Depoliticize mundane
These protests and agitations in Kashmir – not only around the big political developments but also about routine and mundane matters like frequent power outages – is more than anything a sad commentary on the state’s dysfunctional systems. Irrespective of how the state chooses to look at, understand and articulate these protests against it, fact […]
Traffic mismanagement!
Even though traffic mismanagement has all along been a characteristic feature of Kashmir’s roads and streets, for the past few years the chaos and confusion has been increasing steadily. Today the situation has reached such a point that it seems almost impossible to travel in Srinagar city without facing hours of disconcerting traffic jams, which […]
Growing Islamophobia
Who is actually intolerant of whom? Is it the Muslims — who are demonized as being incompatible with the modern thought and culture — or it is actually other way round? Going by the situation on ground in the aftermath of 9/11 incident in US followed by countless other incidents of terrorism worldwide, the very […]
Meaningless rhetoric…
For the past several years now, ordinary people here are being bombarded with huge financial figures. A standard catch-line accompanying these whooping sums informs them that this money is and will be used for their betterment, progress and development. Although there is nothing unique about such pronouncements, however, what is new is the increased resonance […]
Strengthening surface communication
In a tragic incident, three people died on Kupwara-Karnah road near Sadhna Top as they were caught in a snow storm. The unfortunate trio was footing the distance as the road still remains closed. This road has already claimed several lives as even a little drizzle makes is hazardous for travelers. The people of Karnah, […]
Don’t underestimate peoples’ political intellect
With Jammu and Kashmir, like other states of the country, is readying for Lok Sabha polls, two major regional political parties, National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are inventing explanations and pointing to the culpability of so many actors to explain their inability to safeguard the state’s and its people’s interests, but wisdom […]
Lok Sabha Polls
Now that the Chief Election Commission (CEC) of India has announced the dates for holding of general election, all political parties in the country are fully geared up for the massive democratic exercise on the earth. But some major political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are upset, and genuinely so, as the CEC has not […]
Unfortunate framing
“There is a place under the sun for every citizen of this world.” If only this statement were true, then the world would have been a better place – free from strife and war. However, the world, as it has always existed, remains not how philosophers and thinkers have idealized it to be. It is […]
Planning matters
In 1961, diamond-rich Botswana and Sierra Leone had approximately the same per capita income of about US$1,070, when both these countries in Africa adopted and experienced extremely different paths of economic development. While diamonds caused an economic miracle in Botswana, the same diamonds led to a total state collapse in Sierra Leone. In Botswana the […]
Too little, too late!
Notwithstanding the apex court’s directions to ensure that no such thing happens, the Kashmiris have once again been singled out for mob violence. This time on a posh Lucknow street where a couple of Kashmiri youth selling dry fruits were targeted by saffron clad goons with fists and sticks this Wednesday. As if this was […]
