Live Blog: India Ideas Conclave 2016

First Lok Sabha had over 35 % lawyers and about 10 % journalists, among others. Over the past 70 years democratisation and equalisation of the houses has happened. Committee system introduced in 1993 made the parliament accountable. Bad thing is that the MPs are becoming obsessed with privileges. We need to audit the performances of both the houses.

We have yet not been able to reduce regional disparity in our nation. Many parts of the North-East still does not have geographical access. Time has come to create a situation where places of underdevelopment need to progress. Congress party needs to values of the country, not just the family.

There is lot of conviction which defines Modi’s foreign policy; another defining feature is the ‘Balance of Power.’ The first concentric circle of any sovereign nation is the neighbor. Every single SAARC nation has given support to Prime Minister Modi.

US and India cannot succeed as island fortresses. The two countries need to work together to create a stable world order in order to continue developing. India and US both have stakes in the political affairs worldwide. China is thought to be the pace setter, but India and US as being multicultural pluralist societies.

Foreign Policy needs to be aspirational, not just a transaction. Unlike many other nations such as Turkey, India has not banned anyone from speaking a different language.

India is the most diverse country I have worked in. Taiwan and India had relationship from 1947 till 1949 (ceased after communist takeover). PM Modi altered the image of India significantly in the globe.Taiwan also has a neighbor or rather a problematic relative watching over. Diplomatic offices were established in Taiwan and India in 1995. The offices have names that may make people think it’s either a electronic shop or a travel agency. 1143 Indians study in Taiwan as of now. Hopefully Taiwan’s ‘Watch South’ policy will match well with India’s ‘Look East’ policy.

Essence of democracy is dialogue rather than dissent. Heated debate is not dialogue. Dissenting while having a dialogue is democratic. But when people disagree with the dissenting, they are branded intolerant. Essence of democracy is consensus-building. But even after seven decades, building consensus on issues like social justice and gender equality has eluded us. Academia and media have not played their desired roles in building consensus. Indians may be HIndus or Muslims, but are the children of the same civilization and inheritors of the same civilizational values. India’s contribution to humanity would be to show the world how to live harmoniously as one

Indian Muslims are Indians by choice not chance. Demand for an Islamic State itself is un-Islamic. If Muslims start following true Islam, there would be no need for dialogue regarding democracy as both are compatible. Talaq-e-biddat should be punishable.

Earlier, while teaching electronics engineering, I always dreamed of integrated circuits and nanotechnology , since joining JNU all I hear is ‘dissent’, ‘freedom of expression’ and ‘revoluton.’Why our IITs do not rank higher in the global rankings? Do we know how politically and technologically biased these rankings are? Our society is donated by economists and technologist.

Barring a few, most of our universities are not doing what they are supposed to do: teaching, researching. Knowledge is going to be the key factor in global balance of power. Blatant politicization of academia has led to parochialisation of universities.

Social Media is actually the most modern and potent form of dissent. No more do I have to write ‘Letters To The Editor’ to express my opinions. No more is there a monopoly on opinion in the public sphere .

Social media is actually the most modern potent form of dissent.

No more do I have to read ‘Letters to the Editor’ to express my opinions.

No more is there a monopoly on opinions in the public sphere.

Mainstream media is not aloof from the ground realities.

The divide between social media and mainstream media is a bit exaggerated.

Mainstream media does have its integrity and does carry important stories.

We often narrow social media down to twitter. Platforms like Facebook, Weibo and other such entities are of importance too.

The reason mainstream media still believes it has credibility is due to the media revenue business model staying the same.

This muzzling of dissent by the mainstream journalists is not new. In 1992, I remember many mainstream journalists petitioned many papers to stop taking writing samples from me and Swapan Dasgupta.

Often the social media issues range from either demonising Narendra Modi to uncritically praising him. At other times it is obsessed with bashing the four famed TV news anchors. Social media needs to go beyond either praise or criticism of the prime minister and ranting against the news anchors.

Mainstream media latches on to those stories from social media which advances its ideological positions. 

I want to dissent against the ‘truths’, the pejorative labels that the so-called left-liberals throw at others. I come from West Bengal and I have never come across a leftist who is a liberal.

My second dissent is against history as it is told to us. In 2016, we quote Samuel Johnson, who equated patriots to scoundrels. He came from a civilisation which only conquered others and wasn’t defeated itself. Why in 2016, then, do we, for whose freedom the likes of Khudiram Bose and Subhas Chandra Bose gave their lives, are quoting Johnson?

There is only person who can define what your politics is. No one else can put a label on the kind of politics you practise.

One way to break the dynasty stranglehold in every field, be it politics, law, media or Bollywood, is to groom outsiders through mentorships in all the fields.