Introduction:

India is a land of various races; various religious and various languages. Still then, the Indians developed into one nation by the influence of common territory, common history and common fight for freedom against the foreign rule. But when India came under the British, the English ruler followed the policy of Divide and Rule in order to perpetuate their authority over India. Consequently the racial, the religious and the linguistic groups in the Indian nation first began to disintegrate emotionally and psychologically and then desired to disintegrate territorially. This resulted into division of India into Bharat and Pakistan. India the integrity of the Indian nation is awfully threatened as the communal quarrels are fanned by the hostile neighbours of India. Hence, the necessity of strong national Integration in India has become so urgent at present.

What does National Integration mean?

National integration is the awareness of a common identity amongst the citizens of a country. It means that though we belong to different castes, religions and regions and speak different languages we recognize the fact that we are all one. This kind of integration is very important in the building of a strong and prosperous nation.

Unity in Diversity
Unity in our country does not mean the kind of oneness that comes from racial and cultural similarity. It is unity in spite of great differences, in other words, unity in diversity. An imprtant historical event in which this unity was displayed was the freedom movement when all the Indians united against the British rule.

What is the common feature in all the religions?

India is a very large country. We have the second largest population in the world and our land area is about the same size as Europe minus the former Soviet Union. About one thousand six hundred fifty-two languages and dialects are spoken in our country. From among these eighteen have been given special recognition by our Constitution as National languages of our country. A unique feature of our country is that all the major religions of the world are practiced here like Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and Zoroastrianism. There are also great varieties in costume, food habits, and social customs. Geographically our land is diverse and there are amazing differences in climate. Despite all these differences India is a political entity, every part of which is governed under the same Constitution. We have to co-exist with each other peacefully, respect the culture and religion of our fellow Indians.

Unbreakable Unity of Indian Society

The unity of Indian society and culture surges ahead and blossoms like a flower inspite of several diversities. This in deed is strange enough a factor which often eludes the plausible answer. Indians are highly emotional and they exhibit their emotional unity at moments of national crises. Indians have been bound up socio-culturally and emotionally for at least 2,500 years, i.e. from the time of Indus Valley Civilisation . Indian has always attracted peoples from outside and many of them have settled down in this subcontinent. It can be said that the lap of mother India is cosy soothing and comfortable. The flow of outsiders to India continues till today at least from two neighbouring countries, one in the east and the other in the West.

COLOURS OF INDIA

VARITIES OF INDIA

Forces Working against National Integration

There are many forces that come in the way of our national integration. Often people have very strong feelings about their own religion and language and oppose those of others. Such feelings lead to clashes between different sects. Such occurrences damage our unity and prove to be a hindrance to our progress. Communalism is one factor that poses a great danger to our unity. The formation of the State of Pakistan in 1947 led to terrible communal riots. A very large number of people lost their lives and their homes and had to undergo a lot of suffering to resettle.

Forces Promoting National Integration

There are many forces that come in the way of our national integration. Often people have very strong feelings about their own religion and language and oppose those of others. Such feelings lead to clashes between different sects. Such occurrences damage our unity and prove to be a hindrance to our progress. Communalism is one factor that poses a great danger to our unity. The formation of the State of Pakistan in 1947 led to terrible communal riots. A very large number of people lost their lives and their homes and had to undergo a lot of suffering to resettle.

What should be done:

There are, in India, various religious communities, such as Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Parses. Each community should appreciate every other community. Each community should love every other community, respect the prophets of every other community. Each community should observe the great days of every other community. Each community should help and share the religious festivals of every other community. A religious community should avoid doing any such thing which is a taboo for any other religious community. There are in India, various linguistic groups speaking different languages, such as Hindi, Urdu, Bangali, Oriya, Assamee, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi and so on. Each linguistic group should respect the language of every other linguistic group. Every Indian student should be given full facility to learn through his own language wherever he is in India.

Ekta Yatra (English : National Integration rally) is being led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s youth wing national president and Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur.It is also called Tiranga Yatra by some news agencies. The rally started from Kolkata, West Bengal on January 12. As per plan the BJP rally travelled through Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana. It was also planned to end the rally on January 26 after unfurling the Tiranga at Lal Chowk, Srinagar. However, it did not happen as the BJP leaders were arrested and not allowed to enter Kashmir.

The need of national integration is felt necessary for the following reasons.
(i) Security of the nation. (ii) Internal discipline. (iii) Economic prosperity

Security of the nation

Economic Prosperity

6 important problems of National Integration found in India 1. Casteism:

Caste is an imported part of our social fabric. This was developed in the past on the basis of division of labour in the society. But now casterism has segregated the society. Unity and integrity has become a dream in a caste ridden society. The feeling of socially neglected scheduled castes under the suppression of upper caste ruined the sense of we feeling and unity. It becomes a problem for national integration.

Casteism:

2. Communalism:
Religions antagonism has posed a i serious challenge to national integration in India. India is a multi- religious land. Political manipulation has projected one religion against the other which resulted in communal riot, bloodbath, mutual, distrust and disintegration of the country. Large scale illiteracy and superstition are responsible along with other causes for raise communalism in the country. It is very difficult to promote national integration under these situations.

3. Linguistic Fanaticism:
Multi-linguism is one of the important characters of India. India has fifteen officially recognized languages. There are about 1652 languages are spoken in India which shows its diversities. There is conflict and riots on the languages issue. People of one language try to establish their language over others. When Hindi was declared as the national language people of South India resented against this decision supporting English language. Language issue became a barrier on the way of national integration.

Linguistic Fanaticism:

4. Regionalism:
There are several regions in India having their unique traditions, food habits, dress and languages. Each regional differs from the other in one or other ways which leads to disintegration of the country. People of one region compete with the person of other regions which leads to conflict and riots. Land dispute, language problem are some of the reasons which pose hurdle on the way of national integration.

Social disparity among the people of different communities, castes and sometime within the community and caste causes tension and imbalance among the people. Social disparity poses great challenge to national integration.

6. Economic Inequalities: Economic standard of people in a state depends on the fertility of land, resources available and manpower management. All the states are not equal in the above matter which leads to economic backwardness of the people. Even in a state distribution of wealth is not properly done. Day by day poor becoming poorer and rich become richest this causes tension and conflict. It is a problem for national integration. There are many programmes and plans for removing these hindrances. Education can become a very powerful instrument or national unity provided that it is used in the right manner.

Efforts made by:MEDHA SHARMA