THINK!

American politicians like to call on their citizens to build “a more perfect union”. They all seem to believe that a lot of work needs to be done before they can achieve a ‘Perfect Union’. Americans should know, they have spent their blood and treasure to preserve a union in a bloody Civil War. Now that they have a secured ‘Union of States’, they strive for a more perfect union where all it’s citizens have an opportunity to achieve their “God given potential”. Yesterday, the Democratic Party in Denver, Colorado, nominated a Black American to be the nominee of their party for President of the United States of America. Not only the party was feeling proud of this achievement, but all Americans were emotional about this milestone. However, in this nomination they sacrificed the first woman to have reached the same goal. To us in India, it is difficult to accept the discrimination the American women take for granted. That is why Americans call their country an imperfect union. And rightly so!

Now look at India, we have achieved the later but not the first. Can you imagine a Muslim Prime Minister of India? We have had three Muslim Presidents over the past 60 years but with no executive powers. It is a ceremonial office and everyone knows that. But more importantly, have we really built a ‘Union’? We escaped a Civil War but lost twice as many people. We allowed the succession of several states, but satisfied nobody. We were scared to spend our blood and treasure to create a union, but spend we did none-the-less. Pandering to minorities does not create democracy. Providing for them does. India must create a union first before striving for a ‘Perfect Union’. A union can not be created unless the country is ready to spend it’s blood and treasure. And once it is ready, the secessionists would know first and believe it. All 35 states and union territories of India must be a party to it. I would go one step further and say all 610 districts must be a party to forming an Indian Union.