The fact that the person who controlled Kashmir in 1948 was of a different religion than 80% of the population, and the fact that religion was the crucial dividing line when British India was partitioned, this is what has caused 50 years of trouble (so far).
The breakdown for the state is more like 70/30 than 80/20, with only the Kashmir Valley being predominantly Muslim. One other part of the state (Jammu) is predominantly Hindu, and another (Ladakh) is predominantly Buddhist.
Also, while I don't have the exact numbers off the top of my head, I'm certain that the Muslim/Hindu split for Jammu and Kashmir was closer to 50/50 than 70/30 for the Indian-held parts after the 1948 war. The demographic breakdown shifted in favor of Muslims in the following years due to a combination of higher birth rates and a quota system for university positions and government jobs that compelled many Hindus to leave the state. More recently, there have also been direct and indirect attempts by Muslim fundamentalists at ethnically cleansing Hindus living in the Kashmir Valley, also known as Pandits.
Lastly, as may have been pointed out to you before, the guerrilla war in Kashmir only began in earnest around 1989, a full four decades after parition. It's no coincidence that this was the same time period during which the Soviets were pulling out of Afghanistan, leaving a number of rent-a-jihad types in need of new employment. Needless to say, their old friend, the Pakistani government, proved quite helpful in directing them towards a new line of work.
Eric |
