‘As an Indian, I am not proud’: Amartya Sen criticises Centre’s decisions on Jammu and Kashmir
New Delhi: Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen on Monday criticised the Narendra Modi-led administration’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and split the region into two Union Territories, NDTV reported.
“I don’t think ultimately you will have any resolution in Kashmir without democracy,” the 85-year-old economist said, adding that the Centre’s decision emphasised majority rule “as opposed to it sustaining the rights of all human beings”.
“As an Indian, I am not proud of the fact that India, after having done so much to achieve a democratic norm in the world – where India was the first non-Western country to go for democracy – that we lose that reputation on the grounds of action that have been taken,” Sen said. He added that it should have been up to Kashmiris to decide on the rights of land use in the state as it was their land and they have a legitimate point of view.
He also criticised the government’s decision to arrest and detain the political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir. “I don’t think you will ever have fairness and justice without hearing the voices of the leaders of the people and if you keep thousands of leaders under restraint and many of them in jail, including big leaders, who have led the country and formed governments in the past, you are stifling the channel of democracy that makes democracy a success,” Sen said.
Several political leaders – including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, Peoples Conference leader Sajad Lone, Jammu Kashmir Peoples Movement leader Shah Faesal, and state Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir – are under detention.
The economist called the decision to put the state under a huge security blanket to prevent any backlash that might lead to loss of life and property a “colonial excuse”. He said: “That’s how the British ran the country for 200 years. The last thing that I expected when we got our independence... is that we would go back to our colonial heritage of preventive detentions.”
India ended Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5 and also imposed a security lockdown and a communications blackout in the state. Eight parties had opposed the government’s move in Parliament. However, Congress leaders such as Jyotiraditya Scindia, Janardan Dwivedi, Karan Singh, Jaiveer Shergill, Milind Deora, Aditi Singh and Bhubaneswar Kalita backed the government.
Courtesy: scroll.in
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
LPG issue: Lok Sabha proceedings adjourned again amid opposition protests
New Delhi (PTI): Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Friday amid relentless protests by opposition members over the LPG situation and hike in its price due to the ongoing West Asia crisis.
As the House reassembled at 12 noon after an earlier adjournment over the same issue, Opposition members trooped into the Well and raised slogans against the government.
After laying of papers, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for refusing to understand the pulse of the people saying if the principal opposition continues to behave in such a manner, people will punish them severely.
ALSO READ: 4 teen boys killed as motorcycle collides with car in Jharkhand's Chatra
"Their leader is refusing to change. Now the members are also behaving like him. Their leader is indulging in drama in Parliament premises by holding plate and glass. They think that by doing such theatrics they will be able to draw the attention of the people, but people know them very well that is why they have not been able to come to power," Rijiju said.
Expressing disappointment over the Congress behaviour, the minister said no one in the Congress party is making their leader see logic.
"Still there is time to change otherwise people of the country will punish you severely," he said.
As the opposition refused to relent, the Chair adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to respond to a debate on the second batch of supplementary demands for grants this afternoon.
