Kashmir resolution lies in books, not guns: Union Education Minister

Srinagar, Aug 2: Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said the solution to the Kashmir issue lies not in guns and sticks but in books and pens.

“People of Kashmir are educated and have a passion for learning. The youth of Jammu and Kashmir have proven their mettle whenever they were allowed to perform,” he said in his address at the ‘Chinar Book Festival’ organised by the National Book Trust of India at Srinagar.

Later, talking to reporters on the sidelines of the book festival, Union Minister Pradhan said that all the schemes of the Centre would be utilised to develop library culture in J&K.

He said that the National Book Trust and National Council for Promotion of Urdu Languages (NCPUL) are working together with local authorities to create a permanent version of the book festival.

“After inaugurating the book festival in Kashmir today, in the coming days we will work to create a permanent version of the book festival,” the union minister said.

“To increase the library movement in J&K, National Book Trust will implement the schemes of the central government. The book festival will also be held in Kashmiri, Dogri, and Gojri languages as well in the future,” he said.

Pradhan said that the book festival would be held in other parts of the country, in Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, and South Indian languages.

“In Kashmir, this is the second book festival. Festivals like this will help take the culture of India to the next level,” he said.

About the decrease in book reading habits among the people who are shifting towards online content, the union minister said, “There is no alternative to books, which have been an important medium for centuries. The success of this book festival proves that.”

On why the government chose Kashmir for this festival, he said, people from different parts of the country visit Kashmir, and such events would be relevant to them as well.

Pradhan said the democratic process was gradually being implemented in J&K after a gap of around five years.

“During the past few years, no local elections were held, but the grassroots representative should have been there in J&K,” he said.

The union minister said the democratic process in J&K was being implemented gradually.

He said that the passion and the presence of youth at the book festival would create history.

Pradhan thanked NBT for organising the book festival and expressed his happiness for being in the “holy land, Kashmir”.

“This is a holy land which is a centre of faith and has given strength to many religions, sects, and systems of India. Thousands of years ago, language and literature were born from this land,” he said.

The union minister said Chinar Book Festival was not just a literary gathering, but a bold statement and an effort towards “civilisational awakening”.

“It is a celebration of the intellectual heritage of J&K and I commend everyone who has made the Chinar Book Festival possible,” he said.

Pradhan said that J&K, being the crown of India, has always been a seat of learning and a torchbearer of spiritual and philosophical traditions.

“Books, education, and knowledge are vital to rediscover our intellectual heritage and integrate them into contemporary academic thought,” he said.

The union minister said that under the leadership of PM Modi, the Centre was transforming J&K into a hub of knowledge and research through NEP-2020.

“From smart classrooms to IIT, IIM, AIIMS, and other top-quality institutions, J&K is witnessing several firsts,” he said.

Pradhan appealed to the National Book Trust India and the J&K administration to make the ‘Chinar Book Festival’ a permanent identity of J&K.

“In addition to Srinagar, a Jammu edition should also be a part of the book festival. I am confident that we will be able to create an NBT-led library movement in J&K for celebrating books, literature, languages, learning, and culture,” he said.