In 1947, Indian troops entered J&K AFTER the state signed the treaty of accession. The Maharaja was the person duly authorized to sign that treaty and he got the popular leader (Sheikh Abdullah) to endore it just for good measure. The Maharaja requested India to send urgent military assistance because his state was being ILLEGALLY attacked by Pakistan supported militia (very similar to the Taliban situation of recent years). After driving the invaders out from most of J&K, INDIA approached the United Nations for resolution to the dispute. The UN placed the blame squarely at Pakistan’s door and asked it to vacate the territory it was illegally holding and withdraw all military forces. 60 years later, Pakistan it yet to fulfil this UN demand.
Anyhow, Indian Kashmir has been governed (albeit ineptly) by local Kashmiri’s elected in open/free multi-party elections for a majority of the time since 1947. Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, on the other hand, is ruled by an appointee of the Pakistan government in Islamabad … the locals have no elections, no representation and absolutely no say in the matter.
The trouble in Kashmir is Pakistan’s mischief for the most part … conceived, trained and funded by ISI. As Indians, our dispute is not with Pakistan or ISI … they are simply doing what they think is in their best interest. We are mad at our government for not protecting the life and property of Indians …that is Job #1 for every government. We want govt of India to put an end to this no
