Conference on Indian Federalism at Work, 25-27 August 2006, organized at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre, Srinagar
The Centre for Federal Studies is, in collaboration with the Institute of Social Sciences New Delhi,and Universities of Jammu and kashmir, organised a three days' international conference on Indian Federalism at Work, at the Shere Kashmir Conference Complex, Sri Nagar Kashmir, from 25 to 28 August 2006.Scholars, practitioners, journalists, civil society NGOs, jurists and political activists participated in the Conference.
This conference marks another milestone in the critical growth of Indian federalism, which now being globally assessed as one of the successful federal models of integrating diversity and facilitating the cause of participatory democracy. Undoubtedly, India has evolved its own variety of federalism, popularly characterized as 'Union Model of Federalism'. The significance of the model lies in the fact that it harmoniously blends centralization and regionalization on the one hand and, autonomy and integration on the other. The model has successfully resolved the crises of state and nation building from TamilNadu to Punjab, and is in the process of resolving crises in Kamrup (North-Eastern parts of India) to Kashmir. One can hardly ignore the fact that if Indian Constitution contains many features of centralized governance, it does contain and permits, not one but many varying models of autonomy arrangements. Thus it was quite fitting to the occassion that one exclusive session was dedicated to discussing 'Kashmir in Indian Federalism' including ethnic plurality in governance. The discussions, despite occasional reference to diplomatic-aspects of solution, were mainly centered on Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and State Constitution of the Jammu and Kashmir. Governor of the State, S.K. Sinha emphatically stressed during his valedictory address the need for empowering people of the Kashmir through devolutionary arrangements like Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). The two institutions constitute the third tier of Indian federalism.
Another noticeable achievement of the Conference was that it was able to dispel many misgivings of Kashmiri youth (a large number of students of Kashmir, Jammu and Islamic Universities actively participated in the dialogue) about the Indian Federalism. In long run, it is bound to benefit the peace process in Kashmir. Respecting Kashmiryat (identity of the people of Kashmir), ensuring all round development, and fair democratic governance are some of the common conclusions of the conference participants to resolve Kashmir crisis.
The conference was attended in large number by visionary academicians, legal luminaries, Judges of acuity and excellence, media stalwarts, imaginative leaders, peace activists, inspiring Vice-Chancellors, bureaucrats of commendable achievements, and above all young questors and Gramscian public always confronting, questioning and posing ideas. Threadbare analysis and active involvement of each section of Indian and Kashmir society led one of the participants guest from abroad to commend that Indian society is self-argumentative society, and it is a trait that probably provides India's federal democracy vitality and strength to grow dialectically and organically.
Mission statement of the Conference was well set in the introductory address by George Mathew, the Convener, who with deepest sense of commitment and conviction to conflict resolving capacities of Indian democracy and federalism said, "Indian Federalism is most dynamic. Many nations are today looking to Indian Federalism for guidance. Where were we in 1947? Where are we today? Ours is the most evolving federalism. All our problem cannot be solved in one stroke." He further opined: "Our problems can be solved only by open debate, discussion, discourses and by confronting ideas. It must happen at all levels. The State Governments and the Union Government must invest in the creation of intellectual ferment, a knowledge base and the resulting social capital to face the challenges before our social and political system. There is an intellectual quest for that all over the country, especially in Jammu & Kashmir, and the enormous response we got specially from the state, all over India and outside for this unique conference is the evidence of it. How will we capitalize it? That is the question before us."
He hoped that "this Conference will bring forth the emerging trends, challenges and possibilities confronting Indian federalism. Democratic India has been largely open to discussion and debates for resolving its problems."
Visionary summation of the ages the mankind has passed, and is passing through, came from Akhtar Majeed when he characterized nineteenth century as a century of liberalism; twentieth century, the century of democracy; and, twenty first century as century of federalism. The world has to live up with this inescapable reality.
On the basis of defined statement of Conference as mentioned above, the Conference deliberated upon such crucial themes like, Multiculturalism and Federal Polity; Conflict Management and Accommodation of Identity; Role of Governor, Coalition and Power sharing, Working of Autonomous Councils, Fiscal Federalism, Distribution of Responsibilities, Mechanism of Conflict Management, Empowerment of Local Governments, Special Federal Provisions of Indian Constitution, Women in Governance. Are we Federal, Federalism - Learning from Each Other?
Key speakers included: N.N. Vohra, Special Representative to Government of India for Jammu and Kashmir Dialogue; Abdul Wahid; Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir; Balraj Puri, Director, Institute of Jammu & Kashmir Affairs, Jammu; Amitabh Mattoo, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu; Wahid Siddiq, Vice Chancellor, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Srinagar; Ms. Sayeda Hameed, Member, Planning Commission, Government of India; Justice A M Ahmadi, Former Chief Justice of India Mubashir Hassan, Former Minister of Pakistan; Imtiaz Ahmed, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; B.G. Verghese, Senior Journalist and Writer; Asghar Ali Engineer, Chairperson, Centre for the Study of Society and Secularism, Mumbai; Tariq Hamid Karra, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Government of Jammu and Kashmir; Asma Jehangir, Chairperson, Human Rights Commission, Pakistan; Judith Large, International-IDEA, Stockholm; P.A. Sangma, Member of the Parliament & Former Speaker of Lok Sabha; A.G. Noorani, Jurist and Veteran Journalist; Rajeev Dhavan, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Pran Chopra, Senior Journalist and Writer; I.A. Rehman, Director, Human Rights Commission, Pakistan; Nico Steytler, Director, Community Law Centre, University of Western Cape; Chaminda Hettiarachchi, Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuva, Colombo; Sten Widmalm, Associate Professor, Uppsala University, Stockholm; Troy Smith, Associate Professor, Brigham Young University, Hawai; Mani Shankar Aiyar, Union Minister for Panchayati Raj , Government of India; Babu Singh, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Jammu & Kashmir; Thomas Isaac, Minister of Finance, Government of Kerala; Farooq Abdullah, Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir; Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir; M.Y. Tarigami, Member of Legislative Assembly, Jammu and Kashmir; Prem Shankar Jha, Senior Journalist & Columnist; Ms. Mohni Giri, Former Chair Person , National Commission for Women; and, M A Qadri, Professor, University of Kashmir.
The Conference was organized by the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi in collaboration with University of Kashmir, University of Jammu, Hamdard University, New Delhi, and Islamic University, Kashmir. One would specially like to thank George Mathew, who despite several odds and negative mindsets of otherwise 'official' has led the Conference to successful conclusion.
The message of the conference is that India because being federal and democratic, therefore, having tremendous in-built systemic capacity and flexibility to integrate each variety of diversity and to make them the forerunner of Indian nationalism and its composite identity. We are evolving from strength to strength. What we need is reorienting ourselves to the tunes of democracy and federalism and stand by our civilizational ethos of 'Unity in Diversity'. Thanks to the wisdom of Founding Fathers that Indian Constitution is both adoptive and adaptive. We need to work upon the constitution in its essence and philosophy. If pessimism is no answer, then optimism is also not unfounded.
Ajay Kumar Singh,
Centre for Federal Studies,
Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi
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