THE NATIONAL NEED ... 5
Our founding fathers were far wiser and much more learned than our present crop of leaders throughout India and we must abide by their directions in nation-building and not risk making drastic changes to the path already taken. Yes, conversion of Hindus to Islam and Christianity must be resisted by whatever wise means possible but the overall direction otherwise must not alter.
Our democracy has survived the ravages of seven long decades and, despite significant losses suffered by our people at the hands of both eternal and internal enemies, we have successfully forged ahead and still hold on to the democratic quasi-federal structure of our nation. An unwise polity headed in every state by unwise leaders has already created havoc and we can hardly afford even more dangerous centralisation of power that could lead to the total impairing of our Constitution.
I am an ardent Hindu but cannot bear the fragmentation of the national mind into so many factions, each plotting the downfall of the other. This is simply not healthy for a nation and we must improve our own behaviour and moral sense to foster inter-community harmony, knowing that all these communities are a common mass of humanity which we call Indians. In this nationalism arising out of spontaneous belonging lies the future of our nation and not in any enforced code of cultural nationalism as often spoken of in organisational meets where these ideas are floated.
Ultimately, in a democracy the individual and his freedom must be protected and our Constitution as yet amply provides for it. Unless tampered with drastically, we are moving ahead safe and sound, but if it is structurally changed beyond recognition, dark days are ahead.
One thing I always fear is ORGANISATION, for it invariably grows in power with time unless resisted by counter organisations, and becomes the autocratic machinery for thrusting its narrow ideals on all and sundry. Hence, we must be ever vigilant.
Written by Sugata Bose
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