A point of view on Rahul
Pandita’s book: “Our Moon Has Blood
Clots” (Book) vis a vis Pradeep
Magazine’s ( hereinafter also referred to as “Critique”) review published in The Hindu of Feb. 08,
’13, under the heading: “From the valley, a selective remembrance of thingspast”
Magazine family has a genealogy of some 350 years, with a
rich cultural heritage ( please visit www.magazinefamily.com
). The extended family is spread out in various cities of India and globally
too, for existence. No member is living in Kashmir after mass exodus of
Kashmiri Pandits (KP’s) in 1990 and afterwards. Our values have taught us not
to address a cousin as a cousin, but, always a brother or a sister ! Pradeep is
my younger brother and I love him for that relationship.
Book gives a vivid account of circumstances leading to mass
exodus of KP’s in 1990 and onwards; there after impact on lives of KP’s
individually and the community as a whole. Rahul Pandita’s style of writing is
simple; happenings described clearly & analytically, as if reporting live
from the scene. The Book ignites the
painful memories of mass exodus of KP community from the beautiful valley and its aftermath. I
find similarities of the intent
behind the book “Not Quite Cricket ,” Pradeep Magazine wrote in 1999 & Rahul
Pandita’s book –“Our Moon has Blood Clots”. Pradeep exposed betting in cricket
, which created a big sensation in international cricket circles. Many powerful
vested interests criticized Pradeep and even claimed falsehood of the contents.
But, truth prevailed, because Pradeep had a sincere intent to expose and prevent a wrong
doing. Rahul’s intent, as I
understand, in the Book, is also to expose a wrong doing and prevent it for future.
Critique’s tone
depicts anger. History can not be
forgotten by expressing anger and books
keep history alive. Rahul Pandita’s book is a true chronology of mass exodus of
Kashmiri Pandits in 1990’s and its aftermath. Critique appears to have misinterpreted or
misunderstood some of the contents of the Book. For example Critique mentions (as understood by him from the Book
: “……..Kashmiri Brahmins are the only rightful inhabitants of the state….”
“…..there is no place for any one other than a pure enlightened Brahmin self.” The
Book no where in its 250 pages suggests ,
what Critique has understood.
Critique has quoted a cocktail of incomplete history – kabaily raid / Buddhism / Sheikh Sahib’s
speech in Lal Chowk etc. without any connectivity to theme of the Book.
Critique should have quoted Rajtarangni written by
Kalhana in 1148 and subsequent history till modern era, to comment
knowledgeably on Kashmir affairs.
Yes, 1984 atrocities
on Sikhs, Godhra train carnage, 2002
Gujarat riots , occasional communal riots in parts of India, militancy in
Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir , North East & elsewhere, Naxalite movement,
attack on Parliament, 26/11, repeated
attacks by terrorists here & there ( latest loss of lives in Hyderabad)
etc. in post independence era, are a
blot to secular democratic republic of India.
By quoting some such selective episodes,
Critique can not justify systematic
killings of KP & Sikh minorities in Kashmir, as well as mass exodus of KP
community from their home & hearth , living as refugees in their own
country-India. Such linkage is irrelevant .
“Gawkadal “ happening referred by Critique, could be bad.
But, what lead to that, the Critique can not stand on judgement, as he was not present on the scene. Loss of human lives belonging to any religion,
creed or cast, is unfortunate & tragic. But, who is responsible for tragedy
of Kashmir, where all the communities lost lives & peace of mind ? The
“Azadi Walas”! Majority of local populace was coerced by “Azadi walas” to repeatedly take to streets, close business
& trade for indefinite periods, paralyse tourism , indulge in bandhs ,
hartals, arson, destroy public property, force innocent youth to join militancy,
provoke security forces with attacks from grenades, bombs , stones and all that. Consequently, if security
forces in self defence or to
protect life & public property, or to maintain law & order, were compelled to use lathis & bullets
–who invited them to act? “The Azadi Walas”! Yet, “azadi”
remained only a dream for “Azadiwalas”, in last 23 years and would
continue to remain so, for ever.
It has also become
a fashion to use the term “human rights”
by vested interests , favouring
militants, who commit atrocities on the common human being and fight
against the government. Is not the common man or a security personnel also a
human being ? Don’t they have equal “ human right” to live with dignity &
peace?
Critique has quoted some statement of Vijay Bakaya to strengthen his own critique on RAHUL Pandita’s Book .
Vijay is also my brother, I would not like to comment on his statement as he
would have probably given it within his
responsibility & authority as Chief
Secretary of the State (now retired) . By
taking shelter of any such official statement,
if true, one can not justify an entire Kashmiri Pandit community, having a
few thousand years history , culture & inheritance in Kashmir, abandoning their homes & hearth overnight
and living in exile, how so ever “distinct ,ethno-cultural entity- a tiny minority from
a muslim majority valley….,” (as described by Critique), the community
may be. There is no denying the fact
that KP’s were shunted away from the valley with repeated threatening’s on
loudspeakers & otherwise, and a few
hundred KP’s killed. The common Kashmiri Muslim(KM), traditionally God fearing
& peace loving -misguided with assurances of instant “azadi”, once the valley was got rid of KP’s .
Critique mentions : “……….many hindus are returning to the valley…..”. Having
Expressed optimism & favourable conditions, as well as jobs now for Hindus in the valley, would the
Critique also return to valley for good?
Pradeep need not go
deep into the valley to look at destruction or unauthorised occupation of KP
property & religious places , or visit so called Migrant Camps in Jammu
& elsewhere, to convince himself about sufferings faced by KP’s due to mass exodus. Let him
have a peep with open heart & mind on the agony & sufferings faced by
his own extended Magazine family, who lived in one single lane at posh Karan Nagar,
Srinagar, Kashmir :
a)
MAGAZINE HOUSE
( Pradeep’s joint family home)-Quite a few family members were living
there for decades in this 3 storey about
2 kanal house. Had to run away over night leaving every thing at the mercy of
God, never to return, never to recover
anything. One such family member living in Magazine House was running a
reasonably successful SSI unit in Srinagar – had to abandon every thing and run
away over night with two small daughters
& wife. 23 years on, he is still struggling for a living in Delhi,
without a shelter of his own to live in. Magazine House itself is now in a
dilapidated condition with most of the doors, windows, contents removed and
roofs leaking (see photo)
b)
GOPI KUNJ ( my joint family home opposite
Magazine House)- 3 storey house with 24 rooms (10 BR attached bath), a large Hall
for functions, renovated in 1988/89. My father, younger brother with two small
children living there permanently. Father left in last week of Dec.’89 with a
small bag of clothes for his winter
holiday in the plains. Never to
see his home again, he passed away in 1996. Brother , his wife and two small
kids simultaneously left for a month’s holiday in plains with just one suitcase
of holiday clothes for four of them and never to return.
c)
GOPI KUNJ - after open loot in broad day light ,
was burnt to ashes on August-19, 1990 (FIR no.52 of 1990 of Police Stn. Karan
Nagar u/s 436/427 RPC, 3(1)TDAP Act,( arsonists untraceable in last 23 years).
The ruins remain there as a painful remembrance ,that we once had a happy home.
We not only lost the home and valuable contents, but precious heritage items
left by our forefathers, preserved for generations, which can never be replaced
(see photos- then & now).
d)
Similar are the stories of other members of the
Magazine clan,
who had homes in different parts of Srinagar.
who had homes in different parts of Srinagar.
The Critique should have remembered
the sufferings of his own extended family, while conveying anger to Rahul Pandita, probably to please his
friends in the valley ?
Pradeep is an internationally acclaimed Sports
Journalist, the family feels proud of his accomplishments. He must continue to
achieve higher laurels in the area of his core competence., i.e. Sports
Journalism, instead of fishing in troubled waters.
I would recommend to every one to go through
following recent writings on the KP exodus from Kashmir, and appreciate the
balanced reporting, which provides learning for those interested to write on
Kashmir :
01.
Review of Rahul Pandita’s Book in Hindustan
Times , dt. January-19, 2013 (scan attached)”No Place is home – Rahul Pandita’s
moving memoir makes the readers acknowledge the pain of Kashmiri Pandits ………”
by Manjula Narayan. Manjula has also made a mention of her heart rendering visit to a Kashmiri
Migrant Camp in Andheri Mumbai.
02.
Weekly supplement EYE (January-13/19,’13) with Sunday edition of
Indian Express dt. January-17,’13 ( scan attached) : Pictorial article
highlighting emotional & physical impact of Exodus of KP’s and camaraderie
between KP’s & KM’s under adversity: ”Home Alone – Omkarnath Bhat is
testimony to the hope that Kashmiri Pandits will one day return to Hall, a
village in South Kashmir. Until then he lives with his muslim neighbours,
retelling stories of centuries old camaraderie……..”, very well written by
Bashaarat Masood with creative photo support by Shuaib Masoodi.
03.
Review of Rahul Pandita’s Book in The Indian
Express dt. Feb.-23, ’13, under the heading: “Blood on the Snow” by Veena Das,
Professor of Anthropology at John Hopkins
University, USA (scan attached).
