✒️:. Mohd Ishfaq Shah
Introduction: This day marks the Rashtriya Ekta Divas (National Unity Day) is celebrated in India on 31 October. It was introduced by the Government of India in 2014. The day is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Vallabhbhai Patel-commonly known as Iron man of India-who had a major role in the political integration of India. As the history goes that before the independence dawned on Indian soil it was divided into 543 princely states and some centrally controlled areas that were directly controlled by Britshers. As per the Lord Mountbatten Plan of 3rd June 1947 the princely states were given a choice either to join the dominion of India/ Pakistan or remain independent, but the partition plan turned into a civil war resulting in a lot of bloodbath on both sides. Consequently the princely states had a little choice to decide their future. Although most of the states acceded to India, but some of the states like Hyderabad, Junagarh and Jammu and Kashmir would not accede to India or Pakistan. Sardar Pattel combined Hyderbad and Junagarh with India,but Jammu and Kashmir state’s prince -Maharaj Hari Singh had yet to decide to which of the two dominions as he had signed a standstill agreement with both the dominion states. And the discourse changed after the tribal raid sponsored by Pakistan to annex Jammu and Kashmir from India. Maharaja Harising , on 22nd October met Indian leadership including then the Home Minster – Vallabai Pattel and it was 24 October 1947 the instrument of accession was signed by Maharaja Hari Singh and on 27 October 1947,Indian troops landed on the surface of Jammu and Kashmir hence chasing away the invading tribes. It is said that Vallabhbhai Patel played a prominent role in unifying India as unique whole and the states unified by the said person collectively constitutes today’s India as we know it now.
How to keep the fabric of unity intact: the unification of states by Sardar Pattel was really remarkable with some exception where this grand man could not succeed to persuade the princes to accede to India and had to use an iron hand. For instance, Hyderabad was combined with India, in a way, forcibly. While as the state of Junagad was given a chance to decide their future in terms of holding a plebiscite which turned in favour of India. Had the same been case with Jammu and Kashmir, the things would have been different and the conflict would have ended once and for all. Anyways history doesn’t move reverse and it is now too late to give the issue a retrospective effect as the situations have changed a lot and the mindset of the people is now not in such a way that they would demand a plebiscite anymore. The matter of introspection for the whole nation being how the fabric of unity can be kept intact and what is required is an action plan to work on so that this goal is achieved. A nation, in my opinion, is not united if it is forced by military or police to live calmly. Because, history reveals that no king has been born in the whole world till date that could control his subjects by force and that too for long lasting tenure. The collective consciousness of the people is not any physical entity that can be put behind the walls. The best effective way is to give an equal treatment to each and every state while keeping the national unity in consideration. The govt. at centre must work with honest approach to heal the wounds given by the historical discourse like partition and hatred wave thereafter. The partition of India was the execution of Mount batten plan and not the plan of people of Indian states as most of them were run independently by the restive princes. Sincere negotiations could have yielded better and everlasting results rather than adopting lion and fox policy for gaining party or communal or personal interests.
As of now, India is facing a severe crisis of communal and the main cause of this crisis is the use of religion for political interests. Vote bank matters more to our Politicians than the national unity or public welfare. By every now and then we come to know about the communal clashes in our country that result in law and order situation and subsequently results in loss of life and property. So the public must beware of the misuse of sentiments of people on part of politicians. Why should public be misled when there a constitutional machinery working in the country. It is inevitable now and the intellectuals and academicians must come forward to create public awareness with regard to religious discourse and religious scholars of all the communities have a crucial role to play here at this juncture. Fanaticism and hooliganism damage the image of a religion and the real essence is lost. Blind faith is the most dangerous weapon available with the people that can destroy the whole nation if the seriousness is not reflected by all the stake holders.
Strategic plan to achieve the desired goals:
Separation of religion from the politics is an immense need of the hour as it has been observed that no other issue consumes as much of human blood as the religious conflicts. Wars fought on forefronts are not as dangerous as the conflicts among the masses as the wars on frontlines last only for weeks while as the wars on religion last too long and damage a society. So it is obvious that religion should have no role in politics. As the constitution allows us to practice and propagate our religion without interfere in others’ religious sentiments. Humanity is at the core of every religion, but the tragedy is that we want to promote our religion at the cost of humanity. The chief concern every religion is salvation and spiritual exaltation that is, very unfortunately, seen very rarely in any sphere. Yes, the communal prejudice and pride is at peak. Moral values are vanishing from every section of the society. Even in a single religion there are innumerable sects that are at daggers drawn round the clock hence damaging the real essence and spirit of the religion itself? If we are really sincere towards our faith we must follow the scripts, but not the traditions and dogmas that often tend to be social in nature instead of being mystical and spiritual. Hence, the separation of religion from politics has become inevitable. Election manifesto should not include any religious propaganda. It is duty of the house to safeguard each and every belief in reference to the constitutional provisions like Article 25-29.
Preference to professionalism and avoidance of Nepotism: the lack of professionalism in the work culture of our country is one of the causes of causing division among people. Be it a doctor, en engineer, a teacher, a policeman or a officer, all must follow professionalism while performing their duty. Doctors must serve a patient, not a social entity. They must free their mind from the racial or communal prejudice or they will not be able execute their duty professionally. A criminal to policeman is just a criminal and nothing more than that. The degree of punishment should be defined and determined as per the judicial procedure and not the communal propaganda. A teacher has the duty to educate the students and not the communal elements. He must follow the technicality of the department and prefer the duty over the belief.
The central govt. must treat every state with equal eye and there should not be any indifference with regard to developmental programmes, employment generation, healthcare and public welfare programmes. Only then the states can be satisfied with the work culture of central govt.
In case the discourse doesn’t go in the way as suggested in the article there is no meaning to celebration of such days. And it would be equal to a disrespect of the great souls who have put tremendous efforts to get the nation united and if it had not been done in this way, the nation would have further scattered. So it is our duty to keep the unity intact and make the fabric of national integration more strong by means of mutual understanding, cooperation, compassion, love and affection for our country men irrespective of their cast, creed, colour and community.
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