Book Review The Chronicles of Kashmir Amarnath Vaishnavi A Biography

By Col Tej K Tikoo, Ph.D. (Retd)

“The Chronicles of Kashmir – Biography of a Leader-Amarnath Vaishnavi,” is
a roughly 370-pages paper back authored by Bal Krishen Sanyasi, nephew of
Amarnath Vaishnavi, and edited by his grand niece, Rohini Vaishnavi. The
book is published by Sabre & Quill.

Amarnath Vaishnavi Book Review Chronicles of Kashmir

The life story of Sh. Amarnath Vaishnavi makes a fascinating reading right
from the time his name appears first in the book as a young teacher and a

Pracharak of RSS. The book covers some important milestones of this well-
known community stalwart that traverses a wide swathe of experiences –

nearly all devoted to the service of the nation and his own community. Going
through difficult situations that life presented him with, Sh. Amarnath Ji
carried himself with quiet dignity and poise. He would always have a cheerful
visage and his public appearances would fill his listeners with hope,
optimism and inspiration.
Starting as a pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh, Amarnath Ji,
besides working in the valley and Jammu, also galvanized the people of
Ladakh and later Punjab, where he was sent on a posting, perhaps, to keep

him away from the Valley. Many of our community members today may not
even know that the road to the Aug 5, 2019, neutralization of Art 370 & 35A,
has not been a bed of roses, but has been made possible by the sweat and
blood of many committed nationalists like Amarnath Vaishnavi. Starting with
the breaking of the permit system by the founder of Jan Sangh (the
predecessor of BJP), Sh. Shyama Prasad Mukerjee to enter Kashmir, his
eventual death in suspicious circumstances while under arrest in Kashmir,
the Praja Parishad movement that galvanized the Jammu region against the
anti-national majoritarian politics of Sheikh Mohd Abdullah and the
subsequent removal of the permit system and arrest of Shiekh Mohd
Abdullah, were all result of huge sacrifices made by the people of Jammu
region in which Amarnath Vaishnavi played a significant role. In fact, he was
one of the few Kashmiri Pandits involved in organizing the people of Jammu
and its suburbs to protest against many decisions taken by Sheikh Mohamad
Abdullah and his administration which were essentially anti-Indian and
pandered to the majoritarian sentiment.
The book makes it abundantly clear that with every passing day it was
becoming clear as day light that the continued presence of Kashmiri Pandits
in Kashmir was becoming increasingly untenable. Sh. Amarnath Vaishnavi,
having worked at grass root level throughout the length and breadth of
different regions of the state, understood this and accordingly, made
herculean efforts to not only warn his community of the impending danger
but also made many attempts to caution the state and national leadership
about it. Whenever opportunity arose, he organized public protests against
the rising Muslim majoritarian sentiment which had pronounced communal
overtones, fanned by Sheikh Abdullah himself.
The book contains a detailed account of the 1967-Parmeshwari Handoo
agitation, in which Sh. Vaishnavi Ji emerged as a leader of the community in
his own right. Those of us who took part in the agitation would clearly recall
the slogan that Sh. Vashnavi Ji made immortal, before he started his speech –
‘Jai Kara – Har Har Mahadev’. In fact, the slogan got so deeply identified with
him that he was known by the endearing name ‘Jai Kara’. The book contains
several anecdotes of that period- some of them not known to many till now.
He recalls his meeting with the former Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi
and the conversation his delegation had with her during this period. He also
expressed his deep sense of resentment and disappointment on how Mrs.
Gandhi reacted to their demand and what she said in reply to their requests.
What he says does not reflect well on the former formidable P.M., particularly

in relation to the state of the microscopic in a predominantly Muslim
majority area. In fact, what she told the delegation, as quoted by Amarnath
Vaishnavi Ji, nearly reflected Nehru’s views on Kashmiri Pandits.
Though Sh. Amarnath Vaishnavi was involved with his community’s issues
for many decades, it was only in 1987 that he took over as the President of
the “All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC)”. This prestigious
organization, which had some prominent Kashmiri Pandits helming it on
various occasions, came into being in 1931 as “All State Kashmiri Pandit
Conference-Sanatan Dharma Yuvak Sabha”. Prior to that its earlier avatar was
“Dharma Sabha” under the legendary Hargopal Koul, which came into being
in the first quarter of the last century, as the community witnessed with
trepidation the rise of Muslim majoritarianism in Kashmir. After Hargopal
Koul’s death in 1925, Dharma Sabha lost its sheen and was replaced by
ASKPC. Some of the community’s outstanding personalities later headed this
organization before Amarnath Vaishnavi took over its mantle.
Amarnath Vaishnavi’s life story makes it abundantly clear that he was among
the foremost Sangh Parivar Leaders in North India – From Golwalkar to
Balraj Madhok and from Advani to Vajpayee, Amarnath Ji rubbed shoulders
with top leaders of the Sangh Parivar.
There are instances in the book which show the high esteem in which Sh.
Amarnath Ji was held by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS. Out of the blue,
while attending a function or a public meeting, ministers and those holding
high positions in the organization, would bow to touch his feet because he
had initiated them into the RSS during his days as a Pracharak.
It remains without saying that in any other state, an organizational man of
Amarnath Vashnavi’s credentials, would have risen high in the party or in the
government, particularly when BJP started tasting political power in many
states and subsequently, at the centre. But, being a Kashmiri Pandit, he had
no constituency to call his own. Like many Kashmiri Pandits who had
contributed immensely to public life, this was a cross that Amarnath Ji had
to bear
The book contains many conversations of Amarnath Ji, quoted Verbatim.
These quotes reflect his deep insight into the political developments of the
state. These also describe the dynamics and inter-play of political forces that
influenced both the state politics as also the Delhi-Kahmir political equation.
His reminiscences of the conversations he held with many leaders convey the

political inclinations of those who shaped the state’s destiny over the many
decades.
His relentless efforts during mass movement of “Shree Amarnath Shrine
Sangharsh Samiti,” contributed in a big way in galvanizing people against the
lies spread by Mufti regime to appease his vote bank and Jammati supporters
in Kashmir.
The last three decades of Amarnath Ji’s life were entirely devoted to ensuring
the wellbeing of the displaced members of his community in 1989-90. The
book records in detail the relentless efforts put in by him during and after
the exodus of our community in 1989-90; Sh. Amanath Vaishnavi organized
the young volunteers under ASKPC to render succor to the displaced people
in Jammu. No effort was too great for him to render assistance to the
hounded out Pandits who poured into Jammu and other places with barely
what they wore, having lost everything to the Jihadi violence in Kashmir that
resulted in their ethnic cleansing from Kashmir. Vaishnavi Ji and his
dedicated team of workers poured their heart and soul into registering the
refugees, providing them shelter, first in Geeta Bhavan and later in hastily
created camps, establishing camp schools and providing the fleeing refugees
with the bare minimum wherewithal for immediate survival.
He met nearly all the important people in and outside the govt to make them
aware of the degree of barbarity faced by a peaceful community and impress
upon them the pathetic conditions they were living in various camps in
Jammu and other places. Later, he fought many political battles to have the
displaced community rehabilitated in Kashmir. It was while rendering this
yeoman’s service he breathed his last, having worked for the community
literally till the last breath.
The book ends with many well-known KP-activists, prominent writers,
intellectuals, artists and political figures, academicians, etc., paying tributes
to Amarnath Vaishnavi after he passed away on July 1, 2012.Most touching is
the one written by Sh. R L Shant Sahab.