Kashmir in perspective

by SHUJAAT BUKHARI

Kashmir: Virasat aur Siasat by Urmilesh
Publisher: Anamika Publishers and Distributors Pvt. Limited, New Delhi; revised Edition, 2016
Pages: 182; price: Paperback: Rs.20

Not much literature is available in Hindi on Kashmir and the politics surrounding it. Hindi writers have refrained from writing on this critical and contentious issue, which evokes nationalistic sentiments in today’s India. There are, of course, books in Hindi on Kashmir, but these have either taken a propagandist approach or tend to resort to plain distortion of facts. This is why those who read these books have an understanding about Kashmir that is often disconnected from reality.

The noted journalist and political commentator Urmilesh has tried to bridge this gap by trying to unravel the political dynamics of a place that has been seething with anger and frustration, especially since July 8, 2016. His book, Kashmir: Virasat Aur Siyasat, is perhaps the first one in Hindi on Kashmir’s political trajectory. Urmilesh has dealt in detail with the political crisis in Jammu and Kashmir and the atmosphere of turmoil that continues to engulf the State. The unrest witnessed in the Kashmir Valley since July is political in nature. The author tries to tell us how it arose.

Dismissal of Sheikh Abdullah

Basing his arguments on the experience he gained from reporting on Kashmir for 16 years, Urmilesh traces the State’s alienation to the unfulfilled promises made to the people of Kashmir and the way the region was robbed of its autonomy. He lays emphasis on the illegal dismissal of Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1953 and the way it provided an impetus to the unrest within the State. Quoting from Sheikh Abdullah’s autobiography, the author explains how the dismissal impacted the political landscape of Kashmir and how it was seen as a massive betrayal by its people.

The debate over Maharaja Hari Singh acceding to newly independent India remains central to understanding the origins of the Kashmir dispute.

The book covers the history of Kashmir’s accession and the instrument that was signed by the Maharaja. It covers political history in a comprehensive way as the author puts things in context by giving a brief account of the ancient and medieval history of the State.

In that sense, the book helps the reader understand the larger political problem in a broad historical perspective.

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