M J Akbar’s dull speech in Parliament on Kashmir inspires ‘Nationalists’ – makes a splash (video)

July 24, 2016, NewsCrunch

A recent speech made by journalist-turned-politician-turned minister  M J Akbar on Kashmirhas wowed many.

Akbar, who was know for brevity and energy in his days as big-gun editor, seems to have mellowed and got muddled.

The speech in Rajya Sabha at the backdrop of the recent disturbance in Kashmir is insipid.

It meanders to take a long trip from the historic roots of the trouble to the present day, in the process drawing hoots from backbenchers. It also works as a gentle lullaby to the person sitting next to Akbar, as the photo above shows.

Akbar’s main contention is Kashmir is the acid test for India’s rejection of two-nation theory; Wani was a killer of Indian soldiers and local sarpanchs and there is no case for the media to romanticise him; Pakistanis deceitful and there is still a chance to woo back Kashmiri youth.

Nothing new in the arguments, which are made with the tone of a meek school teacher addressing unruly students.

But the speech has been going viral mostly with the ‘Nationalist’ crowd whose binary Hindu/Muslim worldview sees Kashmir turmoil entirely in religious terms.

As they see it, Akbar’s speech, which flogs well-known Indian position, amounts to him putting his nationality before his religion.

A congratulation is perhaps in order to Akbar, for passing the ‘Nationalists’ test for  Indian Muslims.