Over the years, a lot of books have been written on every aspect and political development of Kashmir since the partition of British India and the subsequent creation of the nation states of India and Pakistan. However, hardly any books have covered the effects of the far-reaching decisions made on August 5, 2019.
It is indicative of the vice-like grip maintained by the state on production of knowledge. The nation states of India and Pakistan have long supported the production of knowledge in a manner that suits the larger political objectives of their respective states which prioritises the nation state’s interest and disregards the interests or experience of Kashmiris.
A recent book, Life, Politics, and Resistance in Kashmir After 2019: A Multidisciplinary Understanding of the Conflict published by the USA-based Lexington Publishers and edited by Mirza Saaib Beg and Shubh Mathur aims to remedy this. By amplifying Kashmiri voices and experiences, the book ensures an authentic representation of the realities of Kashmiris since 2019.
Highlighting Kashmiri aspirations at the core, the authors challenge the dominant state-centric narratives of India and Pakistan, which have overshadowed the people’s political demands. This book, an insightful multidisciplinary work, offers a critical analysis of the socio-political landscape of Kashmir in the wake of the significant political changes of 2019.
Life, Politics, and Resistance in Kashmir After 2019: A Multidisciplinary Understanding of the Conflict, published by Lexington Publishers and edited by Mirza Saaib Beg and Shubh Mathur, 2024
Beg and Mathur provide a unique and nuanced perspective on the ongoing struggles in the region, offering new avenues of understanding the conflict through the lens of everyday life, political resistance, and the personal toll of state-imposed policies that are left unchallenged in international media and scholarly work on Kashmir since 2019.
Despite the state authoritarianism, the editors have produced seminal work on the Kashmir especially on areas where very little work has been done. The scholarly endeavour of the editors and contributors deserves considerable acclaim.
In August 2019, Government of India unilaterally read down Article 370 which gave special status to erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and attempted forced annexation to India. It is a crucial point in the history of Jammu And Kashmir. This is where Life, Politics, and Resistance in Kashmir After 2019: A Multidisciplinary Understanding of the Conflict pitches in.
The multidisciplinary book has 25 edited chapters from the fields of history, political science, anthropology, law, literature, education, mental health and environmental studies. The book is the first academic book on post 2019 Kashmir and second book on it after journalist Anuradha Bhasin’s book “Dismantling State”.
One of the key strengths of this book lies in its approach. Rather than treating the Kashmir conflict as a monolithic issue confined to historical or political analysis, the book integrates perspectives from law, anthropology, history, and political science, gender, mental health, environment, and religion, making it a compelling read for both scholars and general readers interested in understanding the multifaceted nature of the Kashmir conflict.
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The book is well-researched and meticulously structured, allowing the reader to see the intricacies of Kashmiri life post-2019, especially after the reading down of the Article 370.
The chapters delve deeply into the political ramifications of this revocation, but what truly sets this book apart is its focus on the human side of the Kashmir conflict. The personal stories of resilience, grief, and resistance emerge vividly throughout the chapters. Through this lens, we not only understand the political upheaval but also witness the resilience of the Kashmiri people, who have long struggled to maintain their identity and voice in the face of state oppression.
The chapters touch on a wide range of topics. Fozia Nazir Lone’s analysis of the 1947 Instrument of Accession exposes the ambiguities that underlie India’s claim over Kashmir. Her work emphasises the unfulfilled promise of a plebiscite and the reading down of Article 370 as a breach of international law, resonating with global human rights principles. Mihir Desai and Saranga Ugalmugle detail the erosion of autonomy following the Indian government’s actions in 2019.
The book also examines the role and the abdication of the role that courts are expected to perform. By August 2020, less than 1% of approximately 600 petitions filed since August 6, 2019, had been resolved. The high court has been criticised for upholding detentions based on suspicion rather than evidence and for delays in addressing their legality. This reflects a broader issue of the judiciary’s perceived hesitancy to challenge executive actions in the region.
The new domicile laws, discussed by Beg, represent a harrowing attempt to engineer demographic change, raising urgent questions about identity and survival in a militarised space. The book also provides information about the delimitation exercise conducted by the state under a questionable legal mandate.
Beg has gone further to challenge the state narrative that Jammu had been unfairly under-represented. Under the existing structure, pre bifurcation the Kashmir division had 46 seats, Jammu had 37 (which have now become 43 after delimitation) and Ladakh had 4 seats (which have now been reduced to nil).He has highlighted that before bifurcation, Kashmir had 46 legislative seats (52.9% of total seats) for 54.8% of the population, Jammu had 37 seats (42.5%) for 42.9% of the population, and Ladakh had 4 seats (4.6%) for 2.3% of the population. This arrangement balanced population density and geography, with better per capita representation for Ladakh and Jammu.
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However, the new arrangement increases Jammu’s seats, nearly matching Kashmir, ostensibly to address underrepresentation but possibly to favour the ruling BJP, which has stronger support in Jammu. Additionally, the 2023 Reorganisation Bill allows the lieutenant governor to nominate 5 seats and reserves 9 seats for Scheduled Tribes and Castes.
Subzar Ahmed Bhat and Sharika Amin provide stark accounts of the pervasive human rights abuses and the psychological toll of decades of conflict. The experience of Kashmiris suffering from the abuse of the legal system has also been been documented in this book. It highlights that according to data published by the Ministry of Home Affairs, between 2020 and 2022, 947 UAPA cases were registered in Jammu and Kashmir. Of these, 287 cases have been registered in 2020, 289 in 2021, and 371 in 2022. In the same period a total of 2,615 UAPA cases were registered all over India indicating that nearly 40% of the UAPA cases all over India were registered just in Kashmir.
The chapters are enriched by personal testimonies, offering an intimate view of life in Kashmir after 2019. Additionally, it also has other chapters that explore the nexus between environmental degradation, resource extraction, and militarisation. The essays articulate the precarious balance between ecological fragility and exploitative development, echoing global struggles in conflict zones.
Afreen Faridi and Arman Kazmi highlight the plight of nomadic tribes and religious minorities, while Annapurna Menon critiques the discursive control wielded by the Indian state through education and media. Another aspect that the book has presented well is the reflections of different groups of Kashmir. The book features a perspective of Kashmiri Hindus in the form of an interview by late Sampat Prakash as conducted by the Kashmir Reading Room.
Khushi Kaur and Jang Vijay Singh have presented the perspective of Kashmir Sikhs. In doing so, the book adds the perspective of non-Muslim groups of Kashmir which do not ascribe to the narrative of the state. These groups are usually overlooked in the dominant discourse on Kashmir.
The book also provides a sharp critique of the way in which resistance in Kashmir is framed and silenced. It showcases that exploration of resistance is not just political but cultural and personal, highlighting the efforts of men, women, youth, and marginalized groups to challenge the hegemonic forces that seek to dominate their lives.
What I particularly appreciate about the book is the manner it has blended theory with lived experience. The book does not merely present abstract political arguments but showcases the lives of ordinary Kashmiris to illustrate the ways in which politics is felt, experienced, and internalised. In doing so, the authors invite readers to reflect on the broader implications of state violence and political disenfranchisement.
In conclusion, Life, Politics, and Resistance in Kashmir after 2019: A Multidisciplinary Understanding of the Conflict is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the post-2019 realities of Kashmir. It is not only a valuable academic resource but also a poignant reminder of the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity. Whether you are a student of political science, an activist, or simply someone interested in the ongoing struggle for justice in Kashmir, this book will leave you with much to reflect on that has hitherto been largely unexplored.
Faizaan Bhat is an independent researcher and columnist based in Kashmir.
