Dear Editor:

POLITICAL TENSION IN INDIA

Reading between the lines the views of the noted journalist Kuldip Nayar (TA 8/8) and letter of S\K. Krishnan to Calgary Herald, one should not be left with any doubt, though some may be surprised to infer, that Mrs. Gandhi’s attack on the Sikhs in 1984 was not only a well hatched misadventure but also a well calculated and highly motivated plan to promote Hindi Hindu Hindustan programme.

While some might be satisfied in their hearts at the killing of Mrs. Gandhi and Gen. Vaidya, but for fundamentalist Hindus these are meaningful sacrifices and an opportunity to be made capital of so very essential for any cause to be successful.

Now, just like the Sikhs, other minorities too must have by now realized that if they wish to preserve their identity and wish to survive, as such, with honour, as hit her to fore, they shall have to fight tooth and nail for their independent statehood; because Hindus are now frightfully itching to break the cobweb of the bogey of ‘secularism’ and to come out in the open with naked truth of ‘communal’ possessiveness. They will, thus, not be able to fool the world, for too long, with the policy of appeasement with ‘secularist slogans that they have been pretentiously adopting thus far. Not only Muslims, Christians, Kashmiris, and Gurkhas, even Harijans will eventually have to carve out their destiny if they wish to live with human dignity that they deserve. Hindus might, willingly or reluctantly, share their meals with Muslims and Christians, under certain Circumstances; but with Harijans, non-ever. Let alone dining table, they would never be willing to share the same ceilings with them, even though Mahatma Gandhi gave his life for the cause

It may not be too easy, at this stage, to determine which system of government is for the good of the nation, as a whole; but there seems to be little doubt on one point, as can be inferred from the current political climate in the country, that history is going to repeat itself there pretty soon, Almost fully united India was the creation of the British, which they achieved against heavy odds, for their own convenience, by dint of their super mighty force; which, of course, they took away with them, as their power of influence faded over the territory. Unless the trend is checked by some thoughtful force, India may revert to ‘pre-Muslim’ era split in penny packets. India is today on a crossroad perplexed and confused. It has to decide its course of action, one way or the other. Junta and not the Government alone, has to decide which way to adopt United or divided.

Centralization and decentralization, integration and disintegration, polarization and depolarization in the government system, are the cycles that man experiments with from time to time, to attain perfection. But he is never satisfied because of his inherent imperfections; many by nature tend to be corrupt, infested with selfishness, greed and above all with egoism. Whether living under secular system of democratic/federal government is ideal or the communal independent sovereignty is suited for us, can best be adjudged only by “Time”, But history of the world indicates that all patterns of the government are doomed to fail where dishonesty and injustice is the watchword conversely, however, any system can triumph with ‘where mutual understanding, compassion, love and fair play are the chief concern of the head of the state, For any system to be successful, one has to learn to rise above selfishness and personal interests. So let us all pray to God almighty together that wiser counsels may prevail over our leaders and public alike so that we may choose the right path to follow, which, of course, only God knoweth best.

Narendra Singh

Article extracted from this publication >> September 5, 1986