A Page From History : Are we True to Bharat?

As a layman in the street I heard the call of our great Prime Minister to co-operate in the cause of our great Nation. I am one who believes in the integrity of our Bharateeya Nation, and as such I place some sincere questions that haunt me before our Great Leaders. Are our Great Leaders in the office working as the Leaders of the Nation or the leaders of the party? Their every action affects everyone in this land irrespective of his or her party affiliations. We look to them to safeguard the interest of the Nation first and always until they are in office. Every National, of whatever party, MUST surrender his faith to the leaders of the Nation; and every Leader in the office MUST behave in the bonafides of the Nationals, unless otherwise proved in the competent Courts of Law.
Do we believe in the Democratic Canon; do we, whatever our party affiliations, love our Nation first? Do we all believe that whatever party be in power it will never mar the interests of our Beloved Bharat? Democracy presupposes this belief. Are we prepared to honour the decision of the Electorate keeping aside our party feelings? Democracy believes in Peace, and hates violence. We must honour the leaders of the opposition and their opinions. If we try to suppress honest opinions, they take violent forms. If we really do not believe in the bonafides of the parties in the field, then enough with this show of Democracy. So also if we do not believe in the Judiciary, which has played a great part in the Democracies of the World, then why not bang off this robe of Democracy?
Have we been successful in enthusing National Spirit in the ordinary layman? Are we bold enough to tell him that more work and less pay, and not less work & more pay, will save him by saving his country. Are we willing to reduce our own pays and expenses and check the inflation by self example? Can we call our Trader and Producer community in the cause of our Nation and in the name of Humanity, to produce as fast and as skillfully as they can, and to distribute it fairly? Can we fill every National with a sense that no one will have his rightful claim on his private property until there is a single individual brother in our Nation who dies of hunger? Can we tell them that they can not prosper on National betrayals?
Last but not least, we must be bold enough to leave timeworn principles?—principles tried and found wanting. We must recognise our friends and foes clearly. We must call a spade a spade. Any error in this will ruin the very foundations of our Great Nation, the only lover of humanity at large. Those who are thirsty of our blood, and lusty of onr woman-hood, how can they be our friends? They have done it since their appearance in the land; and they are even now eating into the vitals of this Nation. For Gandhiji's sake, please search for the Truth. Who are the heroes of the Great Calcutta Killing? Who have displaced a whole Humanity from Noakhali, Tippera, West Punjab and now in process in East Bengal? Who are the aggressors in Kashmir? Do not call them your friends. Boldly, search your own hearts for light and don't fear to tell the truth. Bhopatkarji never spared himself in freedom's fight since Lokmanya Tilak's struggles, He was jailed in Congress struggles; and also in the Mahasabha Struggle with Nizam at his 70. He welcomed Panditji as his host when Panditji visited Poona. And now you charge him of plot against Pandit Nehruji's life. A great injustice ever done in the history of the nation. And what of Dr. Khareji. He was with the Congress till the last struggle.
Are they your foes? the foes of our Nation? No. Never even dream of that. Their very lives are the lives of struggle for freedom, of toil and sweat. Sardarji, Panditji, it is an appeal of fearless heart-search. You are great. Your sacrifices are limitless; We are at your feet. God should destroy the whole world before any one thinks ill towards you.
They are stalwarts of our Nation, to whatever party they may belong. If time brings our Nation in any life and death struggle (God forbid) the above leaders will be among others in the first rank. I entertain no doubt about it. Even now if our present Great Leaders extend their hands, I am sure the above leaders will never lag behind.  Let emotion subside; let thought prevail. A critical study of our history—even the recent history—will itself teach us to distinguish friends and foes. The mirrage-hunt must, of necessity, stop. A dispassionate study will lead us to light. A fearlesschange of views will heighten the greatness our Great leaders. It will save our Nation from great mishaps now taking shape in the international field. As Shakespeare said it of England. “Let the three corners of the world shock’ BUT ENGLAND SHOULD REMAIN TRUE TO ITSELF.” Let we of Bharat be true to Bharat to whatever party we may belong.                                        —VN  Sanglikar