Modern History Of Jammu And Kashmir

This book traces the roots of modern-day Kashmir and the role of Sheikh Abdullah in its making. As the most influential political figurehead in twentieth-century Kashmir, he played a crucial role in its transformation from a kingdom to a state in independent India. He was enigmatic and complex, to say the least. Following his meteoric rise, he dominated the political scene for more than 50 years, with enduring impact. The volume presents a keen analysis of pre-Independence events which led to the emergence of a controversial and confused identity of the region. It also looks at other major themes in the political life of Kashmir, including the formation of the Muslim Conference, the plebiscite movement and the Kashmir Accord. A major intervention in the political life of South Asia, this book presents an inside-view of the history of modern Kashmir through the life and times of Sheikh Abdullah. It will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of politics, history, and modern South Asia.

The seemingly intractable Kashmir dispute and the fate of Kashmiris throughout South Asia and beyond are the twin themes in Snedden's meticulously researched book.

The Modern History of Jammu and Kashmir, Volume Two: The Karan Singh Years (1949- 1967) examines the politics of the period that followed Maharaja Hari Singh's exile from the State in 1949. Focusing on Hari Singh's son, the book examines the history of Jammu and Kashmir through Yuvraj Karan Singh's journey from becoming the Regent at the young age of eighteen, then the Sadar-i-Riyasat and finally the Governor. During the challenging time when the Sheikh Abdullah-led National Conference and the Dogra-backed Praja Parishad were locked in a fierce tugof-war for control of the State, it was the Yuvraj who prevailed as the voice of reason. He strove to maintain equitable power sharing between the three major provinces-Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh-throughout the eighteen years of his career in Jammu and Kashmir. The major political changes during Karan Singh's time-the judicious use of the provisions of Article 370 and the further integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India, among others-also had a crucial effect of consolidating the future of the State with that of the country. A sense of mutual respect and cooperation was forged between Delhi and the Jammu and Kashmir leaders. Relying on both historical sources and the vast correspondence Karan Singh had with Jawaharlal Nehru and later Indira Gandhi, this second volume of Harbans Singh's magisterial trilogy is both a biography of a remarkable man as well as a fresh look at the history and politics behind the making of modernday Jammu and Kashmir.

This Book is comprehensive competent and scholarly treatise on the Dogra period in Jammu and Kashmir State. The present work his doctoral book was unanimously recommended for publication by the examiners. The Period under study is, undoubtedly the most significant period as it marked the transition from medival to the modern age in the History of Jammu and Kashmir State.

This third volume in Harbans Singh's important and insightful trilogy on modern Jammu and Kashmir examines the period from 1975, when Sheikh Abdullah returned to active politics, after the Indira-Sheikh Accord, to head a Congresssupported government, to the present day. The book discusses the emergence of the separatist movement, the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990, and the drastic decision of the BJP Central government to abrogate Article 370 of the Indian Constitution-which granted special status to the state-and bifurcate the state into two Union Territories-Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Since the time of its creation, Jammu and Kashmir has always been fraught with conflict. But nothing can compare to the decades of aggressive militancy that the state has seen since the 1980s, with Pakistan playing a central role in the violence and chaos. Separatist groups like the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, among others, and terrorist organizations such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is backed by Pakistan, have pursued a campaign of 'freeing' Jammu and Kashmir from what they describe as 'Indian rule'. India's security forces have maintained a heavy presence in the state to counter these plans. These turbulent years-when thousands have died and there have been protests across the state-have thrown Jammu and Kashmir into a limbo. As political parties-the National Conference and the Congress, and then the People's Democratic Party and the BJP-tried to wrest control of the state from each other, it is the people who have suffered the terrible consequences of the power struggle. As he concludes his monumental 3-volume study of Jammu and Kashmir-from the time it was created as a political entity by the Dogras in the 19th century to its current status-the author also looks to the future, warning of the possible consequences of the Supreme Court's verdict upholding the abrogation of Article 370.

This book re-examines the multifaceted reality of the Kashmir problem. The state of Jammu and Kashmir had acceded to India soon after India’s partition. Pakistan laid claim to it waged wars with India to wrest it. The various decisions taken by the USA and Britain in conjunction with India and Pakistan as to how Kashmir should be governed are discussed. Studying the spread of communism, the book makes extensive use of primary resources available in India and the UK. The principal object of the author is to locate conflict in Kashmir within the international politics of the time, during the Cold War, and especially in the context of India’s relationship with the UK. The narratives of the discourse throw light on the varied and salient features of the problem. These have been enriched by an in-depth analysis based on the writings, notes and correspondence of distinguished British and Indian politicians and statesmen. The author has also consulted public documents on US foreign relations as well as other studies. This study explores myths about the Kashmir problem, reinforcing known and unknown truths.