Remembering 1947 must go beyond an annual tribute. It must mean justice for displaced families, recognition of their suffering, protection of their heritage and a clear, consistent assertion of India’s national position.
For most people, a map shows boundaries. For a family displaced from Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Bhimber or Kotli, it shows the place where its story was interrupted.
An ancestral house, a family business, a place of worship and the neighbourhood where grandparents grew up do not disappear from memory simply because decades have passed. They remain part of family conversations, sometimes preserved in documents, sometimes surviving only in the memories of elderly relatives.
Any serious discussion on Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) must begin with its people: their suffering, resilience and enduring connection with their ancestral homeland.
As we observe the anniversary of the invasion of Jammu and Kashmir on October 22, 1947, we must remember that PoJK is not merely a territorial question. It is also a human tragedy involving massacres, sexual violence, abductions, displacement and the destruction of communities.
The invasion of 1947: Beyond Pakistan’s tribal narrative
The historical record must be presented clearly. The invasion began on October 22, 1947. Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26, and Indian troops were airlifted to Kashmir on October 27 to defend the state.
Pakistan’s narrative has often portrayed the invasion primarily as an independent tribal incursion. However, historical accounts point to Pakistani military planning, organisation, logistical support and the subsequent participation of regular Pakistani troops.
Operation Gulmarg, associated with the mobilisation of tribal lashkars, is central to understanding the invasion. Major General Akbar Khan’s Raiders in Kashmir, written by a senior Pakistan Army officer, is an important source for examining Pakistan’s involvement. The events cannot credibly be understood as merely a spontaneous tribal uprising detached from Pakistan’s military establishment.
The tribal raiders were part of the story, but they were not the whole story. Pakistan’s military role must form an essential part of an honest historical account.
The human tragedy: Massacres, abductions and the suffering of women
An account of October 1947 confined to military movements and political decisions remains incomplete. It must confront the brutal violence inflicted on Hindu and Sikh civilians, particularly in Muzaffarabad and surrounding areas.
Historical and community accounts describe massacres on a large scale, the looting and burning of homes, and the killing of innocent men, women and children. Hindu and Sikh families faced terror as armed raiders entered their towns and villages, shattering lives built over generations.
The suffering of women deserves particular recognition. Accounts of the invasion describe Hindu and Sikh women and girls being raped, abducted and forcibly separated from their families. Many families endured the agony of not knowing the fate of their daughters, sisters and wives.
There are also accounts of women taking their own lives rather than risk sexual assault, abduction or the loss of their honour in the face of advancing attackers. These deeply painful accounts must be remembered with dignity, acknowledging the desperate circumstances in which such decisions were made.
Thousands of Hindu and Sikh civilians were killed or displaced during the violence, although casualty and abduction estimates vary across historical sources. These figures deserve rigorous documentation rather than the repetition of unverified numbers.
Recognising these atrocities is not about perpetuating hatred. It is about acknowledging victims, preserving their testimony and ensuring that the suffering of Hindu and Sikh families is not erased from history.
The courage of those who protected vulnerable neighbours must also be remembered. Even amid brutality, humanity and sacrifice endured.
Displacement did not end when survivors reached safety
For those who escaped, survival was only the beginning of another struggle. Families lost ancestral homes, businesses, places of worship and social networks. They had to rebuild their lives while carrying the grief of separation from relatives and their homeland.
The experience of displaced Hindu and Sikh families from Muzaffarabad deserves particular attention. Although Muzaffarabad belonged to the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, refugees fleeing the invasion were not necessarily permitted to settle in the Kashmir Valley.
An account published by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies records that refugees from Muzaffarabad who wished to settle in the Valley were not allowed to do so. It also describes families who had settled in Kupwara subsequently being moved to Jammu.
This raises a troubling question: why should families who had already lost their homes and suffered violence face further restrictions in rebuilding their lives within their own former state?
Their displacement was geographical, social and cultural. Their later achievements and contributions deserve recognition, but rebuilding a new home does not mean surrendering the memory of the old one.
A national commitment, not a passing political issue
India’s position on PoJK rests on a clear parliamentary record. On February 22, 1994, Parliament unanimously adopted a resolution reaffirming that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and calling upon Pakistan to vacate the areas under its occupation.
That unanimity placed the issue above individual parties and governments. As a BJP spokesperson from Jammu and Kashmir, I believe our responsibility is to explain this historical and parliamentary position with conviction and seriousness.
Our argument must also withstand scrutiny. Exaggerated casualty figures, doubtful quotations and unverified claims do not strengthen India’s case. Factual discipline is not a limitation on patriotism; it is an essential part of it.
India must remain firm on its sovereignty while pursuing its objectives through responsible diplomacy and considered policy.
Rehabilitation must extend beyond financial assistance
Displaced families deserve more than ceremonial recognition. Their concerns must remain part of government policy, including assistance, documentation, educational opportunities and preservation of records relating to their displacement.
In November 2016, the Modi government approved a ?2,000-crore rehabilitation package for 36,384 displaced families from PoJK and Chhamb, providing assistance of ?5.5 lakh per eligible family. In October 2019, the Union Cabinet approved the inclusion of an eligible category of displaced families who had initially moved outside Jammu and Kashmir and subsequently returned and settled there.
These measures deserve recognition. Yet financial assistance cannot fully compensate for lost homes, interrupted education, destroyed livelihoods or the severing of ancestral connections.
A more comprehensive approach must combine rehabilitation with historical documentation, cultural preservation and meaningful consultation with displaced communities.
Preserving living memory and cultural heritage
Every year, more survivors of the 1947 displacement pass away. When a witness dies without recording their experiences, a valuable part of history may disappear.
Jammu and Kashmir should establish a dedicated programme to collect oral histories, family papers, photographs, correspondence and other records relating to PoJK’s displaced communities. Universities, historians, archivists and community representatives should work together to preserve testimony respectfully and distinguish personal recollections from independently established facts.
A significant step in this direction is the PoJK Bhawan, for which approximately 40 kanals of land have been allotted and whose construction is at an advanced stage. The proposed facility will include a museum and an audio-visual auditorium to preserve the history, sacrifices and cultural heritage of displaced families. This initiative reflects the commitment of the BJP-led Central Government and the Lieutenant Governor-led UT administration towards safeguarding the legacy of PoJK and ensuring that future generations remain connected with their ancestral homeland.
Sharda Peeth, the ancient shrine in the Neelum Valley associated with Kashmir’s Sanskrit intellectual traditions and the goddess of learning, represents another important dimension of this heritage. Its preservation, scholarly documentation and the possibility of safe pilgrimage deserve sustained attention through appropriate channels.
The same commitment should extend to temples, gurdwaras and other cultural sites associated with displaced communities. Protecting heritage is an act of respect, not an argument against another religion.
Taking India’s case abroad with seriousness
The international dimension of PoJK requires informed, patient engagement. As Convenor, International Affairs, Jammu & Kashmir, I believe India’s position must be communicated through historical documents, the parliamentary record and the lived experiences of displaced families.
We must also distinguish Pakistan’s policies and military actions from the people living in territories under its administration. Their dignity and welfare matter. India’s case is best served by consistency, credible evidence and responsible diplomacy rather than sensationalism.
Turning remembrance into responsibility
Smriti Saptah must leave behind work that continues after public meetings end. Survivors’ accounts should be recorded, pending rehabilitation concerns addressed, ancestral records preserved and reliable educational material made available to younger generations.
Our children should understand why Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Bhimber and Kotli matter, the circumstances of the 1947 invasion, the suffering of displaced Hindu and Sikh families and the basis of India’s national position.
They must learn to remember injustice without inheriting hatred.
Our responsibility is threefold: to stand with displaced families, preserve the history they carry and ensure that India’s case remains accurate and credible.
PoJK cannot be remembered only when an anniversary arrives or a political controversy erupts. Its history lives throughout the year in families who lost their homes but never abandoned their sense of belonging.
That is how a nation honours its past: through historical honesty, responsive rehabilitation, protected heritage and an unwavering commitment to its people.
(The author is BJP Spokesperson and Convenor, International Affairs, Jammu & Kashmir Geopolitical Expert)