More filters. Sort order. Start your review of Kashmir Rival Versions of History. I was recently at the the Indian High Commission in Wellington and noticed bookshelves with lots of books.
I checked with the receptionist and she said they could be borrowed at no cost and asked me to select a book and let her know and that she would unlock the bookshelf and issue the book. I selected a fiction book by an Indian author. When I asked her to issue the book to me she said that was the only book shelf for which they did not have the key! So on an impulse I asked for this book from t I was recently at the the Indian High Commission in Wellington and noticed bookshelves with lots of books.
So on an impulse I asked for this book from the non-fiction shelf. I had recently visited Kashmir and found parts of it really beautiful. I also felt people there were a bit subdued and unhappy. I didn't know much about the history of Kashmir except that it was ruled by a Hindu king when India was partitioned by the British in This book gave me a better understanding of the of the people of Kashmir and made me better empathize with their problems.
India had princely states i. These states were not part of British India. The British gave them the princely states the choice of remaining independent or working out which country to join.
It was naturally assumed that Kashmir would join Pakistan during the partition of India. This book describes the events in that led to the king deciding to join India. Partly this book also focuses on refuting other writers who contended that this decision was either illegal or immoral. This book also attempts to prove and does this quite convincingly that Indian troops only entered Kashmir after the Instrument of Accession was signed by Maharaja Hari Singh.
This is not accepted by Pakistan which believes that Indian troops entered Kashmir, committed atrocities and forced the signing of the Instrument of Accession. This difference of opinion still is the bone of contention between India and Pakistan and has resulted in 4 wars. Prem Shankar Jha goes into much detail about the build up to the accession and quotes many sources to back his views. All of this makes fascinating reading.
One-third of Kashmir is currently part of Pakistan and I have heard many people say that this is Nehru's fault and that the Indian army could have regained all of Kashmir when the first war was fought. This book argues that this was a delibrate move by Nehru who being a Kashmiri recognized the inherent differences between the 'Kashmiris' and the Muslims in the part of Kashmir now with Pakistan and was happy to let that part of Kashmir stay with Pakistan.
Other controversial incidents are also dealt with such as the award of three tehsils of Gurdaspur to India, which allowed India to have a land link with Kashmir.
Despite the number of problems contemporary India seems to be facing, they seem to be nothing in comparison to the issues facing Pakistan. Select Format Select format. Permissions Icon Permissions. Article PDF first page preview. Issue Section:. You do not currently have access to this article. Download all slides. Sign in Don't already have an Oxford Academic account? You could not be signed in.
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Download for print-disabled. Kashmir First published in Subjects Foreign relations , History , Kashmir, vale of india , history , India, history, Classifications Library of Congress DS Community Reviews 0 Feedback? Loading Related Books. August 4, Edited by ImportBot. This does not mean that India and Pakistan should be reunited, much less forcibly. Nor does it imply that Pakistan has no reason to exist. Two Versions of History. Uprising or Invasion?
Accession Under Duress? Signing the Instrument of Accession. The Gurdaspur Award. A Grand Design? Britain and the Kashmir Question. Myths Exploded, an Enigma Unravelled.
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