The Oppressed Nation

Book Review

Reviewer: Shaykh Mohsin
Book Name: The Oppressed Nation
Author: Syed Ali Geelani
Genre: Non-Fiction / Political History
Publisher: Talou Publications
Pages: 97
Price: n/a

The title for booklet "OPPRESSED NATION” has been extracted from a poem of Allama Iqbal (r.a) . The author has called Kashmir ‘The Oppressed Nation’ because of helplessness and powerlessness. Those people who are interested in the political history of J&K and want to understand it in its actual perspective, the booklet is eye opener for them.

The author writes that Kashmir is a matter of 15 million people who are deprived of their birth right and their aspirations are quelled on account of 10 lack guns. The writer has tried his best to rejuvenate and draw the attention of Indian masses and international Human Rights Organizations towards cruelty and oppression done by forces.

In a section of the Book, the author has succinctly presented historical background of JEI (Jamat-e-Islami) and has clarified many misconceptions about it e.g. people usually believe JEI was the architect of gun in Kashmir in 90s. To clarify the author writes, “this misconception does not reflect the facts because in this way gun gets associated with only one party, whereas it was the activity of the whole community". Similarly when JEI made an appeal to end the role of gun in Kashmir, it also was used an instrument to malign it.

The writer has tried his best to rejuvenate and draw the attention of Indian masses and international Human Rights Organizations towards cruelty and oppression done by forces.

A part of the book addresses Indian Government and its people. The author claims that the word 'Secularism' is only mentioned in Indian Constitution but practically India is a Hindu Colonial State. Might is right is their notion because in the reign of so called secular congress, 40000 anti-Muslim riots have taken place whereas he vociferously cautions people about the nefarious designs of B.J.P and writes " anyone having faith in the BJP leadership is living in fool’s paradise”.

In the last part of the pamphlet, author addresses the Muslim Ummah. The pattern of writing is wistful and sentimental in which the helplessness and merciful plight of feeble Ummah has been highlighted. Obliviousness of Muslim countries from religious and moral values and also from their brilliant past is the reason of their downfall in front of the writer. Resorting towards Quran and Sunnah is only way of their expulsion from such deterioration near to him .We find him advising rhetoric the Muslims of fortitude on trials and tribulations. And has sullenly addressed Indian Muslims also.

In the last resort, I would say the this book-let is the creation of time. The circumstances and necessities of time are responsible to very extend to 'its' existence. The author had to move his pen to clarify the misconceptions and propaganda attributed to Iamat (JeI) and has succeeded to some extend. The book is a priced addition to Modern Literature on Kashmir Dispute.

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