India and Europe - conf. with Karan Singh

Q & A session of the conference
chaired by Viscount Etienne Davignon, President of IRRI-KIIB:

"India and Europe: The Road Ahead"

H.E. Dr. Karan Singh,
President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
Brussels, 1 June 2006

Q: Sir, you've pointed out that you can travel in Europe from Scandinavia to Sicily. The same situation exists in India, but one exception is your home state. How do you feel about Jammu and Kashmir?

A: Jammu and Kashmir have been the center of a lot of conflicts during the last 16 years. The situation now is broadly as follows. The original state of Jammu and Kashmir, founded by my ancestors, was 48.000 square miles. After the cease-fire of January the first, half of the state doesn't belong any more to us. 42.000 square miles are under the control of Pakistan out of which they ceded I believe about 12.000 square miles to China. Two units, the Northern areas and the Western Belt, are under Pakistan's control.

On our side, we have three regions: Jammu, the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh. The situation is improving: we had elections, a representative government in power... We are also developing our confidence-building measures with Pakistan. Unfortunately, terrorist attacks are increasing. In the last month, we have had 8 or 10 terrorist attacks in which thousands of people were killed. This is holding up the progress of une détente between India and Pakistan. Nonetheless, I'm optimistic, because we made great progress, we have opened certain routes. In Jammu and Kashmir, there are a lot of tourists now. The situation is gradually improving, but not entirely satisfactory yet.

Q: What is the position of India towards the International Criminal Court? You are signatory to the ICC and you have signed a bilateral agreement with the US. So, you cannot fully cooperate with the ICC.

A: Technically, the situation enumerated by the questioner is correct. It is a position that many other countries have taken.

Q: Sir, Would you like to ask the EU for help to reduce the tensions in arms race, because this is undermining both economic and human development?

A: Arms race is a very complex issue. The EU is also selling arms around the world. We buy a lot of planes. The EU is still mostly involved with its own internal affairs. I'm not sure the EU can play a mediatory role. If the EU becomes a more integrated structure, we will have a multipolar world that we need.
We have an immense power on the continent. And facts of life are that China, India and Pakistan are nuclear powers.

We should stop at a minimum deterrent. We should spend our money on education, health, welfare of the people rather than filling the coffers of the arms manufacturers. Thus, I agree with you. But, we have security concerns. We have had problems with Pakistan and Chine. Once our concerns are addressed, we're working on it. With China, we are physically beginning with the delineation of the border. Once we can get it on to Pakistan, we don't need to spend a lot of money on arms race.

Q: I wonder if the enormous brain drain in the medical sector, research etc. presents a danger to India's development?

A: No. I never believed that. I never worried about brain drain. One day, these people going abroad will bring credit to India and that is what happened. There are over a million Indians in the USA for example, some at the top of professions. They brought credit to India. Today, India's prestige has reason, because of their achievements as young graduates. What if our medical doctors did not go abroad, who would have done the British health service?

Another point. You see that 30 years later a lot of them are coming back: as individuals, as heads of a company... to set up hospitals. I was convinced that they would come back with increased value! Now, today of course in the global society, the barriers are breaking down. A lot of work from the USA has been outsourced to India. Our people can do the work in India. We're moving to a global information society.

A: I'm in favour of cultural meetings. Our festival is a meeting of culture. Next to classical diplomacy, there is economic diplomacy and cultural diplomacy. People will see the creativity of the Indian civilisation as we know the European civilisation. You can see world heritage in Europe, belonging to humanity. The Taj Mahal is also world heritage, as are the great South Indian temples. So, we must protect these as the heritage of humanity, they are not only of a particular country. When we are all on that level, the difference in race, religion, ... disappears. Cultural meetings are very important. As President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, I must extend and promote these cultural meetings.

Q: Europe is on the evening of integrating a new religion with the possible accession of Turkey. Could you give hints to the EU for the management of this?

A: India has been the land of religions by excellence. Four of the world religions are born in India: Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism. Four religions came from West-Asia: Christianity arrived very early in India before it reached Europe; it reached India 1500 years before it reached America. We have small Jewish communities in India. We've never persecuted Jews. Islam came to India a thousand years ago in two versions. The Iconoclasts and conquerors are not welcome. Another Islamic group came: the Sufi's brought a message of love and peace. The greatest Muslim shrines outside Median and Mecca are those in India.

We feel that the Interfaith Movement should be more active in Europe. It began in 1893 with the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago. In the 20th century, there were new developments in the interfaith movement. A number of interfaith organisations came addressing a wide variety of issues. There were meetings around the world. We met in Assisi, Barcelona etc. We strive to bring together people of different religions in a creative dialogue.

We have to accept the fact that there are multiple paths of the divine. No religion can claim absolute monopoly of truth. I can say: "For me, my religion is best", but I cannot therefore say: "because you don't follow my religion, you'll be killed". This cannot be accepted!

The key to the Interfaith movement is this concept: "the truth is one, the wise call it by many names". So, until we do not accept the multiplicity of paths to the divine, you'll never have harmony between religions nor peace on this planet. Therefore, I suggest to the EU to take the Interfaith Movement more seriously. I have also been involved in the Interfaith movement for the last 30 years. I head one of the half dozen major world-wide Interfaith organisations, the Temple of Understanding.

If you stick to your theological rigidities, then there is no meeting place. If you go the heart of the matter, the light within each human being, you are moving on the spiritual path. The Bible calls it the light that enlightened every man that comes into the world; the inner light, the ... of the Sunni's, the light of the thousand suns of the Hindu's. That light is within each one of us.
If we try to access that light, then only are we really moving on the spiritual path.

So, I strongly suggest Europe to follow the Indian tradition of accepting multiple paths of the divine. It is not a question of majority or minorities. Each religion has to be respected. One thing we cannot tolerate is violence in the name of religion! There has to be zero tolerance of religious terrorism that causes all religious communities to be looked upon with fear and suspicion. That is a disaster of our times. That is why we must meet and try to overcome.

Conference notes IRRI-KIIB