After reducing "the Paradise on Earth", Kashmir, to a virtual Hell, the Islamic ter¬rorists have extended their death and de¬struction to Doda district of Jammu Divi¬sion of the Jammu & Kashmir State. Local press of the Valley, with a few honourable exceptions, totally surrendered to the dic¬tates of the terrorists. They not only con-doned but also defended the heinous crimes like loot, arson, rape and murder commit¬ted by the so called Islamic Mujahids. The brunt of the fundamentalists' senseless fury was borne by the peaceful and defenceless Pandit Minority of the Valley. More than quarter million members of this commu¬nity—men, women and children had to flee their home and hearth to save their life and honour. Un-Islamic Mujahids, did not spare even their Muslim co-religionists, who were killed because they were the political activists of major political parties. Even they had to seek refuge, in thou¬sands, in other parts of India. This and many other aspects of the ter¬rorism/militancy in the Jammu & Kash¬mir State—its birth and rise, economic and political factors, role of Pakistan in sustain¬ing it, the dithering policy of the Central Government, the biased attitude of the so-called human rights organisations vis-a¬vis the terrorists' activities, rigged elec¬tions, controvertial Article 370, autonomy, burning of Soofi Saint Sheikh Nur-ud-Din's Chrari Sharief shrine and 'Azadi' etc. have been analysed in depth in this book by the journalists and scholars, many of whom have not only themselves been the victims of terrorism, but have also closely watched from the ring side, the Jammu & Kashmir affairs since its accession to India in 1947. The collection of articles in the form of this book JAMMU-KASHMIR-LADAKH: Ringside Views, imparts it the character of the reference material. Otherwise, they would remain scattered in the newspa¬pers, and perhaps out of reach too. These words from the Preface of the book, succinctly, bring forth the essense of this book: "This book is a collection of articles and commentaries on the trauma of Kashmir (and Jammu) by some distin-' guished writers, scholars, journalists and political commentators.... (They) have been witnesses of the agony of Kashmir.... The articles deal not only with political issues, but also the emotional, social and psycho¬logical fallout of the turmoil that is gnaw¬ing at the roots of Kashmir's ancient ethos."
