Page 493 - SSB Interview: The Complete Guide, Second Edition

and the fight against it. A widespread armed insurgency started in Kashmir
with the disputed 1987 election with some elements from the State’s
assembly forming militant wings that acted as a catalyst for the emergence of
armed insurgency in the region.

The Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan has been accused by India of
supporting and training mujahideen to fight in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to official figures released in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly,

there were 3,400 disappearance cases and the conflict has left more than
47,000 people dead as of July 2009. However, the number of insurgency-

related deaths in the state has fallen sharply since the start of a slow-moving
peace process between India and Pakistan.

History of the Insurgency

1947–1987

After independence from colonial rule, India and Pakistan fought a war over
the princely state of Kashmir. At the end of the war, India controlled the most

valuable parts of Kashmir. While there were sporadic periods of violence,
there was no organised insurgency movement.

During this period legislative elections in Jammu and Kashmir were first

held in 1951 and Sheikh Abdullah’s party stood unopposed. However, Sheikh
Abdullah would fall in and out of favour with the Central Government and
would often be dismissed only to be reappointed later on. This was a time of

political instability in Jammu and Kashmir and it went through several
periods of President’s rule by the Federal Government.

1987–2004

After Sheikh Abdullah’s death, his son Farooq Abdullah took over as Chief

Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Farooq Abdullah eventually fell out of
favour with the Central Government and the Prime Minister of India, Indira
Gandhi, had him dismissed. A year later, Farooq Abdullah announced an
alliance with the ruling Congress party for the elections of 1987. The

elections were allegedly rigged in favour of Farooq Abdullah.