Customer Reviews

The Colors of Violence: Cultural Identities, Religion, and Conflict

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Mr. Kakar obviouslly does not belong to Hyderabad. If he had, he would never have written what he had. Hyderabad - the entire State under the Nizam was a symbol of Hindu Muslim unity. It was one mixed composite community with the same culture. Even the Indian Congress propaganda based on total lies could not influence the Hindus of Hyderabad in the period preceding the invasion of Hyderabad by the might of the British armaments left in India.

India had enforced an illegal total economic, road, rail and air blockade on a land locked country and persistently copied Goebbles in total false propaganda. It was the Congress that was playing always the communal card to the extent that they divided the country. They wanted to play the same games and tricks but did not succeed in Hyderabad. Except for the handful State Congress followers and some Marhatas there were no takers. They were solidly behind the State of Hyderabad under the benevolent Nizam.

The Nizam's just policies for the State hurt no subjects - hence the immense popularity. The Hyderabadi populace irrespective of cast and creed were happy and prosperous. They never had a riot except just onece of Dhoolpet that was immediately contained, unlike thousands of riots and pograms conducted by Congress in the periods before and after partition which the police have supervised.

Even after the occupation of Hyderabad there was no Hindu Muslim riot till 1969 by which time the anti Muslim elements were gaining ground. The instances Mr. Kakar has written about Pushpa's hand under corpses at Osmania hospital is nothing but a figment of imagination.

The Government of India did not honor any agreements including the Standstill Agreement, India did not even agree for a referendum, nothing, nor did India allow the State of Hyderabad to exercise the legal option that was given by the Independence act by which India gained independence. Hyderabad could have joined, India or Pakiatan or remained inswpendent under Terms of Independence. Instead India only wanted annexation with violence and having a holocaust of immense proportioins.

One fails to understand what Mr.Kakar is up to by his provocative book.

This is the best book on religious violence in India that I have ever read. The author is a psychoanalyst who really gets into the reasons why Hindus and Muslims have these stereotypes of each other. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Indian history.

Too much lofty theorizing - only for readers with little real exposure to India's complexities.