National Unity, A Three-Dimensional View And The Role Of M.K Gandhi

Relevance: GS1 - Modern India History; Important Personalities; GS2 - Indian Constitution

(Source: The Hindu, 10/06/2023)

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Why in the news?

• This article is based on ‘National Unity, A Three-Dimensional View,’ which was published in The Hindu, on 10/06/2023.
• The article has discussed how India's national unity has been shaped over a century through political, social, legal, and constitutional processes, involving battles and compromises among different groups.
• This identity formation is characterized by three key dimensions: caste harmony, religious harmony, and regional unity, alternatively known as Hindu unity, Hindu-Muslim unity, and heartland-periphery unity.
• The role of Mahatma Gandhi has also been highlighted in promoting Hindu unity and Hindu-Muslim unity.

Gandhi's Role in Hindu Unity and Elimination of Caste-Based Discrimination

• Mahatma Gandhi played a pivotal role in promoting Hindu unity and identified as a Sanatani Hindu, during the Gauhati session of the Indian National Congress in 1926, and worked towards interpreting Hinduism in an inclusive manner.
• His efforts aimed at eliminating caste-based discrimination within Hinduism to foster national unity.
• Gandhi's Concern for Hindu Unity: Mahatma Gandhi recognized that caste-based discrimination within Hinduism would hinder the unity of the Hindu community. He believed that this internal division would also obstruct the larger goal of achieving national unity in India.
• B.R Ambedkar's Argument for Separation: B.R. Ambedkar argued that the emancipation of the depressed classes (often referred to as Dalits) could only be achieved by separating them from the entrenched cultural universe of Hinduism. He believed that this separation was necessary to ensure their social and political rights.
• Separate Electorate Debate: A major point of contention between Gandhi and Ambedkar was the proposal for a separate electorate for the depressed classes. Ambedkar and the colonial rulers were aligned in supporting this idea, which would have given the depressed classes a separate political representation (Communal Award in 1932).
• The Poona Pact: Eventually, a compromise was reached through the Poona Pact in 1932. This agreement ensured representation for the depressed classes within the larger Hindu framework but without a separate electorate. Under this pact, the depressed classes would still receive more political representation than they would have under a separate electorate.

Reservation Policy as a Mitigation Strategy

• Reservation, also known as affirmative action, remains a part of state policy and politics in India. It is primarily envisioned as a tool to mitigate caste-based disadvantages within Hindu society.
• One significant aspect of reservation policy is that Dalits who convert to Christianity or Islam become ineligible for reservation benefits under the Scheduled Caste category. This policy has been a subject of debate and controversy in India.

Gandhi’s Role in Hindu-Muslim Unity

• The Hindu-Muslim Unity was an equally important second pillar of national unity for Gandhiji.
• He recognized that Hindu and Hindu-Muslim forms of unity were essential for India's progress and independence.
• Muslims as a Distinct Community: Gandhi viewed Muslims as a distinct political and cultural community within India. He acknowledged their autonomy and identity, understanding that recognizing this distinctiveness was crucial for building harmonious relations between Hindus and Muslims.
• Efforts in Building Hindu-Muslim Unity: To foster Hindu-Muslim unity, Gandhi actively engaged with Muslim leaders and worked towards common goals. He notably joined forces with the Khilafat Movement, which had a transnational Muslim agenda but also shared anti-imperialist sentiments with Hindus. Gandhi's dedication to this cause was evident when he declared, "There are two things to which I am devoting my life — permanent unity between Hindus and Muslims, and Satyagraha."

Its Impact

• Unintended Consequences of Distinct Political Communities: Gandhi's acceptance of Hindus and Muslims as distinct political communities may have inadvertently contributed to the emergence of antagonistic communal politics in parallel. While his intentions were to promote unity, this approach had unintended consequences.
• Influence on the Constitution: Gandhi's recognition of the cultural and religious autonomy of minorities, including Muslims, found its way into the Indian Constitution. The Constitution of India reflects the idea of protecting the rights and identities of various religious and cultural groups within the nation.

The Heartland and Periphery Axis in Constitution-Making

• The third axis in the making of the Indian Constitution was shaped in response to the realities encountered by the founders. This axis revolves around the relationship between the heartland (northern plains) and the periphery (other regions) of India.
• Emergence of the Hindi Public Sphere: During the national movement, a Hindi public sphere began to assert itself as synonymous with the 'national' identity, particularly in the northern plains. This regional sentiment often disregarded the diverse sentiments and languages prevalent in other parts of India. Mahatma Gandhi himself promoted Hindi as the national language.
• Debate Over Hindi as the National Language: Hindi members insisted on enforcing Hindi across the country and hence realising the danger in pushing for Hindi, the question of a national language was delayed initially for 15 years and then indefinitely.
• Special Provisions for Regional Autonomy: Several constitutional provisions were made to accommodate regional diversity and autonomy. Article 370 granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, acknowledging its unique circumstances. The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution provided autonomy to tribal populations in the Northeast, recognizing their distinct cultural and administrative needs.
• Inter-State Redistribution of Lok Sabha Representation: In response to demographic changes and population trends in different regions, the Indian government suspended the inter-State redistribution of Lok Sabha representation in 1976. This suspension was extended for 25 years, and again in 2002 for another 25 years, recognizing the need to maintain a balance between the heartland and the periphery in terms of political representation.

Change in National Political Landscape

• Over the past 75 years, India's national compact has evolved with intermittent violence, including the assassination of three Gandhis. The demands of various constituent groups led to the unraveling of the Congress system and the emergence of coalition politics.
• Hindutva ideology: The BJP brought a new form of national consolidation, emphasizing Hindu unity through Hindutva ideology. This shift abandoned the task of fostering Hindu-Muslim and regional unity, instead portraying peripheral aspirations and religious minorities as threats to the nation. This approach also prioritized harmony and hierarchy over justice in inter-caste relationships.
• BJP's Political Consolidation: Proponents of Hindutva criticized accommodations to peripheral communities and regions as 'appeasement,' arguing that it weakened the nation. In 2019, the BJP secured a parliamentary majority with 55% of Lok Sabha seats and 37% of the votes, enabling them to unilaterally change terms with religious and regional groups.
• Inter-State Redistribution of Seats: The inter-State redistribution of Lok Sabha seats that is scheduled to follow the first Census after 2026 will shift more power to BJP strongholds above the Vindhyas from the south, potentially enabling more unilateralism.
• New Era of National Unity: This shift is presented as a new era of national unity, where fractured electoral verdicts are a thing of the past, and the national government's exercise of power faces minimal challenges.

Conclusion

• The BJP believes that India's national evolution reached maturity in 2014, with a focus on Hindu unity, sidelining minority group rights.
• The Congress, on the other hand, emphasized harmony among Hindus and Muslims and regional diversity. Calls for dismantling Hinduism to combat caste discrimination are met with resistance, as Hinduism is more dominant now than in Gandhi's time.
• Subaltern castes seek a fair and just society, as seen in the caste survey in Bihar, with Rahul Gandhi challenging entrenched groups, even within his own party. Challenges related to regional unity and Hindi are also arising.
• A renewed, dynamic conversation along these three dimensions is essential for reinforcing national unity in the new era, emphasizing unification rather than fragmentation.

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FAQs

MCQ

Question: The Poona Pact which was signed between the British Government and Mahatma Gandhi in 1934 provided for: (UPSC 1997)

(a) creation of dominion status for India

(b) separate electorates for the Muslims

(c) the separate electorate for the Harijans

(d) a joint electorate with reservation for Harijans

Question: Consider the following statements: (UPSC 1996)

The Non-Cooperation Movement led to:

1. Congress became a mass movement for the first time
2. Growth of Hindu-Muslims unity
3. Removal of fear of the British might from the minds of the people
4. British government's willingness to grant political concessions to Indians

Select the correct option from below:

(a) 1, 2, 3, and 4 are correct

(b) 2 and 3 are correct

(c) 1 and 3 are correct

(d) 3 and 4 are correct