National Integration

India is a vast country with different languages, religions, castes, and communities. Despite all these apparent diversities, there is a strong uniting bond that enables us to live together peacefully, identifying ourselves as Indians. It is this feeling of oneness that constitutes the very basis of national integration.

After independence, however, some fissiparous tendencies have started creeping in. Political freedom has brought in its wake new forces of fanaticism which threaten to destroy the high concept of one country and one people. Loyalty to caste and community is given priority over devotion to the motherland. Linguistic fanaticism and chauvinism raise their ugly heads every now and then. Economic disparity breeds regionalism and mistrust. regionalism and parochialism thus take precedence over national considerations. The question of boundaries and distribution of river water continues to strain relations between adjoining states. Then there is the problem of tribals and the backward classes. Apprehensive of losing their identity, land and culture and suffering exploitations, they now clamour for seperate states of their own. They need to be brought in the national mainstream and allowed to participated in the process of economic development, maintaining their distinct culture at the same time. Communalism, an evil perpetrated by the British imperialists for their own interest, is still being fostered by powerful and extreme conservative groups. Added to these are the activities of the extremists and terrorists who seek to create fear as well as sense of uncertainty all round – all in pursuit of a separate state by seceding from India.

The forces of disintegration have already gathered strength. The crying need of the hour is national integration. all disruptive forces are to be attacked collectively and jointly and not in a piecemeal way. Socio-economic plans and programmes should be aimed at ensuring uniform development of all the regions. The different regions must feel that they are not being discriminated against in any way. People all over the country must feel that only a strong and united India can bring happiness to us all.