Insurgency may not be based on Islamic militancy?

[Guest guest]

>From Hindu American Foundation

In a report published on September 6, 2005 in The Washington Times

("Insurgency may not be based on Islamic militancy"), the reporter

argued that the insurgency in Kashmir was not necessarily Islam

inspired because a couple of indigent Hindu men or men masquerading

under Hindu names had been caught fighting the Indian security forces

along with Islamic militants. Our letter published in the September

12, 2005 issue of The Washington Times challenges that assertion.

 

 

Islam in Kashmir

The story "Insurgency may not be based on Islamic militancy"

(World, Sept. 6) asserts that the insurgency in the Indian state of

Jammu and Kashmir may not be inspired by Islam.

The reason given for that assertion is that a couple of militants

with Hindu names were either killed or arrested by the Indian

army/police. Would we then be correct to say that the attack on

September 11 was not inspired by the Taliban and al-Qaeda because a

couple of American young men were found to be involved with the

Taliban?

The Islam-inspired terrorism in Kashmir has forced the ethnic

cleansing of more than 350,000 Hindus from the Kashmir Valley and led

to the deaths of more than 50,000 people over the past 15 years.

Islam was the inspiration for the dismembering of India in 1947 into

the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and a secular India. Kashmir, as the

only majority Muslim state in India, is sought to be occupied by

those who cannot stomach the fact that Kashmir is part of India. We

are therefore dismayed by your cavalier assertion that the insurgency

in Kashmir is not predominantly inspired by Islam.

 

RAMESH RAO

Member, Executive Council

Hindu American Foundation

Farmville, Va.

http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20050912-090352-8870r_page2.htm