Book review: ‘Kashmir Saga’
Sheikh Mohsin
“What’s in a name”, Shakespeare said once. Well, if he were living in our times, he might reconsider his words. In our period there are some particular names… holding rare and strange connotations? Some excite the nerves of luxury, progress and prosperity while some trigger anger, abomination, carnage and alike in mind. The latter classification includes much perplexed word ‘Kashmir’, a heavy militarized zone with a ‘peculiarity’ of having a concentration of largest number of troops in the world, besieged by a chain of mighty Himalayas along with concertina wires.
It has been an abode of human habitation since centuries, ruled by different Dynasties and Autocrats. No one missed a chance of adoring and praising it but everyone fell short of giving the honor it deserved. Since the last seven decades the valley has endured a volley of tribulations with its inhabitants the worst sufferers. This gory panorama is a direct out-come of resistance between rulers and ruled.
Bone of contention: Jammu and Kashmir is a volatile territory acknowledged at international forums. Nevertheless, confusingly, remains shrouded in obscurantism—known among few circles due to meager documentation availability (though some intermittent endeavors do occur seldom).
In this connection “Kashmir saga” by Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain is such an attempt. The book divided into four parts unfolds with the geographical description of Jammu and Kashmir supplemented by brief mention of status quo owing to its disputed nature; as a bone of contention between two nuclear power rivals viz India and Pakistan, while a large chunk of its territory rests under Chinese occupation.
Then follows a short historical background which is mostly based on Kalhana’s Rajtarangini. The book casts light on despotic and oppressive outlook of different dynasties especially begins from decline of Varmans till Dogra rule. The author believes “decline of Varmans landed, Kashmir into political instability.” This was the time when chaos and confusion were order of the day. Rulers were keen to sap vigor and vitality of social fabric, concerned merely to loot and licentiousness. Kashmir was considered a saleable commodity as the ‘treaty of Amritsar’ is an open parable in this regard.
In the second part which can be termed the crux of monograph, the writer touches a sensitive issue. After decolonization people, in sub-continent, belonging to different ethnicities and religions grew apprehensive about their future by virtue of assimilation policy.
Muslims, the largest minority, resisted compulsive assimilation that finally resulted the division of sub-continent into two dominions of India and Pakistan. Proclamation of independence act of 1947 led revocation of British paramountcy over princely states with the exception of three (Hyderabad, Junagarh and Kashmir) as they were caught into the mire of controversy.
First two territories were annexed into India under the justification that Muslim ruler can’t decide the fate of their population majority of which happened to be Hindus.
The author has nicely penned down the issue of minorities for they are bound to respect the verdict of majority as is the case of democracy. He has given a number of instances where minorities have not been allowed to become an impediment in exercising right to self determination like east Timor, Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia. “In case of Quebec province of Canada, decision for status quo was taken with a margin of just one percent votes.”, the author informs.
The territory of Kashmir has all the good reasons to be considered, approached and resolved sincerely with the intermediation of UNO to let the siege of oppression end. To our misfortune, “it” has received nothing more than derides of lip service from world powers to even domestic elements. Civil societies are considered paramount in persuading parties to resolve issues on the basis of fairness of justice. Same was expected from our civil society but came-up with fiasco. The writer says, “(Indian) civil society has failed to fill up the vacuum.
The book reveals the ills of democracy so vividly “Kashmiris altogether, have a different experience of democracy. For them democracy has been ‘off the people, far the people and buy the people for legitimizing a relation to which they were not a party.”
The third part is based on UN resolutions on K-issue and some bilateral agreements between India and Pakistan although easily accessible on internet. At last the chronology of events, as the fourth section, has been adhered to the book which enlarges its volume. The book, written in a simple and lucid manner, is a good read for neophytes. And is a catalyst for budding writers to come up with more solid and evidence based content to address the genesis of pestering Kashmir-issue.
(The author is pursuing masters in pub-administration)
