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Pandit Prem Nath Bazaz

Several speakers spoke on the theme ‘Remembering Bazaz: His relevance in today’s politics’ to throw light on politics and personality of Bazaz, whose book ‘Inside Kashmir’, criticizing the Dogra rule prior to 1947, continues to be banned.

The writer and editor of reputed ‘Hamdard’ newspaper, Bazaz faced an exile at Abdullah’s directions in 1953 and faced an assassination bid in 1947 for his views on Kashmir.

“Bazaz is an enigma. His personality poses more questions than answers. He was in direct touch with Mahatma Gandhi and Jawahar Lal Nehru when Abdullah-led Muslim Conference was converted into National Conference in 1934,” revealed Z.G.Muhammad, author and columnist.

On Bazaz’s relevance in today’s politics, Muhammad said, “If Abdullah is not relevant today, so is not Bazaz.” Muhammad also questioned the wisdom of Bazaz to contest polls of 1977 with the Janta Party.

Alsafa's editor Zahir-ud-Din, while describing Bazaz as a great son of the soil, accused him having grey areas as a historian. “Bazaz reduced the struggle of 1931 to just two paragraphs in his book. I doubt his relevance in today’s politics because he contested polls with Janata Party, which is a grey spot on his career,” he said.

In a counter argument, Peer Ghulam Rasool, well-known writer and columnist, said, “Bazaz will be known for always working against the tide. It was extraordinary on his part given the circumstances he was living in. In Galancy Commission, Bazaz pleaded for Muslim issues. Instead of choosing luxury by siding with Abdullah, Bazaz faced exile for advocating that Kashmir should go to Pakistan for being a Muslim majority state.”

Saying that without Bazaz Kashmir’s political history will be incomplete, Rasool said, “We need to study Bazaz thoroughly. Bazaz’s relevant today because he too was part of the struggle for justice.”

Ruling out that Bazaz ever used word Kashmiriyat in his books, Sheikh Showkat, a Kashmir University professor, said, “It was Bazaz’s tormentor D.P Dhar who used the word first. One should never use word Kashmiriyat for Bazaziyat.”

Showkat said Bazaz always advocated cause of oppressed. “In his letter to Gandhi, Bazaz told him that Kashmir is destined to become a Muslim country. Bazaz’s attempt to convert MC into NC was to create a space for Pandits within Muslim majority state to safeguard their interests in independent Kashmir. It was his politics rather than conspiracy,” Showkat said, adding, “Bazaz parted ways with Abdullah and Congress for being feudal and capitalist”.

Showkat said Bazaz always educated Pandit community to reconcile with Muslims of the state and opposed Kashmir’s accession. “Post 1960s, Bazaz parted ways with dominant sentiment and lost relevance,” saod Showkat, who described his joining Janata Party as ruse on part of New Delhi to ratify the 1975 accord.

“Sheikh won 1977 elections because of being ill and former pro-Pakistan elements joining Janata Party. Delhi then decided to allow Abdullah to win the polls,” said Showkat.

Speaking on the occasion, Riyaz Masroor, a BBC correspondent, said, “Kashmir is witnessing a healthy transformation. Earlier we would reject or approve of a person out rightly. Today we saw during the debate around Bazaz that we have come of age.”

Masroor stressed the need to revisit Bazaz’s work and reintroduce him.

Bazaz’s daughter Vijay Bazaz, who dedicated a poem to his father, said, “My family faced a lot because of my father’s politics both in Kashmir and New Delhi.”

J&K-XI beats Mohammedan Sporting Club

            SRINAGAR, JULY 15 – Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Sunday gave away prizes at the conclusion of goodwill football match betweenMohammedan Sporting Club, Kolkata and Jammu and Kashmir-XI at Bakshi Stadium here.

            The match was witnessed by huge crowd which encouraged the local team by applauses and shouting slogans. The crowd also appreciated the skillful moves of the Mohammedan Sporting Club.

            The Jammu and Kashmir-XI won the match by 5-2 after tie-breaker was applied when both the teams scored one each by the end of full time. The Jammu and Kashmir XI went into lead by scoring a goal in the first half which was equalized by Mohammedan Sporting Club in second half through a penalty kick.

            In the tie-breaker Jammu and Kashmir-XI converted 4 penalty kicks into goals while Mohammedan Sporting Club scored one out of three kicks.

            Union Minister of State for Home, Jatinder Singh, Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Youth Services and Sports, R. S. Chib, Minister of State for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani, Legislators, Director General Police, K. Rajindra, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Dr. Asgar Samoon and various other senior officers civil, police and army and Secretary and officials of Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council were also present on the occasion.

Pandit Prem Nath Bazaz remembered

“Was unhappy over joining Janta Party”

Srinagar, July 15 (VOS): Controversial Kashmiri Pandit writer and politician Prem Nath Bazaz was unhappy later in his life with his decision to join the Janta Party in 1977 elections, which saw Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah coming to power once again, says Bazaz’s son-in-law Omkar Razdan.

“He told me once that ‘it was the biggest blunder by me to be part of the Janta Party (of Morarji Desai) in 1977’,” said Razdan, a retired director general of Indian Air Force’s works department.

Bazaz’s son-in-law and daughter Vijay Razdan organized a memorial meeting on his 107th birth anniversary on Saturday evening at Srinagar’s Sri Pratap College; this was first such tribute ever since Bazaz died in 1984. .(cont on page 2)