From Warfare To Welfare-The Ideal of National Integration

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

India has been, over the ages, a co-existence society; and it is as a co-existence society that it can cohere and march forward as a modern nation in the future. Tolerance is the central pillar of the social structure that we have built up. It has been so even before the advent of Islam and the British to India. Indeed it was this tolerance and accommoda- tive capacity of Indian civilization that enabled it to contain within its broad framework the diverse and often discordant cultural, linguistic and racial streams that flowed into it from times almost immemorial.

It is ironic that when we have advanced so much further in education, knowledge and understanding and evolved over the years a magnificent composite culture that is dis- tinctively Indian, there should arise threats to our social fabric and national unity from forces of religious intolerance, com- munalism and casteism. The threat is to-day real which we can ignore only at our peril.

A dispassionate analysis of this malaise is very neces- sary if we want to safeguard our democracy and our unity as a nation. The author, Homi J.H. Taleyarkhan has made a commendable attempt to analyse various issues in this con- text such as communalism, minorities, secularism, religion, national integration etc. With his considerable political, social and diplomatic experience and a mind that is innovative, he has not only analysed major issues but suggested some remedial measures. He has made an interesting proposal that a national centre be set up at the disputed site in Ayod- hya which would make comparative studies of all religions. Indeed if we can turn the minds of our people to such studies they would be overwhelmed by the affinities and the essen- tial unity that pervade all the religions of India rather than succumb to the differences and dissimilarities that exist.

This is a thought-provoking book brought out at a critical time in our history. A perusal of it would be rewarding.

National integration, national unity, communal harmony. interaction between the majority and minority communities, and keeping the minorities in the mainstream of national life are among top priorities in the country's programme of progress and development. Welfare activities cannot gain momentum without the supporting factor of national unity. Poverty and communal tension often breed on each other. Such a programme cannot be achieved by government alone, but by all the people getting together all the non- governmental organisations working together.

But why should communal tension persist in an essen- tially peaceloving and deeply spiritual country like India? It is largely because religion, which should be a unifying and purifying force, is being misused and abused as an instru- ment for creating rifts between communities, castes and creeds. This distortion of religion enmeshes us in differing rites and rituals and blinds us to the essential unity underly- ing all religions of the world. The way to bridge the gulf created by an irreligious distortion of religion is a vibrant awareness of oneness among us. Our hearts must rise above the difference of creed and ritual and must be filled with the conviction that we are Indians first and Indians last.

Once we begin our journey of the spirit in this direction the rest will follow. We can then effectively use the remedy of reaching economic satisfaction and social justice to the people, especially the down-trodden, by ensuring for them the essentials of life like a means of livelihood, a roof over their head and a better tomorrow for their children.

But for this the pre-condition is national unity. We must sink our difference and unite as one man. Political parties must unite for the cause of unity. Although we are a deeply spiritual country or perhaps because of it-we are also the world's largest secular democracy having the largest number of religious in the world. We can show the world by our example that all humanity is one family.