Gadchiroli Sept. 20 (District Correspondent) ‘In our country caste, religion, race, sect, language, history are all factors, and with these factors, nationalism cannot be developed. Forgetting all these differences alone, nationalism can be created only on the basis of the Indianness told in the constitution which guarantees the complete development of every citizen. Therefore, constitutionalism is the nationalism’.
This was stated by Mr. Gautam Meshram, Chief Organizer of Sanvidhan Foundation while speaking at the Tathagata Buddha Vihara in Armori to mark the Dhamma enlightenment series.
Mr. Atmaram Bhanare, Retired Block Education Officer was present as the chief guest. Vihar Committee President Yashwant Jambhulkar presided over the programme.
Mr. Meshram further said, for a nation to exist, there must be a specific territory, common language, common religion, common race, common history. Then the sense of unity and oneness grows in that group and the sense of nationhood develops. If language, religion, race, history are similar in a particular territory, then especially emotional and mental unity is created and nationalism in that particular group can easily grow, he pointed out.
However, in our country, there is no equality in terms of language, religion, race, history, food, entertainment, dress and many other aspects. There is a huge variety. Then how will nationalism develop in such a situation, he asked.
Before, during the formation and even after the constitution, there was a feeling that only on the religious issues of Hinduism, the mental and emotional unity and nationalism can be developed. However, the unity and integrity of the country will not survive unless the feeling of nationalism is developed in the mind of every person in the country, Meshram stated.
Babasaheb Ambedkar was truly an ardent patriot. He used to say first I am Indian first and Indian last. And he lived by that principle all his life. Babasaheb thought that the interest of the country came first. That is why he took such a stand whenever situation arose, he further added.
In a democratic country with great diversity like India, if you follow your religious practices on a personal level without indulging them to the public level and accept the element of Indianness by your heart, increase your loyalty to the constitution, you will develop emotional and mental unity and create nationalism in real sense, Meshram asserted. This means that nationalism is nothing but the constitution and constitutionalism means nationalism, he added.
Mr. Kishore Sahare conducted the program and also proposed the vote of thanks.
