“India starts on the endless adventure of freedom crippled and maimed in the sight of the world. She is however a great believer in the healing touch of time and in the magic of natural affinities. As the political passions of the day die down and the little things that divide diminish to their natural stature in the vista of the years to come, the notes of the multi-toned harmony which is India, will swell again to a diapason. No political boundary, no difference of creed, no bitterness from the past, can withstand the pervasive and gracious influence of the genius of this land – its grave regard for abiding values, its faith in tolerance, its resolve to walk in the ways of righteousness.
JULY 19, 1947
Freedom
AT 4 O’CLOCK ON FRIDAY EVENING THE ROYAL ASSENT WAS given to the Indian Independence Bill. After a century of storm and stress the ship of Indian freedom has come into port. Battered heavily by wind and tide, scarred and seamed in many a fierce encounter with embattled hosts, she has suffered grievous losses and has had to jettison much precious cargo. She is not spick and span as we had pictured her in the morningtime of our hopes. It is on the whole a sad homecoming. There are treacherous shoals about and the pilot is more than a little weary. But she is a brave little ship for all that, for she carries the high hopes and ambitions of four hundred millions. On her proud mast-head there broods, like the Spirit of Peace, the white soul of India.
Though the British Parliament has created two States India is one and will be one as she has always been one. The political unity and administrative uniformity that came in the wake of the British conquest has passed along with it. It need not have happened if greater patience and forbearance could have been shown on both sides. If the Britisher had displayed greater imagination and if frustration had not been allowed to blight the ardours of many a generous heart the division of India, which is as repugnant to reason as it is harrowing to the feelings, might never have come about. But partition is a tragic fact. India starts on the endless adventure of freedom crippled and maimed in the sight of the world. She is however a great believer in the healing touch of time and in the magic of natural affinities. As the political passions of the day die down and the little things that divide diminish to their natural stature in the vista of the years to come, the notes of the multi-toned harmony which is India will swell once again to a rich diapason. No political boundary, no difference of creed, no bitterness from the past can withstand the pervasive and gracious influence of the genius of this land – its grave regard for abiding values, its faith in tolerance, its resolve to walk in the ways of righteousness.
The future may conceivably see the blunders of the past undone. It may restore a united Indian polity based on reconciliation and voluntary co-operation. At any rate it is a legitimate aspiration; even the British Prime Minister has said that his country would look forward hopefully to such a development and welcome it gladly. We are sure that even those who have been so keen on a division of India know in their heart of hearts that a divided India is a weakened India, weakened not only in material defence but in her ability to be a power for good among the nations. It is to be fervently hoped that this will all the more readily induce them to offer ungrudging co-operation in the strenuous practical tasks that must be wisely tackled before the shell of freedom can become clothed with flesh and blood. Miss Jinnah has been telling her Muslim sisters in Pakistan, “We have got our home and we have now to make it an ideal place to live in.” Yes, and the Muslims of Pakistan practical tasks that must be wisely tackled before the shell of freedom can become clothed with flesh and blood. Miss Jinnah has been telling her Muslim sisters in Pakistan, “We have got our home and we have now to make it an ideal place to live in.” Yes, and the Muslims of Pakistan as well as Hindus in the rest of India should remember that this “home” is no exclusive possession of any one community and none who is lawfully there may be looked down upon as an inferior or an outsider; for a house divided against itself cannot stand. At this solemn hour of parting let us not harden our hearts against each other; to do so would be to deny our common heritage.
Reference:
The First 100
A Selection of Editorials, 1878-1978, THE HINDU, VOLUME I