Curious Kolkata laps up books on Kashmir conflict

KOLKATA: Even as Kashmir has become the nation’s hot topic, books on the Valley are selling like the proverbial hot cake in Kolkata.

The ongoing debate on the Kashmir issue since the Pulwama terror strike has led to a renewed interest in the history and current politics of the strife-torn state. At College Street, the city’s oldest book market, books on Kashmir are flying off the shelves.


Booksellers said they have never before seen such a deep interest among readers on such a complicated issue such as the Kashmir dispute and terrorism. Most popular bookshops in the area said they were getting queries and orders for books on different topics related to the formation of Kashmir, the Kashmir dispute, terrorism and Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. A lot of readers were also seeking books on how to join the Indian Army, its risks and prospects.

“People are in the habit of reading on contemporary issues. But reading on entertaining topics is one thing and studying in-depth about the Kashmir dispute is quite another thing,” said Pinaki Maj-umder of Chuckervertty Chatterjee & Co. “Books on the Kashmir problem and terrorism, which would gather dust, are selling briskly.”

Most booksellers have already sold their old stocks, while some are even having to replenish their supply after receiving orders. “Normally, if 20% queries get converted into sales, it is regarded as a good response. This time, it is more than that,” Majumder said.

Documentary filmmaker Goutam Bose said he was perusing two books — ‘Islamic Fascism’ by Hamed Abdel-Samad and ‘Can Pakistan Survive?’ by Tariq Ali. “I've been to Kashmir several times since 1978 and have had exchanges with common Kashmiris,” he said. “They want real democratic rights and autonomy. It is not true they want to go with Pakistan which, they thought, would make them poor and backward. We should understand the anatomy of the conflict by studying different views before jumping to conclusions.”

Jadavpur University research scholar Deep Sekhar Chakraborty said he wanted to get to the roots of the conflict between Pakistan and India. “I bought a book by Husain Haqqani, titled ‘Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military’,” he said.

Arabinda Dasgupta of Dasgupta & Co, another popular bookshop in the area, said readers’ interest in Kashmir has soared. “Many readers are looking for books on different issues of Kashmir,” he said. Another bookseller, Tapan Das, said: “Books on tourism in Kashmir are sold throughout the year, but for the last few days, there have been people asking for books on the Kashmir dispute. Small bookshops from the city’s fringes are also coming with their lists from local buyers.”