Daily Times

LAHORE: The Lahore Literacy Festival (LLF) 2016 on Sunday, hosted a session titled Lurching Rightwards – South Asia In The Balance in, which the esteemed speakers stressed on the importance of keeping religion away from politics, channeling the ever increasing population and stopping the increasing radical mindsets for the betterment of the region.

Former US ambassador and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Vice President Sherry Rahman, human rights activist and Dhaka’s BRAC University Professor Dina Siddiqui and former Indian foreign secretary Salman Haidar were the experts in the session, which was moderated by Dr Kamal Munir.

Sherry Rahman said series of violent acts are damaging our national identities and is also narrowly defining the region. The recent acts of violence at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) depict the dangerous waves hitting the shores of identity and citizenship in India, which is of course linked with the political rights as well as the religious right. “When religion is appropriated, it is almost always mercenary or political,” she added.

She questioned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s style of governance and said that his policies have been criticised even in India where people are holding regular protests and are retuning awards given by him. “Modi’s policies have unfortunately made him a leader of only just a few people. He needs to address some serious issues and become a statesman, especially in the current age of injustice.”

Dina Siddiqui on the occasion said we should not problematise nationalism and the kind of “sacred quality” it brings. “There is a certain limit to nationalism in our countries, for example we can talk about religion, freedom and secularism in India, but one cannot talk about Kashmir. Similarly, it is almost blasphemous to discuss the events of 1971 in Bangladesh,” she noted.

Salman Haidar, answering a query on the rising Hindu extremism, said the readiness of some groups and increasing intolerance in the society is unacceptable, adding the government needs to monitor the activities of such groups and must channelise masses by taking them on board and by addressing their constraints. “The events like JNU are extremely discouraging but it also gives an opportunity for the people to think and change the way things are going. Everyone should understand that one election cannot define a nation.”

Rahman said people of the region must not blindly follow the leaders who promise wonderful things before the elections, adding that media in Pakistan must follow trend lines, like Indians, instead of headlines and depict the positive image of the country.

Giving the example of the Benazir Income Support Programme, she said the government needs to initiate projects that are not subjected only to a single group, province or sect and must include a vision to serve the masses on long term basis, irrespective of the changing governments.

US Consul General in Lahore Zachery Harkenrider was also present among other dignitaries on the occasion.