Kashmir’s alienation is being widely debated these days. Pleas have been made from all sides to pardon Afzal Guru to prevent further alienation of Kashmiris. However, it is debatable whether one single act of mercy can remove the decades or rather centuries old alienation? The malady is much deeper and is probably beyond redemption. It would be useful to trace the history of this “Alienation”. In reality, Kashmir’s alienation is centuries old. They have remained continuously alienated from the outside rulers for generations. In fact, Kashmiris got alienated from India in 1947 itself. It was only the degree of alienation which varied from time to time. The very first contingent of the Indian Army consisting of Patiala Sikhs who had come to repel the invaders had killed a group of Kashmiri nationalists who had gone to Airport to receive them mistaking these to be Muslim tribesmen. Sheikh Abdullah’s National Conference had a tough time in suppressing this incident. The initial struggle for emancipation from centuries old subjugation had been started by Kashmiris in 1931. Basically it was the Muslim Kashmiris who had risen against the autocratic rule of the Dogra Maharaja. Subsequently the struggle got a true nationalist colour in 1938 when some Hindus also joined it and Muslim Conference was converted into National Conference. Kashmir’s most charismatic stalwart Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah led the movement for its total freedom. Inspired by the Russian Revolution, BPL Bedi and Fredda Bedi gave the manifesto of Naya Kashmir, a blue print for a totally nationalistic and progressive Kashmir. A Red flag with the Sickle and Hammer replaced by Plough, and the Lal Chowk inspired by the Red Square of Moscow were the symbols of Kashmir’s revolution. Most important revolutionary measure being the slogan of “Land to the Tiller”. However, the partition of the sub-continent in 1947 threw everything into confusion. Having witnessed the bloody riots all over, the Muslim majority felt that they may be safer with Pakistan. In the heart of their hearts they preferred Muslim Pakistan to Hindu India. But the nationalistic leadership led by Abdullah had its doubts of realising the goal of total freedom there and having been inspired and influenced by Nehru, they preferred India. People in spite of their reservations about India blindly followed the leader in whom they had an unshakable faith. They were not honestly happy with the pro-India set up and expected it to be temporary as had been promised by Nehru and almost the entire world through the United Nations. After generations they had got a Moses in whom they had almost a blind faith and whom they expected to lead them to total salvation. He had given them the land which they had been tilling for generations without owning it. However, the Moses of Kashmir was dethroned and sent to prison in 1953. This completely shook the faith of Kashmiri Muslims in the Indian set up and the alienation which was simmering within became complete. Since that time Delhi has been taking only the fire fighting measures to douse the outside flames without making any genuine attempt to remove the alienation deep within the soul of a Kashmiri. The molten lava has been simmering under the surface with an apparent but deceptive calm. It has been bursting out off and on whenever it finds an opening. The first major outburst came in 1963 during the holy relic agitation. The entire Bakshi clan installed in 1953 was swept away by a Tsunami of immense proportions. Nehru did make a genuine attempt to win over his old friend Sheikh Abdullah in 1965 to remove the alienation of Kashmiris but nature had something else in store for them. His untimely death further prolonged the suffering of the unfortunate people of this beautiful land. Indra Gandhi’s attempt in bringing the Kashmir’s unchallenged leader into Indian mainstream in 1975 further increased the alienation. Kashmiris felt doubly cheated. Not only had India strengthened its grip over Kashmir but they had also taken away their only leader! However, hanging of Maqbool Bhat in Tihar Jail in 1984 changed the complexion of the whole movement. Entire Kashmir was stunned. For the first time they saw a leader mounting the gallows for the freedom of his motherland. Till that time they had seen leaders promising them a place of honour and dignity but then leaving them in the lurch half way to find a place of profit for themselves. It gave a new role model to Kashmiri youth who in large numbers crossed over to other side of Kashmir to get training and arms. The rigging of elections of 1987 in which these very youth had taken part under the banner of MUF (Muslim United Front) to enter the State Assembly and plead their case democratically, amply demonstrated to them that it was not possible under the Indian set up to gain their basic rights peacefully through a democratic process. The result was the 1990 uprising. India crushed the uprising with a strong hand. Kashmiris saw the most brutal and ugly face of the Indian State. Since that time there has only been a downward slide. The alienation has been increasing exponentially with every incident. The new generation of Kashmiris which grew up during the last decade and a half have seen nothing but the bullets and the blasts, the curfews, the frequent cordons and searches, all types of humiliations, molestations, and killings. The alienation has gone deep into their psyche. The revoking of the death sentence of Afzal Guru will not remove the alienation. It will rather delay the next outburst of the dormant volcano. In fact, the hanging will only provide another opportunity for the simmering volcano to burst forth and it may not be so easy to cap it this time. The reactions of some separatist political leaders of Kashmir to the changing attitude of Pakistan regarding the basic cause of the people vividly demonstrate that the present movement is even beyond their control. Kashmiris are not alienated from India only but they are even slowly drifting away from Pakistan itself about which they were fanatic in early forties and fifties. Bill Clinton called Kashmir the most dangerous place on Earth. A nuclear flashpoint which could trigger the prophesied Armageddon. There is still time to avoid such a catastrophe. Instead of rushing to ignite the fuse, the honest and genuine leaders of the sub-continent and the right thinking and peace loving people from all walks of life should exert their influence to end the miseries of Kashmiris. This is in their own interest and for the well being of the entire region. Kashmiris have already reached the end of the road and their anger is bursting at the seems. Let us hope and pray that the good sense prevails and we do not end up with a destructive eruption which may engulf not only the sub-continent and the South Asian region but the entire world!