A Vision of United India

Chapter 13

Summary and Conclusion

Before we close, let us make a recapitulation of the points discussed in the book.

First, India has been culturally and spiritually a nation from the most ancient times; the Vedic Rishis made it one their fundamental tasks to create this spiritual unity. However, despite the cultural and spiritual unity, political unity was not attained for a sufficiently durable time despite many heroic attempts. We have analyzed the reasons for this failure and come to the following conclusions. The chief reason of the failure was the excess of the centralizing tendency, which came inevitably with the formation of empires. It subconsciously led to the wearing out of the freedom and vigour of the subordinate units. As a consequence, the attempt to establish a centralized imperial monarchy brought with it not a free synthesis but a breaking down of regional autonomies.

Second, after the advent of the Muslim civilization into India, a new problem was created which came in the way of a politically united India. This was the clash of two ancient civilizations and religions. However, the real problem introduced by the Mussulman conquest was not that of subjection to a foreign rule and the ability to recover freedom, but the struggle between two civilizations, one ancient and indigenous, the other mediaeval and brought in from outside. That which apparently rendered the problem insoluble was the attachment of each to a powerful religion, the one militant and aggressive, the other spiritually tolerant indeed and flexible, but obstinately faithful in its discipline to its own principle and standing on the defense behind a barrier of social forms. There were two conceivable

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solutions, the rise of a greater spiritual principle and formation, which could reconcile the two or a political patriotism surmounting the religious struggle and uniting the two communities.

During the freedom struggle an attempt was made to create this political patriotism and was partially successful but in the end the religious intolerance and mistrust took over and the result was the partition of the country.

It is now high time to attempt the solution of the problem on both these lines. The institution of SAARC is itself a first step and opportunity in this direction and this forum can be used to create patriotism on both political and economic lines.

As for religion, we shall quote this passage from the Mother to illustrate the solution.

"The conflict of religions arises because each one claims the exclusive truth and demands a complete adherence to it by the method of dogma, ritual, ceremony and prescribed acts. The solution would be, first to recognise that the real truth of religion is in the spiritual experiences of which it is an outer formulation. To transcend therefore the outer form, and insist on the spiritual experience and in addition to recognise that there can be infinite and valid varieties of spiritual experiences is the important step in the solution. It is not by insisting on religion that India and the world can be reconstructed. The new world will transcend religions and will insist on the purity of spiritual experience.

Instead of taking religions in their outward forms, which are precisely dogmas and intellectual conceptions, if we take them in their spirit, in the principle they represent there is no difficulty in unifying them. They are simply different aspects of human progress, which complete each other perfectly well and should be united with many others yet to form a more total and more complete progress, a more integral approach to the Divine.

India's attempt in her religion was to some extent directed to this inner perception; it is at present lost but we must now place forward this perception clearly and radically, not revive religion or religious spirit, but present the ideal of spiritual perfection which consists of an integral realisation of the spirit and its full manifestation on physical life".

To pursue this to its logical conclusion, we have to set up institutions, which will make a detailed study of all religions in their deeper meaning and bring about a reconciliation of all religions. More it has to lead to the generalisation of Yoga, which is a practical way of attaining to the spiritual consciousness. In other words Yoga has to be generalised. This is the line of thought and action that the political leaders and more particularly the religious heads of these two communities should stress. If this is done with sincerity

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and persistence, it should be possible to create the conditions for the emergence of a great synthesis of all the religions and thus open the way for a true spiritual flowering of India and eventually of the world.

The third point that has to be followed is that the political system we have been following for the last 50 years and more is totally unsuitable for India. We have to get back to our roots and create a national government, which will reconcile all the aspirations of the different groups and communities. This cannot be done by means of the party system; for the party system is leading only to division and confrontation, instead of harmony and understanding.

The fourth point is that even in today's India we have a living example of this unity and national integration in the Armed Forces. It will be worthwhile to make a detailed study of the working of the Armed Forces and incorporate whatever is possible into the mainstream of the national life.

Finally, as a first practical step some suggestions are being made which one can start implementing immediately.

• Ensure that a uniform civil law is put in place. This has to be done by a detailed discussion with all the communities.

• Eliminate the policy of reservations in gradual steps. The reservations that are made should be for the economically handicapped and the physically handicapped.

• Stop all religious conversions. Let each citizen of India follow his own religion without hindrance.

• Scrupulously screen all funds coming from abroad to religious and other organisations so that they are used only for genuine purposes.

• Ensure that funds given to Hindu temples by the citizens of India are not taken over by the State; instead create a body independent of the State, but chosen by the temple authorities themselves, to handle these funds.

• Create a Central University and institutions with the purpose of studying, integrating, harmonising and synthesising all religions.

If these steps are pursued sincerely and steadfastly, there will inevitably come about a deep psychological unity leading to a confederation of India, which will include all the countries of the subcontinent. This will be the natural and final outcome and culminate in a lasting and durable political unification.

The need to move towards a confederation of India

As these steps are taken and a sense of unity begins to prevail in the subcontinent, there will result a movement

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towards creating a confederation. This confederation of India will include all the States within SAARC and at a later stage could even include Afghanistan and Myanmar. However, certain conditions have to be kept in mind and scrupulously fulfilled. The first condition is that the Indian government must scrupulously respect the free internal life and will, the social, cultural, economic tendencies of the sub-nations while giving them an equal part with herself in the management of the great common questions of the confederation. India herself can be nothing more in the future of such a new type of aggregate than a political and cultural centre, the clamp or nodus of the union. Given this orientation of the governing mind in India, nothing short of some unforeseen cataclysm can prevent the formation of a confederation in which each part will preserve its individuality and yet be part of the larger unity.

This is at least the hope and dream that we cherish. Time alone will show how and when this will become a reality.

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