Experience of SAARC has not been encouraging: Hamid Ansari -Governance Now

Experience of SAARC has not been encouraging: Hamid Ansari

Idealism has to be tempered with realism and common action is easier done in areas of convergence than of divergence

Geetanjali Minhas | December 29, 2016 | Mumbai

#Hamid Ansari #Sudheendra Kulkarni #SAARC #book launch

Vice President Hamid Ansari has called for a practical, accommodative and inclusionary approach to ease negative perceptions of post partition tensions between India and Pakistan.

Emphasising that political commitment and modalities were needed to resolve outstanding areas of disagreement, Ansari said that foremost amongst these is what the Simla Agreement of 1972 called ‘a final settlement of Jammu and Kashmir’.

Addressing a gathering on Wednesday after releasing the book ‘August Voices: What they said on 14-15 August 1947’ by Sudheendra Kulkarni, Hamid Ansari said: “The State is doing all that is necessary to confront and repel terrorism. The State also has a duty to ensure that the rights and dignity of our citizens in the State are respected and ensured and shortcomings effectively addressed.”

The book explores, thoughts, actions and writings of, among others, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mohammed Ali Jinnah as well as Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad on August 14-15, 1947.

The vice president said the experience of SAARC has not been encouraging and therefore alternate strategies need to be explored. He added that the proposed new structure would have to be voluntary and devoid of overt or covert coercion. There may be lessons to be learnt from other regional organizations.

“Idealism has to be tempered with realism and common action is easier done in areas of convergence than of divergence. This convergence is to be sought by moving beyond the traditional paradigm of conventional security into those of human security and human wrong. Both are ignored by the governments and societies in our region; there is a crying need for the recognition and implementation of both,” added the vice president.

“A beginning therefore has to be made in regional cooperation with a focus on human security problems, on movement of people and on trade without unreasonable restrictions. The common traits in cultural traditions and historical narratives need to be transmitted to younger generation through conscious promotion rather than studied prevention of cultural exchanges, films, and other cultural activities,” he said.

Sudheendra Kulkarni, author of the book and chairman, Observer Research Foundation, told Governance Now: “The book aims to correct the mistakes of the past and the manner in which two partitions took place in the years in 1947 and 1971 which have created problems for three countries. The partitions cannot be undone but the negative effects of the partition should be undone by bringing the three countries together in a confederal framework so that all the three nations are separate, yet together.”

Comments

Other News

Study flags accessibility and last-mile challenges on Mumbai Metro Aqua Line

Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line), the city`s first fully underground metro corridor and one of its largest public transport investments, represents a major engineering achievement and has been widely welcomed by commuters. However, the overall commuter experience continues to be constrained by accessibili

Centre intensifies preparedness as El Niño threat looms

Amid uncertainty in the southwest monsoon due to the potential impact of El Niño, the government is addressing the situation with comprehensive preparedness, a clear strategy, and strong ground-level action. While challenges remain, the entire system has been activated in advance and is working proa

India is crossing a climate threshold

On June 28, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 41.3°C, four degrees above the seasonal normal. But the “feels like” temperature, which factors in humidity, showed more than 51°C. What the body experienced was very different from what the thermometer recorded. India`

The Geography of India’s inflation

India today finds itself in an unusual position. At a time when geopolitical conflicts, trade fragmentation, and supply-chain disruptions are reshaping the global economy, the country`s macroeconomic fundamentals remain relatively upwards. Growth remains among the highest in the world, inflation has larg

How to listen to the great storytellers that the trees are

The Trees of My Country: A Natural History of India in 50 Trees By T. R. Shankar Raman, with illustrations by Manali Patil Aleph Book Company, 284 pages, Rs 1,499

This tree in Bihar turns out to be the oldest accurately dated banyan

A banyan tree in Munger, Bihar, estimated to be around 700 years old, has been identified as the oldest accurately dated banyan tree, Ficus benghalensis, using radiocarbon dating, a method that relies exclusively on scientific evidence rather than historical records or local lore. Banyan