JALUKBARI, Oct 29 - The Department of English, Gauhati University organised the 12th Anita Baruah Sarma Memorial lecture yesterday at the Phanidhar Dutta Seminar Hall.
Noted author and columnist Githa Hariharan while delivering the lecture on �Narrating the Nation, Living the Nation�, said, �India was described as a glittering idea. Ideas will work only in democracy, religion being the core of partition and politics.�
In her speech, Hariharan also touched upon issues like freedom struggle, secular democracy and the importance of fundamental rights. She further stated, �Today the nation is troubled, women molestation is an important issue. It is the system that humiliates beasts, and rapes people.�
She further added, �In the nation, in each of our regions we are in cultural wars. The nation is suffering from identity measures, like a North Easterner is asked whether you belong to Japan, Korea or China.�
Expressing her concern at the state of affairs in the country, she said, �If diversity is there India is home, if diversity is threatened home becomes disputed land.� She also shared her views on the current political situation and imposition of food and dress culture on the Indian citizens.
Noted writer and chief guest of the event Arup Kumar Dutta in his speech said, �North East India is a region that is free from the stratification of caste unlike the rest of the nation, but the present situation it is quite contrary. The emergence of caste conflicts clearly shows the changing face of the north-eastern region of India.�
