Saturday, January 14, 2006

United India: A Dream

© Aju Mukhopadhyay, Bhavan's Journal, January 2004 Sri Aurobindo’s Action, March 2004
During the 1946-48 conflict, the people of the country in general did not want a vivisection of Bharat Mata. Congress Working Committee had to pass the resolution of partition with votes, 29 in favour and 15 against, in spite of M. K. Gandhi’s pleading to vote in favour of it. West Bengal Assembly accepted it as a matter of routine, but rejected the division on the basis of religion, as a matter of principle, as Sri Aurobindo had advised. The partition was a national holocaust. Some of the then leaders in the forefront could not manage it otherwise, or it suited them.
On the eve of independence Sri Aurobindo said that partition must go, divided India should be united, otherwise it would be very weak. Subsequently he visioned a united India more than once, even in 1950. Mother had a map of united India, deliberately made. She advised the Indian Prime Minister in 1965, to fight until the two countries were united. Similarly she encouraged another Prime Minister in 1971.
Earlier, Shyamaprasad Mukherjee had gone to Kashmir for its unification. According to Mother, he was the only man in India who could understand Sri Aurobindo to some extent. ‘He could have done,’ Mother said. But he was assassinated there, Mother said on 7 June 1967, though not officially. On 18 December, 1971 Mother found a solution. She said, ‘It won’t be done through battle: the different parts of Pakistan will demand separation. There are five of them. And by separating, they‘ll join India- to form a sort of confederation. That’s how it will be done.’

We know that Sri Aurobindo wanted federation of States for a World Union. Bangladesh has been separated though it does not present a happy picture. A federation of small States around India would accomplish a happier result in the long run. SAARC and such organizations may be a preamble to it.

Big powers have enough time and money to broke between countries in conflicting situations but they have not been able to really ease the situation anywhere. They have their own motive. While China unite scattered countries by force, in the name of Motherland, we go on shouting ‘Cross border, cross border’. Men, pristine nature and environment are brutally destroyed daily. A very unpleasant situation has been continuing. Some way has to be found out to ease the situation. India should strongly stand its ground, end infiltration and try for unification of the severed parts of Kashmir.

Though division is a political reality, it is not true reality. India’s position in the world should be accepted by all the peoples of erstwhile India as the Mother, who nurtured all her children from time immemorial. India has the largest number of Muslims among the countries. If united, Muslim population in India would be increased but they would be more benefited while living with other Indians. By unification the civilization of the subcontinent would recover its lost face.

Time may come for unity in the shape of federation, if not otherwise. That may be a safe political solution. A permanent peace will descend in the sub-continent, even other where, to a great extent, when people rationally give up the idea of proselytizing. In a modern world spirituality should outlive religions. A theocratic state is beyond the modern time spirit.

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