Curfewed Night - Basharat Peer

Curfewed Night is Basharat Peer's first book. It is narrated in a form of a survivor story whose live revolved around some of Kashmir's toughest times. The book mirrors the hypocrisy of Kashmiris, enjoying subsidised schooling, government jobs, studying in state run Colleges and never being grateful about it. Instead we have romanticism for AK 47s and pride of militancy. The book also throws light on the total aloofness of Delhi politicians towards the hatred of Kashmiris. This is reflected in Army's treatment towards the Kashmiri populace, the torture and rapes.

The army it seems has been stuck into this wonderland with no particular sense and plan to do something. Its prerogative is to maintain 'peace' but what can it do for the turmoils within?

Read this book, if you want to feel sympathetic towards the Kashmiri cause. Which is to have everything and to do nothing for it. Indeed, when I was reading about the tortures and shoot outs, I wondered, why would any Army leave those guys alone, if they openly brandish imported ammunition, openly deny any allegiance to the law of the land and are proud of their militant tag. The army might have gone overboard but what were these people expecting? A banquet in their honour?

Publisher - Random House
Pages - 239

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