Next Role-Player in Jammu and Kashmir?
From the trashcan of politics Z.G. MUHAMMAD For understanding contemporary Kashmir politics, sometimes it is rewarding to stir through trashcan of history. No moment one stirs through it, some nauseating stories come to the surface that one finds are being replicated even today. The other day glancing through the broadsheets and reading about eagerness of some “electoral-politicians” signing ‘Faustian-contracts’ for strutting across the corridors of power for some time- a line from ‘As You Like It’ less read Shakespearean drama, repeatedly resounded in my mind: “Let it suffice thee that I trust thee not”. Seen in historical perspective the quoted line could be an appropriate title for history of sixty seven years relations between New Delhi and Kashmir “electoral- politicians”. With New Delhi, any politicians has been or is okay, so far he … Read entire article »
Filed under: Kashmir-Talk
Understanding Dynamics of Electoral Politics in Kashmir.
Z.G. Muhammad Some forty two years back a leading New Delhi newspaper had published an editorial titled, “Weep Over This Victory”. This incisive and piercing commentary on the 1972 State Assembly elections, had stirred my young mind and made me think if ‘electoral politics’ in the state could ever be credible. Thinking this piece of writing was worth preserving for posterity I had pasted it on a white sheet of paper. It was part of my small archives till silverfish feasted upon it and consumed it completely but during many an elections including those held after 1996, I re-read it and found it as apt for all the elections held in the state as it was at the time of its publication. All these election with much trumpeted songs of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Kashmir-Talk
Talks on Kashmir Under Shimla Agreement- And Modi’s Offer
Z.G. Muhammad India and Pakistan relations are once again on rocks. It is not a new phenomenon. Sixty seven years graph of relations between the two even at a cursory look shows that there are only a few crests and rest all troughs- some very deep. From ab initio dispute over future of Jammu and Kashmir has been at the centre of relations between the two countries. On 15 August 1947, the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir had denied to fall into the basket of either of the two dominions – India and Pakistan. From this date to 27 October 1947, when army from New Delhi ostensibly at the request of Maharaja Hari Singh at Srinagar airport it was an independent state. Despite the “fact and date of the Instrument of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Kashmir-Talk
Kashmir English Novelists Make A Mark
My presentation on Shafi Ahmed’s Novel , “Beyond The Ghost Town in Hotel Grand Mumtaz Mr. Chairman friends, Ladies and gentleman At the outset, I must thank Shafi Ahmed, for giving me an opportunity for sharing my views on his second novel Shadows “Beyond the Ghost Town” Driving to this place, and thinking about the book to be released, suddenly some translated verses of my favourite Palestine poet Mahmoud Dervish and our own Agha Shahid started resonating in … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Kashmir-Talk
Importance of Phrasology For Political Narrtives
‘Dynamics’ of Political Phraseology Z.G. Muhammad Kashmir politics has its own dictionary. Every year new words and phrases are added to it. After every mega and mini political event or development a newer word or phrases creeps into it. Some of the phrases after remaining in currency for sometime lose their sheen, luster and relevance. Then they are relegated to the pages of history but they do remain a part of this dictionary. Some do survive longer and retain power of whipping public sentiments as and when required. Let me call this dictionary, for its distinctiveness of the words and phrases that have been added to it during past seventy six years as ‘politico-lexicon-Kashmiri. The words contained in this ‘politico-lexicon-Kashmiri have their own etymology. This etymology in fact is as good as an index … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Kashmir-Talk
Kashmir Narrative and Coalation Governments
2014 Elections …….. and the Coalition Politics Z.G. MUHAMMAD My premise, perhaps was faulty. I had started believing, that 2014 Assembly elections in the State will be different in as much as actors’ involved in the electoral politics are concerned. I was not alone, few other political commentators believed so. Since 2012, statements originating from certain political formations, suggested that an MUF type political front would again tumble into political arena of Kashmir to challenge hegemony of the traditional ‘power-politics’ parties’ during coming Assembly elections. At the start of 2014, after these parties had stirred debate over relevance of UN resolutions, more particularly putting question marks on 30 March 1951 and 24 January 1957 resolutions of the Security Council regarding the Constituent Assembly, indications had become more profound. That the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Kashmir-Talk
sino-US confronation and Kashmir Dispute
China, America and Kashmir Don’t get caught up in the complexity of the ‘new cold war’ PUNCHLINE Z.G. MUHAMMAD Smaller Default Larger Is South Asia heading for a major war? This question has been making rounds in academic, diplomatic and political circle in Washington, Beijing and other important capitals of Asian countries. To quote New York Times, political commentator Roger Cohen, “This is the core question of the 21st Century.” ‘The collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991 had thrown into sharp relief the pre-eminence of the USA in the global hierarchy of power’ but the rise of China as a major economy is largely seen as a threat to this position more particularly in Asia. The war of supremacy between the two Titans is not now confined to most volatile South-Asian region … Read entire article »
Filed under: Kashmir-Talk