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The Crown Princes of Kashmir

September 28, 2015 Editor

Andrew Whitehead Kashmir dispensed with princely rule two generations and more ago – yet there are plenty of crown princes still at hand. The political order has changed utterly but there’s no shortage of aspirants to power whose status has in large part been inherited. That was brought home to me while reading the new and much talked about book by A.S. Dulat, the former head of the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW). In Kashmir: the Vajpayee years, Dulat asserts that the ‘four likely players for the future in Kashmir…

How Eid used to be celebrated

September 28, 2015 Editor

Rakib Chatt Eid Aye Rasse Rasse Eidgah Was Wai, (Eid has arrived, let us go to Eidgah) was the most prominent song which was sung on the occasion of Eid in Kashmir valley. Today, though it is in the heart of the people of Kashmir, the tradition seems lost in chores and Eid arrangements. Since when has the song been a hallmark of Eid celebration, a tradition which now seems to be lost? “Song Eid Aye Rasse Rasse Eidgah Was Wai is an old tradition and we have been hearing…

Beef Ban – Expect the unexpected

September 23, 2015 Editor

Shoeb Hamid There are only two theories that appear to be of some application when Beef Ban hullabaloo is put in a tangible context. One, that the Beef Ban was a deliberate ploy to take away the attention from poor performance of the government, especially the BJP wing, after 2014 floods. And two, that the right-wing is testing waters in the state, perhaps for the launch of more aggressive attack on the Muslim majority community. Few days before Beef Ban grabbed the attention by becoming lead stories together with the…

Kashmiri Language – The identity of Kashmiris

September 23, 2015 Editor

Brij Nath Betab Our mother tongue Kashmiri not only gives us our cultural identity but also magnifies our cultural ethos by connecting us with our traditions and cultural expressions. Today, when we boast of our rich past, it could not be possible if the language would not connect us with our ancestors and particularly with those whose words of wisdom have become guiding principles of our social life. Despite having contributed magnificently to India’s social and cultural milieu, apprehensions of an onslaught on Kashmiri language have been lurking large. One…

Did you ban cow-slaughter in Kashmir right before Eid to offend Muslim sensibilities?

September 23, 2015 Editor

Faraz Talat As soon as the Indian authorities are done congratulating themselves over the arrest of the Kashmiri anti-nationalist figurehead, Asiya Andrabi, they can start explaining how they intend to win Kashmiri hearts and minds through an expanding list of despotic restrictions being imposed upon the people. The firebrand chief of the all-female separatist group, Dukhtaran-e-Millat or “Daughters of Faith”, was recently arrested from her Soura resident over a bizarre list of charges. These include the crime of waving the Pakistani national flag and singing the Pakistani national anthem, as well as slaughtering a…

Between the two Burhans lies the sad tale of Kashmir

September 22, 2015 Editor

Rajni Shaleen Chopra One Burhan took to the gun to protest what he calls the forced subjugation of Kashmir. The same gun, through its torturous twists and turns, was used by three teenaged boys to kill the other Burhan and his father, a former militant. Burhan Wani, 21, is the new face of Kashmiri militancy, a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander whose ultimate goal is to “unfurl the flag of Islam on Delhi’s Red Fort”. In a recent audio widely circulated on the social media, he spoke to his followers in…

Children and Hope dying in Kashmir

September 21, 2015 Editor

Arun Joshi Burhan was in the protective lap of his father Bashir Ahmad when some unidentified gunman or gunmen showered bullets at them. The three-year-old might have asked why his body was riddled with bullets. Why could the protection of the lap not shield him from the marauders who killed him and his father who, after quitting militancy nine years ago, was leading a normal life? There are no easy answers available to these questions in Kashmir — the land where children are unsafe like the men or women of…

Kashmir in turmoil again

September 18, 2015 Editor

Ashok Bhan The recent developments in Kashmir are certainly alarming and have added fuel to fire not only owing to non-fulfillment of the promises made to people but also showing no signs of improvement in socio-economic conditions of people. The alienation among the people, particularly the youth, has increased so much that an atmosphere is created to encourage militancy, on the scale and intensity that was witnessed in the early nineties. Who is responsible for this – the alliance government or the people of the state? Unfulfilled Promises The BJP…

What led to Kashmir’s division in 1947 – Tribal Raid or Poonch Uprising?

September 17, 2015 Editor

Gowhar Geelani For almost previous seven decades, 68 years to be precise, India’s argument while laying its full claim on erstwhile princely state of Jammu & Kashmir has been that the Pakistani raiders (Tribals) were the first “aggressors” at the time of India-Pakistan Partition in 1947, which subsequently led to war, rioting, massacre of Jammu Muslims, destruction on a large scale, and division of the Himalyan region. But the recent revisionist history seriously challenges India’s argument and official claim on Kashmir. Christopher Snedden — renowned Australian historian, author, politico-strategic analyst…

Kashmir on the streets and Palestine at the UN

September 14, 2015 Editor

Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani People of Jammu and Kashmir (Muslims in particular) and the people of Palestine (Muslim in particular) are engaged in opposition with two respective cruel administrations. Imprisonment, torture, taking the dissent (youth in particular) out of circulation and use of military force are common practices followed by Delhi and Tel Aviv. Kashmiri and Palestinian people continue to be on the streets and this semblance of unrest is a permanent feature in their daily lives. Palestinians however, have distinguished their method and wisdom, by being active off street…