Equal opportunity important component of democracy, says Radha Kumar

Tribune News Service

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Jammu, February 18

Dr Radha Kumar, former interlocutor for J&K appointed by the Central Government and Director General, Delhi Policy Group, today said the internal security of a nation rests on human securities of its people. She added that equal opportunity was an important component of democracy.

Dr Radha Kumar was speaking at a day-long conference on “Pluralism in J&K: Crisis and the way forward” at the Convention Hall of The Business School, University of Jammu, here. The conference was organised by Lehar The NGO in collaboration with the Department of Political Science, JU, wherein many important issues pertaining to current political situation prevailing in the state were also discussed.

All eminent speakers stressed on the need for having a respect for multi-culture in the state claiming that it was missing. Veteran journalist and author Prem Shankar Jha said the biggest example of social harmony in India was the lack of social fear. The lack of self-consciousness of identity was the sign of a society without fear, he said.

Prof M Tajuddin, Head of the Department of Political Science, JU, said in the neighbouring state, people saw their identity as Punjabi and Indian. But in J&K, people did not see themselves as Jammu-Kashmiri.

Prof Siddiq Wahid, former Vice Chancellor of the Islamic University of Science and Technology, said India did not have to stitch plurality or reinvent it. “Plurality was part of our social and historical roots,” he added.

Prof Gull Wani, Director of the Institute of Kashmir Studies at Kashmir University, said the migration of the Kashmiri Pandits had led to a vertical split in the pluralist nature of the Kashmir valley. He maintained that there was a need to work collectively to remove the flaws.

Prof Poonam Dhawan, Dean, Academic Affairs, JU, was the chief guest at the inaugural session of the conference, which was divided into three sessions. These comprised “Pluralism — The idea and relevance for J&K”; “Implications of conflict on pluralism in J&K; and “Strategies and the way forward”.