In fact, terrorism of any kind seriously
damages livelihood, creates trust deficit, ruins family life, triggers
migration, affects social and cultural life and leaves behind orphans
and widows in the streets. Terrorism bleeds the economy of nations.
Jammu Kashmir, the Maoist infested tribal belt and the north East India
have immense economic potential which can let people lead a happy and
prosperous family life. But the terrorist ideologues always succeed in
planting imaginary enemies in the minds of innocent people and persuade
them to fight. It has ruined agriculture, forestry, handicraft and
tourism sector in the terrorist infested districts. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi has rightly said terrorism has so far given nothing to
people and people should change their path for peace like Samrat Ashok
who embraced Budhism after a bloody Kalinga war.
India should look for permanent solution
to strengthen its security. Swami Vivekananda whose life was
mysteriously cut short at 39 said it is good to have a giant’s strength
but to use it in giant’s way is bad. India needs to work quietly to
acquire giant’s strength for its own safety. There are simple ways to
build an economically, physically and morally strong nation. Instead of
branding people poor and backward, we must understand their potential to
become rich amid good governance. There are millions of artisans in the
North East India, in the maoist infested tribal districts of
Chhattishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and in Kashmir who
add high value to simple organic material with their skill and
imagination. When artisans from Ladakh and Kashmir make pashmina shawl
from goat wool, the percentage of value addition is higher than any
industrial product. Similarly, the artisans across the country create
bewitching artistry on wood, clay, silver and brass etc. If they do not
get the profit they deserve after contributing creatively for long hours
there is something seriously wrong in the governance mechanism. If the
Union Government makes a dedicated investigation to know the end result
of various development schemes in the tribal belt, the root cause of
poverty will come to light. While treating the red corridor with arms
and ammunition there is need to punish the looters of the development
fund with ruthless accuracy. The scope of building an Indian tribal
regiment with the young tribal from the maoist infested districts should
be explored. The tribal are strong, intelligent and swift who can be
recruited in army. This could channel tribal energy for more
constructive purpose.
Serious problem like change in
demographic composition happens due to the weakening of faith among the
Hindu community. The prata arati (morning puja) has been stopped in
many temples. It should start in every temple across the country at a
particular time in the morning not as a display of strength but as true
devotion to god. People who think they love Hinduism must take an oath
to keep the temples clean and make it free from nuisance. There are so
many Hindu sheers who talk in multiple voices and does little to reform
Hinduism. There are thousands of temples across the country which are
nonperforming assets from religious point of view. Those temples can be
used as center of learnings and for inculcating finer emotions like
love, sympathy and moral courage among people. Unless the well to do
Hindus learn to treat the poor and underprivileged people with
compassion the ghost of religious conversion will continue to haunt
India. Thousands of people in Orissa and Bengal embraced Christianity in
order to escape hunger in the world’s worst man made famine of 1943. It
is the vulnerable people who pass through series of humiliation to
change their religious faith the way it happens to the Negros in USA and
in African countries. So a strong India can be built on the pillar of
compassion and fellow feelings.
India has to discover a cultural thread
to be together again. The language Sanskrit has immense potential to
cement north south divide. A simpler version of Sanskrit can be the
alternative national language as people in South love to accept Sanskrit
instead of Hindi. Over the years, the Sanskrit scholars have become
extinct in India. Interestingly, 25 universities in Germany teach
Sanskrit as a subject and Germany has produced more Sanskrit scholars
and published more books in Sanskrit than India in the last two decades.
It is believed, ancient Sanskrit manuscripts have given clue to modern
scientific discovery in Germany.
Uniform CBSE syllabus in schools across
the country can create one India feeling. After 68 years of
Independence the nation has not so far introduced single syllabus in its
schools. Sports create brotherhood among people. Look at our national
sport hockey which is being played in two three cities only.
Playgrounds are encroached by real estate giants for building shopping
malls and housing complexes. There is need for a public playground for
every 5000 people. Residents should be asked whether they want a
shopping mall or a community hall as it happens in many European
nations. We cannot build a strong youth force unless we popularize low
cost indigenous games. Our poor show in Olympic exposes our lack of
strength, stamina, discipline, dedication and above all; a sound sports
policy.
A strong nation is always built upon a
healthy nationalism only. In 1882, the French philosopher Ernst Renan
outlined his understanding of what makes a nation in his famous essay
entitled ‘Qu’est-ce qu’une nation?’ (‘What is a Nation?’). Renan said a
nation is the culmination of a long past of endeavors, sacrifice and
devotion. A heroic past, great men, glory, that is the social capital
upon which one bases a national idea. To have common glories in the
past, to have a common will in the present, to have performed great
deeds together, to wish to perform still more, these are the essential
conditions of being a people. The existence of a nation is a guarantee
of liberty, which would be lost if the world had only one law and only
one master.’ Indians have to work dedicatedly for minimum 20 years to
salvage its priceless social capital. Today developed nations do not
hesitate to misuse their intellectual capital to serve their business
interest. Global trade is full of traps and opportunities. Political
leaders with intellectual capital can distinguish opportunity from
global traps. This is high time to build a strong India with love and
compassion but without compromise with national interest.
By Sudhansu R Das
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