A message I received on fb from a woman of the North East, and my reply. I have deleted the name of the sender :
Jun 9th, 10:59am
Sir how can Indians with Majoritarian view of democracy rather than a pluralistic decomcracy come to terms with India's sovereignity over peripheral states like Mizoram, Nagaland etc. which were never under any subcontinental rulers (Mughals etc.) or had nothing to do with any other parts of India before late 19th century owing to the British ruler's colonial mind-set. How can anyone with extreme hatred against the Britishers be so possessive over lands that they can claim only because of the colonisers
Markandey Katju
Jun 9th, 11:24am
It is only possible if we adopt the mindset of the great Mughal Emperor Akbar, the greatest ruler the world has ever seen, who gave equal respect to all communities and sects. Akbar was the real Father of the Indian Nation ( see my post ' Emperor Akbar-- the Real Father of the Nation ' on fb and on my blog justicekatju.blogspot.in ). Nagas, Mizos, Kashmiris, etc must not demand separate independent states, because modern industry requires a big market and immense raw materials. This is possible only in big countries. Without modern industry we will be condemned to poverty, because it is only modern industry which can generate the wealth required to provide for the welfare of our people, and give decent lives to all our countrymen. So to split up into small states means being condemned to poverty.
However, there is immense diversity in India, because India is broadly a country of immigrants, like North America ( see in this connection my article ' What is India ' on my blog ). So to remain united we must give equal respect to all our countrymen and countrywomen. Without that India cannot remain united for one day
