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School of Social Sciences (Soss), IGNOU has organised a two-day conference on Nationalist Discourse on Inclusion in India starting today that is August 4, 2018.
The aim of the conference is to explore a wide range of interventions about the complex relationship between the nationalist discourse of diversity and inclusion from different theoretical, empirical and methodological angles as well as across various disciplinary contexts.
The conference inaugural address was given by Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India and the keynote was delivered by Dr Krishna Gopal, Sah Sarkaryavah, RSS.
Welcoming the guests Prof Swaraj Basu, Director, SOSS said that the concept of inclusiveness is ingrained in the collective consciousness of India.
He drew audience attention to the Upanishads and its teachings and said that Indian ethos is based on those.
He said that Indian national character has been able to withstand the onslaught of outsiders because of inclusive nature, i.e., philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.
Introducing to the gathering the objectives of the two day conference, the coordinator of the deliberation, Prof D Gopal Head, Centre for Gandhi and Peace Studies, SOSS, said that the conference would attempt to draw particular attention to the problem of identity, to the various conceptions and misconceptions, to the enactment of identity by individuals, groups and out-groups; to the modes of construction, the borders, the stability as well as the evolutions, the homogeneity as well as the heterogeneities which are thus attributed to them.
Explaining the conference’s aim, Prof Gopal further said that it will look for the public and concealed transcripts of nationalist inclusions throughout India through the lens of religion, culture, region, language, gender, politics, economy and ethnicity.
Its primary focus is to unveil and critically engage with social, political and economic inclusion beyond the different forms of discrimination, prejudice and marginalisation.
In his address, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Thaawarchand Gehlot highlighted the contribution made by Balasaheb BR Ambedkar through the articulation of various articles in the constitution of India to preserve and enhance the inclusiveness in the society which at that time was mired with ills like untouchability apart from socio-economic divisions.
He said that Babasaheb described nationality as a “consciousness of kind, awareness of the existence of that tie of kinship.”
Delivering his keynote Dr Krishna Gopal said that India with its all diversities and pluralism lived a long history of thousands of years since ancient times with practice of inclusion and assimilation.
It is in the last thousand years that its core character of inclusiveness eroded and division on the basis of “varna” (caste) manifested itself, he lamented.
As earlier, he observed that rishis (sages) could be from any “varna” irrespective of the background. He said that India has always propagated in the various scriptures as a philosophical endorsement of an intense sense of life - ‘live and let live’ through the state-sponsored cardinal principles of 'Liberty, Equality and Fraternity' for all.
But liberty and equality are meaningless without fraternity; he cautioned the audience.
He emphasised that the national discourse on inclusion is even more relevant today when there is a socio-economic disparity in our society apart from the division on the basis of caste and religion.
In his concluding remark, Prof Nageshwar Rao, VC, IGNOU drew attention to the importance of involving the youth in such endeavours as they are the ones who would bring about the change in the society making it inclusive.
He urged for their participation in the discourse through various activities.
He also thanked the minister Thaawarchand Gehlot and Dr Krishna Gopal for their time and sharing of their thoughts and said that the today’s deliberations should be disseminated to a wider audience of IGNOU learners through the university’s website.
The vote of thanks was proposed by Prof Prakash Singh Prant Sanyojak, Prajna Pravah.
