While May Day has a different connotation all over the world, in Kashmir it brings back the memories of a multidimensional personality who remains almost unique to those who knew him personally or through his writings. The memories of Shameem Ahmed Shameem are generally sweet and fragrant but for the pain he suffered for his political activities.
His contribution to journalism, oratory, wit, repartee and literature are recounted regularly and they never sound like stale or repetitious. But one aspect of the late Shameem in my opinion remains understated. That is his contribution to making votes relevant in real sense to the electoral politics. And, his role in doing that and creating a consciousness about it is without doubt pioneering.

Tarique A Bhat
Today, our schools (mostly, tuition shops) do everything but education. Despair is writ large on the face of our future generation, though in receipt of all directionless education regrettably losing its spirit of enquiry. We are on the edge of the abyss because of an irresponsible education system.
I ask, with this customary education, do we have a clear, firm and precise understanding of what Kashmiri society is to be in times to come? Are we bringing education to life? Are we really longing for meaning and fulfillment of our child’s life?   We have lost the real purpose of education. And having a purpose is the difference between making a living and making a life.  Obtaining  90 plus percent marks has become a syndrome, more than proving the capabilities of a child, is a status symbol for both the school authorities and the parents, who can flaunt their children’s report cards to put on show their own ‘superiority’. 

Time and again, ours may be considered activism of extreme frustrations. The feeling that our younger generations from yore have come forward to change a situation, but had no idea of what and how to do so, has seemingly become our destiny.
Tragedies in our  history are repeated, because we don’t learn from our mistakes. Empires grow, weaken and die for the same reasons. So, before going further on the repetition course, let’s take a timeout for reflection on our repeated mistakes.
Last week Kashmiri narratives and role of civil society was debated in some public functions. The only emotion that is specifically exhibited is anger. Most anger displays are not pure anger, but anger alloyed with other emotions, such as disgust. We seem to assume that anger is a simple and unitary emotion, and give only brief hints about managing it.