Religion, Inter-Community Relations and the Kashmir Conflict

Kashmir always remains fresh in the public memory, though not for its stunning landscapes and enchanting beauty. It is the conflict in, rather over, Kashmir that assumes the centre stage more often. Religion, Inter-Community Relations and the Kashmir Conflict by Yoginder Sikand provides invaluable insights into inter-community relations in the state and leads the reader to a deeper understanding of the several layers that engulf the Kashmir dispute. One of the most intractable international conflicts for decades, the Kashmir issue remains as complicated as ever, and a solution to it as elusive. For a more comprehensive understanding of the conflict one needs to deeply examine the sharp religious polarisation in the state over the years. Consequently, peace-building in Kashmir can take a more innovative turn by a revival of the more inclusive and liberal understandings of religion that can help bridge the growing communal divides among the state’s inhabitants.