"Not proud as an Indian": Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Kashmir

[Pakistanian]

https://www.thedailystar.net/india/news/not-proud-indian-amartya-sen-1787818

Nobel laureate Dr Amartya Sen on Monday came down heavily on Indian government's recent move on Kashmir, saying it not only emphasised majority rule "as opposed to it sustaining the rights of all human beings".

"I don't think ultimately you will have any resolution in Kashmir without democracy," he said during an interview by NDTV.

Pointing out the loopholes in the country's government decision on multiple levels, the 85-year-old told NDTV: "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".

The government's move earlier this month to end Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcate the state into two union territories have received political and popular support.

The bifurcation bill received support from several key opposition parties and individual leaders. Even a section of Congress leaders applauded the end to the special status, which has now put Jammu and Kashmir on par with the rest of the country -- doing sway with its own constitution, flag, penal code and the power to decide who buys land in the state.

Amid anticipation about the possibility buying land in Jammu and Kashmir by people from other states, Dr Sen said it should have been "something for the people of the state (Jammu and Kashmir) to decide".

"This is something in which Kashmiris have a legitimate point of view because it is their land," he said.

He was also critical of the government's decision to keep the mainstream political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir under arrest.

"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," he said.

The government has described its decision to place Jammu and Kashmir under a massive security blanket as "preventive measures" to prevent backlash that might cost lives.

"That's the classic colonial excuse. That's how the British ran the country for 200 years," Dr Sen said. "The last thing that I expected when we got our independence... is that we would go back to our colonial heritage of preventive detentions," he added.

 

[Slog]

Amartya Sen, Salman Rushdie....

 

[MP2011]

Amartya Sen has been an anti national for long.

 

[Ram Shekhar]

Amartya Sen, one of the shining lights of secular India. He's one of the guiding lights for secular Indians like me...

 

[anand99]

Amartya Sen, one of the shining lights of secular India. He's one of the guiding lights for secular Indians like me...

Ram shekar the lone Indian who supports Pakistani cricket. Did you not think your post history would give you away.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Good to see such voices in a democracy. However he is also known for being an attention seeker so will take this statement with a pinch of salt.

 

[MP2011]

However he is also known for being an attention seeker so will take this statement with a pinch of salt.

lol at Sen being an attention seeker. A Nobel laureate and a highly decorated economist will be seeking attention! I've read it all now....

 

[Slog]

Good to see such voices in a democracy. However he is also known for being an attention seeker so will take this statement with a pinch of salt.

Lol Amartya sen needs attention. Heard it all

He’s arguably the most well known living Indian

 

[satheesh]

seems at 85 his mental balance has gone a bit off. Has turned into a pathetic attention seeker , whether a former nobel prize winner or not. So, as per him the situation should go on in that a non Kashmiri like me should keep on paying 5 times the prize for the same commodity that a Kashmiri could get at some price. A pathetic mental state & logic of a nobel prize winner & attention seeker

 

[Ram Shekhar]

Ram shekar the lone Indian who supports Pakistani cricket. Did you not think your post history would give you away.

I'm an out and out Indian, a secular Nehruvian at that. Anyway, this topic is not about my nationality. Don't you think Amartya Sen is right and should we really be proud of Modi's actions in Kashmir? Don't answer me, answer to your conscience. As a secular Indian, it makes me incredibly sad.

 

[Ram Shekhar]

Lol Amartya sen needs attention. Heard it all

He’s arguably the most well known living Indian

Only in subcontinent do people like Amartya Sen, Abdus Salam be persecuted. Pathetic people to the core.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Mr Sen, was your activities as VC of Nalanda University something to be proud of?

 

[jadaja]

Mr Sen, when you are dealing with thugs who have no morality , you have to take some strict actions.Democracy will return to Kashmir once things are normalized.Every Indian is rooting for Kashmiris.

US also under home land security act had to take tough actions to prevent another 9/11, these measures while unfortunate are neccessary to combat evil who have no value to human lives.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Mr Sen, when you are dealing with thugs who have no morality , you have to take some strict actions.Democracy will return to Kashmir once things are normalized.Every Indian is rooting for Kashmiris.

US also under home land security act had to take tough actions to prevent another 9/11, these measures while unfortunate are neccessary to combat evil who have no value to human lives.

Mr Sen, when you are dealing with thugs who have no morality , you have to take some strict actions.Democracy will return to Kashmir once things are normalized.Every Indian is rooting for Kashmiris.

That's what they call living in a parallel reality. So, not a rhetorical question btw, is everyone who lives in IOK is a thug? and every Indian is not rooting for IOK. There are hundreds of videos on social media of Indians calling for blood. Facts.

US also under home land security act had to take tough actions to prevent another 9/11, these measures while unfortunate are neccessary to combat evil who have no value to human lives.

Yes and when I went to Andromeda last week my Ferrari couldn't get past 80mph in deep space

 

[Jin Chacha]

Amartya Sen showing his true colors. Should be sent back to Bangladesh where he was born.

 

[rhony]

Mr Sen, when you are dealing with thugs who have no morality , you have to take some strict actions.Democracy will return to Kashmir once things are normalized.Every Indian is rooting for Kashmiris.

US also under home land security act had to take tough actions to prevent another 9/11, these measures while unfortunate are neccessary to combat evil who have no value to human lives.

Did Democracy work in Iraq, Syria? It won't in Kashmir either. That's why it's a UT. What they need is a dictator with a democracy cloak so they can fall in line. Delhi intends to be that disciplinarian with less killings, rapes as opposed to 90s. Looks like the idea is to wear the Kashmiris down until the news cycle dies. Once it is back in the news, rinse, repeat. India has decided to show Kashmiris what a majority can do to a minority. Won't be ethnic cleansing like Pandits had to endure but will be a slow blow to the spirit and eventual resignation by Kashmiris.

 

[irfan]

Amartya Sen showing his true colors. Should be sent back to Bangladesh where he was born.

and here you have fascism in a nutshell

 

[rhony]

Amartya Sen showing his true colors. Should be sent back to Bangladesh where he was born.

Don't be naive. It helps everybody if there are opposing views no matter how insignificant they are. Even Xi Jinping didn't win unanimously last time. A couple were paid to vote against him. Gives some legitimacy. A Nobel laureate gives a lot more legitimacy.

 

[rhony]

Lol Amartya sen needs attention. Heard it all

He’s arguably the most well known living Indian

No. That would be Modi. He could even win a Nobel peace prize if he tames the Kashmiris. After all, the Muslim killer won the highest civilian award in Saudi. Peace prize is simple compared to that. Obama won it too for no reason.

 

[Jin Chacha]

and here you have fascism in a nutshell

Don't be naive. It helps everybody if there are opposing views no matter how insignificant they are. Even Xi Jinping didn't win unanimously last time. A couple were paid to vote against him. Gives some legitimacy. A Nobel laureate gives a lot more legitimacy.

I thought my comment was too ridiculous to be taken as anything but sarcasm. It is a sad reflection of the times we live in that both sides thought it was serious.

 

[rhony]

I thought my comment was too ridiculous to be taken as anything but sarcasm. It is a sad reflection of the times we live in that both sides thought it was serious.

Equally sad that you don't recognize sarcasm

 

[irfan]

I thought my comment was too ridiculous to be taken as anything but sarcasm. It is a sad reflection of the times we live in that both sides thought it was serious.

apologies, but yes unfortunately it's a reflection of the times the world over it seems as these types of comments are becoming mainstream as there is less appetite to consider opposing and differing opinions

 

[RajBan]

Just because he has an alternate view point we don't need to ridicule him.

And just because he is a Nobel laureate, does not mean every opinion he has , specially in political matters is gospel truth.