Balancing act
Reviewed by Madan Mohan Goel

Peace and Development
Ed by Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad Nadwi.
Alhikmah Foundation. Pages 474. Rs 400

It hardly needs any justification that peace is a necessary and sufficient condition for development. Slow development is partially because of conflicting and uncoordinated approach taken by the various stakeholders. To move on the ladder with morality, victory and empowerment, we need to believe and trust that god is one. We have to diagnose the obstacles that hinder cooperation and coordination among stakeholders of development. There is no place for blame game or war of words for achieving sustainability in the development process.

The book provides food for thought to promote hope as a healthy breakfast. It also focuses on relationship management with neighbouring nations including Pakistan. At the same time, Hindu- Muslim relations within India should also be strengthened.

The book includes 72 articles presented in the series of seminars conducted by Alhikmah Foundation, New Delhi since 2005 on various aspects of peace and development, including Quest for Peace and Prosperity (2013), Serving Humanity: Need and Relevance (2012), Inter-faith Partnership for Development (2010), Maintaining Peace: Present Challenges (2009), and National Development and Our Responsibilities (2005). The reviewer places on record a word of appreciation for the office bearers of Alhikmah Foundation for choosing these topics for discussion in these conferences for which the Indian society will be indebted to them for all times to come.

For ensuring co-existence of both communities in Ayodhya, let the new government announce an international spiritual university where all religions will be taught to promote secularity. This step taken by the Government of India will help it prove its capabilities in international diplomacy not only concerning Indo-Pak relations, but also at the level of United Nations, justifying a permanent seat in Security Council.

It is an established reality that the cost of conflict is higher than the cost of peace initiatives. Peace has manifold effects on the various sectors of the economy including agriculture, industry, trade and services. There is a strong case for proper redistribution of wealth for ensuring peace at all levels. To ensure the same happens, we need voluntary efforts at all levels by individuals who can join hands to make forces.

Let us encourage peace as an essential input of growth in various sectors of the economy. Let peace economics be identified as a separate branch of economics, which justifies Nobel Prize for Peace to an economist like Mohammad Yunus (2006) of Bangladesh providing micro finance with empathy (not sympathy) for the vulnerable sections of the society .

We should look forward with hope and a high level of confidence for the bright future of India in all times to come. The book deserves a place in the personal libraries of all the stakeholders of peace and development, including the politicians in power as well as opposition, who has been given the mandate in 2014 to be faithful to the will of people of India who deserve peace as well as development.

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