[Basharat Peer’s eminently forgettable Curfewed Night won such glowing accolades from the anti-Hindu, anti-India glitterati that yours truly was conned into buying it. Regret was swift, for the book was remarkable only for its sheer dishonesty. Very much like the current unrest in the Valley, Peer purges the brutal and forced Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from their civilisational homes and roots twenty years ago, and demands sympathy for the inexplicable alienation of an intolerant Muslim community that has battened itself for over six decades with the hard-earned money of the Indian, mainly Hindu, taxpayer.

An interview of Peer with Subhadip Sircar on an American blog (India Real Time, Aug. 11, 2010) has sparked off a furious online debate. We reproduce some relevant excerpts to show the mindset of those who flourish at the cost of the ordinary Indian and sell national honour and dignity cheap at the altar of a sinking Dollar. Thus, Basharat Peer, whose sole utility to the United States is the fact that he is a Muslim from Kashmir, vacuously tells Sircar that “My life in New York is that of a writer. I don’t ever have to think about religion.” Well, in that case, why is he pontificating about the instigated alienation of Kashmiri Muslims? Readers of this website will be unsurprised to learn that Peer is a fellow of the Open Society Institute of the ubiquitous George Soros – Editor]

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‘My Nationality a Matter of Dispute’: Basharat Peer

Excerpt:

IRT: A sensitive question. You have an Indian passport. Do you consider yourself one?

Mr. Peer: I still have an Indian passport as that is the only travel document available to anyone from the Indian-controlled-part of Kashmir. The question of my nationality continues to be a matter of dispute (emphasis added). I refer to myself as a Kashmiri, as a journalist, as a writer.

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The Debate:

-        12:34 pm August 11, 2010

RS wrote:

Hmm… educated in US, employed by George Soros, ensconced in NY. Now how about writing a book critiquing Islamic terrorism for a change?

-        3:55 pm August 11, 2010

Anirudh wrote:

The truth is that the radical Kashmiri Muslim wants to destabilise the whole state, in turn the Indian nation. The writer says that his nationality is a matter of dispute, but the irony is that he has enjoyed good Indian jobs and Indian passport. If he considers it a dispute, then how come his father works as an IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer and now as Secretary Education in the state. He was conferred both KAS and IAS and he choose to take the advantages of the Indian system to enjoy the benefits.

How come it did not occur that they where serving in the Indian administrative service with all its perks included. He pulled all strings to get him a job at places where better people and journalists were available, including Rediff. Mr Basharat Peer has enjoyed the best of opportunities in India and now badmouths the country; will it be possible to do so in America? You have a choice Mr Peer, take the citizenship of any country that you wish to take, including the Jehadi supporting Pakistan. The truth is this is a typical Kashmiri trait: first eat to the (heart’s) content and then speak in secessionist language.

The truth is Kashmiri Muslims have always been killing and oppressing the others, be it Kashmiri Hindus or Sikhs, or be it the other regions of the State, including Jammu and Ladakh. You badmouth the Indian security forces and blatantly lying and misrepresenting facts. How about asking your father to return the guard and the beacon light car?? The truth is that Kashmiri Muslims are working in tandem with the Jehadi forces and secessionist elements. They own swanky showrooms all across India. How about vacating all this and the Indian money in the first place? Tomorrow Mr Peer will want to balkanize America or want Sharia there - will America allow it????

-        4:39 pm August 11, 2010

American wrote:

I am amazed at the comments. Most have no idea of the region and have experience from the ground. The arguments are week and irrational. I strongly believe in the US Constitution and the founding principals that guarantee rights to individuals to equality and freedom under the law. In the US, we have the right to protest against the government to ensure our freedom is protected. I believe these principals should apply to all individuals and their respective governments. If you violate your constitution and the human rights of others, you have no right to subjugate others in the name of democracy or under any law of substance in the name of any nation or in the name of nationalism.

-        6:01 pm August 11, 2010

Kashmiri Pandit American wrote:

Mr Peer is typical of the Kashmiri Muslims living in India. For the last 60 years since partition they (as a Muslim majority) actively discriminated against the Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist minority in the state of Jammu and Kashmir (which is about 2/3 Muslim and the rest Hindu/Sikh/Buddhists). Unfortunately no American reporter ever asks people like Peer about what will happen to the minority living in J&K under a Muslim majority. Will they fare even as well as Muslims living in India for they may face discrimination according to Peer, but have full religious privileges under democratic rule. Trips to Haj (Mecca) are subsidized by the Indian Government and generations of affirmative action policies have been implemented in India to assist them in their progress...

While Peer loves living in NY he doesn’t want Kashmir to aspire to its values, but wants Muslim-only country (no matter what the human cost). Well Mr. Peer, those of us who have families that escaped anti-Hindu militants in Kashmir to live in Jammu will fight hard before allowing Muslims to dominate them. Your ideas are simply nonsense and the fact that they are unchallenged reflects the lack of knowledge of the interviewer. Why people like Peer are allowed to enter the US is beyond me. They are the “quiet” and “educated, well mannered” face of anti-secular, peace loving Muslims.

-        6:05 pm August 11, 2010

RN wrote:

@ American:

I’m not sure someone who uses the US constitution as a frame of reference (rather than Indian, or Pakistani, or Kashmiri political ideas) - and who uses the pseudonym ‘American’ - has any business criticising the other commentator’s regional relevance. I’m also wondering whether you’ve actually gotten the points being made by any of the other commentators. They’re referring to ground realities - perhaps lost to you, stuck as you are at the high altar of your self-righteousness.

Kashmir has witnessed nothing short of ethnic cleansing: half a million non-Muslims killed - or pushed out of Kashmir, and into dirty refugee camps around Delhi. They were pushed out at gun-point, by Muslim militants.

And they were pushed out in the face of huge indifference - even active support - of many Kashmiri Muslim leaders. Not once did Kashmir’s Muslim population protest at this outrage. Not one strong protest, or grand street march, or good stone-pelting, did we see - when non-Muslims were killed and evicted, in the name of Kashmir’s Muslims. Plenty of it, though, when Indian soldiers turn up.

This great anger Mr Peer professes, at the destruction of liberty: where was it when the Kashmiri Pandits were getting shot at? That is what makes many Indians sceptical, when men like Mr Peer pontificate on liberty. It has little to do with Indian beliefs on individual rights, or Indians’ readiness to defend constitutional guarantees. It has to do with the sheer hypocrisy of men like Peer, and his ilk: people who present themselves as crusaders for liberty, and speak incessantly of the right to Kashmiri self-determination, and of ‘Kashmiriyat’ - but whose actions demonstrate empathy only for one, single religious group.

When we see stone-throwing to protest the cleansing of Kashmir’s Hindus; when we see genuine grief at the mess Indian and Pakistani governments have made of Kashmir as a whole - rather than the grief of convenience that men like Peer demonstrate - then, we’ll accept Peer’s pontification on constitutional rights, and liberty.

I’ve spent enough time responding to you, American, and I’m not sure it’s time well-spent. Next time, please do your homework.

-        6:45 pm August 11, 2010

Fakih wrote:

Dear All,

Since 1989, Kashmiri pandits and India have tried their best to give Kashmirs nationalist movement a religious colour. The time is witness how pandits were evacuated by the Governor of Kashmir in 1990, Jagmohan, during nights, using police and army trucks. 216 Kashmiri pandits were killed in last 21 years beginning 1989 as per Indian government figures. If killing of 216 pandits is ethnic cleansing or genocide, then India is involved in holocaust in Kashmir since 70000 thousands Muslims have died in 21 years. Pandits have tried their best to project the ongoing nationalist movement in Kashmir as a part of global jihad but have failed every time. Even the Indian government is clueless how to stop the modern, educated, young Kashmiri who is up against the guns of Indian army with stones in his hand. Pandits are their own enemies by indulging in hate campaigns against their Kashmiri counter-parts. Let is ask all the Kashmiri Pandits, why do they want to be with India? Is it because India is a de facto Hindu state?

Pandits have exploited Kashmiri Muslims during the rule of Sikhs and Dogras, they held key positions, by the virtue of their religion and used to suppress Muslims population. It’s high time they shed their religious identity and join the nationalistic struggle of Kashmir which was for the first time occupied by Mughal King Akbar to join India. Rest history is witness Kashmir has remained an independent state for times immemorial.

-        9:46 pm August 11, 2010

Hindutva wrote:

Maybe Peer is enjoying this freedom of expression because India has been lenient towards Kashmiri Muslims. Ideally, India should have done to Kashmir what Russia did to Muslim separatists in Chechnya - carpet bomb them out of existence. No self-respecting country allows itself to be balkanised. Myanmar is a case in point.

-        12:24 am August 12, 2010

Shravani Bose wrote:

Mr Peer is another ground worker, who is working for the cause of Islamisation of Kashmir valley. He is furthering the cause of the Islamic jehadi terrorists by proclaiming the false suffering and victimhood. The real victims are the lakhs of Hindus who have been turned out and have been forced to flee from Kashmir valley and some regions of upper Doda and Rajouri Poonch.

The truth is that Kashmiri Muslims are supporting terrorists, the other day all television channels and in particular a favourite of the Kashmiri muslims, where a lady anchor feels emancipated and in total nirvana after siding with the anti-nationals showed for the whole world to watch - kashmiri muslims were chanting aaya lashkar aaya, azadi leki aaye. Which would mean that the Lashkar has come (refers to the banned terror outfit LeT) with freedom. Now Mr Peer, who is threatening with Lashkar? Traitor is the only right word and Indian leaders should act in a befitting way towards traitors as no nation allows secessionist demands. Mr Peer and other Kashmiri Muslims should vacate India and go to the country of their choice - be it Pakistan or Londonistan or Americanistan.

-        1:44 am August 12, 2010

Kashmiri wrote:

Go Back India! Go Back India!! Go Back India!!!

- chant from Srinagar

-        1:53 am August 12, 2010

Anirudh wrote:

This is not personal attack but truth. Mr Peer’s father name is Mr G.A. Peer and he is the present Education Secretary of JK State. He is a conferred officer of the Indian Administrative Service of 1995 batch. In Srinagar he flagged of Army’s Sadbhawna Yatra. Now what happened to his disputed status and his idea of being oppressed?

Mr B. Peer, in simple Indian Hindi, is a namak haram [ingrate – editor]. His book is lies and why does he spare his father, an administrative officer in the State, who is part of the set up?
Indian government should take notice of this and so should the Americans. The truth is that the radical Kashmiri Muslim wants to destabilise the whole state, in turn the Indian nation. The writer says that his nationality is a matter of dispute, but the irony is that he has enjoyed good Indian jobs and Indian passport…[repeat of earlier input – deleted]

Tomorrow Mr Peer you will want to balkanize America or want Sharia there - will America allow it? Go and find out why in New York they do not want a Mosque at the Ground Zero - because Americans are understanding the true facets behind such Muslim demands.