21-Gun Salute

A row of battered press scooters formed a triumphal arch outside the India International Centre. Inside Conference Centre II, the chairs round the long table appeared to have lined themselves up two by two in anticipation of a formal inspection. Even the bouquets on the table seemed to have been spit shined for the occasion.

The release of Major General Arjun Rays Kashmir Diary: Psychology of Militancy this week was an unusual event on several counts. As the Chief of Army Staff, General Shankar Roychowdhury, did the honours in Delhi, our prime minister had entered into the second day of discussions with his counterpart in Male. Kashmir was very much on everybodys minds.

 

In the IIC, meanwhile, what appeared to be half the Northern Command looked on as KPS Gill, Farooq Abdullah and Arun Shourie lent their considerable weight to General Roy Chowdhurys endorsement.

But the best advocate of the book proved to be its author. He told us how as he had walked in, a lady went up to him and asked him, General, whats so special about your book? Already so many books have been written on Kashmir. He pointed out its many firsts: the first book to be written by a serving general on the subject, the first on low-intensity warfare. His commander-in-chief seconded his judgement. This is a professional book by a professional soldier, said General Shankar Roy Chowdhury. It underlines the importance of understanding the psychology of the people involved.

Kashmir Diary was unusual, too, because of the intensity that it generated among the guest speakers who rose to speed it on its way. Patriotism, especially at non-Republic Day gatherings, has been considered unfashionable for a long time but, short of playing the National Anthem, the speakers left no nationalistic sentiment unexpressed.

Arun Shourie exhorted the media, in particular, to Read the book; see how thoroughly we play into the terrorists hands. Farooq Abdullah, who said bluntly that he had not read the book, did not let that hold him back. Yes, we should ask for friendship with Pakistan, he said, but because we are strong. Not because we are weak. Later, he told the audience grimly, You are fighting a proxy war. This is going to be a vital year for us. Then he quoted Babars lines on Kashmir If there is a Paradise on Earth, it is this, it is this, it is this, and told us: I hope you will all come to Kashmir soon.

It was left to KPS Gill, who read the book so closely that he virtually edited it, to point out that the choice of venue was somewhat ironic. Among other things, Kashmir Diary postulates that with militancy, who is actually right is unimportant its the public perception that counts. There was a time, said Gill gently, when many people at the IIC, said (about Punjab) why keep the land if the people want to go. There were theories about the end of the nation state, about the death of nationalism. I think most of those fallacies have run their course now.

Perhaps Kashmir Diary will have the impact it deserves. And who knows? We might even see a resurgence of those letters that used to come in to the editor, signed simply A Patriot.