PROJECT Communal Harmony and its Socio- Legal Prospectives

Submitted by GROUP- II
Ashutosh Shukla, Ankur Dixit, Varunesh Shukla, Pawan Mishra and

LEGAL INTERNS
Duration - 1ST JUNE TO 12TH JUNE, 2015.

Submitted To
UTTAR PRADESH STATE LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITY
LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This project report has been taken by us as a part of our internship programme of UP State
Legal Services Authority, Lucknow. To begin with we are extremely grateful to Shri. S.N.
Agnihotri, Member- Secretary UPSLSA and Shri. Tej Pratap Tiwari , Additional Secretary,
UPSLSA who gave us the inspiration to work on this project. They have been a great guide
and mentor to us. Their unconditional support along with their valuable inputs paved the way
for us for a successful completion of this project report.
A special mention also needs to be made for the support of Shri. Rajiv Maheshwaram and
Shri. Rajeshpati Tripathi, Deputy Secretary, UPSLSA, who were always ready to support and
gave us valuable guidance in order to prepare the project. They were always eager to lend us
any assistance required throughout the course of this internship.
Last but not the least, we are also thankful to the support of the staff of UPSLSA who
accompanied during the field visits that we undertook and took care of all our needs.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

S.No.

TOPIC

PAGE NO.

1.

INTRODUCTION

2.

Meaning of Communalism

3,

Meaning of Communal Violence

4.

Meaning of Communal Harmony

5.

Communal Violence- Social Causal Factors

6.

Communal Harmony An impact analysis

14

7.

Communal Harmony Legal Prospectives

15

8.

Promotion of Communal Harmony

16

9.

Conclusion

18

COMMUNAL HARMONY- Socio- Legal Prospective

These are the opening words of the preamble to the Indian Constitution

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitu

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity a

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of Nove

The preamble which is known as the Introduction to the Constitution of India does not
differentiate or distinguish among the citizens of this democratic country. It begins with the
word WE which denotes unity in diversity and is also a symbol of Communal Harmony.
INTRODUCTION
India is a pluralistic multilingual and multireligious society. In such a pluralistic polity
conflict amongst groups on the basis of religion, region, caste, colour is bound to happen
because each one tries to surge ahead to another. In such a situation conflicts both micro and
macro do take place. Though, social conflicts persee is not detrimental to the society. It helps
in the evolution of more tolerant society. However, when such social conflicts results into
violence they not only become impediment in the development and growth of the society but
also disturb the public peace. No democratic society advocates instigation of violence by
any individual or group of individuals based on political, religious, linguistic or regional
ideologies. It affects the public peace and tranquillity. These sociopolitical conflicts and
related violence cause greater concern because even without tending to the subversion of the
existing political constitution practically they subvert the authority of the Government over a
greater or less local area for a longer or shorter time. Unlawful assemblies, riots, insurrection,
rebellions are violence of this nature. All of them have one common feature, namely, that the
normal tranquillity of society is disturbed either by actual force or at least by the show and
threat of it.
4

There is another class of offences against public tranquillity in which no actual force is either
employed or displayed, but in which some steps are taken which tend to cause disturbance in
the society. These are the formation of secret societies, seditious conspiracies, libels or words
spoken.1 These offences are no less brutal. When such violent expression of sociopolitical
conflict is hate speeches. Such tactics are not new to our political history though it has
witnessed a surprising upsurge during recent past.2

INTRODUCION TO COMMUNALISM , COMMUNAL VIOLENCE AND

COMMUNAL HARMONY

Meaning of Communalism
Communalism is an ideology of politics allegiance to a religious community. It means to use
a religious community against another communities or the nation. It exploits religion for
political, personal, financial or electoral gains3.
It is described as a tool to mobilize people for or against by raising an appeal on communal
lines. Communalism is associated with religious fundamentalism and dogmatism.
Abdul Ahmad says, Communalism is a social phenomenon characterized by the religion of
two Communities, often leading to acrimony, tension and even rioting between them.
Prabha Dixit writes,
Communalism is a political doctrine which makes use of religious and cultural differences to
achieve political ends.
According to Asqhar Ali Engineer, Moin Shakir and Abdul Ahmed, it is an instrument in the
hands of to upper Cass to concentrate power by dividing people. The elites strive to maintain
1 . Stephens Criminal Law of England (Vol. II) pp. 24244
2 The recent Gujrat election was basically dominated by the slogan Jeetega
Gujrat and then a slogan with violence by political outfits, Mumbai for
Mumbaikars in Maharastra or violence against migrated tea workers in Assam
3 Puja Mondal, Problems of Communalism in India, Accessed on 06/09/2013 at
23:11 IST, http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/communalism/problems-ofcommunalism-in-india-essay/4091/
5

a status quo against transformation by dividing people on communal and religious lines.
Communalism may be perceived as a total commitment to a set of beliefs and it, s far from
rationality. Communalism is the belief that because a group of people follow a particular
religion they have, as a result, common secular, that is, social, political and economic
interests.
It is the belief that in India religious groups like Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians form
different and distinct communities; that all the followers of a religion share not only a
commonality of religious interests but also common secular interests; that there is, and can
be, no such thing as an Indian nation. But only a Hindu nation, or a Muslim nation and so on;
that India can, therefore, only be a mere confederation of religious communities.
Inherent in communalism is the second notion that the social, cultural, economic and political
interests of the followers of one religion are dissimilar and divergent from the interests of the
followers of another religion.
The third stage of communalism is reached when the interests of the followers of different
religions or of different religious 'communities' are seen to be mutually incompatible,
antagonistic and hostile.
Thus, at this stage, the communalists assert that Hindus and Muslims cannot have common
secular interests, and that their secular interests are bound to be opposed.

MEANING OF COMMUNAL VIOLENCE

Communal violence refers to a situation where violence is perpetrated across ethnic lines,
and victims are chosen based upon ethnic group membership. The term communal violence is
commonly used in South Asia, to describe those incidents where conflict between ethnic
communities results in massacres.
Communal riots have become a distinct feature of communalism in India. Whenever
conflicting groups from two different religions, which are self conscious communities,
clash, it results in a communal riot. An event is identified as a communal riot if
(a) there is violence, and

(b) two or more communally identified groups confront each other or members of the other
group at some point during the violence.
India has a long history of communal strife between various communities. Before
Independence the countrys history was replete with worst communal violence. Post-Partition
the scale of communal violence has come down considerably although it has not been
completely mitigated. Sporadic incidents of violence continued and occasionally some major
riot would take place here and there. Most of the communal strife and violence in the country
occurs in places where the specific minority groups, especially the Muslims are in greater
numbers.
The reason for such a clash could be superficial and trivial, though underlying them are
deeper considerations of political representation, control of and access to resources and
power. There have been many incidents of riots recorded during the course of British rule and
even before that.
There is a general global understanding that the majority is always a bully and the minority a
victim. However in India we dont have such majorities and minorities. Secondly the country
remains largely peaceful essentially due to the demographic majority of the Hindus only.
There are enough instances in our country where the so-called minority groups were found to
be the instigators and perpetrators of communal violence.
Hence the basic premise that the Majority community read Hindus are the perpetrators of
communal violence in India and the minority read Muslims and Christians are the victims
is essentially wrong. Equally wrong is the premise that a particular government or party is
good in governance and the other bad.
In this scenario what we need to tackle the communal violence in the country are laws that
are non-discriminatory and universal; politics that is responsible and neutral; and
Governments that are responsive and universally accountable. Sadly what we get is just the
opposite, laws that are overtly discriminatory; politics that smacks of blatant partisanship;
and Governments that are driven by hate and utter disregard for communities, parties and
other governments.

MEANING OF COMMUNAL HARMONY

Communal Harmony touches almost all points of national life. It is feeling of oneness or
we feeling and a feeling of solidarity which transcends all cultural or group differences and
synthesises the different castes; linguistic; regional and religious communities emotionally
into a compact whole. It blinds the citizens in a unity. It checks narrow tendencies which are
a great hindrance to national unity and national progress. Communal Harmony is the unity of
heart and mind. Communal Harmony implies a feeling among citizens of India that India is
One, Integral and Indivisible and we belong to it culturally, geographically and
politically. What is in the interest of India, is also in our interest. Country comes first and
other loyalties are subservient to it. We must share and respect national objectives, purposes
and values and give them a higher place overall kinds of loyalties. The Kothari Commission
defines it as Communal Harmony includes a confidence in nations future development of
feeling of values and duties. A Sanskrit verse says, For the family, sacrifice the individual,
for the community, the family, for the nation, the community.
In brief, Communal Harmony implies:
1. A feeling of brotherhood in the minds of citizens of a country.
2. A feeling of cohesion.
3. A feeling harmony.
4. A feeling of loyalty to the country.
5. A feeling of patriotism.
6. A feeling of oneness.
7. A feeling of solidarity.
8. A feeling of tolerance, especially tolerance of other beliefs etc.

9. A feeling of unity of the country.

10. We feeling and not I feeling

Communal Violence : Social Causal factors

One of the major reasons for communal strife in our country is the unabashed Minority
politics of the sections of political establishment 4. These communal politics with an eye on
vote banks have not benefitted anybody, certainly not the Minority community. They only
helped politicians climb up the rungs using the minorities as vote-banks. The communities
remained poor and backward, illiterate and unemployed and as a result easy prey to divisive
and terrorist forces. In addition this vote-bank politics has widened the gulf between the
communities.
India has a long history of communal strife between various communities. Before
Independence the countrys history was replete with worst communal violence. Post-Partition
the scale of communal violence has come down considerably although it has not been
completely mitigated. Sporadic incidents of violence continued and occasionally some major
riot would take place here and there.
For example: In Ahmedabad there were riots in 1714, 1715, 1716 and 1750. But according to
Bipan Chandra, in his book Communalism in Modern India, communal tension and riots
began to occur only in the last quarter of the 19th century, but they did not occur in India on
4 Economic and political weelkly, September 20- 26, 2008, volume XLIII, no 38, Sameeksha trust publication,
Communal riots: causal issues, Radhika Iyengar and Sharmi Swianarain, pg 63.

any significant scale till 1946-47. Before that, the maximum communal rioting took place
during 1923-26. A clear relationship between communal riots and politics was established for
the first time in 1946, when the Muslim League gave its direct action call on August 16,
1946.
This chronology reveals that communal riots are not caused spontaneously and also that they
are rarely caused by religious animosity. They arise due to conflicting political interests,
which are often linked to economic interests. There is a significant change in the pattern of
communal riots since the 1990s, which could be noticed in the later part of this chronology.
This brings forth the shifts that have occurred in the nature of communal riots in India.
Moreover, the aim is to underline that religion in most of the cases is not the reason why
communal riots occur. The reason for the occurrence of communal violence has been
different in the two different phases. During the time of partition, it was the clash of political
interests of the elite of two different communities which resulted in communal riots. But,
from the 1960s till the late 1980s, the local political and economic factors played a very
important role in instigating riots. The emergence of Hindutva politics in the last two decades
has been a cause of communal riots in this phase where the local factors have also helped in
instigating riots.
Communal riots that took place from the 1960s to the 1980s follow a particular pattern. They
have mostly occurred in urban towns which are either industrial belts or trading centers with
the economy largely based on a particular occupation. Most of these places had a
considerable percentage of Muslim population whose political or economic interests clashed
with those of the Hindus. Moreover, the major riots occurred when the Congress was in
power in these states or during the short and uncertain phase of the Janata Party coalition rule
at the Centre. Riots in this phase might have occurred in the villages or rural areas like the
Biharsharif riots, but they have often remained unreported. Therefore it is important to
distinguish this phase from the 1990s during which the BJP and its sister organizations have
been active in instigating communal riots.
Communal violence since 1990s needs to be seen in the light of the changing political
equations in the country. The decline of the Congress and the emergence of the BJP as a
strong political force resulted in shifting patterns of communal riots. Communal violence in
the last two decades is a result of the manipulation of the religious sentiments of people by
the Hindu right-wing organizations for political gains. The politicization of the Mandir10

Masjid issue and the subsequent demolition of the Mosque gave the BJP the opportunity to
consolidate its vote bank. But in the process the controversy created a communal divide, and
frequency of riots also increased during this time. Since partition, never before has one
particular incident resulted in the emergence of violence in almost all the states. From the
1960s till 1980 local factors played a very important role in the emergence of riots, but since
the late 1980s this trend seems to be changing. Communal violence has always occurred
when the BJP has wanted to expand its base. In the recent years the South Indian states,
particularly Kerala and Tamilnadu, have also witnessed communal violence and are slowly
growing into communally sensitive areas. This is primarily because of the recent entrance of
BJP in the political arena of these states.
Apart from Godhra, the other incidences of communal violence in the 90s have been minor,
yet they cannot be dismissed. These eruptions of communal violence have not been
spontaneous, but are organized, and often have the support of the local administrations. The
state support to riots is a long established feature in India, yet the state has never been such an
active participant in the violence before the Gujarat riots. Communal violence has entered a
new phase with the Christians and members of other minority religions being made the
victims of planned attacks. Communal riots in this decade have been both urban and rural
features, but the extent of damage is always greater in the thriving centers of trade and
commerce. Tribal population in the rural areas is being forced to get involved in the attacks
on Christians and Muslims by bringing them within the Hindutva framework. Apart from
economic reasons, the call for Hindu unity which is primarily a means to achieve political
advantage is the main source for communal violence in this decade.
Godhra was indeed the first major communal riot that got such a wide media coverage
particularly from the satellite channels. Therefore the media now needs to be more
responsible, considering the influence that it can have over the masses. It is time that the
media stopped any kind of biased reporting as it can further encourage the communal
elements to instigate the masses. Political parties have always had a hand in instigating and
exploiting communal violence so as to meet their electoral interests. Though communal riots
are condemned in various quarters, there is still complete inaction both from the
administration and the ruling governments in many states. Though religious festivals and
processions are generally the starting points of communal riots, still sufficient security is not
provided during these times. There is also not much response against incidents of communal
violence from the civil society. Till the time the political parties which instigate communal
11

riots are voted to power, the incentives to combat communalism will not be able to develop
fully.
Does the State Promote Communal Violence for Electoral Reasons?
To what extent can we hold the Indian states responsible for communal riots?
The question is important for, according to Indias constitution, law and order is the
responsibility of states. Predictably, when communal violence breaks out, much is almost
always said about how the state neglected its duties, or might even have instigated riots, for
political benets. If only the state wanted to prevent riots, as the argument goes, its hold over
the police would allow it to do so. It is the electoral calculations of the politicians in power,
and the benets they perceive from violence, that stop the state from containing riots. Ruling
politicians are the bosses of civil servants and police ofcers, who must, in the end, be
politically compliant, not legally correct. Political calculations, as a consequence, triumph
over the legal responsibilities of the state, and riots erupt.

CAUSES OF COMMUNALISM
There are a number of causes which are responsible for the prevalence of communalism.
Some of the important causes of communalism are discussed below.

1. Tendency of the Minorities:

The Muslims fail to be intermingled in the national mainstream. Most of them do not
participate in the secular nationalistic politics and insist on maintaining tor separate identity
the elite among the Muslims have failed to generate the appropriate national ethos.

2. Orthodoxy and Obscurantism:

The orthodox members of minorities feel that they have a distinct entity with their own
cultural pattern, personal laws and thought. There are strong elements of conservatism and
fundamentalism among the Muslims. Such feeling has prevented them from accepting the
concept of secularism and religious tolerance.

3. Design of the Leaders:

Communalism has flourished in India because the communalist leaders of both Hindu and
Muslim Communities desire to flourish it in the interest of their communities. The demand
12

for separate Electorate and the organization of Muslim league were the practical
manifestations of this line of Thought. The British rule which produced the divide and rule
policy, separate electorate on the basis of religion strengthened the basis of communalism in
India Ultimately the partition of the country into India and Pakistan provided further an
antagonistic feeling towards each other.

4. Weak Economic Status:

A majority of Muslims in India has failed to adopt the scientific and technological education.
Due to their educational backwardness, they have not been represented sufficiently in the
public service, industry and trade etc. This causes the feeling of relative deprivation and such
feelings contain the seeds of communalism.

5. Geographical Causes:
The territorial settlement of different religious groups especially Hindus, Muslims and
Christians
Causes in them wide variation in the mode of life, social standards and belief system. Most of
these patterns are contradictory and this may cause communal tension.

6. Historical Causes:
The Muslims, all over the subcontinent, are converts from Hinduism, which was facilitated
due to the caste-hate relations and under the compulsions of Muslim rulers. The problems of
social segregation, illiteracy and poverty that had set apart the low caste people remain
unresolved for them, as the foreign elite that rubbed never shared power with them. Their
work ended with the conversion of the Indians and the converts began by imitating the
masters in thought, speech and dress. It caused their alienation. Gradually, elements of
communalism entered in the Muslim community. The separatist elements in the Muslim
community, from the very start of the national resurgence had discouraged others of their
community, from associating themselves with it. As a result Muslim league was formed
which demanded partition of the country.

7. Social Causes:

13

Cultural similarity is a powerful factor in fostering amicable relations between any two social
groups. But the social institutions, customs and practices of Hindus and Muslims are so
divergent that they think themselves to be two distinct communities.

8. Psychological Causes:
Psychological factors play an important role in the development of communalism. The
Hindus think that the Muslims are fanatics and fundamentalists. They also believe that
Muslims are unpatriotic. On the contrary, the Muslims feel that they are being treated as
second rate citizens in India and their religious beliefs and practices are inferior. These
feelings lead to communal ill-feeing.

9. Provocation of Enemy Countries:

Some foreign countries try to destabilize our country by setting one community against the
other through their agents. Pakistan has played a role in fostering communal feeling among
the Muslims of our country. Pakistan has been encouraging and promoting communal riots by
instigating the militant sections of Indian Muslim community. Kashmir youths are trained by
Pakistan to destabilize Indias internal security by spreading communal venom
.

10. Negative Impact of Mass Media:

The messages relating to communal tension or riot in any part of the country spread through
the mass media. This results in further tension and riots between two rival religious groups.

Communal Violence and Communal Harmony in India Impact

analysis
Indians have become immune to certain catastrophes in life. Flood, feminine, loss of crop etc.
Are some of the calamities that have kept the administration busy all the time. However,
communalism has become a phenomenon that has become all pervasive in Indians public life.
Communal violence has ben able to show its ugly face evry time and again. The nation
known for its integrity and secularism, has many a times succumbed to the after effects of
violence. The peninsular where different community used to stay in harmony has taken
14

beatings in form of fights between different communities that has gravely retarded the
process of integration. There have been grave losses, damaging effects of communal violence
on the moral of the society, which has caused severe economic losses to the exchequer as
well as to the public.
The riots result in deterioration of communal climate, and law and order situation 5. Apart
from death and destruction that communal violence cause, it takes quite some time to win
back the trust and faith that the communities used to have before the riots. The politics of the
cities get communalised and local politics is overshadowed by the communal politics.
Sometimes, the local leaders with no great stature overshadow the capable leaders in the area
leading to gallery politics. In gallery politics, the leaders use the sentiments to frame
policies and make demands for autonomy of different communities. These communal leaders
lack vision, are quite self centered and are desirous of self gain rather than that of the
community. This leads to change in quality and type of politics which may not even aligned
with national politics. This change has led to transformation of communal politics to
character based politics where the characters of local leaders decide the course of future
action.
Communal violence leads to dissonance between different communities and they represent
different views on inter community relations. This sustains a c climate of communal hostility
from where future violence develops. In reality, the religious factors causing disturbances
were less, most of them were trivial in nature but all these trivial ones produced communal
conflicts. Since most of the riots have taken place in areas where there have been mixed
population, the intervention by society has been a great factor in diffusing the tensions.
Interventions in the forms of peace rally, advice from elders, talks by seniors have been able
to drowse the fire at many places.
The areas where there have been inequalities between two societies, have been seen to be the
scene of riots. Inequality in health, education, living standards and above all inequalities in
education have been the root cause of all types of violence, noticeably communal violence.
Areas where these is a perception that the society is being ruled by outsiders and they are
mere pawns in the entire political agenda, have also noticed continued violence. This lack of
autonomy which has been the grudge among the residents for many years, take the shape of
5 Legal news and views, volume 25 , no 6, June 2011, John Chathanatt , A Social Action Trust Publication,
Muzzafarnagar riots: whom to blame, Dr Tarun Arora, pg 15.

15

violence sometimes in the form of extremism. The anger that the society is sheathing with,
leads to desperation and frustration and this then takes the shape of rebellion attitude against
the government. This anti incumbent syndrome leads to delay in welfare activities, which
further derails peaceful settlement for the inhabitants. Hence, the society can play a role that
will have a lasting impact on the sustainable peaceful existence of the environment. It is in
this context that we come up with a framework that will help direct society behaviour for
managing the communal violence. We can come up with a multi dimensional approach that
can have long lasting impact on the society. Not only the society gets benefits but also
developmental activities go forward in full swing. The framework depicted below explains
the areas which can have impact on communal violence.

Education

Society

Financial Conditions / Poverty

Awareness
Culture

Women and Youth

Role of Police/ Administration

Behaviour

Opinion Leaders Long Standing feud/ issues

As we see here, the society behaviour is dependent on the level of awareness that its opinion
leaders have. The more knowledgeable the opinion leaders are, the more focussed the society
would be. However, the direction of focus can be positive with education, training and
culture. As culture plays an important role on shaping the minds of local leaders, the role of
youth and women cannot be ruled out. The women as well as youth not only become critic,
but also help in forging a lasting relationship among different families as well as
communities. The administration should take the initiatives to understand long lasting issues
that need to be addressed with transparency. The administration must use police judiciously
for the gain of the society and better harmony among the communities.
16

Promotion of Communal Harmony Legal Prospectives

Constitutional Provisions Facilitating Communal Harmony through Democratic
Interaction
Provision of Fundamental Rights
Specific articles which facilitate democratic interaction are as under:
Article 14. Equality before law.
Article 15. Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of
birth.
Article 16. - Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.
Article 17. - Abolition of untouchability.
Article 19.- Protection of certain rights regarding: freedom of speech, etc.
Article 21- Protection of life and personal liberty.
Article 21 A - Right to education.
Article 26.- Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.
Article 26. Freedom to manage religious affairs,
Article 29 and 30.- Cultural and Educational Rights of minorities.
Directive Principles Facilitating National Integration through Democratic Interaction
Article 28. State to secure a social order for the promotion of welfare of the people.
Article 39A. Equal justice and free legal aid.
Article 46. Promotion of education and economic interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled
Tribes and other weaker sections

Suggestions for the promotion of Communal Harmony

The following measures may be taken for the eradication of communalism6.
1. Abolition of communal parties
All the political parties which thrive on religious loyalties should be banned or abolished by
the Government. Even non-political cultural organizations should always be kept under
constant vigil so that they cannot preach communalism.
6 Legal news and views, volume 23 , no 11, November 2009, John Chathanatt , A Social Action Trust
Publication ,Communal harmony: lets talk to resolve, Mrs. Jayashree V Doddawadmath and Dr Ramesh, pg 6.

17

2. Transmission of the past heritage

Feelings of nationalism should be inculcated in the minds of people by reminding them about
the glorious moments of history in Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs were combined to safeguard
the interest of the country.
3. Public opinion
Efforts should be made through mass media for changing the attitude of people towards other
communities. People must be aware of the evils of the communalism.
4. Inter-religious ties
Youth organizations and other types of associations should be formed in every locality to give
opportunity to people of different communities to come closer and know each other. This may
help them to practice inter-religious marriages which will lessen the social distance among
the members of different religious groups. Both the Government and people should make
efforts for eradication of communal tension and conflict.

CONCLUSION
Communal Harmony is a challenge. It is true that educational institutions can play an
important role in inculcating ideals and values of Communal Harmony among the students.
Nevertheless, it is more important that leaders, especially political and religious, who are
trend setters in national life, must rise above petty considerations and set high examples of
national integration through daily actions. Indian society is pluralistic from religious point of
view. Here, we have the followers of all the great religious systems. Hindus constitute the
bulk of the population and they inhabit in all parts of the country. Muslims constitute the
largest religious minority. But the adjustment between the Hindus and Muslims has been a
failure several times in during the communal riots.
As already observed, India has already paid a heavy price in the division of the country on
account of lack of national integration. History should not be allowed to repeat itself .We may
conclude the discussion with the words of wisdom of Jawaharlal Nehru who has observed,
Communal Harmony would hold Indian people into one and make India into one strong
national unit maintaining at the same time all our wonderful diversity. He further stated,
18

We should not become parochial, narrow-minded, provincial, communal and caste-minded,

because we have a great mission to perform. Let us, the citizens of the Republic of India,
bring about the integration of the Indian people. We have to build up this country into a
mighty nation, mighty not in the ordinary sense of the word, but might in thought, mighty
inaction, mighty in culture and mighty in its peaceful service of humanity

19