National Integration

National Integration:

India is a vast country having diversified cultures, religions, customs, languages, habits and even ways of thinking. Even though there existed a solid political unity during the period of Independence struggle, soon after, India became independent in the year 1947. The strength of fundamental unity has slowly eroded. With the emergence of the Democratic Republic, the general feeling of Indianness and the unity in diversity which organized all the groups together as the people of India, has slowly eroded giving rise to fissiparous tendencies, regional loyalties and linguistic fanaticism, shaking the very foundation of national solidarity. Today we are facing new challenges to our integrity. The political parties for their electoral success have exploited the communal, sectarian, and parochial tendencies.

Meaning of National Integration:

National integration is more than a slogan. It means bringing about the prevailing economic, social and cultural differences among people within a tolerable stage. It is a dynamic reality. It is concerned with the development of nationalism. It is the feeling of oneness that binds the people of diversified cultures of a nation together. It implies doing away with interests and prejudices based on linguistic and cultural diversity. It is concerned with creating and strengthening among people of patriotism and national pride. It is unity in diversity and a combination of economic, social, political, cultural and emotional integration.

According to the Emotional Integration Committee Report (1962), the attributes of national emotional integration are as follows:

i) A strong feeling of brotherhood and nationhood that sinks and ignores individuals, parochial linguistic and religious differences.

ii) The common mental bond that binds all people irrespective of their differences towards the aesthetic, spiritual and material progress.

iii) Creation of a feeling of oneness and mental outlook towards the welfare of the country above narrow sectarian interests.

iv) A harmonious blending of personal emotion in an individual with his social obligation resulting in a well balanced personality.

v) A feeling of harmony and the welding of diverse elements of society into a very compact and homogenous unit.

vi) A firm conviction on the part of each individual that he is an integral component of the whole social unit for the healthy development of self and community.

Causes of National Disintegration:

i) Communalism, and local, regional, linguistic, caste, communal and state loyalties.

ii) Inequality in social and economic spheres.

iii) Favoritism and corruption.

iv) Unemployment problems.

v) Prejudice and fanaticism.

vi) Lack of patriotism, narrow politics, dynamic leadership.

vii) Religious and language fundamentalism.

Activities to Promote National Integration:

The various committees and commissions appointed by the Government of India have widely deliberated on the different aspects of national integration and have recommended a number of measures for promotion of national emotional integration.

Realizaiton and Understanding:

Realization: Means to be able to see the reality as it is. In realization, we get the answer to “what is the reality?” This, for each one of us, translates into the answers to “what to do?” and “why to do?” when we operate on the basis of realization and gains understanding according to the realization then it give definiteness and certainty and makes us self organized.

Understanding: Means to be able to understand the self organization in all entities of nature/existence and their inter-connected organization “as it is”. We are able to see the harmonious interconnectedness at all the levels of our living. Understanding plays an important role in desire making. When we do not have the right understanding, our desire keep shifting, and this indefiniteness is reflected in our thoughts, and selections we make, and finally in our behaviour and work. On the other hand, when our understanding is based on realization and we use this understanding in desire making then our desire will be correct and thoughts and selection will be according to the understanding.