The Arbitrament of the Sword

Abstract

Kashmir’s new Prime Minister, Mr. G. M. Sadiq, is a man with ideas. Far from limiting his able and constructive role in the strife-torn State which had elected him the executive head, his radical political views proved an asset both at home and abroad. He enjoyed almost legendary fame for his incorruptibility and political integrity, and the exemplary courage he displayed in deciding to release Sheikh Abdullah spoke volumes of his statesmanship. His personal conviction urged him to identify Kashmir’s political goals with those of India and his differences with Bakshi stemmed partly from his uneasiness about the air of uncertainty pervading its political life during the regime of the former Prime Minister. Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed was also for Kashmir’s integration with India, but Sadiq wanted the pace to be quickened and decisions taken immediately to end once for all the avoidable pinpricks of constitutional ambiguity. The abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which gave a special position to Kashmir within India, was one of his political objectives, and when he came to power he left nobody in any doubt that he intended to translate his ideas into facts as quickly as possible.