Without going into the merits or demerits of the events in Kashmir, I feel that India has the biggest opportunity here of showing the world, a healing! What was used here, was a heavy hand and such heavy hands are used quite often in times of war and when other means have failed.

I will try to draw parallels from two such occasions.

When the American Civil war took place late in the nineteenth century, it was bitter fighting between the forces of the Union and the Confederates. From facts I have garnered it was not an easy decision for Abraham Lincoln to go to war with his own countrymen, but for the sake of truth, which the American Constitution proclaimed, that all men are equal, even slaves, Lincoln did, and after bitter battles, finally won.

But did the Union later treat the Confederate states as scum? Did they after the battle, make them hate their own motherland which had fought with them, and even made them lose husbands and fathers? No after the war, came a time of healing. A healing so huge, so big, and of such magnitude that today the people of those same southern states do not think of themselves as any different from those of the rest of the US.

Immediately after the war, came a healing.

Two bombs were thrown on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to put an end to World War II but after that occupation forces, including some from India, with an uncle of mine being part of it, rebuilt Japan under the leadership of Gen MacArthur!

Again, a time of healing.

No rancor exists today or hatred towards the allies for defeating them!

India has got such an opportunity today. We did not use force but the powers of Parliament, and with that Kashmir is now wholly and totally a part of our country. Here’s our chance to show our brothers and sisters there that we have come to heal. Here’s our chance to show the world that we are by nature a firm but gentle people, that we can be stern yet compassionate.

It won’t be easy, and many a tense situation will arise when retaliation from disgruntled elements may provoke us to use force to quell, to use a heavy hand to overpower, but if we can restrain ourselves, here’s an appropriate occasion to teach a rift widening world, the power of a healing touch!

Here at last, through a Kashmir healing, is a window to show the world, what our ancient Indian culture of peace can bring about, better than swords and guns and brute force can ever do!

What a great opportunity to heal..!

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