Bangalore: Neither Pakistan is a “nation”, nor India. If Pakistan is a nation, why did Bangladesh breakaway from it? A “nation” is different, a country is different. In “Thoughts on Nation, Nationality and Indian Union” ((DV edit Aug. 16. 1989), we had elaborately dealt with this question. But what is happening is that while the Indian upper caste rulers and the press are encouraging certain nationalities in Pakistan to rebel and revolt against their “Punjabi-Muslim hegemony”. the same elements Inside India are hiding If not suppressing the similar simmering nationality aspirations. The prominent Sindhi Hindu leaders in India are LK. Advani and K.R. Malkant. The latter has been continuously inciting the Sindhi Muslims of Pakistan to secede from Pakistan. We also hear the cry for a “Sindhu Desh” homeland for Sindhis. Nationality upsurges cannot be controlled. Soviet Russia is breaking up on this very same question. “Ethnic pull is Russian racism breaking up USSR”. [DV edit March 16, 1990). The two Germanys got united on this very principle. Communism collapsed on the face of the nationality storm. Such is its power. The late Bhutto and his daughter Benazir. the ousted Prime Minister of Pakistan, are Sindhis. Even M.A. Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was a Sindhi, Sindhis have a language, culture and identity of their own. That Sindhis are a separate nation is never in doubt and we will not be surprised if these Sindhis secede from Pakistan. The Hindu carried a long report (Dec. 18) from its correspondent appreciating the Sindhi demand from self- determination. Now and then India’s rulers invite Sindhi Muslim leaders from Pakistan and parade them In India indirectly giving fillip to secessionist trends. All these are understandable being part of the political game. But the very same upper caste rulers of India must also know that while they appreciate and encourage the nationality upsurge in Pakistan, they cannot be blind to similar feelings inside India. Jharkhand’s, Bodo’s, Nagas, Gurkhas, Kashmiris, Sikhs, Tamils and many others are also making similar demands. If these suppressed nationalities in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh were to assert their Identity. the sub-continent will break into pieces. And that is why while recognizing the identity of each “nation” as autonomous units, why not the three countries unite kiiinto a federation? (Akhand Bharat, DV Dec. 16 p.4). The Ilea is worth examining. Will our intellectuals ponder?
