Event reports
Following welcome addresses by Prof. Lokesh Verma, Academic Coordinator of the Central University of Jammu (CUJ), Dr N. Manoharan, Associate Professor at Christ University Bengaluru (CU), Mark Alexander Friedrich, Project Officer at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, and Dr S. D. Singh, Inspector General of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Dr Haseeb Drabu, Honourable Finance Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, delivered the keynote address. He highlighted the importance of an exchange between professionals and academics in the field of security. Looking at various forms of non-traditional threats, he particularly emphasised the financial crisis and its impacts on the global security framework. Speaking on the responsibility of J&K Police, he explained that in J&K, the attention of the police has been diverted from the usual prime duty of police – maintaining law and order –by turmoil and militancy in the region. He expressed his view that radicalization in J&K is mainly a consequence of distorted social order.
Following the keynote speech, Prof. Ashok Aima, Vice Chancellor of CUJ, gave the presidential remarks. He highlighted the importance of policy research with regard to national security. He further proposed the establishment of a research centre or think tank in the Department of National Security Studies to carry forward studies on non-traditional security. Observing the situation of J&K, he highlighted the importance of studying the society and social system of the state which in turn can provide high level policy inputs to the stakeholders.
The first session on the “Classic Narrative” was chaired by M. M. Khajooria, Former Director General of the J&K Police and focused on analysing the security implications of issues such as drug-trafficking, terrorism, the economics of terrorism, as well as refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). In his introductory speech, M. M. Khajooria emphasized on global non-traditional security threats, particularly the recent terror attacks in Europe. R. C. Kotwal, Superintendent of the J&K Police, presented various drug-related threats and how terrorist used drugs for their financing. Subsequently, Dr Geeta Madhavan, Strategic and Security Analyst, touched upon the changing facets of terrorism from its classical concept to current trends. In his presentation, Prof. Dipankar Sengupta of Jammu University, reminded the participants of the vast amounts of money spent by the central and state governments on countering militancy in J&K. Dr Mahesh Kaul, Consultant at IMPARD, pointed out the challenges which the J&K Government is facing with regard to refugees and IDPs.
The “Counter Narrative” of non-traditional security was the theme of the second session, chaired by Prof. S. K. Sharma, Vivekananda Chair at CUJ. The topics discussed contained human security, comprehensive security and humanitarian discourses such as feminism. In his opening comment, Prof. S.K. Sharma deliberated on ways to counter these non-traditional threats to protect the unity, integrity, and sovereignty of the country. Prof. Mallika Joseph, Head of the Department of National Security Studies at CUJ, made an elaborate presentation on the discourse of non-traditional and human security and of the impact of the narratives from classical times to our days. Maj. Gen. (retd.) Dipankar Banerjee, Member of the Board of the Forum for Strategic Initiatives (FSI), while recalling his past experience as a serving officer in J&K, presented the challenges of comprehensive security and possible measures, pointing out how old ideas might gain new relevance in Asia. In her presentation Riya Bawa, student of Christ University, looked at the concept of security and the humanitarian discourse through the lens of feminism.
S. N. Srivastava, Special Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force, chaired the third session on “Contemporary Narrative – Local”. Several issues pertaining to demography, water, radicalization, new media, and disaster management were discussed. The chairperson pointed out how the above mentioned issues play an important role in understanding the trends in non-traditional security highlighting the current situation prevailing in the state of J&K. In his lecture Dr N. Manoharan, Associate Professor at CU, discussed the social and security implications of demographic developments in India and around the world. Dr Anurag Tripathi, Assistant Professor at CU, argued that the concept of radicalization was ambiguous and that extremism was not only applicable to religion. During his exceptional presentation which included videos of disaster management staff at work, Maj. Gen. Naresh Bhadani highlighted the contours of disaster management and the changing vulnerabilities in the face of climate change and environmental degradation. Ambika Vishwanath, Geopolitical and Strategic Consultant, talked about the security implications of water security and global water sharing issues.
The fourth session titled “Contemporary Narrative - Global Crises” was chaired by Dr Senthil Kumar, District Forest Officer (DFO) and dealt with the economic crisis, maritime security, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons (CBRN), and new media. In his presentation, Dr Sanjaya Baru, Media Advisor to former Indian Prime Minister, highlighted the challenges of economic crises and financial threats by rising powers and their global impact. Captain Gurpreet Khurana, Executive Director of the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), spoke on maritime security and the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific region. He elaborated the security environment and military imbalances that prevail on the seas. Dr S.D. Singh, Inspector General of the J&K Police, covered the dangers of CBRN, looking at recent events in Syria. He further described the potential and history of the use of chemical and biological weaponry by non-state actors across the globe. The final speaker Zafar Chaudhury, Journalist at The News Now, analysed the dangers of the Internet and through the exploitation of new media by extremists and militants.
During the valedictory session, Dr Sudhakar, CUJ, Dr N. Manoharan, Pankaj Madan, Deputy Head India Office, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), and Dr S.D. Singh thanked the partners and experts on behalf of the partner institutions and called for further cooperation on similar subjects. Professor Ashok Aima, in his special address, thanked the organisers and experts for the lively debates. Referring to the security situation in J&K, he expressed his view that the political, ethnic, cultural and religious challenges needed to be solved at the grassroots level. Closing the conference, Prof. Mallika Joseph provided highlights of the previous discussions.
On the basis of the outcomes of the two conferences in Bangalore and Jammu the publication of a study is planned later in 2017.
