Why I picked this book?
As the title suggests, “Kashmir: Rage and Reason” explores the rage in the Kashmir Valley and the possible reasons behind it. Coming from a journalist who was born and spent his childhood in Kashmir and witnessed the ugly side of the violence, the book promised to be informative and stimulating. Kashmir is one subject around which many narratives circulate, and it takes effort to find accounts that feel grounded and credible, be it about the present situation or the past. For a broader account of Kashmir’s history and politics, I also found Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris useful. I try to read as much as I can of the work of people who have seen and experienced the violence from different sides.
Kashmir: Rage and Reason what the book Covers
The preface of Kashmir: Rage and Reason sets the tone for what follows. The author, who was born and brought up in Kashmir, vividly remembers his childhood before the early 1990s , when pro-azadi sentiments were not so strong among the Kashmiris. Their childhood was having fun, preparing tehri, stealing mugs of rice from their home to cook it with turmeric in an earthen pot by setting tiny twigs on fire. Theft of apples and almonds from orchards, making coconut ice-creams in winters playing cricket. All this changed after 1989 and songs of azadi and pro-independence became a norm.
Geelani describes how violence engulfed the Kashmir Valley, pro-azadi militants gained prominence, and the armed forces’ presence increased. In the process, ordinary Kashmiris often became the victims of violence from different sides.
The author remembers the song jaago jaago subah hui/fateh ka parcham lehraya and how it connected with all Kashmiris. Geelani writes that some people in Kashmir, particularly in south Kashmir and areas close to the border, felt an affinity with Pakistan. The author says post 1989, with some groups calling for a union with Pakistan and other calling for independence an armed resistance was broken in Kashmir against Indian government.
The kids growing up in valley during these times learned new words and phrases like curfew, crackdown, cordon, custody killing, catch-and-kill, torture, interrogation, arrest, detention, and disappearance. Young children were exposed to violence and were angry by the armed forces frisking them, asking them to prove their identity, throwing their school bags, asking them to do push ups as punishment and throwing abuses at them.
The book tells the readers that the generation growing up in the 90s have seen violence and killings of Kashmiri people, their own family members and as they grew older, they got to know the terms like fake encounter, extrajudicial killing, custodial disappearance, and mass graves. Geelani’s central argument is that this generation grew up amid violence, killings, and oppression, which helps explain the rage he describes.
The author provides a detailed analysis of the killing of Burhan Wani and his associates by the armed forces. He tells us the heroic status of Wani was a result of people’s acceptance of independence of Kashmir, there may be faction who wants to merge with Pakistan or stay independent, but one thing is for sure people do not want to be with India. Burhan symbolized that young Kashmiris wants independence and they are fed up with political solution is no where to be seen. Geelani reads the turnout at Wani’s funeral as evidence of the depth of feeling at the time.
The book tries to bring forth the reason for the rage and anger among the Kashmiri people towards the Indian government. There are many instances and examples cited by the author which contribute to the current narrative and mood of the Kashmiri people. The author also throws light on the role the media has played in the whole thing. How on one hand the media and its voice is suppressed in Kashmir and on the other hand the media in New Delhi portrays Kashmir in a particular way that suits the narrative of the central government.
Kashmir: Rage and Reason is a thought-provoking read that leaves the reader better informed about the situation and aspirations of many Kashmiris.
About The Author
Gowhar Geelani is a broadcast journalist, political analyst and commentator currently based in Srinagar. For several years he served Deutsche Welle (Voice of Germany) as editor in Bonn, Germany. The author is a South Asia Journalism Programme (SAJP/Chevening Fellow (2015) and Munich Young Leader (2014) and writes for the BBC, Race and Class, Dawn, CNN IBN, and several international media outlets. Besides, he regularly appears as Kashmir expert and political commentator on television channels, including the BBC World, NDTV 24/7, CNN News 18, India Today, Wion, and India Ahead News.
Our Verdict
Kashmir : Rage and Reason is an informative read on Kashmir, that tries to find out the reasons behind the anger, the ongoing violence and pro-azadi sentiments of Kashmiri people. It is a well-written book that gives readers a perspective on what is happening in Kashmir.