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This two-volume book is a comprehensive study of insurrections in Jammu and Kashmir (1979 till date) and the Punjab (late 1970s to the early 1990s).

Belonging to the Punjab, the author has been a life-long student of militancy in the state. Consequent to the long tenures in the valley and in Ladakh, he had an opportunity to study all aspects of the insurgency fuelled by the Islamist terrorism in this border state. The field study was complemented by long years of secondary research after his retirement.

Having suffered over 50,000 fatalities in Jammu and Kashmir, India has the dubious distinction of being the worst victim of the scourge called terrorism. Dealing with the terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is not an easy proposition, with the Islamic factor complicating the issue. Despite the tall claims made by the security establishment and the Army authorities, the optimism is misplaced. Yet again, hardline Sikh separatist sentiment is very much alive just below the surface. The current Sikh-Dera Sacha Sauda tensions and clashes in Punjab and Haryana only go to indicate that any complacency on the issue is uncalled for. All these aspects have been discussed in the book, and duly evaluated.

India has shown maximum accommodation to the Islamist and Sikh separatists in the two states. Any further pandering to these merchants of death will only pose a serious threat to the nation's integrity.

The book has warned the lily-livered Indians against soft-pedalling on the terrorist depredations. It is time for some hard decisions.