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Issue Brief # 234 August 2013

Innovative Research | Independent Analysis | Informed Opinion

Contemporary Communal Divide in &

Gulzar Hussain Jawaharlal Nehru University

Ladakh consisting of two districts Kargil similarities; historically the two districts and Leh predominantly follows two Kargil and Leh had a commercial and major religions: and . In social relationship. , majority of people are followers of Buddhism with a small However, since the early 1980s the number of Muslims, Hindus and traditional bonding and communal Christians. In majority follow harmony dramatically changed due to Islam with a small number of Buddhists, many incidents of communal clashes. Hindus and . Along with the gap of mistrust, doubt and suspicion between the two Traditionally Ladakhi people are communities of Ladakh had started to renowned for their honesty, simplicity, grow. and peace loving nature. Their glorious past reveals their unique cultural This essay addresses two issues. The first identity, religious tolerance, goodwill issue is related to the causes and events and inter-religious marriage. Inter- of communalism in the two districts of religious marriage was common until the Ladakh after the early 70s. The questions 1970s. (Ganhar & Ganhar 1956, pp.10- which need to be answered in this 11) The people of Kargil and Leh have respect include: Whether Kargil and Leh social, cultural, linguistic and ethnic have acute social and political differences? Do the people of Kargil and Leh have separate identity to achieve separate social, economic and This essay was initially presented in a political goals for their respective conference organized by the IPCS in collaboration with the districts? International Centre (IIC) Second issue that the essay focuses is on Views expressed are author’s own. the implications of communal violence

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on the socio-cultural relations of Kargil There are many factors which directly or and Leh in the two districts of Ladakh. indirectly invoke communal practices between Buddhists and Muslims of Leh and Kargil. They include the following:

The root of communal divide is, largely political, they have an underlying I political dimension. Religion in Ladakh is, COMMUNALISM IN LADAKH as elsewhere, often used as a A CHRONOLOGICAL MAPPING mobilization tool by politicians, both Muslims as well as Buddhists, which Communalism today, is a serious threat leads to suspicion between the two to Ladakh. It can destroy traditional and communities. A large number of social harmony and become a political leaders appear to have a very menace to the unity of Ladakhi people negative image of other communities and unleash force of barbarism, as it did and their religions. These recently in and earlier in Leh understandings, in turn, are contested and Kargil. Communalism in Leh and by some of their co-religionists, who Kargil has been occurring for the last seek, in their own ways to promote forty years. It has become a major better, relations between the electoral issue in Ladakh since the 1970s communities (Sikand, Yoginder : 2010) - various political leaders made communalism a tool for vote bank. Some observers believe Ladakh’s tourist dollar fuelled prosperity has a good After the early 70s, a big gap was deal to do with its current communal created in the relations between problems. Much of the inflow consists of Muslims and Buddhists of Ladakh. The visitors seeking salvation through Tibetan underlying causes of the conflict in Buddhism and Leh elites have little Ladakh are largely political and reason to market Kargil’s Shia tradition economic and not religious as such. instead. (Praveen, Swami: 2004). Romesh Bhatcharji, in his recent book wrote (2012) , “The gap between The LBA (Ladakh Buddhist Association) Buddhist and Muslims sections of demand for the trifurcation of state on population is widening by the day, essentially communal lines was wrongly creating disharmony between two welcomed by the RSS (Rashtriya communities.” Romesh has given Savayamsewak Sangh) and the BJP detailed account of the rise of Buddhist (Bhartiya Janta Party) who are said to virulent communalism in Leh in have close links with the LBA, seeing it particular. as an ally against Muslims. (Yoginder Sikand 2010).

Sharing one MP has made the two districts, Leh and Kargil up against each other, and religious sentiment play a The root of communal divide is, largely political, major role, a trump card for the political they have an underlying political dimension. parties in the fray. In the last four Religion in Ladakh is, as elsewhere, often used decades, Ladakh has turned into a as a mobilization tool by politicians, both hostile state of power rivalry not so Muslims as well as Buddhists, which leads to much a state level as within the , this has fragmented the region. Stanzin suspicion between the two communities. Dawa, a noted scholar lamented that recent politics in Leh lacks clarity of

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purpose, vision and morality. It is highly inflammatory and encourages The older generation consider 1989 as a turning fragmentation in the name of parties, point between Buddhist and Muslim relations in , castes, region and damaging rather than developing Ladakh. Ladakh. A scuffle between a Buddhist youth and four Muslims in Leh on July 1989 set off a big Since the early sixties, the differences protest in Leh. This incident resulted in clashes between Kargil Muslims and Leh in Leh town, which later spread to other parts of Buddhists became inevitable as paltry incidents of stoning of mosques and Leh district. There was police firing and some desecration of Buddhist flags started protesters were killed. taking place. (Harish Thakur 2008)

In 1979, Ladakh was divided into two separate districts - Leh and Kargil. The resistance offered by the villagers for Zanskar valley of Buddhist majority area retention of generator resulted in police was retained in Kargil district for firing and indiscriminate lathi charge. administrative purpose, which When the generator was forcefully apprehended the Buddhist of Zanskar. withdrawn, people’s demand for the After the creation of Kargil district the judicial inquiry probe into police poison of blame game started between atrocities was not conceded. the two communities that Kargil People alleged that the police created on communal basis. atrocities were a part of conspiracy The Muslims of Kargil defend the hatched by district authorities in creation of district because of its collaboration with the high rank faraway geographical location from politicians of to suppress the Buddhist dominated area of Leh. The voice of the people of Zanskar raised Buddhists of Zanskar feel they are earlier against the ill-treatment and lack discriminated against by the majority of development facilities. (Kaul: 1992, Muslim population in the district of pp.268-9). However, in the process the Kargil. Buddhists in Zanskar complain political leaders of the two communities about the lack of government services engaged behind the scene to politicize to them from Kargil, just as the ones in the issue for a selfish political interest, Leh complain about the discrimination which escalated the tension. Some by the Muslim Government of the state fundamentalists belonging to both the of & Kashmir in . Mr. P. communities had waited for such an Namgayal, MP from Ladakh stated in opportunity to blow up communalism in the , that Sheikh Abdullah’s the region. In era of 80s in Kargil, the government’s bifurcation of Ladakh into minority Buddhists claimed the ruins of Buddhist Leh and Kargil Muslim districts in Kargil town, near washed off the centuries old hospital; they desired to renovate the cohesiveness and secular image of the monastery into a new one. However, on region. (Kaul 1992. pp- 263). the other side, majority Muslims opposed their claims; since then, the A minor incident that took place in place and ruins was declared disputed Zanskar on 1 September 1980 assumed by authorities and till now remains serious proportions. The trouble arose unsolved. when the people of Karsha village demanded the retention of a diesel The older generation consider 1989 as a generator brought to the village during turning point between Buddhist and His Holiness Dalai ’s visit. The Muslim relations in Ladakh. A scuffle

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between a Buddhist youth and four Development Council by the Buddhists Muslims in Leh on July 1989 set off a big of Leh, in the name of Ladakh, without protest in Leh. This incident resulted in consulting the political and religious clashes in Leh town, which later spread leaders of Kargil. This intensified doubts to other parts of Leh district. There was and suspicions in the minds of the latter. police firing and some protesters were killed. (Sikand, Yoginder 2010). After the In February 2006 there were more violence, partial damage had been tensions between the two communities, done to the properties of the famous when some miscreants allegedly Monastery. desecrated the Holy Quran in Bodh Kharbo village near national During the same year in many villages towards Leh. (Balraj, Puri, 2006). of Leh, some Muslims were forcefully Desecration of the Holy Quran converted into Buddhist fold and a increased the violence in Kargil where heavy loss was suffered by Muslims in many shops and properties of Buddhists Buddhist dominated region of Leh. (Kaul were damaged. 1992, pp. 304-305). All these communal strains reached a climax in 1989, when On the other side Shia men who had the LBA (Ladakh Buddhist Association) gathered at Leh’s Imambara for first initiated a dangerous social and Muharram procession began to force commercial boycott movement for shops in the city bazaar to shut down. three years vis-à-vis the Muslims which Stones were thrown at Muharram strained the centuries old communal procession in Leh during the same harmony between the two month, where Muslims’ own houses communities. (Kaul, pp.310-311). were set on fire in the hamlet of Horzey. Shia retaliation came soon. Leh police However, the situation was different in man Padam Dorjey lost an eye after a Kargil. The communal boycott was not protester lashed out at his face with a observed, though both the communities sharp tipped iron chain. In Kargil, a mob reside in close proximity in many places, set ablaze the of and majority of them are Muslims. If only Deputy Superintendent of Police P. the majority community of Leh district Sonam. For the first time troops from the had shown some patience and and ITBP (Indian Tibetan tolerance on that fateful day, the social Border Police) were called to enforce environment of Ladakh would have curfew in Leh and Kargil. (Praveen been completely different today. Swami 2006).

Early 1990s also witnessed the demand The issue of two languages, and of and Autonomous Hill Bodhi between the respective communities and the allegation of Buddhists that the imposition of Urdu language in schools and other In February 2006 there were more tensions institutions of Buddhists by state between the two communities, when some government in Kargil and Leh increased the divide further. This issue was blown miscreants allegedly desecrated the Holy Quran out of proportion by some narrow- in Bodh Kharbo village near national highway minded people. towards Leh. (Balraj, Puri, 2006). Desecration of the Holy Quran increased the violence in On the other side Bodhi language has been a traditional and cultural Kargil where many shops and properties of language of Ladakhi. Still there is a Buddhists were damaged. misunderstanding in some sections of

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Muslims in Kargil; their contention is The number of youths from Kargil in Ladakh Bodhi language and its script belong to scouts is very minimal, despite their readiness to the Buddhists. They deliberately tried to derecognize the language in Kargil join the Indian army. However, from Leh, district. thousands of youths have been joining every year. This step-motherly treatment with the youths of Contrary to popular perception, Ladakh Kargil has always been a popular agenda and is not a Buddhist majority area. the demands of political parties of Kargil have Buddhists and Muslims are about half each in the district of Leh and in Kargil been without any success district the Muslims are in majority. (Nicheketa 2002). Unfortunately some writers distorted historical facts which increased suspicion between the been resented by the people of Kargil. Muslims and Buddhists to some extent. This misinformation is always a tool for They had written many books on the opportunists to divide the communities without discussing on communal lines. even a single chapter about Kargil. Kargil was even removed from the map Two separate demands of the people of Ladakh, thus presenting a distorted of Kargil and Leh from Central version of Ladakh history. This ignorance Government, Kargil for Greater Ladakh gave a wrong signal to the people of and Leh for Union Territory distanced Kargil, especially among the educated the people of Ladakh on ideological youths. lines. The lack of political support by the leaders of Kargil to the Buddhists of Leh The policies of Central and State to highlight the demand, to include the Governments further escalated Bodhi language in the eighth schedule communal feelings in the region. of the Indian constitution. Discriminatory policies were pursued by successive central Governments Also, the State and district authorities against Kargil in the recruitment of are yet to consider the two decade old , despite their sacrifices in demand of political representation to the wars against in 1947, 1965, minority Muslims in Zanskar valley of 1971 and 1999. Kargil district; this has made the minority Muslims in this region totally isolated. The number of youths from Kargil in Ladakh scouts is very minimal, despite At the social level, secret inter-religious their readiness to join the Indian army. marriages among the youth of both the However, from Leh, thousands of youths communities give a fundamentalist a have been joining every year. This step- chance to disturb the peace and motherly treatment with the youths of harmony in the Ladakh region. The LBA Kargil has always been a popular (Ladakh Buddhist Association) agenda and the demands of political presented a memorandum to the parties of Kargil have been without any central government in 1999. It points out success. that between 1992 and 1999, 24 Buddhist girls from Leh were converted There has been a baseless allegation to Islam and mostly taken to Kargil. and false propaganda spread by some Buddhist communal leaders against the Recently in 2012, relations between the traditionally patriotic people of Kargil, two communities turned serious in the by saying that Muslims of Kargil are the Zanskar valley, when 23 people of supporters of Pakistan military. This has

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Garba and Beda caste were which could have benefited both the considered low among the Buddhists people of Kargil and Leh, today are embraced Islam. A communal riot mired in uncertainty. All these are due followed the above; houses of the to ego clashes, lack of cooperation and minorities were damaged, cash looted misunderstanding among the political from shops and property worth representatives of both the districts. thousands of rupees was destroyed. Though the converts tried to convince The social and cultural ties between the everyone from administration to Leh and Kargil could have been better religious and social groups that their today. There are numerous important change of faith was voluntary and free Buddhist historical sites in Kargil district, from any pressure or allurement, the for example the colossal rock statute of Buddhists were adamant over the issue the Materiya Buddha in Mulbekh, (PG Rasool 2012) Lankerchey and Karcheykhar villages. The importance of these sites has declined due to animosity and communal attitudes of the district II authorities and these invaluable Implications of Communalism in heritage loses its core importance. Ladakh have their The implication of communal tensions respective divisional commissioners for are far reaching. Because of successive administrative purposes. However communal riots and tensions, the Ladakh, in spite of it being traditional bonding, cooperation and disconnected with the rest of India due goodwill among the Muslims and to heavy snow falls, is unable to achieve Buddhists of Ladakh has been vanishing divisional status. It could not materialize gradually. Hypocrisy, enmity, doubts mainly because of the lack of proper and misunderstanding against each coordination and commitment other has increased among the amongst the leaders of Kargil and Leh. students, political leaders, and even the common people of the Leh and Kargil. The centuries old culture of Buddhist Amchi oracle and treatment is in the Big projects like Zojila tunnel, Zanskar- verge of collapse in Muslim dominated Manali road, Central University for areas in Kargil, due to non-cooperation Ladakh, -Kargil road, between the two communities. The power project, Leh-Zanskar road, Amchi medicine and treatment was international status for Leh airport and once the backbone of local treatment. the upgradation of Kargil airport - all of This gap created a huge loss for the common people of Kargil, whose ancestors had been trusting Amchi medicine and treatment for centuries for curing various diseases. It is obviously The centuries old culture of Buddhist Amchi a bad news for the common people of Kargil. oracle and treatment is in verge of collapse in Muslim dominated area of Kargil, due to non- cooperation between the two communities. The III Amchi medicine and treatment was once the Conclusion backbone of local treatment. After the interpretation and discussion

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of the dim facts of Ladakh region, it is the foremost duty of all , Youths of both Kargil and Leh should come especially political leaders and religious together on a common platform to debate, discuss representatives to show resilience and kind-heartedness to accommodate and argue on various developmental and other each other's viewpoint in a democratic issues, so that the doubts could be cleared. country like India. Consultative and advisory council to discuss the unresolved and various outstanding issues for the Youths of both Kargil and Leh should come together on a common platform common interest of Kargil and Leh is the need of to debate, discuss and argue on various the hour. developmental and other issues, so that the doubts could be cleared. REFERENCES Consultative and advisory council to discuss the unresolved and various outstanding issues for the common Bhatcharji, Romesh 2012. Ladakh: interest of Kargil and Leh is the need of Changing yet Unchanged, Rupa the hour. publications, New .

Students and youths should come Chandra, Bipin 2004. Communalisms: A forward for the preservation and Primer, Anamika, Publication & protection of the cultural heritages of Distributor, Karol Bagh, Ladakh. To maintain and sustain the Chandra, Bipin 1989. India’s struggle for communal harmony, cooperation and independence, Penguin Books, New mutual understanding, goodwill and Delhi. tolerance should be encouraged. Economic Times 2012. ‘Politics and The respective Autonomous Hill Nation. 24 October Development Councils, Student associations, Youth wings, Religious Kaul, Sridhar and Kaul, HN 1992. Ladakh: organizations, Members of civil societies, through the ages towards new identity, Senior citizens, Intellectuals, Writers and Indus Publication, New Delhi. Political leaders should come forward to addess communalism forever. Nicheketa 2002. ‘People’s Democracy, the Story of Ladakh’, Weekly Organ of The need of the hour is to defeat the the communist party of India (Marxist) communalists and bring the change to VOL-XXVI, NO-37, 22 September. restore the unique and glorious cultural identity of Ladakh region. Both the Puri, Balraj 2006. ‘Ladakh Sectarianism’, LAHDC (Ladakh Autonomous Hill Indian Express, 15Feb. Development Council) of Kargil and Leh can develop common minimum Rasool, P.G 2012. ‘Zanskar, the Target of development programmes. virtual Communalism’, Kashmir Reader, 01 November. Cooperation between the two will help them to develop a goal and vision for Sikand, Yoginder 2010. ‘Buddhist-Muslim whole Ladakh. Relations in Ladakh’ http:// twocircles.net/special_reports/ buddhist_muslim_relations_ladakh.html.

Swami, Praveen 2004. ‘In the lap of

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Paradise, Politics of Hate’ , 15 March.

Swami, Praveen 2006. ’Communalism, Snow Storm of Hate’, Frontline, Vol. 23, Issue 04, 25 February.

Thakur, Harish 2008. ‘Estrangement of Ladakhis and LUTF’, Vijayvaani.com, 20 December.

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