CONTENTS:- Introduction; Genesis of Political-Consciousness: Nature of the State; Composition and attitudes of bureaucracy; Agrarian crisis; Labour unrest; Education and awakening; Role of socio-religious reform movements; External support; Formation of Muslim Conference; Communal Divide; Role of Muslim Conference: Nature of the conference; Split of the conference; Social welfare programme; Programme of constitutional reforms; Economic programme; Methods of political work; From Muslim Conference to National Conference: Formation of common platform; Response of Kashmiri pandits to national conference; Conclusion.
DESCRIPTION
It is a commendable attempt on the part of the author to study a significant aspect of the modern history of Kashmir. He has rationally and systematically analysed the reasons behind the formation of the Muslim conference. He has correctly estimated the despotic and autocratic nature of the Dogra rule, the exploitation of the peasantry at the handy of the governing class, the agrarian crisis, discontent of the labour class, educational growth and intellectual awakening among the Kashmiri Muslims, the role of socio-religious reform movements, the support of Indian Muslim in general and those of Punjab is in particular as the potential factors leading to the emergence of the Phenomenon embodying the Muslim conference in Kashmir.
