freedom leadership it seems every uprising or intifada is similar to failure of revolt 1857. The people of vale as well as pro-freedom leadership must cooperatively put their stance on Kashmir conflict without losing further innocent lives.

The rebels of revolt 1857 were short of weapons, finances and poorly organized. The rebels of Kashmir are also short of weapons and finances.  There are many groups of rebels in Kashmir, organized poorly with different leaders and even their leaders are directing them from outside Kashmir. During 1990’s there were internal rifts between rebel groups of Kashmir. That has devastating effects still visible on ground.  Lack of local support was another failure of revolt 1857. The people of Kashmir are not morally supporting Kashmir scenario particularly government employees. People in vale have showed paradoxical behavior that is during unrests people enthusiastically support separatist programs but ironically same people vote for pro-Indian mainstream parties during Assembly and Parliamentary election and defy election boycott calls given by pro-Kashmiri parties.  Government employees and top bureaucrats have had never ethically supported Kashmir uprisings. There is no indigenous movement of government employees they always fear of getting dismissed and face sedition charges. Top bureaucrats have never uttered a word against Central or State government. Bureaucrats can change and modify the whole kashmir scenario since they are actually governing the government.  Since the Revolt of 1857 is also called as first war of independence by Indian sub-continent against British colonial rule and it is obvious it may had more failures than its causes. But this revolt had given Indian sub-continent a roadmap for future strategies as India learned from failures of revolt.  But for Kashmiri people and pro-freedom leadership it seems every uprising or intifada is similar to failure of revolt 1857. The people of vale as well as pro-freedom leadership must cooperatively put their stance on Kashmir conflict without losing further innocent lives.

( The author a student at International Relations Department at Islamic University of Sciences & Technology(IUST) Awantipora has mailed this article exclusively to “Kashmir Horizon”.  . The views expressed by the author are his own but not of “Kashmir Horizon”)