Kashmir: The Case for Freedom Paperback – October 24, 2011

OK, so I'm afraid to really like this book because I may be held for sedition. Eye-opening to say the least. I hope that someone in the newly elected government in India reads this and addresses fundamental issues raised in the book.

Writers Arundhati Roy, Agana P. Chatterji, and others provide a solid overview of the issues facing Kashmir, while poetess Habba Khatun graces the pages with her exquisite poetry. The book contains six chapters, each one detailing different issues, such as the human rights abuses in Kashmir, the history of Kashmir from the Indian freedom struggle to present, a personal account of terrorism against a Kashmiri student in India, a sampler of Habba Khatun's poetry, and a journalistic account of an azadi protest in Srinagar. The only elements that I found lacking were more personal accounts of those who lived through the militancy of the 1990s to present, the daily ordeals of those living in the valley, and information on the syncretic religious practices of Kashmir. Additionally, the voices of those from Ladakh, Azad Kashmir, and Jammu were missing. Overall, I would have appreciated the inclusion of information on those aspects of the issue. However, I would recommend this book to others who are seeking an overview of the situation in the Kashmir valley.

succinct and informative summary of issues facing Kashmiris as they seek freedom and justice

I received the item before expected delivery date and I loved it

I found the book: Kashmir: The Case for Freedom; by I found the book: Kashmir: The Case for Freedom; by Arundhati Roy, Tariq Ali, Hilal Bhatt, Angana P. Chatterji, Habbah Khatun and Pankaj Mishra to be very interesting and at the same time to be problematic in that it did not do full justice to the current Kashmir issue stalemate in terms of not coming across as hard-hitting account of the present struggle there as I would have liked. It gives the usual generic historical account with many interesting meetings Tariq Ali had with many key political figures involved in the Kashmir issue. However, I was impressed with Arundhati Roy's section in the book and whose credentials on the Kashmir issue are highly respected by many Kashmiris activists.Overall, the other sections in the book by Hilal Bhatt gives the on the ground reality of what it must have been like in the 1947 partition and in the events during December, 1992 when 150,000 Kar Sevaks (Hindu nationalist Volunteers) had gone to the Barbri Mosque in Ayodhya and had razed it to the ground and in the ensuing Hindu-Muslim riots around 2,500 people were reportedly killed across India. Interestingly, the poem sections gave me an another insight into the Habbah Khatun story and the Nehru speeches reminded me of divisive role Nehru must have played Kashmir's current stalemate and on the other hand it seems to suggest that the author(s) did not have much else to say about the current situation in Kashmir and merely acted as page fillers. Nonetheless, I was also impressed by what A P Chatterji wrote on the important aspect of human right abuses and how the militarisation there has impacted on the economic infrastructure in Indian Kashmir Occupied Kashmir.A well worth buying book and overall a value for many purchase.

Biased view

Book was in good shape.

A half baked story collated fron today's news media presenting information justifying the title - a case for freedom. There is no option for a balanced presentation. India is bad. What about the part that Pak occupies. Tariq Ali has tried to present a curious picture of that blurs than defined. Pandaj Mishra whatever be his credentials on the subject speaks of human rights of Kashmiris but forget that thee is a history of persecution and genocide by those he writes for. What is needed to balance the history is that Jammu and Kashmir ruler had leased a portion of Gilgit - Baltistan namely Skaradu in 1935 for 60-years on lease. It had on 15th of August a garrison of Indian troops. One fine morning, major Akbar Khan with authorization from the British General hoisted the Pak flag claiming the garrison to be under Pak authority- mind you hike it was still legally with the Maharaja. Pak forces went on rampage raping Sikh women and killing all men and children. This good news was signaled to Pak Army HQ in Rawalpindi. India sat idling and watching because Mountbatten advised against intervention to Nehru. It is when the marauders arrived in October and treaty of accession signed that India stepped into the fighting. Meanwhile the garrison was starved while the Indian contingent held on unsupported for nearly 9-months before surrender. Col Jung Bahadur would have been executed but was saved by orders from Gen Grace Kelly Then Chief of Pak Army. The tortuous events that have followed since may not be so heart wrenching until 1988 when mercenaries arrived. A regimen of genocide began. Kashmiri Pandits were systematically hounded from their homes.The question all this begs is whethe India reneged from the promised plebiscite. No. The Plebiscite Adminsitrator arrived in 1948 under the UN mandate and as per UN resolution asked Pak to vacate and hand over all Jammu and Kashmir to India. Pak supprorted by the British did not pull out. For nearly 50-years after that it was in Britain that supported the free Kashmiri movement by standing steadfast by Pakistan. The consequences of their act is now known as 7/7.Final thoughts - we are told told the truth and the absolute truth.