He and Kushwant...

And thus wrote Kushwant Singh on Saturday's edition in The Hindustan Times

            .......I am overjoyed at the emergence of young Omar Abdullah as the unquestioned leader of new Kashmir. There’s more to him than just a spokesman of Kashmiri aspirations. His voice resounds across the length and breadth of the entire country. He is perhaps the first Muslim leader since Independence who commands the respect of all Indians.

            He is articulate and a good orator in Kashmiri, Urdu and English. What he says is not empty rhetoric but makes good sense and warms everyone’s hearts. He has all the qualities of leadership laid down by Allama Iqbal to the leader of the caravan: Yaqeen mahkam, amal paiham, mohabbat Fateh-aalam Jihad-e-zindagani mein hain yeh meer-e-kaaraavan kee shamsheeren (In man’s crusade in life, he has three weapons: Faith that his cause is just, courage to wage a war till eternity, love that embraces all humanity).

            Omar Abdullah’s lineage is impeccable. He is the grandson of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah who opted to remain in secular India rather than join Islamic Pakistan. He is the son of Farooq Abdullah, ex-chief minister of Kashmir. He is highly educated, a product of Burnhall School, Srinagar; Lawrence School, Sanawar and Sydenham College, Bombay, from where he passed his BCom to become a management consultant.....