ABSTRACT
The issue of Kashmir and the persona of Jawaharlal Nehru have for long remained inextricably linked to each other. Every discussion on Kashmir begins with a reference to Nehru’s deeds of omission and commission in the context of this region. Among the most contentious legacies of the Nehru era that still irks Indian polity and places it on the back foot at all international forums is the Kashmir issue, as it is normally addressed. The princely state of Jammu and Kashmir though ruled by the Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh was populated by a predominantly Muslim population. For the benefit of Kashmir and to appease the Sheikh, Article 370 was included as a temporary provision in the Constitution of India. The article provides special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir and has been heralded by many thinkers on Kashmir as being divisive and inimical to integration.
