Citizens Conclave on safeguarding the Constitution and protecting democracy

By Dilip - Sunday, June 24, 2018

NB: This is the programme (along with an introductory note) that I received for a forthcoming Citizens Conclave on safeguarding the Constitution and protecting dissent and rights of minorities. I wholeheartedly support the idea of this conclave, but I think it is lacking in one significant respect. If there is a clear reason why the plight of Kashmiri Pandits need not be raised and discussed at a forum on inclusive democracy, then that reason should be made public. It is not a matter of privately-held beliefs, but of public responsibility, especially as we claim to be concerned with the fate of Indian democracy. Here is the letter I sent to the person who kindly sent me the programme, and to some other persons associated with it. Four of them - thus far - have endorsed my suggestion, including Aruna Roy, Javed Anand & Purushottam Agrawal, but as I have not heard from the organisers and as the matter is urgent, I am posting it on this blog:

Thank you for this invitation for a timely conference. The themes democracy and dissent, and the plight of minorities are very relevant for all democrats. The plight of Kashmiri Pandits does not seem to figure among your listed concerns in this admirable programme (please correct me if I am wrong). The bulk of the Pandit population has been the victim of terror-inspired fear and lacs were forced to leave their ancestral homes. Large numbers were killed by terrorists. A small number of them remain in the Valley, and have repeatedly called attention to their plight. Should not Indian citizens interested in dissent and the rights of minorities listen to them?

Please see some communications from Mr Sanjay Tikoo of the KPSS:

Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) Letter to Prime Minister - Security Concern of Non-Migrant Kashmiri Pandits living in Kashmir Valley

We Fear For the 400 Kashmiri Pandit Families in South Kashmir: Sanjay Tikoo / Humanitarian Appeal for the Kashmiri Pandits in Srinagar valley

Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti PRESS RELEASE

I urgently request you to correct this discrepancy and invite some speakers or Mr Tikoo to speak their minds on this question. It is not good for Indian democracy for its defenders to appear to neglect any section of suffering people. Since your conference is about dissent, I trust you will take my suggestion in the right spirit.

I take the liberty of addressing this request to those whom I have copied into this message.

My best wishes for the success of the conclave

yours sincerely

Dilip Simeon

see also:

Mansoor Anwar on Comrade Abdul Sattar Ranjoor (1917-1990)

What is to be Undone

History Archive: Communist Party of India (1950) - Imperialist aggression in Kashmir

High Court of Jammu & Kashmir upholds Sanjay Tickoo's petition...

Mubashir Mir - Between Sanghi & Separatists: an alternate perspective from Kashmir

Kashmir Oral History

India Inclusive Invites you to a Citizens’ Conclave; June 30, 2018

Deputy Speaker Hall; Constitution Club; New Delhi

Safeguarding the Constitution; Ensuring the Independence and Integrity of the Civil Services and Defence Forces

9-9.50 am: Registration & Tea

9.50-10.00: Welcome: Dr Harshvardhan Hegde

10 am-1 pm: Session 1

Chair: Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas

Speakers: Air Marshal Vir Narain; Dr. Atul Bharadwaj; NC Saxena, Former Secretary, Planning Commission; Sindhushree Khullar, Former Secretary, Planning Commission; Tuk Tuk Ghosh, Former Secretary & Financial Advisor; Wajahat Habibullah, First Chief Information Commissioner

2-5 pm: Session 2

Chair: Ashok Vajpeyi, Former Secretary Culture;

Speakers: Air Marshal Kapil Kak; Aruna Roy, Former IAS; Ashok Kumar Sharma, IFS, Former Ambassador; Commodore Lokesh K Batra (Retd.); Niranjan Pant, Former Deputy CAG; Sundar Burra, Former IAS

5-6 pm: Tea

Entry Open

Dear friends,

Kindly find the video links of all the speeches of the Citizens' Conclave organised by Inclusive India. I request you to circulate at least any three videos of your choice to your friends circle on mail, whatsapp, twitter, fb. If everyone does that hopefully they will be visible soon to a larger audience. We are organizing a day long program on June 30th . I am pasting it after the links. do circulate/ come. Thank you very much again for your valuable time.

video links :

Democracy and dissent – Citizens’ Conclave

Om Thanvi

https://youtu.be/MsYLsH7JsKI?list=UUiSWwr4NdGGLI4rHL3qyWHA

Iftikhar Ahmad Khan

https://youtu.be/mbxkSRPdD0I?list=UUiSWwr4NdGGLI4rHL3qyWHA

Jagmati Sangwan

https://youtu.be/Syk904fQJl0?list=UUiSWwr4NdGGLI4rHL3qyWHA

Kanhaiya Kumar

https://youtu.be/o7CR90IkABg?list=UUiSWwr4NdGGLI4rHL3qyWHA

Rajdeep Sardesai

https://youtu.be/VFVM05-trx0?list=UUiSWwr4NdGGLI4rHL3qyWHA