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COMMUNAL HARMONY & NATIONAL INTEGRATION MEANING OF NATIONAL INTEGRATION National integration touches almost all points of national life. It is ‘feeling of oneness’ or ‘we feeling’ and a feeling of solidarity which transcends all cultural or group differences and synthesises the different castes; linguistic; regional and religious communities emotionally into a compact whole. It blinds the citizens in a unity. It checks narrow tendencies which are a great hindrance to national unity and national progress. National integration is the ‘unity of heart and mind’. National integration implies a feeling among citizens of India that India is ‘One’, ‘Integral’ and ‘Indivisible’ and we belong to it culturally, geographically and politically. What is in the interest of India, is also in our interest. Country comes first and other loyalties are subservient to it. We must share and respect national objectives, purposes and values and give them a higher place overall kinds of loyalties. The Kothari Commission defines it as “National integration includes a confidence in nation’s future development of feeling of values and duties”. A Sanskrit verse says, “For the family, sacrifice the individual, for the community, the family, for the nation, the community”. In brief, national integration implies: 1.

A feeling of brotherhood in the minds of citizens of a country.

2.

A feeling of cohesion.

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A feeling harmony.

4.

A feeling of loyalty to the country.

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A feeling of patriotism.

6.

A feeling of oneness.

7.

A feeling of solidarity.

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A feeling of tolerance, especially tolerance of other’ beliefs etc.

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A feeling of unity of the country.

10.

We feeling and not ‘I feeling’.

Communal Harmony & National Integration National integration should mean integration with the nation. But what is a nation? Who constitute a nation? These questions are to be addressed: Is country or the geographical area a nation? No. Country is a geographical concept. Is state a nation? No. State is a political concept. State is a legal association established by

law that we generally call constitution. The associations sustained by a coercive power of the law, for the validity of which the army or the police exercise their power. Nation is a cultural concept. People make the nation. In fact, the people are the nation. Mainly there are three criteria for the people to constitute a nation, which are: (a) Those people constitute a nation, who regard their country as their motherland. This feeling of reverence for the motherland is generally expressed in slogans like Vande Mataram. (b) The most criterion is common sharing of history. (c) And the third and the most important is the shared value system. Culture is nothing but value system, the standard to judge good from evil. One common language may help in strengthening the bond of nationalism. But it is not a compulsory condition. Canada and USA have the same language and yet they are different nations because their history is different. Switzerland has three languages and yet it is one nation. One religion too is not an essential condition for being a nation, nor one race. Common economic interests like those of the present day Europe can make an economic nation, but not a nation. Nationality, which is body and soul together, has its sentimental side. To make the point succinct, I quote Shri Ernest Renan, a French author of the last century: The soil provides the substratum, the field for struggle and labour: man provides the soul. Man is the everything in the formation of this sacred thing that we call a people. Nothing that is material suffices here. A nation is a spiritual principle, the result of the intricate workings of history; a spiritual family and not a group determined by the configuration of the earth. He further adds: A nation is a soul, a spiritual principle. Two things, which are really only one. One of these things lies in the past, the other in the present. The one is the possession in the common of a rich heritage of memories; and the other is actual agreement, the desire to live together, and the will to continue to make the t inheritance. Man cannot be improvised. The nation, like the individual is the fruit of along past in toil, sacrifice and devotion. In view of this let us most objectively consider which are the people that fullfil the three criteria. These people are known as Hindus. Therefore, we say this a Hindu nation. It has nothing to do with whether you are an idol worshipper or not; whether you go to a temple or not, whether you apply any mark on your forehead or not. It has nothing to do with rituals. The nation can have a number of groups professing different religious beliefs or faiths. Hindu does not connote a religion, it connotes culture certain value system. The very name of our country Hindustan has no religious import.

What is the most salient feature of our culture or value system? It is respect for plurality, diversity and inclusivity. We don’t believe in the compulsory conscription for anyone path of God. The Paris were hounded out their land of birth by intolerant aggressors, and they came to India. They are a miniscule minority, and yet they and their religion are safe and secure. Now, with this background, we can address the question of communal harmony. The word harmony presupposes plurality. If there is one monolithic society, there will be no scope even for talking about harmony. We are a plural society with different beliefs, faiths, languages, dress codes, food habits and what not. How will harmony among these varied groups be ensured? There can be harmony only if we appreciate the plurality. This sense of appreciation even transcends tolerance. I have my way of belief, you can have yours, and so long as you don’t offend me, I have no objection to your way of life – is the basic foundation on which social harmony can be created and sustained. The Janis call this philosophy as syadvad. The meaning is that your point of view can also be true. The conflict becomes inevitable when you say that yours is the only right way and that all other paths lead to eternal perdition. Even this dogmatic belief can be ignored, saying that they are two arrogant to understand the full truth, but such groups do not stop at that. They think that it is obligatory for them to bring all people to their path, and they regards any means, fair or foul, as justified the compulsory conscription as I said earlier. All proselytizing creeds are afflicted with this sense of insolent intolerance. They don’t count on their superior spirituality, but on their superior material wealth or superior muscle power. The fundamental cause of social disharmony and discord in our country is this aggressive attitude of certain faiths. They pay lip service to democracy and secularism; but in their hearts they have no concern for these values. Just look around our borders. We were living in the same British dispensation for more than hundred years. Why is it that some border states have become theocratic, preferring dictatorship to democracy? The basic reason is their intolerance of anything that is not of their choice, then refusal to integrate themselves with the ethos of pluralism and coexistence. Our country is known for its different cultures and religions and also, a sense of unity among the citizens. In our country, people belonging to various religions live in harmony, but there are occasions when the communal fabric gets disturbed, often on trivial issues. It is the responsibility of all sections of society to ensure peace and brotherhood so that all round development of the country takes places rapidly.

The police have a great role to play in promotion of communal harmony and national integration. Interaction with vision, understanding, tact, comion and humour by the police will not only raise the public esteem of the police but will also lead to a healthy police – public relationship, and secure the desired measures of public involvement and cooperation in promotion of communal harmony. The National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH) has been organising seminars with the aim of effective sensitization of the police officers so that they become the torchbearers of communal harmony and national integration in their day to day functioning. The foundation, which is working silently for promotion of communal harmony, has also supplied reading materials on the role of police in promotion of communal harmony and national integration, constitutional and statutory provisions relating to communal harmony. These seminars have been quite successful in spreading the message of communal harmony and national integration amongst the police officers. The NFCH undertakes and assists state governments, local istration, non-government organizations, universities, colleges and schools, social activities, scholars, researches and students in undertaking activities aimed at promoting harmony at local, state and national levels. Through there have been some incidents of communal violence in certain states, there has been no major communal riot in any part of the country in last years. All states are advised to keep a close watch on the situation with communal overcomes and take early steps to prevent any flare up. Over that last five years the incidents of communal violence have gradually comedown. The decline is attributed to the centre closely monitoring the situation and keeping the strict vigil on the activities of individuals and organizations to ensure that the situation remains under control. The activities organizations having a hearing on maintenance of communal harmony in the country are under constant watch of the law enforcing agencies. Every year awards are given by the foundation to individual and an institution for them outstanding contribution to the cause of communal harmony and natural integration. The foundation extends assistance to state istrations and non – government organizations for holding debates, seminars, workshops, painting, slogan or essay writing competition, musical and cultural programmers etc. The Foundation is striving to encourage and as many organizations as possible to take up, on a significant activities related to promotion of communal harmony. I am not one of those that will blame only the exclusivist ideologies. I will blame the majority stream of our natural life also. This majority stream, may be out of political

considerations, or misconceptions about nation and nationalism fostered the fissiparous tendencies. We failed even to make a common law of marriage and divorce. We allowed a particular state, a separate constitution, a separate flag, even separate nomenclatures, just because that state had a majority of people belonging to a particular faith. You may buy votes by bringing people, you can’t infuse integration. To feel interrelated or integrated is a psychological reality. It is to be cultivated. Look at our ancestors how they connected the whole mass of land from the Himalayas to the ocean by emphasising the fundamental unity of the country. The idol of Rama in the far south in Rameshwaram is to be washed with the water from the Ganga in the north. The four dhamas, the four peethas of Adi Shanker, the everyday remembrance of all the rivers from the Ganga to Kaveri, a twelve year Kumbha, the Ramleela, establishment of Krishna cult-all these are not simply religious items, they denote cultural unity. We failed to instil this sense of unity even in that part of our country that we had with us after partition. So much so that our constitution speaks of the states as the basic units and the country as the union of such states. We failed to appreciate and steadfastly believe that the country is one, that we are one people, and that we have one culture, i.e, one value system, though there are different religions and different regions and that the states are istrative units for the convenience of governance. This failure to recognise and assert the fundamental unit of the people and the country is creating dissension within the states over the river water sharing or the boundaries. In short, there is urgent need to rethink about our basic political and cultural concepts, reinterpret them, and be bold to emphasise them through educational system, political behaviour and social environment. There cannot be national integration without understanding the character of the nation and there cannot he communal harmony unless you intrinsically believe in the validity of different beliefs and approaches. How can there be harmony when some of our countrymen regard others as Kafirs or infidels, fit to be subjugated if not completely annihilated? How can there be harmony, when a section of our people think that it is then fundamental right to convert people even by force, fraud or allurement? WHY NATIONAL INTEGRATION? We frequently notice incidence of disputes, disturbances and even bloodshed in various parts of the country in the name of caste, language, region or religion etc. Demonstrations and strikes in the interest of particular group take place which paralyse economic and industrial activities. There is a great economic loss. Educational institutions on

very narrow considerations remain closed for a number of days. Even the work of State and National Legislature comes to a standstill. The narrow considerations pose a threat to national unity also. History teaches us that all types of development in art and culture, philosophy and literature etc. is possible only when there is peace in the country. Internal disputes and rivalries in the past failed to check the foreign powers. It was the lack of national unity that was responsible for the conquest of India by the British. The Jats, the Marathas, the Nizams, the Rajputs, the Rohilas and the Sikhs etc. failed to unite against the foreign aggressor. Lack of national unity creates hindrances in achieving our goals, ideals and life of the people by increasing production, for making democracy successful, and bringing harmony among people of different faiths, races, religions and states. India has already paid a heavy price in the division of the country on of lack of national integration. History should not be allowed to repeat itself. HINDRANCES AND OBSTACLES IN NATIONAL INTEGRATION Following are the main factors responsible for separatist tendencies. These create hindrances in national integration. 1.

Casteism

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Classism

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Communalism

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Economic disparities

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Educational disparities

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Illiteracy

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Ignorance

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Linguism

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Localism

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Narrow political loyalties

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Over ambitiousness of some leaders

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Favouritism

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Poverty

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Provincialism

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Regionalism

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Religious fanaticism

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Reservations and quotas

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Sectarianism

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Selfishness

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Unemployment

21.

Untouchability

It may be stressed that these factors singly or tly create unfavourable situations to the promotion of national integration. The Education Commission 1964-66 pointed out that old values which held society together have been disappearing. Their place has not been taken by a new sense of social responsibility. ROLE OF EDUCATION IN NATIONAL INTEGRATION In the words of Dr. Radhakrishnan, “National integration cannot be built by brick and mortar; it cannot be built by chisel or hammer. It has to grow silently in the minds and hearts of men. The only process is the process of education”. The Education Commission observed, “Education system must make its contribution to the development of habits, attitudes and qualities of character, which will enable the citizens to bear worthily the responsibilities of democratic citizenship and to counteract all those fissiparous tendencies which hinder the emergence of a broad national and secular outlook”. Education can play a vital rote in strengthening emotional integration. Education should not only aim at imparting knowledge but should develop all aspects of a student’s personality. It should broaden his outlook, foster a feeling of oneness and nationalism and a spirit of sacrifice and tolerance so that narrow group interests are submerged in the larger interests of the country. Dr. Radhakrishanan explained the role of education in national integration as, “If India is to remain free, united and democratic, education should train people for unity and not localism, for democracy and not dictatorship”. ROLE OF TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN ACHIEVING NATIONAL INTEGRATION THROUGH DEMOCRATIC INTERACTION. Meaning of National Integration Through Democratic Interaction. As explained earlier, democracy is a way of life. It rests on equality of opportunity. It implies that all differences of religion, region, caste etc should be resolved through democratic interaction.

Democratic interaction means that persons of all castes, creeds, faiths, religions and regions should intermix without and restrictions. Educational Measures for National Integration through Democratic Interaction Developing Awareness. Education is considered as an important means of making people aware of their weakness and enabling them to gain necessary knowledge for bringing about national integration in a non-violent, rational and scientific manner. Developing Appropriate Values. Education is expected to change the attitude and values of the people to create in them necessary motivation for national integration. Realisation of Important Goals. Education is considered to be of immense help in realising the national goals like democracy, secularism and socialism. Providing Necessary Skills. It is generally accepted that education will provide necessary training in skills and occupations so as to produce competent personnel needed for manning the different jobs in agricultural, business, commerce, educational, industrial and research establishments etc in accordance with national requirements without any consideration of religion or region etc. Equality of Opportunity in Education Equality of opportunity in education is very helpful in promoting national integration. The National Policy of Education 1986 has observed, “The New Policy will lay special emphasis on the removal of disparities and to equalise educational opportunity by attending to the specific needs of those who have been denied equality so far”. Linking Past, Present and Future. Education should link the past with existing realities of the present national identity and the emerging future goals and aspirations of the society. Integration of Rural and Urban Areas. For achieving meaningful national integration, education should establish proper linkage of the urban elite and the rural people. This task can be performed through providing equal opportunities for education. Programmes of formal and non-formal education through various types of institutions should be organised extensively in the rural areas. Involvement of Students. There is a need for closer involvement of the students and the community in educational programmes for developing a ‘sense of belonging’ and creating necessary enthusiasm for national development.

ROLE OF THE TEACHERS IN PROMOTING NATIONAL INTEGRATION Teachers can play an important role in developing values of national integration among the students. Following are the important measures which can prove very helpful in this regard: 1.

Teachers should set ideal examples of national integration through their democratic behaviour, ways of thinking and doing things.

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Teachers should present historical facts in an impartial and objective manner.

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They should not discriminate students on the basis of caste, colour, language, region or religion.

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They should lay balanced stress on the achievements of great leaders belonging to different communities and regions etc.

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In Geography and Indian Economics, the importance of interdependence of different regions and States should be highlighted.

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All possible efforts should be made to inculcate an attitude of rational thinking in the students.

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Community dinners, camps, educational excursions and tours may be organised so that students get opportunities to appreciate the concept of unity and diversity.

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Deeds of patriotism of great persons belonging to all communities should be suitably explained.

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Students should be involved in organising various schools programmes.

Concluding Observations. National integration is a challenge. It is true that educational institutions can play an important role in inculcating ideals and values of national integration among the students. Nevertheless, it is more important that leaders, especially political and religious, who are trend setters in national life, must rise above petty considerations and set high examples of national integration through daily actions. As already observed, India has already paid a heavy price in the division of the country on of lack of national integration. History should not be allowed to repeat itself. We may conclude the discussion with the words of wisdom of Jawaharlal Nehru who has observed, “National integration would hold Indian people into one and make India into one strong national unit maintaining at the same time all our wonderful diversity”. He further stated, “We should not become parochial, narrow-minded, provincial, communal and casteminded, because we have a great mission to perform. Let us, the citizens of the Republic of

India, bring about the integration of the Indian people. We have to build up this country into a mighty nation, mighty not in the ordinary sense of the word, but might in thought, mighty in action, mighty in culture and mighty in its peaceful service of humanity”. Constitutional Provisions Facilitating National Integration through Democratic Interaction Provision of Fundamental Rights. Specific articles which facilitate democratic interaction are as under: Article 14. Equality before law. Article 15. Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Article 16. Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment. Article 17. Abolition of untouchability. Article 19. Protection of certain rights regarding: freedom of speech, etc. Article 21. Protection of life and personal liberty. Article 21 A. Right to education. Article 26. Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion. Article 26. Freedom to manage religious affairs, Article 29 and 30. Cultural and Educational Rights of minorities. Directive Principles Facilitating National Integration through Democratic Interaction Article 28. State to secure a social order for the promotion of welfare of the people. Article 39A. Equal justice and free legal aid. Article 46. Promotion of education and economic interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections.