History of flag politics in Kashmir
Punchline: Politics Of Flags By Z. G. Muhammad Is battle over flags battle of ideas or battle of ideologies? Is it an expression of the conflict between the ‘dominant discourse’ and the popular narrative? These question might have stirred the minds of scholars in our universities after cacophonous debates on the corporate television channels over some boys carrying green and white flags with white crescent moon and a five-pointed star in the middle at a public rally in Srinagar. The rally had been organized by the APHC (G) to accord reception to its leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on his arrival in Srinagar from New Delhi. The unfurling of green flags at religious and political functions is not an unfamiliar scene in the State. It is the white stripe by the hoist … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Featured
Who Divides Them?
What Divides Them? Or Should I say who divides them Z.G. MUHAMMAD In larger political struggles, it is the belief in great ideal, such as “freedom is indivisible ‘that binds together people from diverse backgrounds and makes them a cohesive force for translating their ideologies and dreams into a reality. That bonds for achieving a cherished political goals are far stronger than cords for sharing comforts of power. This historical reality however, does not hold true about … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Featured, Kashmir-Talk, Perspectives, Point of view
The Ghetoo Politics A Dangerous Game Plan
Punchline Dangerous Game Plan Z.G. Muhammad New Delhi’s proposed plan for creating ‘ghettos’ for migrant ‘Kashmir Pandits has drawn flaks across the political divide in Jammu and Kashmir and harsher reaction even from some Indian newspapers. Leading and prestigious newspaper the Hindu in its editorial on April 10, (Friday) wrote “the proposal to create enclaves for them in the Valley is a misconceived element of tokenism that would do great harm and no good….. Without ensuring a … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Boobytrap For Kashmir “Leaders”
Z. G. MUHAMMAD Smaller Default Larger ‘There’s only one way into this fortress, and that’s to scale the walls.’ This dialogue from famous Hollywood blockbuster movie of early Seventies, ‘Where Eagles Dare”, with Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood in lead roles resonated in my mind on seeing a spate of statements from the ‘resistance’ and ostensibly ‘dissenting’ leadership on the Governor N.N. Vohra’s address to the joint session of the Assembly on Wednesday. For any student of contemporary Kashmir politics, the interest exhibited by the ‘dissenting’ important leaders at the address is a sort of making history. These leaders for past two decades either have been ignoring such addresses or dismissing them to the trashcan. Is it subtle expression of change of mind-set, a paradigm shift or a display of misplaced understanding? This … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Kashmir-Talk
Story of “Slave Kings’ and Lollypop Leaders
PUNCHLINE The Expression of Mistrust Z.G. Muhammad So far, I have no reason to believe that it is ‘a good cop bad cop’ strategy towards attaining a bigger ‘political goal’- ‘extinguishing the lost flicker of the resistance’ by playing ‘reconciliation card’. Those who subscribe to this idea, may have some valid points grounded in history to strengthen their arguments or may even have some inside knowledge about the new arrangement that has been put in place … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
When Waters Turned Furious- Story on Celloulid
Kashmir: Into the Murky Waters’ A film that intensely captures the agony of September 2014 PUNCHLINE Z.G. MUHAMMAD Smaller Default Larger ‘Politics have no relation to morals,’ said Noccolo Machiavelli, sixteenth century historian politician and author of famous political treatise the Prince. Let me add, in our case, politics has no respect for human agonies and pain and politicians have mastered art of exploiting the sufferings of people and fattening on the same. Our history, is replete with instances of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Story of Musical Chairs
Punchline Z.G. MUHAMMAD Power politics in the state has been and continues to be game of musical chairs. It has been, so since Kashmir lost its independence, and surrogates, from Delhi, Kabul and Punjab ruled the ‘country’. During twenty seven years of the Sikh Rule (1819-1846), over a dozen of governors were appointed by the rulers in Punjab for sucking people dry. Eight of them eventually became ‘extremely wealthy by fattening on people miseries. In the post … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take