FJ Kashmir

Book: Loal Kashmir: Love and Longing in a Torn Land Author: Mehak Jamal Publisher: HarperCollins  Pages: 343 inam ul rehman  As I received the pre-ordered book I was impressed with its cover design and illustration of Veer Misra and Basita Shah. As a reader I always skip blurbs, quotes by others regarding books because I don’t want my opinion coloured by these, second, it usually is done to please the publishing house or the author. Hence holds no value for serious readers.  The book, as the author states, fructified during the traumatic events of reading down of Article 370 and 35A in 2019 Jammu and Kashmir .  Mehak Jamal’s book on love and longing starts with exuberance. In the early 90s when cordon and search operations were norm in Kashmir¬¬—where people used to be paraded before masked men sitting in armed gypsies—17-year-old  Javid tries to dodge one such operation, notoriously known as a crackdown , but finds himself late to escape.  As he moves to...

  Book: Undaunted: Lt Ummer Fayaz of Kashmir Author: bhaavna aroar   Publisher: Westland books Pages: 232     inam ul rehman   “I am writing a book on Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz,” says bhaavna arora to a bookstore owner at the Srinagar airport to see his reaction. “Yes, I have heard of him,” says the owner. “But you know,” continues he, “there was an innocent shepherd boy who was killed by the forces yesterday. He was mistaken for a terrorist. I am pretty sure no one will write a book on him.”    It is these honest conversations that the author peppers on her eponymous book. Written in an interesting, absorbing way with parallel tracks the book crafts the story of a young Ummer, who was sure he is safe among his people even after being commissioned lieutenant of the 2 Rajputana Rifles .    From an early age, Ummer was groomed by his father to think and be different from his peers.  The protagonist lives up to this grooming. Not just be...

Reneging Article 370  inam ul rehman Unlike match fixing where the outcome of the match is decided, and needs most influential players to be part of it, spot fixing is betting about some parts of the game without the support of influential players and does not necessarily impact the outcome.    When the US Department of State declared chief of the United Jihad Council , Syed Salahuddin , as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on June 26, 2017, no one in Kashmir asked what interest the USA has in it. It was in keeping with the tradition of “we know it is India’s conspiracy”. Salahudidn is neither an ideologue nor a fighter, never attacked or threatened American interests, and believes in democracy. By declaring him as its enemy wasn’t the USA getting directly involved in the Kashmir dispute? It means that India has to accept Kashmir as an international dispute because the US bracketed Salahuddin among its enemy, which also ticks the vital column which the P...

inam ul rehman Politics is less based on morals and more on politicking. That is why political class mostly gets away with wrongdoings. In 1636, the Mughal emperor Shahjahan signed a deal with the Deccani states of Golconda, and Bijapur , promising not to conquer these states in future. This promise was reneged by Shahjahan himself.  But Golconda, and Bijapur kingdoms continued to exhibit some sovereignty although they accepted the Mughal suzerainty . Then came emperor Aurangzeb . He wanted both these states to confront Marathas , who were hassling his troops in guerrilla warfare. They refused, and Aurangzeb for the time being lost interest. Bijapur, and Golconda states acted as a buffer zone between the Mughals and Maratha. The latter would plunder these two states, and sometimes join hands with them against the Mughals. Aurangzeb’s repeated offer to Bijapur to join hands with him to destroy the Maratha was not acceptable to Bijapur, as it considered Maratha pow...