'FDI Crushed Even USA'

Kashmir Life: FDI in retail is the hot debate. You opposed the idea from the very beginning. Tell us what are its pros and cons in your opinion?
Yousuf Tarigami:Our party CPIM, the entire left, some political parties, social activists and some NGOs have always opposed FDI retail. UPA-I is lying about FDI retail trade. This retail trade has been under debate since UPA-I, and that time they were dependent on Left groups (part of coalition) and we didn’t allow it to happen. The issue was debated in Parliament and in almost every political party, and it was decided that the trade won’t be allowed to happen, because it will increase unemployment figures.

If it does not help us in promoting growth then how can the trade help us? USA, a developed country,was crushed due to this trade and they are suffering from this new liberalisation. Americans are crying ‘please put a stop to greedy cooperates’, they are facing massive unemployment. So if you want to have a strong economy then you must have toguaranteejobs for your population, and unless that is done, any measure in economic reform is bound to create problems for people—and is thereforeunacceptable to us.

This crushed a nation like USA, a world power. For countries like India, it is very important to first provide food for its starving population. Statistics reveal Indian economy is increasing but people should understand that the economy is of the corporate world and of monopolists. Once NDA said India is shining, but I want to ask them which India? The corporate world doesnot mean India, what about middle and lower class families? If India was shining, then why do farmers go for suicides, why do people wander from corner to corner for jobs? This new liberal frame has failed miserably, not only in India, but in the whole world, earlier it was in the US only, and now it has destroyed the UK too.

I feel there is no future for the younger generation. The government says we have to be with global economies, but we say it has collapsed. So why to be part of failed economies?This trade doesnot suit our population. It must be rejected.

KL: The government launched a new employment policy recently. Do you think it is in the interest of youth? more

Shazia's Father Fights for Justice

A day before Eid ul Azha, Shazia, 28, was found hanging to a ceiling fan in her house in mysterious circumstances. She was a mother of a three year old baby girl. She had disputes with her husband, Javaid Ahmad Wani ever since they got married.

Shazia, the only daughter and sister of her two brothers was living happily with her family. She was a gold medalist of her batch ( at University of Kashmir) and then got a job of librarian in Islamic University, Awantipora. After getting a job her parents started looking for best matches for her and selected one, Javaid Ahmad Wani and thought he has also done a masters in engineering so he will be compatible with their daughter and will keep her like princess as she used to be in her house but destiny had stored something different for her, extremely opposite to what her parents had dreamt of and now her father feels guilty of giving preference to an educated person. more

Women on Resolution, Government and Future

Kashmiri women has long been portrayed as a mute spectator of all that has happened and is happening. Considered to be a bystander in Politics of kashmir, more

The Ties That Bind

Rajeshwari, 30, has been known as Tabish since 2006 when she married Bilal Ahmad, a Kashmiri Muslim. Tabish has an MBA from London’s top school—but today she is a homemaker, trying hard to adjust to Kashmiri culture.

Tabish is originally from Kolkata. She and Bilal were pursuing their Bachelors’ degree in a Bangalore college when they met for the first time. Tabish was studying Journalism and Bilal, Business Administration.They were conscious of their religious restrictions, and so decided to separate for the sake of their families. Tabish says, “After completing my graduation, I went for further studies to London, so that I could come out of my past. But destiny had something else stored for me. Bilal started contacting me again and so our relationship started again.”

After coming back from London, Tabish decided to go against her family’s wishes, and marry Bilal. She came to Kashmir with the hope that her family would forgive her once she is married, as she is her parent’s only daughter. Tabish converted to Islam and married Bilal according to Islamic Sharia on the same day of her conversion. She is now a mother of two, a girl and a baby boy.

Now a practicing Muslim, Tabish says she has become so immersed in Kashmiri culture, that she sometimes forgets she was an outsider. But there are times when she feels her life could have been better, had she settled somewhere in India. She says, “I never imagined my destiny would lead me to such a naturally beautiful place that is unfortunately in so many disputes. Youngsters don’t have any opportunity to prove themselves, and neither do I. I have my Masters’ degree from London, but I am still sitting at home, since there are no good opportunities here, and my husband doesn’t want me to work for just 5000 or 8000 bucks.” more

Shrouded in Silence

Shameema (name changed), 47,a home maker, living in a single story house with her two daughters (22, 19) and a son (18), prefers to remain indoors.The house in Bag-e-Mehtab was gifted to Shameema by her mother. Her husband, Mushtaq Ahmad Shahis a driver. He rarely comes to stay with his family, and when he does, he beats his wife during the late night hours, either for the high expenses, or most of the time, for no particular reason at all.

After hearing their battered mother’s cries, the three children come to save their scared mother.Every day they step out of their house, they feel awkward, fearing that the neighbors have heard their mother’s cries at night. When their father is away, they try to live a relaxed and peaceful life, but when he is home—they are constantly awake, so they can be awake at night for helping their mother in case their father hits her again.

Just a few months ago, Mushtaq got into an argument with his supervising officer, and in return, he was fired from his job. When he was still employed, he would avoid coming home for six months—saying he had night duty. And for the six other months, he would be in Jammu with the Durbar move. But now,he is home and beats his wife all thetime. “He says these children are not his children. He beats me because I pray regularly and visit Shrines.He feels I go to peers and fakirs to harm him,” says Shameema woefully while showing the marks her husband left on her body a day before after trying to strangle her. more

Learning To Relax

Sitting on a sea of blue and green exercise mats, a row of young and middle-aged women listen intently to their instructor, chant the name of God, and carefully release their breath.

“Allllaaaaaaaaah, breathe out and open your eyes,” Sumaira, a yoga instructor, utters calmly at the end of a meditation session.Sumaira’s yoga and meditation exercises are one amongst an increasing number of such classes that are being taught in Kashmir, and those who practice these say they have been helped significantly.

Anjum, 35, mother of two, would go to a gym regularly, as suggested by her doctor. She was a bit overweight before she started her gym routine, and after hours of workouts for the past year, she lost 4 kgs. However, she would come back home feeling drained. She now attends yoga classes in Kashmir, and feels more relaxed and rejuvenated. When she comes home, she says she is able to resume her usual routine. “That’s something which wasn’t possible after my exhausting sessions at the gym,” she says.

Anjum was distressed about her back pain, leg pain, irregular monthly cycles and hypertension. She happened to chance upon information regarding yoga classes in Barbarsha hand joined in the first week of September. She has been going regularly since. “I can’t tell you how relaxed I feel,” says Anjum. “I feel like all my problems have disappeared. My blood pressure is under control, and I don’t even take any medication now,” she says blissfully. more

Ladishah, Ladishah

Ladishah, the art of embedded satire in songs pleasing the kashmiri ear since eighteenth century now faces extinction. The peculiar rhythm coupled with situational sarcastic lyrics can still be remembered by many.

Dressed in a pheran, white trousers and a white turban, Ladishah would arrive with his musical instrument and play the melodious musical notes and sing satire. Ladishah, the author himself communicates a particular message about the cultural, social and political vandalism. There are no metaphors in Ladishah, it is in the simple local language.

Ladishah is a type of folk literary genre. It is by a particular author and the same author narrates it. Other folk genres are collective work of various people. He would sing against the atrocities of the rulers to show his resentment. Ladishah was the classical character of Kashmiri literature and a believer of constructive criticism.

Some historians believe Ladishah is not an independent genre but Dr Farooq Fayaz, an associate professor in History department, University of Kashmir and the author of a book ‘Kashmir Folklore’, treats it is an independent genre and says that the name Ladishah is given after its creator who was from a village Lari of district Pulwama, South Kashmir. The creator was from this village and from shah dynasty so he was recognized as shah of Lari village so finally this genre got the name of Ladishah. more