Articles Archives | Page 27 of 51

The Rise of more Burhans

August 26, 2016August 26, 2016 Editor

Killing of the Hizbul commander in Kashmir is radicalising youth But what has become worrisome for the security establishment is the growing support for militants in the valley. Adnan Bhat At a large rally in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, a dozen kids holding toy guns and replicas of AK-47’s made out of bare wood carefully listen to sermons of Azadi being delivered from the podium. They are well aware of the situation right now in Kashmir. Some of them say they want to be like “Burhan Bhai”. Scenes like these…

Kashmir and Palestine: The story of two occupations

August 25, 2016August 25, 2016 Editor

The growing pockets of solidarity expressed for Kashmiris are heartening, as is the solidarity for Palestinian struggle. By : Goldie Osuri The India and Israel alliance has been described as a full-blown romance, but the ongoing siege of Kashmir makes this a bloody affair – covert for years. India has bought arms from Israel since the 1960s. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to visit Israel in 2017, marking the 25th anniversary of full diplomatic relations. The two nations are passionate about their brutal occupations of Kashmir and Palestine. India…

The Rise of Kashmir’s Second ‘Intifada’

August 24, 2016 Editor

For the first time since 1990, the anger in Kashmir and support for azadi from India is stretched across society in the Valley. By Prem Shankar Jha Srinagar airport felt normal when eight of us – journalists and social activists – arrived on August 18. Planes were flying into the airport every hour from different parts of India. Bags came onto the conveyor belts with commendable speed and taxi drivers were waiting outside the exit to solicit passengers. But the normalcy was deceptive. My return ticket to Srinagar had cost me only Rs…

Burhan Wani and the Power of the Internet misread in Kashmir

August 12, 2016 Editor

Derek O’Brien Years ago I read a definition of the difference between a nationalist and patriot. The nationalist loves his country, the patriot loves the people of his country. This one-liner came back to me recently as I considered the volatile and worrying situation in the Kashmir Valley, and how some people in India, on social media and on prime-time shows and in real life as well, unfortunately, seem to make a distinction between Kashmir, the land and Kashmiris, the people. As if the first is all-important to India and…

Kashmir; Controlled but Never Owned

August 12, 2016 Editor

Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, most popular and acknowledged leader of his time, was quite influenced and inspired by the way India was going to emerge after its independence – democratic, socialist and secular; country with a hope for its poor and downtrodden sections of the society, constitutional guarantee of fundamental rights to its citizens. While Indian National Congress (INC) represented all segments of the population, the elite, working class, farmers and artisans, in contrast to Muslim League constituted mostly by the elites of the Indian Muslim society. Thus, Sheikh Abdullah must…

A season of loss in Kashmir

August 9, 2016 Editor

Why is it that the deaths in Kashmir, and the blinding of more than 100 people are never referred to in the media or in drawing rooms as the death and injury of Indians? For days after the killing of Burhan Wani, every TV channel rang with acrimonious debate. Wani was described by India as a terrorist and by Pakistan as a martyr. The media resounded to argument and indignation. The number of dead and injured continued to rise relentlessly. Among the earliest to be killed was Yasmina of a…

“Cries from a Bleeding Kashmir”

August 7, 2016 Editor

By Dr. Ahmed I am just returning from Kashmir and was forced to rush to the Srinagar airport at 4:30 am to escape the agitated masses and stone pelters wreaking havoc during daylight hours. I still have vivid memories of stone pelters and anarchists roaming the streets, running amok, smashing cars, intimidating shopkeepers, and distributing posters threatening people who do not follow their decree. Watching the death and destruction from both inside and outside of the valley, I would not forgive myself if I did not speak the bitter truth…

Wrath of Kashmir

August 4, 2016 Editor

The anger in the streets of Kashmir is not about economic stagnation or unemployment; it is about the people’s aspiration to live a life of dignity. It is high time New Delhi woke up to the reality. By Shujaat Bukhari The current phase of unrest in Kashmir, which began on July 8 with the killing of the Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, is a replay of what happened in 2008 and 2010. At the time of writing this report, 55 people have lost their lives and 5,000 injured, which makes…

Stone rage in Kashmir

August 4, 2016 Editor

GoI is not interested to look into the root of present uprising instead GoI is inclined to push all Kashmiris to the wall Mohammad Muzaffar Thakur Parliament is the supreme representative body in our country where Kashmir unrest was also discussed recently. All the opposition members in once voice criticized the excessive use of force and impressed upon the government to exercise restrain while dealing with the situation. The members also impressed up the Government to stop the use of pellet guns. Few days later Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited…

Kashmir’s women rulers

August 4, 2016 Editor

M Ashraf Pandit Kalhana in Rajatarangini, his treatise on the Kashmiri Kings from the ancient times, which was written in twelfth century AD mentions about some of the women rulers of Kashmir. The most famous ruler has been Rani Didda who ruled for 40 years from 958 to 1003 AD. She is supposed to have been physically disabled, clever, manipulative, and ruthless. Her rule represents the peak of women power in Kashmir. She has been called the Catherine of Kashmir like the Catherine of Russia who was ruthless and ruled…