LET US CELEBRATE - AND STRENGTHEN - OUR INDIANNESS
PM'S MUSINGS FROM GOA
On the New Year’s
eve, the Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has called
upon the countrymen and all Indians living abroad "to celebrate
and strengthen our Indianness". In his musings from Goa,
where he is spending the year-end, Shri Vajpayee said :
"Hearty New
Year greetings to all my dear countrymen and to all members of
the Indian Diaspora living in far-flung corners of the world.
I also send my greetings to our brothers and sisters both in the
neighbouring countries and in countries far and wide. May the
New Year bring greater peace, prosperity and happiness to the
entire humanity.
I have come to Goa
to see the sun set on 2002 and to welcome the first morning of
2003. I had come here more than four decades ago to participate
in the Goa Liberation Struggle, which saw the sun set on this
last enclave of colonial rule in India. Since then, Goa has progressed
in many ways, retaining its old charm, which is the alchemy of
diverse historical influences, and yet adding many new features
that heighten the appeal of its original attraction: the unique
combination of the sun, the sand, the sea, swaying coconut trees,
the rivers and forests, and of course the natural hospitality
of the Goan people.
The sight of the
sea and the sound of its waves can easily make one’s mind wonder
about the eternal and the infinite. My wandering thoughts, however,
return to India. How many waves of history have crashed at the
shore of our Motherland! How many New Year suns have dawned on
its vast expanse! In our preoccupation with the Here and Now,
we sometimes tend to forget how ancient, and yet how enduring
and self-renewing is our civilization, indomitable, inclusive,
absorbing all the positive influences brought ashore by the tides
of history and making them its own.
I recall here the
ringing words of Swami Vivekananda in his essay ‘The Future of
India’ : "It is the same India which has withstood
the shocks of centuries, of hundreds of foreign invasions, of
hundreds of upheavals of manners and customs. It is the same land
which stands firmer than any rock in the world, with its undying
vigour, indestructible life. Its life is of the same nature as
the soul, without beginning and without end, immortal; and we
are the children of such a country."
Our diversity is
as much a source of India’s greatness – and of Indians’ pride
in their nation -- as her antiquity. Foreigners have always wondered
how we can embrace so much diversity in religion, ethnicity, language
and lifestyles, and yet remain a united nation. What they may
not understand, and which we must never forget, is that living
with diversity, and yet weaving a thread of unity and harmony
through it, has been a way of life throughout India since time
immemorial. This is as true in Goa as it is in Gujarat, in Jammu
& Kashmir as much as in Kerala, in Manipur as much as in Madhya
Pradesh.
From time to time,
the theme of unity in diversity provokes intense debate, even
controversies. I wish to comment on two distinct voices, which
have become louder after the Gujarat elections. On the one hand,
secularism is being pitted against Hindutva, under the belief
that the two are antithetical to one another. This is incorrect
and untenable. Secularism is a concept of the State, enjoining
upon it the duty to show respect for all faiths and to practise
no discrimination among citizens on the basis of their beliefs.
In this sense, India has been secular since the beginning of her
known history. We chose to remain wedded to secularism even when
Pakistan was carved out on the basis of the spurious and communal
Two-Nation Theory. This could not have been possible if the majority
of Indians were not secular.
Gurudev Rabindranath
Tagore has explained it very well. "India has all
along been trying experiments in evolving a social unity within
which all the different peoples could be held together, while
fully enjoying the freedom of maintaining their differences. The
tie has been as loose as possible, yet as close as circumstances
permitted. This has produced something like a United States of
a social federation, whose common name is Hinduism."
Hinduism’s acceptance
of the diversity of faiths is the central feature of secularism
in India. As Maharshi Aurobindo points out, "Indian
religion has always felt that since the minds, the temperaments
and the intellectual affinities of men are unlimited in their
variety, a perfect liberty of thought and of worship must be allowed
to the individual in his approach to the Infinite."
On the other hand,
Hindutva, which presents a ‘viraat darshan’ (broad, all-encompassing
view) of human life, is being projected by some people in a narrow,
rigid and extremist manner – an unfortunate and unacceptable interpretation
that runs totally contrary to its true spirit. Hindutva is an
integral understanding of the entire Creation, showing the way
both to the Here and the Hereafter. It emphasizes the inseparable
relationship between the individual and society, as well as between
man’s material and spiritual needs. Hindutva is liberal, liberating
and brooks no ill will, hatred or violence among different communities
on any ground.
We need to affirm
and promote that true understanding of Hindutva which is forward-looking,
not one that seeks to take us back; that which makes us capable
of meeting the challenges of the modern world, not one that is
stuck in the grooves of the past; that which is reform-minded,
and not one that protects obscurantism and injustice, against
which all the reformers of the past have fought. If understood
and practiced in this enlightened sense, which is how Swami Vivekananda
and other great patriots propounded it, the current controversy
over Hindutva will be seen as wholly unnecessary.
There is no difference
between such Hindutva and Bharateeyata, since both are expressions
of the same ‘chintan’ (thought). Both affirm that India belongs
to all, and all belong to India. It means that all Indians have
equal rights and equal responsibilities. It entails recognition
of our common national culture, which is enriched by all the diverse
religious and non-religious traditions in India. For centuries,
both have synonymously pointed to our national identity. Even
the Supreme Court has held that Hindutva is neither a religious
nor a political concept, but connotes a noble and elevating way
of life.
This Indianness is
what we should all celebrate and further strengthen.
It is obvious that
we have to remain committed to the task of strengthening our common
Indianness in spite of every provocation, big or small, coming
from our western neighbour. I often find it odd that whereas India
reconciled itself long ago to the creation of Pakistan, the latter
continues to find it difficult to accept the unchangeable reality
of a united and secular India. Pakistan, even after five and a
half decades of failed pursuit, seems to be unready to face the
truth that Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India and
will always remain so.
For the past several
years, the rulers in Islamabad have, almost as a last resort,
surrendered to the temptation of targeting India with terrorism,
inspired by religious extremism. Innocent children, women and
men are being routinely killed, temples are stormed, our symbols
of democracy are attacked, and our security forces are challenged
– all in the name of a "holy religious war" and "freedom
struggle". This campaign of jehadi terrorism, too, is doomed
to fail.
By rejecting Islamabad’s
call for boycott of polls, and participating enthusiastically
in the free and fair elections to the State Assembly held in October,
the people of Jammu & Kashmir have yet again expressed their
will and preference. I am convinced that someday – hopefully soon
-- the people and rulers of Pakistan will realize the futile and
counter-productive nature of its Kashmir policy. Pakistan cannot
fight religious extremism and modernize itself as long it chooses
to be in a position of permanent confrontation with India. Therefore,
it must stop cross-border terrorism and abandon its insistence
on the "centrality" of the Kashmir issue. Let our two
countries agree to promote mutually beneficial trade and economic
ties, strengthen cultural relations, and encourage greater people-to-people
contacts. Once our two peoples experience the fruits of a tension-free
and cooperative environment, we will be able to see the Kashmir
issue in its proper dimension and arrive at an amicable and lasting
solution.
Dear Countrymen,
many pressing tasks confront us in the New Year and in the years
ahead. As far as the Government is concerned, we are determined
to accelerate the pace of implementation of numerous developmental
initiatives that we have begun in recent years and to unveil several
new ones in the New Year. I would like to characterize many of
these initiatives as various components of the "Connectivity
Revolution".
Highway connectivity
and rural roads connectivity are two of the most ambitious infrastructure
projects since Independence. We are also strengthening the rail
and air connectivity in our country. Telecom connectivity, Internet
connectivity and the attendant IT revolution have rapidly modernized
our economy and society. I must also add here that our many foreign
policy initiatives have yielded a better connectivity between
the international community and an India that is today stronger
and more self-confident than ever before. Another important endeavour
will soon be added to this revolution. It is the River Connectivity
project.
I would, however,
place a far bigger importance on another connectivity effort,
one to which I referred earlier – Connectivity of the Hearts and
Minds of One Billion Indians. No nation has ever attained greatness
without first attaining success in the awakening and organizing
of the whole strength of its people. Unity of minds, unity of
purpose, and unity in action – this is what we have to demonstrate
in every sphere of our national life. We have to strengthen the
spirit of nationalism, and make it an inspiring and motivating
force to drive all our endeavours.
This is how India
won the struggle for becoming a Free Nation. And this is how India
will have to win the struggle for becoming a Developed Nation
– free at last of poverty and unemployment, of illiteracy and
disease, of poor shelter and sanitation, and of all other curses
of underdevelopment. For this, we have to expand the area of consensus
on economic and other urgent reforms, so that these can be implemented
speedily and effectively. To me, the true test of reforms is when
they beneficially touch the lives of all Indians – especially
the poorest and those living in backward regions.
We are making progress
on all these fronts. But the progress is not always as rapid –
and as regionally and socially balanced – as we desire. There
is a lot that the Central and State Governments have to do to
speed up this process. I appeal to all our legislators, both at
the Centre and in States, to show the same dedication to doing
their duty as was seen in the last session of Parliament, when
a record number of bills were passed.
But there is an even
larger area where people’s own self-initiated and self-organized
effort will produce the desired results. I am convinced that there
is an immense untapped energy in our society, which can and must
be channelised for constructive purposes, in order to bring about
a positive change, even if such change is on a small scale and
its impact is felt only locally. I would like our people to reduce
their dependence on Government for everything.
For example, why
should our cities and villages be so unclean and unhygienic? Can
this not be changed visibly by changing the habits and the mindset
of each one of us? Shouldn’t citizens themselves initiate a drive
for water conservation, energy conservation, and conservation
of our precious cultural heritage? Shouldn’t our society come
down heavily against those who commit atrocities against women,
dalits, adivasis and other weaker sections? Shouldn’t our rich
people provide more philanthropic resources for the care of the
orphans, disabled, destitute, and senior citizens? My thoughts
especially go out to our children, who are the future of our nation.
The Government and society should work together with greater commitment
to make all the emotional and material investment we can, to ensure
that every Indian child is well fed, well educated and well looked
after.
As a matter of fact,
there are tens of thousands of unsung or little-sung heroes of
development, both individuals and organizations, all over the
country. They are inspired by the spirit of nationalism and the
true meaning of religion as service to society – Nar Seva is Narayan
Seva. Many of them are young people. Few things bring me greater
joy than when I get to meet these selfless volunteers with soaring
idealism. May the number of such individuals and organizations
increase a thousand fold, and may they inspire each of us to do
something more for our country in the New Year.
These are some of
the thoughts and reflections that the idyllic setting in Goa has
triggered in my mind, and which I wish to share with you.
Once again, I wish
you all a very Happy New Year".