Srinagar, June 24 (FN Representative) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said only art, culture and history can unite the country. He said this after inaugurating the high-profile event of ‘Vitasta Mahotsav” on the banks of Dal Lake here. The event was organised by the Ministry of Culture and named after the ancient Vedic name of the river Jhelum.Shah said Jhelum is witness to the highest level of human civilisation and Vitasta is a festival to show the true Kashmir to the whole world “This is the same Vitasta which has been witness to many researches in Kashmir for thousands of years, this Jhelum has seen difficult times, the stream of Vitasta has also seen blood, attacks by fanatics, many regime changes and also witnessed the horrific scourge of terrorism,” he said.Shah asserted that after the removal of Article 370 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, peace is established in J&K and new dimensions of development are being created, institutions of higher education are being built, industries are being set up and Panchayati Raj has been established “Under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, Shri Modi has given a vision to all the cultures of the country to move forward with each other through many programs like Kashi Telugu Sangamam, Tamil Saurashtra Sangamam, Kashi Tamil and Vitasta Mahotsav,” the Home Minister said.
He said only art, culture and history can unite the country and Vitasta Mahotsav is a unique event to unite India “Culture is not made in a year or by one art and genre, culture is made by assimilation of many aspects of human life and our India is one of the very few countries where such stream of culture continuously flows, and we should be proud of this,” he added.Shah said the specialty of India is the culture of living together with every one and this Vitasta Mahotsav is the ambassador of spreading this specialty of Kashmir to the whole of India and the world“People who have seen the last 30 -40 years of history of Kashmir, find it a disputed and disturbed region, it is the nature of Kashmir to move forward like an immortal flame despite having many issues,” he said. Shah said more than 40,000 people were killed by terrorism in Kashmir a few years ago, the same Kashmir is moving forward today by assimilating arts through Vitasta Mahotsav “Hatred towards anyone has not been the history of Kashmir, Kashmir has accepted everyone who comes.
Like a playing, jumping and flowing river, the culture of Kashmir always moved ahead and never looked back,” he saidShah said that unless they do not use their culture and art in the endeavour of connecting the country, they will not be able to use this unprecedented power for the benefit of the country.Several dignitaries including the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi, Union Home Secretary and Secretary, Ministry of Culture were present on this occasion.Union Home Minister said that about 1,900 artists from Kashmir and about 150 artists from across the country will exhibit and exchange their art in the Vitasta Mahotsav.