Peace Watch » Archive
“Vajpayee Syndrome” and Kashmir Leaders?
The ‘Vajpayee Syndrome’ Will India’s new PM follow Atalji’s model on Kashmir Z. G. MUHAMMAD The enthusiasm in the Ilahaqi political parties in the state for the sixteenth Lok Sabha elections is on the expected lines. For these parties it is an opportunity for testing their strength for the 2014 Assembly elections. Nevertheless, very high expectations in a section of the “pro-freedom” leadership that ‘Narendra Modi led NDA government if elected will move an extra mile for resolving … Read entire article »
Filed under: Kashmir-Talk
K. H. Khurshid: Student Private Secretary of Jinnah Khurshid
Remembering K. H. Khurshid Z.G. MUHAMMAD It is unimaginable. It sounds like a fairy tale. Nevertheless, it is a true story; history had cast role for a young student leader from Srinagar in contributing his mite in ‘altering the course of history, modifying the map of the world and creating a nation state.’ The twenty-year-old student leader who earned distinction of joining the team of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, a man of ‘sartorial elegance’ and ‘indomitable will’ – … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Kashmir-Talk
Nodding-Goat Leadership is Dangerous
PUNCHLINE Z. G. MUHAMMAD Seventy days after there will be new government in office in New Delhi. Few days back the Shankh for one of the most thrilling electoral battles in India was blown. The elections to be held in nine phases spread over thirty-six days will be one of the long drawn battles for the Raisina Hill in the Lutyens Delhi. Although a bit early, yet it is a big question, who will inherit throne of New … Read entire article »
Filed under: Kashmir-Talk
Leaders And Suffering Uncertanties in Kashmir
PUNCHLINE Z.G. Muhammad Sipping tea amidst clinking of knives and forks in a busy city restaurant, a columnist friend, with an intriguing smile on his face said that “now they have decided to take head-on any opinion makers or leaders who oppose their moves for a dialogue – reconciliation.” He was referring to a statement by a group of ‘leaders’ in the morning newspapers. Initially, I dismissed the remarks as premature and out of context. Ostensibly … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Memomirs of Munshi Ishaq- An exposure of Kashmir’s hideous politics
Z.G. Muhammad The whole truth about the ‘actual happenings’ and behind the scene developments between 1946 and 1947 in Jammu and Kashmir is yet to be told.’ End of the autocratic rule in 1947, did not usher in a ‘popular rule’. In fact, the struggle against the autocratic rule, which started in 1924, with the presentation of a memorandum to Lord Reading, ended up with the installation of a ‘neo-fascist’ regime in 1947. The neo-fascists, while … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Is Urdu being driven out of the land it lends an identity to
Z.G. MUHAMMAD A few days back Syed Ali Geelani sent out an ‘SOS’- a distress signal not to the United Nations or Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), imploring for preventing human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir or sending succor for victims of violence but asking his own people to rise against systematic killing of Urdu – the official language of the state. His concern has been genuine. Even average person has started seeing a sinister design in publishing of forms for ration cards in English instead in Urdu by the Department of Consumers and Public Distribution Department. This department is one of very few departments were most of the official business is largely transacted in the state language- a language read and understood by overwhelming population across the state. Changing language … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Hurriyat Conference Battle Of Ideas
Hurriyat 3 What does this third chapter signify? Z.G. MUHAMMAD “‘Birth with a bang and death with a whimper’, since fifties has been most prominent attribute of our political organizations fighting for right to self-determination. Is it going to be the fate of the Hurriyat Conference also, this question bothered me a few days back, when this multi-party combine suffered yet another fragmentation and the third Hurriyat Conference was born. The first major crack in this multi-party combine took place in 2002. It caused a vertical division in this organization that despite inherent contradictions had remained together for about eleven years and fought some toughest political battles. The causes for this break up have been analyzed in this column in the past and these continue to be part of public memory to … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take