J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today said writers must do research and use critical proof to challenge and correct the misleading historical accounts.
He said during colonial era and after independence a certain group of writers “distorted our history to shape their ideological agenda.”
The Lieutenant Governor was speaking at the inaugural function of Kashmir Literature Festival organised by Srikula Foundation.
“Today the young historians must provide accurate and factually correct accounts challenging those lies.
In the last few years, new writers have tried to do justice to the injustice done to the history of India, which is an excellent initiative. Efforts are also being made to take Indian literature to the world, which is highly commendable,” Sinha said.
He also called for correcting the narrative regarding Jammu Kashmir by identifying the misinformation and countering it with verified facts.
“For decades, a manipulated narrative was propagated here in Jammu Kashmir. Writers and media figures grudgingly admit that, out of fear of terrorists and their ecosystem, they were forced to promote the narrative being pushed from across the border in the Valley. The terror ecosystem has been dismantled and now is the time to present the true narrative of Jammu Kashmir, free from all bias and fear of gun, to strengthen the trust and accelerate socio-economic growth,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Sinha, in his address, highlighted the need for offering new perspectives and vision to the readers in a rapidly evolving world to meet unprecedented challenges and opportunities, and understanding of nature, culture and people’s well-being.
The two-day festival which began today would host eminent authors, scholars, and intellectuals from across India, alongside notable Kashmiri writers such as Neerja Mattoo.
Distinguished personalities including former Vice-Chancellor of Kashmir University Khursheed Andrabi and JK Bank MD Amitava Chatterjee will also participate.
