Baramulla, Apr 26: Amid growing concerns over the declining reading habits among youth in the age of social media, Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Baramulla Javid Hassan Baig Sunday said he will utilize his Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to revive library culture and promote book reading habits among students in government schools of his constituency.
Talking to Greater Kashmir on the sidelines of a function organised by the Baramulla Writers’ Forum at Dak Bungalow here, MLA Baramulla highlighted the need to safeguard intellectual traditions in the face of rapid technological advancement.
“Every era presents its own challenges. The current age is marked by the dominance of technology, which, if left unchecked, could outpace social wisdom,” he said. He said that technology will take over if the socially wise people do not come together and keep their intellectual and political wisdom alive. Highlighting the role of literary platforms, MLA described the Baramulla Writers’ Forum as a “respectable initiative” striving to preserve literary culture.
About the demand of the forum to establish an auditorium and a well-equipped library while expanding its outreach, particularly to rural areas, MLA Baramulla every possible help will be done in this regard.
He called for grassroots movement to revive reading habits and stressed the importance of taking literary activities to villages and schools. “We have to develop this culture through books. Seminars should be held in schools besides local writers and intellectuals must be encouraged to organise such events,” he said. MLA Baramulla however expressed concern over the fading culture of reading and cautioned that abandoning books would lead to a superficial understanding of knowledge.
“If the culture of reading dies, it will not lead you to knowledge but to artificial intelligence, artificial poetry, and artificial prose. Everything will become artificial,” he said.
He urged students to engage with diverse literature beyond religious texts and reflect that knowledge in society. On the issue of inadequate library infrastructure in government schools, MLA acknowledged the issue saying that library culture remains weak and outlined a roadmap to address the gap.
“I have started visiting government schools and will ensure that books are provided from my Constituency Development Fund,” he said. He added that efforts are underway to create a participatory reading environment by encouraging students to share their learnings with elders and involving parents through regular meetings. “I intend to work round the clock in this regard,” he said. MLA said he has already initiated steps to promote reading and called for active participation from civil society as well. “Where my role ends, civil society must begin. If society plays its part, we will not let books die,” he said.
He warned that the decline of languages, particularly Urdu, could have far-reaching consequences, reflecting on the broader cultural implications. Invoking literary greats like Mirza Ghalib, Allama Iqbal, and Mir Taqi Mir, MLA Baramulla said their depth and brilliance comes from a rich literary tradition that must be preserved. “Urdu may face challenges, but it will not die. People may die, but languages endure. We will keep it alive,” he said. He said that the survival of literature and language was essential to preserving cultural identity.
