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Pieces of Earth: The Politics of Land-Grabbing in Kashmir
This book is about the politics surrounding land grabbing for developmental projects by corporate-led establishments such as the Indian National Hydroelectric Power Corporation in Kashmir.
Kashmir, the author argues, has had a long past of political conflict with the Indian state, therefore the question of land grabbing gains immense importance for the future of resource and territorial conflicts in South Asia.
The book traces the history of land tenure changes with changing political regimes in Kashmir to assess its impact on the peasant population. It focuses on the narratives of the state, the corporates, the elites, and absentee landlords which help facilitate land and resource grabbing in the state. The work also documents and analyses the multiple motivations of different actors that either support or resist such development related land grabbing.
Combining the literature in violence and development and dispossession studies, the author addresses the socio-political conflict in land and resource grabbing in conflict zones.
Kashmir, the author argues, has had a long past of political conflict with the Indian state, therefore the question of land grabbing gains immense importance for the future of resource and territorial conflicts in South Asia.
The book traces the history of land tenure changes with changing political regimes in Kashmir to assess its impact on the peasant population. It focuses on the narratives of the state, the corporates, the elites, and absentee landlords which help facilitate land and resource grabbing in the state. The work also documents and analyses the multiple motivations of different actors that either support or resist such development related land grabbing.
Combining the literature in violence and development and dispossession studies, the author addresses the socio-political conflict in land and resource grabbing in conflict zones.
212 pages, Hardcover
Published March 25, 2018
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May 15, 2025
A middling scholarly attempt to understand disenfranchisement of the rural Kashmiri peasants, mainly Muslims and how a hydroelectric power plant, state and central government, or Kashmir and India, are hands in the same glove, to mess around with rural idyllic life in border districts of Gurez and Budhgam, along the Kishanganga and despotic NHPC. The author is more concerned about the vibes, and gossip of the villagers, Pakistani refugees, attending local mosque meetings, and the presence of the dystopian Indian Army/Military Intelligence than regarding any particular topographical facts, cross border infiltration, terrorism as a means of bargain, average family size of 12, fair compensation, rampant illiteracy, overt militant support, and an aversion to modernism. The author cites the Indus Water Treaty, and calls it a trilateral agreement between India, Pakistan and Kashmir, thanks the positive hand of the Pakistani government in stopping any and all developments along the upper riparian country of Kashmir by the occupying state of India, while at the same time agreeing that the local state government and the Indian government are singular in their mission of ensuring no economic growth accrues to the local people, by the instrument of oppression known as NHPC.
Many excellent works on the topic of forced displacement, such as Tehri, Pong, Bhakhra Nangal, Sardar Sarovar, Damodar are available which are infinitely better at putting over an argument of development of one class at the cost of another, or political machinations, or ignoring geography for short term political gains, but this is not one of them. The author uses village gossip as proof, and wants a return to the status quo with the occupying Indian government, subsiding their daily rations.
Many excellent works on the topic of forced displacement, such as Tehri, Pong, Bhakhra Nangal, Sardar Sarovar, Damodar are available which are infinitely better at putting over an argument of development of one class at the cost of another, or political machinations, or ignoring geography for short term political gains, but this is not one of them. The author uses village gossip as proof, and wants a return to the status quo with the occupying Indian government, subsiding their daily rations.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review