Some events of the last few decades and years don’t augur
well for the unity and integrity of India. Selfish motives, parochial vision,
vindictiveness and a feigned superiority complex have alienated regional
chieftains and populations. This is not to undermine the good work towards
national integration that have been undertaken by successive governments in the
four-five decades. The creation of the Central government services where cadre
officers were transferred or given a posting in a different region were
deliberate steps undertaken for national integration. Similarly in the state
government services, officers were transferred in the different districts of
the state was a step to expose them to different parts of the state.
A similar policy has also been followed by the armed forces.
Officers and sepoys of the Indian armed forces are routinely transferred to
different stations every two-three years thus exposing them to the cultures of
different regions of India. Domestic tourism, especially pilgrimage tourism has
been encouraged by successive governments thus contributing to national
integration. School and college trips to different states are yet another step
taken towards integration society. More specifically in the last one-two
decades with the growth of urban megalopolis industrial and commercial centres,
migration from different parts of India to these centres can also be seen as a
step towards national integration.
However, there are some additional steps that can be
undertaken to integrate different regions of India and make the country into a
well oiled cohesive fighting force. We must not lose sight of our goals and
always keep them steadfast on our horizon: to be a $10 trillion economy by
2035, to stabilise population at 700-800 million by 2050, to raise per capita
income of an Indian to $6,000 by 2035, to be among the top 25 developed nations
by 2035 and also to be among the first 50 nations in terms of human development
indices. These goals are certainly achievable if our political class acts and
behaves prudently in the interest of the country. Squabbling, finger pointing
and digging up skeletons will get us nowhere.
TEACHING REGIONAL LANGUAGES IN HINDI BELT: People
living in the Hindi belt are rather insensitive to the nuances of regional
cultures in different parts of India. Regional languages mentioned in the
Indian schedule must be taught to students from class 5 to 8 in the Hindi belt
in addition to their mother tongue which is Hindi and English. One needs to
teach the basics of the language to these students so as to sensitise them to
the culture and history of different regions of India. Initially 20 per cent of
schools in 20 percent of the districts in each state must implement this and
gradually it must be extended to the entire state. This must be applicable to
not only government-run schools but also public and private schools.
PROTOCOL FOR RECEIVING STATE DIGNITARIES: The basic
need of human beings is for respect, importance and if possible affection.
State dignitaries like chief ministers, governors, chief secretaries must be
received with appropriate protocol and must be given due respect and importance
by the corresponding dignitaries of the ruling party. State dignitaries must
not be made to feel that they are subordinates or that they are not being
treated fairly. Perhaps a short ceremonial band and a 12 gun salute must be
extended to the head of a state when s/he visits the national capital for a
meeting with the prime minister or the president. Senior officials of the Centre must maintain respectful and cordial relations with dignitaries of every
state.
ALLOCATION OF CENTRAL RESOURCES: Central resources
are the resources of the Indian people and thus every state has equal claim on
them. To deny a state central resources or what is due to them simply because
the personal equation or the personal chemistry between central dignitaries and
state dignitaries is not optimum is no excuse for denying a state its due
share. This is all the more important when the states are opposition-ruled
states. Wherever there is a regional insurgency problem, backwardness and
natural calamity befalls a state it must be immediately rescued by the central
government by allocating necessary resources. This will reassure the states
that the Centre is fair in its dealing with them and thus it will build trust.
CAREFULL SELECTION OF THE POLITICAL CLASS: The
political class can make or break the country. It becomes therefore imperative
that the selection of candidates aspiring for a political journey or public
service is done with the utmost care. Merit alone will get India to where it
aspires for and not a policy of appeasement or quid pro quo. Members of the municipal
council, legislative assemblies and the parliament must be role models for the
countrymen and they must inspire trust and respect as opposed to fear and
revulsion. A dynamic political class is the single most important reason that
can usher India into the league of developed nation in 20-25 years time. To
impart practical and conceptual training to budding politicians, schools of
governance and politics must be established in different parts of the country.
OPENING UP OF DIALOGUE WITH DISGRUNTLED SECTIONS: A
case in point is the ongoing visit by the Canadian prime minister, who
according to media reports has been given the cold shrug by Delhi because he
and his country have given refuge to Sikh separatists as though he is the
creator of the problem. Sikh separatism is a problem created within the country
and fanned by our enemies notably Pakistan. Genuine grievances must be addressed
immediately. The ruling party must have the humility to recognise their own
faults and shortcomings and also see things from the other person’s point of
view. To admit your own mistakes first and to be able to see things from the other
person’s point of view are million dollar qualities which not everyone has.
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OPPOSITION: Nothing infuriates
the Opposition more than saying that they have done nothing for the last 70
years or that their leaders have been corrupt. Our ideologies may be different
but we must not forget that we are all Indians first and we all wish well for
the country though our paths may be different. It needs to be reiterated that all important
decisions must be taken in the two house of the parliament (the Lok Sabha and
the Rajya Sabha) and the opposition must be taken into confidence in all
sensitive issues. A mature way of looking at it is that the current opposition
took care of India for 70 odd years while the current dispensation was still in
its infancy and was not in a position to run the country.
If we as Indian always remember our primary identity that we
are all Bharatiyas and Indians first half the battle is won. Indian must be
dissuaded from introducing themselves on the basis of caste, religion, region
or language. India is our country and we are all one. Let us always remember:
UNITED WE WILL CONQUER AND DIVIDED WE WILL FALL.
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