Separatists, take note of Scottish vote

Scotland, an ancient land of immense beauty, legend and romance was whizzing in and out of our national channels during the last few weeks, leaving us waiting with bated breath: will they or won't they decide a severance from the United Kingdom, and declare themselves another country? Of course, the answer was a decisive "No".

I am not aware of how much our young people know about Scotland, apart from the pipes and drums, the tartans and kilt, the Highland fling, and of course Auld Lang Syne, the poem by the great Scottish poet Robert Burns, immortalised as the signature tune that brings forth every New Year. And let's not forget their most durable global ambassador — Scotch whisky — that brings smiles and wipes tears, first distilled in the 15th century by monks in a friary, as aqua vitae, the water of life.

Historically, relations between Scotland and England have been turbulent. Britannia was colonised by the Romans, who built Hadrian's Wall to separate the northern and southern tribes. The Romans were never really able to subdue the Scottish tribes, and decided it was best to leave them alone. The Roman Empire broke, Christianity spread between the fifth and seventh centuries, and the Vikings made their devastating forays in the ninth century. Scotland and England were almost continuously at war from the 13th to the 16th centuries, further aggravated by the Roman Catholic and Protestant divide that was sweeping over Europe. Battle victories kept changing, victors and vanquished alternated, and monarchs rose and fell. 


{The separatists of Kashmir would be well advised to stop their meaningless secession banter.


Though Mary, Queen of Scotland was executed in 1587 by her kinswoman, the Virgin Queen Elizabeth, allegedly for hatching plots against England with the Catholic monarchs of Spain and France, it was Mary's son, James VI of Scotland, who succeeded her. He became James 1 of England and Scotland after Elizabeth's death, uniting the two monarchies after centuries of strife. Clearly, the fraternity among royalty was formidable in those times, regardless of territorial or religious animosities. Even so, England and Scotland still had separate parliaments and courts. But by then, a full blown war between parliament and monarchy was raging in England, which cost Charles I (son of James I) his head. Eventually, after several more decades of monarchical instability and war, Scotland and England came together through the Treaty of Union in 1707 — compelled by Scotland's economic necessity and England's battle fatigue. Scotland got free trade and England got Protestant royalty, imported from Germany. The last of the Scottish rebellions by the Jacobites, supporters of the Stuart dynasty of James I's descendants, was silenced at Culloden in 1745.

Britain's imperial adventure brought both the Scottish and the English together. Nothing succeeds like shared opportunity and wealth to integrate identities. But Scottish nationalism resurfaced in 1934, with the birth of the Scottish National Party (SNP), whose primary goal was the future independence of Scotland. The party was bolstered by the discovery of North Sea in the 1970s, and in 1974, it won 30% of the Scottish vote and 11 seats in Parliament, on its election slogan "It's Scotland's oil". In a referendum in 1997, Scottish voters voted in favour of devolution of powers, including control of education and healthcare, and for the first time since 1707, a Scottish Parliament. In 2007, SNP leader Alex Salmond was elected First Minister of Scotland, and after his repeat win in 2001, he was able to secure approval for a referendum on independence for Scotland. In 2012, Salmond and British Prime Minister David Cameron signed an agreement to hold that referendum in 2014, to decide whether Scotland should be an independent country.

As D Day came closer, and some distressing pre poll results emerged giving an edge to the separatists, England, the stiff upper lip nation turned uncharacteristically emotional and sentimental at the possibility of the impending divorce. Prime Minister David Cameron appealed plaintively to Scotland's voters, "We desperately want you to stay; we do not want this family of nations to be ripped apart." The Queen appealed to the voters to think carefully, and also reminded them of the complete title that she inherited at her coronation. Well wishers of both the English and the Scottish populations, by and large, advised against the break-up. The Scots were told that they should not and cannot forget that their soldiers, statesmen, philosophers and businessmen have contributed to the creation and growth of United Kingdom.

Well, the voters' verdict was loud and clear. Together was better. And everyone heaved a sigh of relief, England, Europe and the US. What the referendum clearly proved was that the wounds of so many centuries of battle and bloodshed had been erased and forgotten, democracy and economic progress had integrated the people, and there was no rancour. It was sab ka saath, sab ka vikaas. I see the Scottish referendum as the most mature and enlightened expression of democracy in recent times.

The vote has saved Britain from a terrible embarrassment, which would have affected every part of the civilised world. It would have lost respect internationally in that it had failed to hold its own citizens in a strong bond of loyalty and belonging. And regardless of its historical wrongs on human rights during colonialism, Britain is truly the mother of democracy, and historically has always stood for political freedom and free trade. Scottish secession would certainly have had a ripple effect across the world, and created problems for the European Union, where independent Scotland might not have been welcomed very easily. Certainly, economic or any other legitimate grievances of the Scottish people must be addressed, but a break-up of the United Kingdom would have been a remedy worse than the ailment. The respectable position that the United Kingdom rightly enjoys in the comity of nations is an asset for both the British and Scots, and their intelligent vote will undoubtedly add to it.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron can now enjoy some peaceful respite, and the octogenarian Queen is well entitled to purr in peace. As an Indian friend I only wish that the separatists had lost by a much larger margin.

The separatists of Kashmir would be well advised to stop their meaningless secession banter. The selfless service of our gallant Indian Army was demonstrated very recently as large parts of Jammu and Kashmir were inundated, and completely exposed the falsehood and libel perpetrated by the Kashmiri separatists against our Army.

Before I close, let me give my readers the essence of what the Canadian Supreme Court observed in 1998, regarding a similar demand for secession by the Canadian province of Quebec.

"We have also considered whether a positive legal entitlement to secession exists under international law ... a right to secession only arises under the principle of self-determination of peoples at international law where 'a people' is governed as part of a colonial empire; where 'a people' is subject to alien subjugation, domination or exploitation; and possibly where 'a people' is denied any meaningful exercise of its right to self-determination within the state of which it forms a part... A state whose government represents the whole of the people or peoples resident within its territory, on a basis of equality and without discrimination, and respects the principles of self-determination in its internal arrangements, is entitled to maintain its territorial integrity under international law and to have that territorial integrity recognised by other states. Quebec does not meet the threshold of a colonial people or an oppressed people, nor can it be suggested that Quebecers have been denied meaningful access to government to pursue their political, economic, cultural and social development. In the circumstances, the National Assembly, the legislature or the government of Quebec do not enjoy a right at international law to effect the secession of Quebec from Canada unilaterally."

Kashmiri separatists, please take note.