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Anwar Shaikh reviews
A Hindu View of the World
Essays In The Intellectual
Kshatriya Tradition
by Dr. N. S. Rajaram, M.S.C., PhD. |
This paperback consisting of 250 pages has been
published by the Voice of India, 2/18, Ansari Road, New Delhi - 110 002, India.
In view of its significance, the book has been moderately priced at Rs. 150.
The name of Navaratna S. Rajaram goads readers to go
through the pages of this book carefully and reverently because he is highly
respected for his learning and experiential skills. What gives his writing even
greater stature is the fact that he is a patriot who seeks avenues to help his
country which has suffered ravages of political storms over the last one
thousand years.
This book, being a collection of his several essays,
does not concentrate on one topic, yet they possess the oneness of purpose, that
is, search for the solution of urgent national problems; he tries to tackle them
with the force of argument and courage, and calls this attitude as the
"Intellectual Kshatriya Tradition."
Rajaram's style is serene, suggestive and seductive.
Occasionally, even when it is poignant, it feels pleasant and reader believes
that he is being guided, and not dragged, duped or distracted. So cleverly, he
expresses his opinion, that his folly appears as wisdom and his vice looks a
virtue. This intellectual Kshatriya wields a heavy sword of altercation which
cuts through most barriers because it is not based on verbosity but force of
candour, conviction and courage. For example, he boldly states that Caste System
has no intrinsic value: a person's social stature depends upon his calibre and
character; it is Guna and Karma" that create personality and not one's
birth.
He calls spade a spade, but what he calls a spade may
not be a spade. His idea of Indian nationalism is an example in point; he states
on page 217: "So we must once and for all reject the notion that there is
now, or there ever will be an Indian nationalism that is not also Hindu
nationalism. Here lies the failure of modern India as a nation. "
His conclusion is based on the historical blunder of
Gandhi that he committed in connection with the Khilafat Movement. In fact,
Gandhi's act was just a political convenience and, therefore, cannot rank as a
search for national unity. This man who advocated Caste System knowing full
well, that it was the biggest hurdle to the national unity of the Hindus, could
not seek brotherhood with the Muslims. It is customary for people to fight for
the integrity of their homelands. The fact that he agreed to the Partition of
India, proves beyond a shadow of doubt that he was not interested in
nationalism; he aspired for personal prestige and wanted to raise a statue of
Mahatamaship for himself to be the centre of adoration.
The fact is that the Indian mind has been so ravaged by
the blizzards of faith that the germ of nationalism, which is the guarantee of
glory, prosperity and social advancement, cannot breed or survive in it. These
remarks apply to all people of the Indian subcontinent irrespective of their
religion. This is why that it is easy for the power-hungry men to fool, snool
and school the masses to cultivate their personal interests under the mask of
religious piety. If Gandhi was really a Hindu national hero, he would have
demanded complete exodus of the Muslims from India in 1947. He would have thus
succeeded in creating a pure Hindu nation as Dr. Rajaram dreams of. This
ambition was not only feasible but also morally right at that time because
Pakistan had been created as the abode for the Muslims of India. But Gandhi's
reaction was exactly the opposite: he threatened with a death-fast if the
Muslims were driven out of India, and even insisted on the return of those who
had already left the country. Now the situation has changed; the Muslims born
after the Partition are Indian, and must be treated as Indian nationals with
equal rights.
The behaviour of Jinnah also amounted to high treason
because he deserted the Muslims of India at the mercy of the Hindus when they
needed him most desperately. His behaviour clearly shows that all he wanted was
to become a figure of history. "Muslim nationalism" was as much a
gimmick for him as "Hindu nationalism" was for Gandhi.
It is high time that religion became a strictly
personal affair on the Indian subcontinent. This is the weakest link in the
chain of nationalism. The true basis of nationalism in modern times is the
homeland whose prosperity and independence constitute the greatness of a nation.
Even the blood ties have now assumed a secondary role. This is the spirit of our
time: the tiny countries like Britain have become multiracial. The number of
non-Hindus in India is too large to allow pure Hindu nationalism. Supposing that
it could be achieved, the religious uniformity will soon precipitate into
provincial prejudices dividing the Hindus into Guiaratis, Biharis and Madrasis.
Treatment of Bengalis by the Marathas during their heyday, is sufficient to
prove the case.
People of the Indian subcontinent must seek to reunite
on the basis of a common Motherland and indigenous culture.
Dr. Rajaram is a skilled debater. His writings always
suggest new angles. And it is quite natural, because he is a man of many
talents: he is a mathematician, computer scientist, a linguist and a historian
of science. Again, he is not just an academic but a man of worthy experience: he
has taught for more than twenty years in several American universities and done
considerable research work. Since 1984, he has been an advisor to the National
Aeronautical and Space Administration, commonly known as NASA. Besides, he is
the author of several outstanding books on various subjects.
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