Sino-Indian Equation

30 January, 1948: Martyrs’ Day

UNITY – GANDHIJI’S CONCEPTION

                                                             by

                                                  J.B. KRIPALANI                                                (Extract)

One great contribution of Gandhiji towards the progress of humanity is the idea that human life is a unity. It is a synthetic whole. It cannot be divided into air-tight compartments.

The idea is not altogether new. In primitive society too human life was conceived as a unity. But this unity was mechanically based upon tribal customs, conventions and taboos. The individual never understood the underlying principles on which these were built.

In religious societies too human life was conceived as a unity. It was not compartmentalized. All higher forms of religion have one single purpose for the individual. They rarely think of the group life. They hold that man is a spiritual entity. This world is material….

Gandhiji’s synthesis of human life and its unity differs from the primitive conception as also from that established by the great religions of the world. The unity of Gandhiji’s conception is on higher level. It is based upon certain principles which are intimately correlated and which are fundamental to all social life and are recognised by all the great religions of the world….

Gandhiji in his life and teachings discards all dual standards of morality. He wants us to eschew all falsehood and violence. He holds that evil contaminates good and desirable ends. All activity, political, economic or any other must be guided and informed by truth, non-violence and scrupulous regard for means. Gandhiji lays down no detailed rules of conduct. He merely provides the measure of certain moral principles to which conduct in all departments of life must be referred. For Gandhiji there are no departments of life, whether political or economic which can afford to dispense with truth and non-violence or a scrupulous regard for the means used. All these three principles are equally important. They are intimately connected. They flow from each other. None can be dispensed with. Acting in conformity with them one avoids a split personality and a double conscience. These principles do not apply merely to individual life but they are valid even in collective and international life. It is on the bases of these principles that a new and just social order, free from selfishness, greed, violence and exploitation can be build and Ram Rajya established here on earth.

Source: J.B. Kripalani (II Instalment), MSS, NMML

26 January - Republic Day

Extracts from the speech of Shri Sri Prakasa, Governor of Bombay on the occasion of Republic Day (Broadcast recorded at Nagpur on Wednesday, January 20, 1960)

My Brothers and Sisters,

Once more the glad occasion of our Republic Day has come; and once more on this historic date of January 26, we throw our minds back to the long decades of our struggle for Freedom, and particularly to the decade that closes to-day, during which we have functioned as a Sovereign Democratic Republic, as architects and arbiters of our own national destiny. I greet you all, citizens of the State of Bombay, and send you my best wishes for a year of healthful and joyous endeavour in the cause of our own well-being so that when this day comes round again, we might take stock of our achievements, and be able honestly to congratulate ourselves on our tasks well done.

….When first I addressed you soon after taking charge of my present office, I dilated on the fact that we were a bilingual State; and to us was entrusted the great task of making it a success so that we might be able to encourage other similar unions to take place in the land, and be bulwark against any fissiparious tendencies that might tend to endanger our unity and our solidarity. This was on this date in the year 1957. In 1958 on the self-same date, I ventured to draw the attention of my brothers and sisters to the extreme necessity of looking after their homes so that these may be truly happy and healthy centres of domestic and social life, and build up the succeeding generations in an atmosphere of true patriotism and social service. A year later in 1959, I made a personal appeal so that every single individual might be encouraged to examine himself; and by overcoming his drawbacks, make himself a truly worthy citizen of the great Republic fulfilling all his duties to himself, his family,  his society and his country.

I anxiously think to-day of what further I could usefully say. So far as my talk about the bilingual State was concerned, we all know that despite the best efforts of our leaders, it was not possible to overcome the popular sentiment that here too, we should have unilingual States just as we have in the rest of the country. It has now been decided that within a few month’s time, that is as soon as the necessary formalities and preliminaries are fulfilled, we should have separate Maharashtra and Gujarat States. The situation is beyond the realms of argument, for sentiment has to be taken into consideration, and the wishes of the majority fulfilled in a democracy. I may only hope that all the problems that arise at a time like this, would be peacefully and harmoniously resolved, and that the new States would function in an atmosphere of complete mutual friendliness and goodwill. The State of Bombay has always been noted for its progressive thought and activity; and has ever been in the forefront of national struggle, giving a proper lead to public opinion all over the land. It has as its headquarters, the great City of Bombay which has been unique in its cosmopolitan nature offering welcome to all who came to it, and giving shelter and assistance generously and spontaneously to all who needed the same. These age-long relations can never be sundered; and all those who belong to the two States as they will after the bifurcation, will, I have no doubt, continue their mutual co-operation for the good of themselves and the country as a whole.

….A democracy entirely depends on every citizen doing his duty; and in the fulfilling of our daily tasks, lies the seeds of the highest patriotism. A democratic people cannot afford to depend on any individual or individuals appearing mysteriously from somewhere and making our tasks light and easy for us. These have to be performed by ourselves, and so incessant vigilance is essential on the part of everyone in the matter of fulfilling his personal responsibilities and keeping himself fit for all emergencies….

Many events of the year that has just closed, have brought all these matters vividly and forcibly to our minds. There is the fundamental problem of Unity. Whether we live in unilingual or multilingual constituent States of our Republic, we have always to remember that the safety, the dignity, the integrity and the solidarity of the country as a whole, are our first concern….

….Then there is the problem of internal development. We have our successive Five Year Plans to implement for raising our standards of material life. The success of these plans entirely depends upon our performing the duties entrusted to us properly and well, whether we live in the city or the village, whether we are rich or poor…. Consider the situation from whatever point of view we may, we are bound to come to the conclusion that ultimately everything depends upon ourselves as individual citizens. We must, therefore, so strive during  the year that lies in front that we might be worthy of the high tasks entrusted to our care; and freed from all fears that assail us to-day, live in security, peace and joy.

Jaya Hind.

(Sri Prakasa)

Source: Sri Prakasa (I-III Inst.), MSS, NMML 

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11 January, 1966: Passing away of Lal Bahadur Shastri

अमर कीर्ति - शास्त्रीजी

-काका साहब कालेलकर

(उद्धरण)

             भारत रत्न श्री लालबहादुर शास्त्री भारत की और मानवता की उत्तम सेवा करके अमर हो गये।
          जवाहरलाल जी के बाद जब शास्त्री जी का सर्वानुमति से चुनाव हुआ तब कई लोगों ने कहा, “जिसके नाम का तनिक भी विरोध न हो सके ऐसे तो लालबहादुर ही है। लेकिन ये छोटे बामनमूर्ति भारत की जटिल और चिन्ताग्रस्त परिस्थिति को कैसे सम्भालेंगे इसका अन्दाज हो नहीं सकता।

          ...एक दफ़ा मैंने उनसे कहा था गंगा और यमुना भिन्न रंगों श्रोतों के संगम के नज़दीक आप रहते हैं आप में समन्वय की कुशलता होनी ही चाहिए। मैंने जो कहा, लालबहादुर जी के काम को पहचान कर नहीं, किन्तु प्रयागराज के महात्म्य को ध्यान में लाकर कहा था। अब जब शास्त्री जी के जीवन का सम्पूर्ण चित्र मन में लाता हूं, तब विश्वास होता है कि उस दिन मैंने जो यूं ही कहा था, वह शास्त्री जी के लिए पूरा-पूरा लागू होता है। मेरा चिन्तन कहता है कि समन्वय कुशल वे ही होते हैं जिनमें अहंकार नहीं होता और जो सिद्धांत के कैफ को भी दूर रख सकते हैं, यानी जो लोग अहंकार को छोड़कर, स्वार्थ और एकाग्रिता को छोड़कर, समग्र जीवन के उपासक होते हैं।
       
         ....किसी ने उनके नरम स्वभाव की टिप्पणी की होगी, तब जवाब में उन्होंने कहा था: मैं वाणी में नरम हूं, इसलिए आप यह न समझें कि राष्ट्र कार्य चलाने में और राष्ट्रनीति का अमल करने में मैं ढीला हूं। मैं दृढ़ता के साथ काम भी कर सकता हूं और लोगों से काम ले भी सकता हूं।
राष्ट्र नेता के साथ काम करते कैसी निष्ठा से सहयोग देना चाहिए इसका आदर्श शास्त्री जी ने देश के सामने रखा।
     
         जब पाकिस्तान ने प्रथम कच्छ के रण में और बाद में कश्मीर के प्रदेश में आक्रमण शुरू किया, तब अय्यूब खां ने ख्वाब में भी नहीं सोचा होगा कि शास्त्री जी उन्हें सबक सिखानें के लिए अपनी फौजें लाहौर और रावलपिण्डी तक भेज देंगे। लड़ना कोई बच्चों का खेल नहीं है। जब पाकिस्तान ने आक्रमण करने की ठानी तब शास्त्री जी ने भी उस रणमत्त सेनापति को सबक सिखाने की ठानी।
     
       राष्ट्रसंघ अगर बीच में नहीं पड़ता तो पाकिस्तान की फौज की बुरी हालत हो जाती। लेकिन शास्त्री जी हृदय से शान्तिवादी थे और कभी भी पाकिस्तान के दुश्मन नहीं थे। राष्ट्रसंध की बात उन्होंने तुरन्त मान ली। पूरी विजय हाथ में आने की तैयारी थी। फिर भी युद्ध विराम उन्होंने कबूल किया। उसके बाद पाकिस्तान ने बन्दर धुड़की दिखाने की अपनी नीति बराबर चलाई लेकिन उसमें उन्होंने देखा कि स्थितप्रज्ञ शास्त्री जी न नरम होते हैं न गरम। पाकिस्तान ने कुछ भी नहीं पाया, उसने बहुत कुछ खोया, लेकिन उसे उसकी कुछ परवाह नहीं थी।
     
          ताशकन्द प्रकरण में भी शास्त्री जी ने अपनी शुद्ध भूमिका शुरू से ही स्पष्ट की थी। भारत का पक्ष न्याय का है, इतना विश्वास सब राष्ट्रों को हो गया था। अब अपने-अपने देश की नीति कैसी चलानी इसका निर्णय तो उस देश के नेता अपने-अपने स्वार्थ के अनुसार करते रहेंगे। यह बात अलग है।
     
         शास्त्री जी ने अमेरिका के साथ संबंध बिल्कुल बिगड़ने नहीं दिया जहां अमरीकी नीति उन्हें पसन्द नहीं आयी, मानवता के हित के लिए उन्होंने अपना अभिप्राय साफ-साफ जाहिर किया। उस वक्त भारत के स्वार्थ का विचार करके खामोश रहना आसान था। लेकिन शास्त्री जी ने संकुचित ख्याल नहीं रखा। रशिया में प्रयत्न की कदर करके वे ताशकन्द जाने के लिए तैयार हुए। रशिया ने भी अपनी सन्धिकारी नीति की पराकाष्टा की ओर भारत और पाकिस्तान के बीच अच्छा-सा समझौता कराया।
     
       यह देखना है कि मानव जाति का इतिहास कौन से नये पन्ने खोलता है, भारत की दृढ़ता और भारत की शान्ति निष्ठा शास्त्री जी के द्वारा पूरी-पूरी प्रगट हुई। रशिया और अमेरिका इन दोनों परस्पर विरोधी राष्ट्रों के नेताओं से शास्त्री जी साधुवाद हासिल कर सके, इससे बड़ी धन्यता कौन सी हो सकती है।
     
      भारत की अन्दरूनी राज्य नीति में भी उन्होंने सबको सम्भालते हुए बताया कि राष्ट्र का काम राष्ट्र की समग्र शक्ति से चलेगा। सब व्यक्तियों की कदर करते हुए उन्होंने बताया कि किसी भी व्यक्ति की सेवा के बिना राष्ट्र का काम रूकने वाला नहीं है। भारत की जनता जिस किसी के हाथ में अधिकार सौंपेगी उसे बुद्धि बल और हृदय बल देगी ही। शास्त्री जी के बाद इसी श्रद्धा और विश्वास के बल पर भारत का राज्य चलेगा। शास्त्री जी का जीवन धन्य हो गया।


Source: Lal Bahadur Shastri (I - II Inst.), MSS, NMML

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