Ours is a country of great diversity. India, our country, is the homeland for a vast number of people who are from different cultures, castes, creed and religions. No other country in the world has so any types of people who speak different languages. We are different clothes and have different food habits. Yet we are all Indians, being citizens of India. Poets and historians have sung praises of this country. Even they have called it a meeting point of the entire world’s culture and civilization.
For a country with such vast dimensions integration is very essential for its progress. Oneness of thought and a spirit of co-operation is needed for peaceful co- existence of each ethnic group. We have to think alike cutting across all barriers of divisions, be it regional, communal or cutural.
We must cultivate a sense of pride for our country and feel that we are children of Mother India. We are Indians.
Sadly though some of us live in a small world and instead of calling ourselves Indian we take more pride in calling ourselves Punjabi, Bengali, Tamilian, etc. and establish our identity on the basis of our state or language. Sometimes, a man from one part of the country is a stranger to another part. We plead ignorance. We run each other down and speak degradingly of another community.
Sometimes, social interaction is not allowed to take place for amintaing the purity of the clan, specially when it comes to inter- caste and inter –state marriages, etc. some clans react violently to such proposals and situations take ugly turns and disturb the peace of the society. We should no over- react in such situations and think in terms of india and being Indian and settle the issue.
Language is another reason for discord to any people. Everyday we hear of violence taking place in some part or the other in the country. The different linguistic groups show narrow –mindedness and push out those belonging to another group. In fact, they behave with their own countrymen as if they were rivals and enemies. They won’t mind learning another foreign language which may benefit them for their business, but they will never welcome the idea of learning any of the languages spoken and used in one’s own country by their fellow countrymen for smooth interaction with each other.
How many of us ever try to learn the language of other region? We shun the thought as we don’t feel the urgency or necessity of it at all.
Like language religion is also a major stumbling – block in our oneness of thought. Fanatics take a heavy toll of our brotherhood. Fanatics take a heavy toll of our brotherhood. Fanatics succeed in brewing trouble amongest various religious faiths. Inter – religion riots are common feature of the rigid view of one’s religion. We should not ever allow them to happen as they weaken our unity and let our enemies take advantage of our weakness. Therefore, we should free ourselves of these social ailments.
Think of our diverse, vast land, rich in natural resources, national wealth and heritage, which is scattered all over its length and breadth. If it is coal in Bihar, it is the wheat grown in Punjab that is distributed all over the country. Cotton grown in Maharashtra clothes men and women cutting across all barriers. So you see we share our national wealth with each other because we are all Indians. If we were to break off as separate and small countries on the basis of communal and regional feelings, imagine the hardship we all will have to face. None of us will be self – sufficient. Therefore, we should be proud of our national wealth. Our country needs our love. Our minds have to open up to each other. We must take interest in what is happening in rest of India, apart from where we live. Try to understand the creed and culture of other people in our neighbourhood. Read the history of varied regions and their people. Discover their folk art and you are sure to discover some similarity with that of the region in which you live. You may find how similar a custom of a remote area may be to the one you practise at home. Thus, the multifacted India with its each face as beautiful as the other and its people, warm, simple and hospitable, will amaze you.
You should by all means love your own religion, caste, customs and culture but you must be broad – minded enough to think of being an Indian first. Only this sentiment will strengthen us as one nation and prepare us to fight any foreign force which tries to disintegrate us. We should have patriotic zeal to guard against any aggression. This is very important when the country faces threat from outside.
However, it is during peace time we make all – round progress. As young people with innocent and unbiased minds, you can help greatly in this vital progress. Unity is the need of the times.