Stressing on the need of awaking common masses about cultural identity Minister for Finance Haseeb Drabu on Saturday said that political nationalism has overtaken cultural nationalism. He said that there is no solution to the redefining of cultural identity with Government except awareness of individual which can lead to the Cultural Revolution.He said that defining individual and collective responsibilities will lead to Cultural Revolution taken way from political influence.Speaking during inaugural session of 36th annual conference of organised by Adbi Markaz Kamraz, Drabu said that Govt. is not to be blamed for this unawareness. Regretting on the lack of proper research work on Kashmir and Kashmiri He said, we should come forward to have proper work on Kashmir and Kashmiri while finding the social incentives and market for Kashmiri speaking community.
Recalling his six months of tenure, He said whatever I found in surroundings leads me to conclude that Kashmir language is alive and has not reached the crisis level which other languages are facing.Drabu said that Kashmiri language is alive among intellectual elites and commoners while vulnerable middle class community is representing the crises level of the language. He said it is middle class which has put the lingo-cultural identity at stake being vulnerable.
Drabu elaborated the growing cultural crisis while stating that cultural identity cannot be redefined till we take along all the miniatures and small representatives of culture.
Stating that culture should not be redefined for purpose of convenience, it should be free of political ideology.Drabu expressed his concern about losing ancestral cultural traits and said that cultural philosophy of Kashmir should reach out to commoners.“We have lost the undefined social control which was edifice of social culture” Drabu said adding “there is a urgent need of cultural dissemination at mass level while defining the role of individual”
“No solution lies with the Government for this cultural issue, it can only be redefined at individual and collective level” Drabu said.Drabu said that language cannot be groomed by introducing language in schools institutes only. He said it is not necessary to have Kashmiri language in schools and it will not matter till over society and family is lingo-culturally equipped.On the occasion he announced cultural centres for various provinces and parts of the state, he also announced financial support to Adbi Markaz Kamraz.
Earlier Secretary Cultural Academy Dr Aziz Hajni stressed for the dissemination of public based culture rather Govt. supposed. He said that Govt. sponsored culture had never sustained in comparison to public based culture. Stating that our ancestors prefer public culture he said Kashmiris have strong cultural base but have got ‘adopted inferior syndrome’. Describing his relations with finance minister Hajni said that he was expecting Cultural Revolution after arrival of Drabu which is yet to initiate, Hajni said.I was expecting Cultural Revolution from Finance Minster but he is busy initiating financial revolution in the state and hope Cultural Revolution will follow, Hajni said.The inaugural session was chaired by Avatar Krishan Rehbar along with Dr Shujaat Bukhari President AMK, Secretary JKACAL Dr Aziz Hajni and Dr Haseeb Drabu.Later in in second Session decision paper tilted ‘Kashmiri Language apprehension and prospects’ were presented by Mushtaq Ahmed Mushtaq. (KNS)