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…
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Articles
Children and Hope dying in Kashmir
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…
Read MoreKashmir in turmoil again
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…
Read MoreWhat led to Kashmir’s division in 1947 – Tribal Raid or Poonch Uprising?
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…
Read MoreKashmir on the streets and Palestine at the UN
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…
Read MoreHow J&K beef ban is in turn popularising beef eating
Soon after the court judgement, social media realised there was a law against cow slaughter. Naseer Ganai Jammu and Kashmir is the only state with laws against cow slaughter and beef eating. Almost all the laws enacted during Maharaja’s time in 1930s were subsequently adopted by the constituent assembly of the state. While with regard to penalty, amendments were made but the laws remained there including law against cow slaughter and beef eating. However, no government tried to implement the law against cow slaughter except governor Jagmohan in 1980s and…
Read MoreProtection of Environment in Kashmir
One of the significant decisions in the environmental history is the recent climate change encyclical of Pope Francis. The document is now the church’s official position on the environment which includes the practical guidance and is being hailed as a major intervention in the climate change debate. It presents a rare locking of arms between the church and the scientific community. The truth that climate change is happening is now an established fact, although there is section which does not agree with it. The day in and day out flood…
Read MoreWhy Kashmir Needs A Literature Of Its Own?
GHULAM MOHAMMAD KHAN The former US admiral and commander of NATO in Europe James Stavridis’ interesting injunction to read and closely scrutinize Russian Literature in order to get to the ‘soul of Russia’; its public behaviour and political actions to the people and politicians of Europe in general and America in particular, vindicates the relevance and authenticity of ‘Literature’, the discipline otherwise adjudged by many as something simulated or apocryphal. To figure out any possibility of getting closer to the otherwise cryptic Kremlin foreign policy, Stavridis preferred the reading of…
Read MorePolitics of Symbols
A. G. NOORANI Section 144 of the Constitution of Jammu & Kashmir says in the plainest of words: “The Flag of the State shall be rectangular in shape and red in colour with three rectangular white vertical strips of equal width next to the staff and white plough in the middle with handle facing the strips. The ratio of the length of the flag to its width shall be 3 : 2”. All the holders of office under this Constitution are required (Ss. 40, 64, 97 and the Fifth Schedule)…
Read More‘We Need Pens, Computers Not Guns and Grenades’
A member of British House of Lords, Nazir Ahmad on Tuesday said that ‘Tripartite negotiations between Governments of India, Pakistan and Kashmiri leadership’ is the only way to resolve the “outstanding dispute of Jammu & Kashmir.” He was speaking during the 52nd Annual Convention of Islamic Society of North America(ISNA), held in Chicago USA, on the subject: ‘Kashmir: A Case of Steadfastness’. Lord Nazir said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “reckless defiance to resolve the Kashmir dispute” is a “threat to the regional peace and stability”. “And the international community…
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