Articles Archives | Page 43 of 51

1947: First Blood

November 9, 2015 Editor

Within 24 hours after Kashmir acceded to India in 1947, the Srinagar airport was not only the epicentre of the first war that India and Pakistan fought over the Vale but a stage for Kashmir’s first cordon and a massacre. Bilal Handoo traces the survivors of Kashmir first post-partition massacre to tell the story of dusky Gogo hamlet, that was obliterated from history He remembers everything as if that dark horror shook him only yesterday… Dusk had barely taken over when soldiers knocked at their doors, asking them to come…

Neither Modi’s visit nor Geelani’s million man march will help Kashmir

November 7, 2015 Editor

For Muslims and Hindus alike, New Delhi’s response is similar: ‘We are willing to give you bribes, but don’t expect justice, not ever.’ Omair Ahmad On November 7, Mr Narendra Modi will visit the Kashmir Valley. The hardline Kashmiri ideologue, and former MLA, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has called a “Million Man March” to protest Mr Modi’s presence – although none of us know what the prime minister has to say. In response, dozens of people have been put under “preventive detention” aka arrested, and the police and security forces…

Why GoI’s packages fail in Kashmir?

November 6, 2015 Editor

Faisul Yaseen From free rice in 1953 to Manmohan Singh’s Rs 24,000 crore package in 2004, from Rajiv Gandhi’s proposed Rs 10,000 crore package in 1987 to H D Deve Gowda’s Rs 301 crore package in 1996, Government of India (GoI) has been pumping money into Jammu Kashmir but failed to get the results it desired. Why did all these financial packages fail? Noted Kashmiri economist, Prof. Nisar Ali said these packages had been unsuccessful as the amount announced by the GoI for Jammu Kashmir had been pumped into its…

‘Innocents suffer with the guilty’: How Delhi Police Special Cell ruined young Kashmiri lives

October 30, 2015 Editor

A report prepared by Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association looks at cases of youth arrested on terror charges, tortured, jailed and eventually acquitted by courts. Sumegha Gulati On September 12, 2006, Parvez Ahmed Radoo left home in Sopore, a hotbed of militancy for decades, to return to his university in Pune. A postgraduate in zoology, Radoo had received a scholarship to pursue a PhD in South Korea. He was to catch a connecting flight to Pune to appear for his TOEFL exam when he was arrested at the international airport by…

Quietly, a piece of Kashmir culture withers away

October 30, 2015 Editor

Kani Shawls dying a slow & sure death As is so imminent in every sense, Kashmir is known for its art and crafts. Be it papier mâché, wood work, stone carving, metal work or the traditional shawl weaving and embroidery work, the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the local populace has been globally lauded. Kanihama, a small village on Srinagar-Gulmarg highway is the serene abode of Kani Shawls, a craft which demands patience, practice and great amount of skill in order to write mastery over a piece of special cloth. The…

Kanger: Symbol of our heritage

October 29, 2015 Editor

Dr Qayum Hamid Changal I was born and brought up in Kashmir. I have seen, heard and felt a lot of it. Magnificently crafted, it is an embodiment of Kashmiri art and culture. A fire pot with hot embers, it’s kept at ease beneath the traditional clothing Pheran to keep cold away. We call it Kanger, the name itself manifesting the chain of emotions attached to it. About six inches in diameter, it reaches a temperature of about 70 degree celsius, thus is a dominant provision during chilling winters to…

How women activists can help Jammu and Kashmir make progress in democracy and peace

October 28, 2015 Editor

Nyla Ali Khan, The partially autonomous northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is a beautiful part of the world – and also one of three areas of Kashmir divided into areas of control by India, Pakistan, and China and marred by a long history of violent political and ethic struggles. I love it well. The area is my homeland, and my family has been part of its history. My maternal grandfather, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, laid the foundation of resistance politics in Kashmir in 1931 and was the first Muslim…

Growth and Employment in J&K

October 28, 2015 Editor

Dr Nazir Ahmad Gilkar The issue of growth and employment in Jammu and Kashmir was discussed by a panel of experts at ISLE-57th Conference. The proceedings started with greetings to the panel of experts and learned audience by Prof. GM Bhat. J&K economy is the least researched in India. The state (noncommunist) first launched land reforms in 1948-1953 that are appreciated across the globe. West Bengal and Kerala (communist states) pursued the suit after some time. With these remarks the proceedings of the panel discussion titled Growth and Employment in…

Article 370: Let all controversies rest

October 27, 2015 Editor

Through perverted legal arguments and distortion of the historical facts, they try to prove that J&K“unduly” enjoys a distinct position in the Indian Union which is “violative” of constitutional provisions The special status that Jammu and Kashmir State constitutionally enjoys in the Union of India is being deliberately made contentious by a section of political thought in the country. The votaries of this political thought are trying to evolve a public opinion in the country in favour of doing away with the constitutional privileges of Jammu and Kashmir. Through a…