Reading Syed Ali Geelani
The third volume of Geelani’s autobiography is almost encyclopedic documenting of all major and many minor events of Kashmir struggle Some books are more important than their authors. Some authors are of greater interest for the readers than their books. And it is the stature of the author’s personality and overall work that one needs to have an idea about to better read his book. This applies especially to the case of SAS Geelani. Generally speaking, we have leaders but not writers and that has been partly our undoing. While writing, one has to make thoughts untangle and clear and that forces self criticism. Geelani, along with a couple of names, seeks to fill the gap. But does he succeed? How objective, nuanced and scholarly is his writing? Indian according to passport, Pakistani according to conviction, Geelani is arguably the most influential Kashmiri leader to have emerged in the last few decades, at least in the people’s imagination. A vast majority of Kashmiri call him F...