BIKASH
CHOUDHURY
My country was broken into three pieces before I was born
and old enough to read History in School; and, as an under graduate student of
economics realized to my utter dismay that continuing poverty and un-development
in the sub-continent was due to breaking a flourishing economy in three halves.
The architect of division relied on the science of ‘Plant Propagation’ to
multiply; however, that does not hold good in case of a living organism “Economy
of a Nation”. Needless to mention, I can’t savor living in just a small part of
India; which our forefathers bequeathed to us before partition in 1947. Can
we re-write History? That will depend upon to a great extent; if we can
unite people, society, culture and the economy in our sub-continent. It is
easier said than done. But, nevertheless an attempt could be made to reach out
to the living rooms of the region about the benefits that would accrue of ‘collaboration’
vis-à-vis the cost that we incur each passing day. The simple difference
between the two, so huge that would be very difficult to ignore by saner minds.
The power of social, cultural and economic collaboration could ignite passion,
enthusiasm, joy, confidence and happiness; as the movement of goods, services
and people (skill, technology & capital) could revive the old circular
flow in the economy that once made this region prosperous by reducing
considerably its dependence on the outside World. On top of all, the majority
and minority syndrome would vanish from our lexicon. As both leading faith would
have almost identical strength in the region. That would make our people work
hard and play harder to make their lives worth living for. In contrast the cost
that we incur is simply incalculable in hard currency as it involves innocent lives,
blood, sweat and tears; apart from the resources that we drain from our
public exchequer on frivolous pursuits that could have been purposefully
invested in a school for children or in a hospital in the interior regions of
our land that has not yet seen civilization.
“Power of Collaboration” is an
Idea the time of which has just arrived. Recently, Nutshell Forum, Karachi organized
a ‘South
Asian Conclave’ at Lahore; where 80 Indian delegated attended including
the actor Nandita Das, who was flabbergasted at the hospitality that she
received and warmth that she felt while interacting with young men and women of
Pakistan. She concluded in her article in “The Week” that ordinary people in
Pakistan as much eager for peace and collaboration as across the borders in
India. Just there are gaps in our perception somewhere and somehow; love and
respect between two people is mutual and infectious. Another initiative that
has stormed the imagination of nay Sayers is the effort of two NGOs—The Citizens
Archive of Pakistan (CAP) and Routes 2
Routes (R2R) of India that would bring the children of the countries closer to
each other under the banner of “ Exchange for Change”. If that were
not good enough; the ‘Forum for Political Unity of India
Foundation’ proposes to organize an International Conference at New
Delhi next year (5th March 2014) on the theme: “United Indian Sub-Continent and Prosperous South Asia” as part of 2nd
Biju Patnaik Memorial Lecture to be delivered by Dr. Sanjaya Baru, Director for
Geo-Economics and Strategy of International Institute of Strategic Studies and
a former media Adviser of Prime Minister of India. Dr. Baru has written an
extra ordinary non-fiction on the subject titled “Strategic Consequences of
India’s Economic Performance” which dwelt at length on ‘profit and power’ of
collaboration in the region; unfortunately, that has been apparently ignored by
the policy maker in India at a huge cost, which should change now. This
International Conference plan to bring Govt. Politicians, Diplomats, Media,
Academics, Activists and Students of the sub-continent to deliberate and
preferably to chalk out a plan to reach out to the living rooms of the region
with the “thought” that power of collaboration and subsequently unity in our
sub-continent could make South Asia a very prosperous region not only in Asia;
but, all across the World. A time will come in the life of this region people
would stop migrating to western countries for a better living; rather, it will
attract the Global Talent Pool and Resources in search of greener pastures.
Shall we?
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