Holistic approach must for peace in India to achieve sustainable targets
Peace in India should now re-route to a more holistic approach for recovering from economic loss and achieve equitable and sustainable peace
The International Day of Peace is celebrated on September 21st, in a bid to promote peace across the globe. This year, it has become even more significant due to war, pandemic, and economic impoverishment. In India alone, around 1.5 million people have lost their jobs since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The country is reeling under the effects of political fragmentation between the government and the Opposition.
Women are the worst-affected. They might not be affected directly, but the sole earning male members losing their jobs creates a financial burden on them.
Theme of 2021 International Peace Day
It is important to make peace with the climate as global warming has not paused a bit. The need of the hour is to build a green and sustainable global economy that would create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create resilience to the ever-increasing climatic impacts.
The theme for 2021 International Peace Day is ‘Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world’ and aims to help everyone recover better, transform the world into a more equal, healthier, sustainable place.
The need for holistic peace in India
India is often touted as the most peaceful country in the world. But nobody talks much about the violence-stained interiors, not necessarily marred with war violence. India has witnessed severe religious violence, which has then soared to political blame-games. Muzzafarnagar riots, the twin Gujarat blasts, Mumbai blasts are just a few.
Though the country has a peace-keeping machinery, it does not act strongly against communal violence. To most minority Indians, peace has become a metaphor associated with the majority or vice-versa. There is no inclusiveness in preaching peace. The recent incident of minority lynching in central India showcases the same divisiveness in peace.
Stories of saving people or helping each other irrespective of the community are foregone tales. Today, the minority and majority sections are growing distant from each other as they are scared of the future.
India is adversely affected by the pandemic-induced economic transformation. Additionally, the daily incidents of violence and growing fear amongst the masses are creating economic backlogs. In this situation, it is impossible to focus on building a sustainable and green economy.
Kashmir needs an inclusive peace deal
The Indian government has abrogated Article 370 to reinstate peace in Kashmir Valley. It is trying to invoke peace by muzzling dissent. History proves that silencing voices is not a successful method to invoke peace.
The effects of the abrogation are already visible with increased government censorship on the fiercely independent press of the valley. It is now mandatory for the youths to reveal family details and their relations with anyone among his / her kin who are associated with anti-national ideologies, if they are to find work with the government or government agencies. It is going to affect the economy in the valley even more.
Kashmir’s economy is dwindling. Tourism is a driving force for the economy in the valley. Due to the pandemic and terrorism, it has taken a mighty blow. Kashmiri schools are suffering due to the lack of infrastructure and flaky internet connection.
An inclusive peace deal like the one done during Atal Behari Vajpayee’s tenure as Prime Minister, will help the valley to grow and prosper. In turn, it will felicitate India to achieve the climatic peace goal set by the UN.
India stance on reduced carbon emissions
Yesterday, at a high-level meeting on climate change chaired by UN general secretary Antonio Guterres, India had called upon the promise of a $100 billion per year goal by developed countries, which was made in 2009. The UN meeting was also attended by British Prime Minister Borris Johnson.
Bhupendra Yadav, the Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, said the developed countries have emitted more than they are allowed, during the 2008-20 period. He also clarified the need for support from the developed nations to achieve the set target of reduced emission envisioned in the 2009 Paris deal.
Yadav has also outlined the Indian plans of generating 430 GW of energy from green sources by 2030.
