Kashmir Halcyon:

Published at 31/05/2015 00:40:20   Book: Paradise on Fire Publisher: Millat Publication, 2015 Price: Rs 250 Daanish Bin Nabi Introduction The book Paradise on Fire is one among the books on Kashmir that present splendidly its past as well as present. For the first time any author has chronicled activities, actions, responses and counter arguments to Syed Ali Geelani’s political legacy, written in English. The book also acts as a source, perhaps for the first time in Kashmir, in providing empirical data, details on political conflict that are presented in a lucid manner. The book offers a perspective of major world events at large and of Kashmir in particular. The author, Abdul Hakeem, has quoted ample examples and a thorough research is put to the use of the reader about Syed Ali Geelani and Kashmir movement in the light of Islam. Overview of the book The role of Geelani and important events from 1947 to the inception of militancy in late 1980s has ...

‘Elections rigged by State governments not by GoI’ Prem Shankar Jha,  the author of ‘ Kashmir 1947: The Origins of a Dispute’  is among the few Indian journalists who understand the complexities of the Kashmir conflict. The genesis of the conflict, he believes, lies in India's inability to understand Kashmir and Kashmiris. In an interaction with  Rising Kashmir’s   Daanish Bin Nabi,  he talks of the flawed policies of New Delhi vis-à-vis Kashmir, Hurriyat, Musharff’s four-point formula and more . Excerpts: ·          Yaseen and Ashfaq would have become part of an alternate political party if MUF had been allowed to win ·          Hurriyat creation of Pakistan ·          The moment Kashmiri leaders talk about Kashmir’s independence, ISI turns on them ·          Pakistan discouraged Hurri...

Asgar Ali Karbalai   is the second and current chief executive councilor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil. He is an influential member of the socio-religious organization Imam Khomieni Memorial Trust, Kargil and is also affiliated with Indian National Congress. He is well known for his inspirational speeches. In an exclusive interview to   Rising Kashmir’s   Online Editor Daanish Bin Nabi   he talks about discrimination faced by the people of Kargil and the relation between Kashmir and Kargil.   Excerpts: •    Central governments have always tried to project Ladakh as land of Lamas   •    RSS wants to separate Leh from rest of Jammu and Kashmir   •    Jammu was transformed into industrial city in last 24 years  •    We face discrimination by GoI because we are Muslims  •    Kargil-Skardu road has 100 percent zero security threat pe...

‘In Kashmir there is need of a department were religion can be studied as focus of scholarship rather than religious belief’ Chitralekha Zutshi  is associate professor of History at the College of William and Mary. She specializes in Modern South Asia, expertise in Islamicate identities and culture, nationalism and national movements, and historical thought and practice. She has spoken and published widely on the interrelationships among these ideas in the context of Kashmir. She received her Ph.D in History from Tufts University, US. She is the author of ‘Languages of Belonging and  Kashmir's Contested Pasts. In an interview with  Rising Kashmir  Online Editor  Daanish Bin Nabi , Zutshi talks about her second book, the research she is doing on her third book and the history of Kashmir. Excerpts: ·          What is the purpose of your visit to Kashmir? I am in Kashmir because of two things. Firstly, I am rel...

‘Rahul Gandhi not Shehzada but Shaheedzada’ Former Tourism Minister  Ghulam Ahmed Mir  has been appointed as new president of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee. He has replaced Saifuddin Soz. The Congress won only 12 seats in the 2014 Assembly elections. Mir, who was elected from Dooru constituency in South Kashmir twice in 2002 and 2008 polls on Congress ticket, lost elections in 2014 by some 150 votes. Mir born in 1959 in Damhal village of Anantnag has an experience of 31 years in political field in JK. In a brief interview with  Rising Kashmir Op-ed Editor  Daanish Bin Nabi , he talks about the 2014 Assembly election, emergence of BJP, revamping of State Congress, allegations of his involvement in sex scandal and his closeness with Nehru-Gandhi family. Excerpts : ·          Neutral votes went in PDP’s favor because BJP’s fear among voters ·          I am ...