National Integration

🇮🇳 Introduction

India is a civilisation of immense diversity — in religion, language, caste, tribe, race, region, and even lifestyle.
These differences are natural and beautiful, but if not handled carefully, they can also become sources of division and conflict.

That’s why the idea of National Integration is vital — it’s about ensuring that our unity remains stronger than our differences.

💡 Meaning of National Integration

Let’s decode what different scholars have said.

Thinker	Essence of Definition
Myron Weiner	National integration means avoiding divisive movements that may balkanise the nation and prioritising national interest over narrow interests.
H.A. Gani	It’s a socio-psychological and educational process that builds unity, solidarity, and common citizenship among people.
Dr. S. Radhakrishnan	Integration is not a building to be constructed — it’s a thought, a consciousness that must awaken in the minds of people.
Rasheeduddin Khan	Integration means cohesion, not fusion; unity, not uniformity; reconciliation, not merger.

🟩 In short:
National Integration is about emotional unity and collective identity — the feeling that “we are Indians first, before anything else.”

It has political, economic, social, cultural, and psychological dimensions, all interlinked.

⚠️ Obstacles to National Integration

Despite constitutional ideals, national unity in India faces several challenges. Let’s discuss the main ones:

1. Regionalism

Meaning:
Regionalism means loyalty to one’s region or state over the nation.
Sometimes it even extends to sub-regions within a state.

As a scholar defined — it represents “political discontent and exclusionism” of those who feel left out of national development.

Forms of Regionalism in India:

1. Demand for secession — e.g. Khalistan, Dravida Nadu, Mizo, and Naga movements.
2. Demand for separate states — e.g. Bodoland, Gorkhaland, Vidarbha.
3. Demand for statehood for UTs — e.g. Delhi, Puducherry.
4. Inter-state disputes — over boundaries (Chandigarh, Belgaum) or rivers (Cauvery, Krishna, Ravi-Beas).
5. “Sons of the Soil” theory — preference for locals in jobs, permits, etc. (e.g. “Assam for Assamese,” “Maharashtra for Maharashtrians”).

🟨 Regionalism is not always negative.
It can also be a healthy demand for decentralisation and equitable development — the problem arises only when it turns separatist.

2. Communalism

Meaning:
Communalism means prioritising religious loyalty over national loyalty, and seeking political advantage for one’s religious community.

Historical Roots:

It began during British rule when the Acts of 1909, 1919, and 1935 introduced communal representation for religious groups — sowing the seeds of political division.

Manifestations:

1. Formation of religious political parties — e.g. Akali Dal, Muslim League.
2. Religious pressure groups — e.g. VHP, Jamaat-e-Islami.
3. Communal riots — e.g. Varanasi, Hyderabad, Aligarh, Amritsar.
4. Disputes over religious structures — e.g. Ram Janmabhoomi–Babri Masjid dispute (Ayodhya, 1992).

Causes of Communalism:

• Religious orthodoxy of Muslims
• Role of Pakistan and cross-border propaganda
• Hindu chauvinism
• Political exploitation of religion
• Weak government response
• Electoral compulsions and communal media narratives

🟥 Impact:
Communalism divides citizens into religious camps and weakens the secular and pluralistic foundation of India.

3. Casteism

Meaning:
Casteism means showing loyalty to one’s own caste group over national interests — often seen as politicisation of caste.

Manifestations:

1. Formation of caste-based parties — Justice Party, Republican Party, BSP.
2. Caste-based pressure groups — Nadar Association, Harijan Sevak Sangh, Kshatriya Mahasabha.
3. Party tickets and ministries distributed on caste lines.
4. Caste conflicts between higher and lower castes, or dominant caste rivalries.
5. Protests and violence over reservation policy.

Observation by B.K. Nehru:
“The communal electorates of British days still survive in the form of caste-based reservations — reminding people of their caste identity rather than national identity.”

Examples of State-level Caste Politics:

• Andhra Pradesh → Kamma vs. Reddy
• Karnataka → Lingayat vs. Vokkaliga
• Gujarat → Patidar vs. Brahmin–Bania
• Bihar → OBCs vs Upper Castes
• Haryana → Jat vs. Ahir
• Kerala → Nair vs. Ezhava

🟨 In short: Casteism divides society vertically and erodes meritocracy and unity.

4. Linguism

Meaning:
Linguism is excessive loyalty to one’s language group or language-speaking people.

It became politically significant after independence due to two issues:

1. Reorganisation of States on linguistic lines
2. Determination of the official language of the Union

Historical Background:

• First linguistic state: Andhra Pradesh (1953), carved from Madras after the death of Potti Sriramulu.
• This led to a nationwide demand for linguistic states.
• The States Reorganisation Commission (1953–55) recommended large-scale restructuring → implemented in 1956.

Later Issues:

• Continuous bifurcation of states (e.g. Punjab, Assam, Bombay).
• Official Language Act (1963) made Hindi the official language → triggered anti-Hindi agitations in South India.
• The Centre later assured continued use of English as an associate official language.

Even today, Tamil Nadu rejects the Three Language Formula (English + Hindi + Regional Language).

🟨 Result:
Hindi couldn’t emerge as a pan-Indian language as envisioned by the Constitution makers.

🏛️ Institutional Efforts to Promote Integration

To strengthen unity and reduce divisive tendencies, the Government of India created dedicated institutions and mechanisms.

1. National Integration Council (NIC)

Origin:

Formed in 1961 after the National Integration Conference to suggest ways to combat communalism, casteism, regionalism, and linguism.

Composition:

• Chairperson: Prime Minister of India
• Members: Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, Leaders of Opposition (Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha), heads of political parties, chairpersons of national commissions, eminent journalists, public figures, and representatives of women’s and business organisations.

Meetings:

Held as and when required (no fixed schedule).
So far, 16 meetings have been held.

Notable Meeting:

The 16th meeting (2013) adopted a resolution to:

• Condemn violence and atrocities on SCs, STs, and women.
• Promote communal harmony and gender equality.
• Ensure freedom and safety of women in public spaces.
• Encourage resolving differences within the framework of law.

2. National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH)

Established: 1992
Nature: Autonomous body under the Ministry of Home Affairs
Objective: To promote communal harmony, fraternity, and national integration.

Major Activities:

1. Financial aid to child victims of communal violence for education and rehabilitation.
2. Organising awareness activities in collaboration with NGOs and educational institutions.
3. Conducting studies and research on harmony and integration.
4. Instituting awards for contributions to communal harmony.
5. Involving governments, corporations, and civil society in its initiatives.
6. Publishing books, reports, and information materials on these themes.

🌈 Conclusion — The True Spirit of India

National integration is not uniformity — it is unity in diversity.
It means every Indian, regardless of region, religion, caste, or language, feels an emotional belonging to one nation.

As Dr. Radhakrishnan beautifully said:

“Integration is not a matter of bricks and mortar — it’s a matter of mind and spirit.”

To achieve this, India needs:

• Inclusive growth,
• Secular education,
• Responsible politics, and
• Empathy among citizens.

Only then can we truly embody the motto of our Constitution —
“Unity and Integrity of the Nation.”