Author: Dr. Syed Mohammad Inayatullah Andrabi

There has been a mixed reaction, in general and, in particular, among Muslims, to the recent NATO strikes against Serbia. This has ranged from rejoicing to suspicion—–rejoicing at Milosevic, the Serb dictator being targeted, and suspicion on why NATO is doing what it is. We need to have a very clear understanding of this affair, and go beyond the facts to discover the underlying truth. This is absolutely essential, if only one wishes to really live as opposed to merely exist in this world. The late Dr Ali Shariati—-Iranian born Muslim intellectual—- rightly said once that ‘to be in twentieth century is not to live in twentieth century’. Life involves a conscious, a perceptive living. In order to live one has to be conscious and aware not only of one’s self, but one’s surrounding environment—- political, social, intellectual etc.etc. This is one of the conditions for survival, for individuals as well as for societies and civilizations.

India’s nuclear explosions on 11th May, 1998, were, as is universally agreed, neither triggered by a security threat, nor were they indispensably needed to practically test India’s progress in its on-going nuclear programme. They were also not a declaration of India having the nuclear capability; the earlier Pokhran blasts in 1974 had demonstrated that. If the purpose was to inaugurate a new nuclear policy, BJP had talked about during elections, that too could have been done by issuing an official statement to that effect. Taking the high-profile route of staging a nuclear exhibition at Pokhran was, however, an exercise motivated by a desire on part of BJP, to achieve certain vital social-political objectives. In this paper we discuss these objectives in detail, after which we make a critical evaluation of whether or not BJP has succeeded in achieving these.

RECAPTULATION OF THE MAIN POINTS AGREED UPON IN THE 30TH MARCH (1997) MEETING

Islamic doctrine being creative of a social order and, therefore, of a civilisation and polity, attaches great importance to the defence of its physical assets, regarding them as absolutely indispensable.
Peoples, material resources, lands and territories, heritage are the physical assets of Islam.
Kashmir being a Muslim land is an important physical asset of Islam, that our noble ancestors brought to its fold, but the same being under Hindu subjugation now, remains lost to Islam.
Reclaiming more and more physical assets for Islam, which necessarily includes the reclamation of the lost assets, is a common duty for every Muslim man and woman, regardless of his/her colour, race or place of birth.

With the formation of a new United Front (UF) Government in India in June this year, Indian rulers initiated a fresh series of moves regarding Kashmir with the stated intent of bringing ‘peace to the troubled Valley’ and to the region as a whole. The most important UF leaders including V P Singh, the Indian Prime Minister Deve Gowda, CPM Chairman Harkishan Singh Surjeet made high profile visits to the occupied land and declared their intent of bringing ‘peace’ by holding ‘elections’ and restoring ‘maximum autonomy’ to Jammu and Kashmir. A similar climate prevailed on the other track— the Indo-Pak track. Rulers of both the countries exchanged warm greetings. Pakistani rulers expressed new hopes and offered to negotiate with India if Kashmir was put on the agenda of talks.