Janajati Vikas Samiti Nagaland
Introduction: - Bhartiyas have instinctively realized that the cultural wealth of Bharatvarsh belongs to whole humanity, that it is Bharatvarsh’s obligation to offer to others the benefits of her unique culture and heritage and to accept from others their best. We have been constantly engaged in a rich give and take with others. They have always felt in their sub-conscious mind that human misery anywhere constitutes a threat to human happiness everywhere.
Bhartiyas are temperamentally internationalists: - We have never been isolationists. From ancient times, Bharatvarsh has been maintaining intimate contacts with different people and trying to build bridges of understanding and friendship with them. There are many saints, scholars, soldiers, scientists, technocrats, artists, artisans, professionals, traders, industrialists and labourers from this country who are working conscientiously with the same end in view as our unofficial cultural ambassadors. They are in 100 countries of the world including USA, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China, and Gulf countries. Temperamentally, we are universalists. For us, there is no conflict between nationalism and internationalism. But this internationalism or universalism or to be ‘of the earth’ must be distinguished clearly from foreign nationalism – from intellectual sub-servience to foreign countries and cultures, from national self-oblivion and mental slavery. Haipou Jadonang and Rani Gaidinliu of Nagaland preached universal brotherhood through Heraka Association keeping intact their cultural and religious identity. Talum Rukbo of Arunachal, Onderson Mowri of Meghalaya, N.C. Zeliang again of Nagaland and Rani Ropuiliani of Mizoram, they all were preachers of universal brotherhood inherent in their Sanatan Dharma and culture.
The Perversion in Intellectuals: - It is noticed that several Bhartiya intellectuals are enamoured of westernism. For them, everything western is standard, everything native sub-standard. For them, Shakespeare is not a Kalidas of Great Britain nor Napoleon a Samudragupta of Europe but Sardar Patel is Bismarck of India. “Geeta” must be a great book because Emerson - a western scholar, said so. So how can Narendra (later Swami Vivekandandji) and Ravindra (later Nobel Laureate Gurudev Ravindranath Tagore) receive due recognition from us unless and until their merit is first recognized by some western authorities? White-man’s lordship over others must be construed as a conclusive proof of his cultural superiority? For perverted intellectuals, glorious history of Bharatvarsh is all idle gossips – cock and bull stories. For them, Sanskrit is a dead language, Latin the source of knowledge. For all maladies, remedies can be provided only by the west. They have nothing to learn from their own culture, they can no longer depend upon the brilliance of their own intellect. No theory can be correct unless it is certified to be so by some western authority. They may be sceptical about the relevance of Alfred Marshal, Wickell, Gunnar Myrdal and Keynes to the present day conditions but they will stubbornly refuse to conduct independent thinking in the light of their own national requirement. This tendency is the natural consequence of their presumption that “westernization is modernization”. The Roman script and English language was imposed by the British regime. Today it has become the status symbol. This is killing the vernacular languages of indigenous people. English language, English literature, English films, English education and Roman script are proven strong means of westernization.
The Propriety: - The time is now ripe to question the validity of this presumption. Hence, the propriety of this seminar on ‘Modernization without Westernization’. But before we proceed to the subject of the discussion let us define the meaning of the terms ‘Modernization’ and ‘Westernization’.
Modernization: - Modern means ‘of the present and recent times’ or ‘characteristic’ of present or ‘recent times’. Conventionally, the term ‘modernism’ denotes modern views or methods; tendency in matters of religious beliefs to subordinate tradition to harmony with modern thought, modern term or expression. In other words, it denotes modern usage, expression or traits; modern spirit or character; a tendency to adjust western dogma to the results of science and criticism. To modernize is to adapt to the present time, conditions, needs, language or spelling; to adopt modern ways.
Obviously, this connotation is the natural consequence of the peculiar historical background of Europe. It becomes irrelevant in case of a country which had no Church, no organized priest-hood, no religious persecution and no conflict between religions and sciences. To non-European countries, therefore, modernization should simply mean ‘equipment’ to solve the problems and meet the challenges of modern times with a view to ensure all-round progress in future.
Westernization:-And now, what is Westernization? Broadly, it means ‘making oriental people or country to adopt ideas, ideals, institutions, systems, structures, living styles and values of life of the west.’ It denotes acceptance of western paradigm as a universal model of progress.
Western or Eastern: - But it is not easy to identify what exactly is ‘western’ so far as the ever expanding frontiers of human knowledge are concerned. It is noteworthy that ‘truth’ has no caste no community, no party, no class, no nation. It is invariably universal though the first persons to come across or realize such ‘truth’ may be belonging to some nation or class or region. For example, the well known theorem of Pythagoras who was described by King Clement of Alexandria as the ‘pupil of a Brahmin”, can not be termed as eastern or western invention.
All Knowledge Universal: - To sum up, all knowledge is universal. It is neither western nor eastern. The same holds good about all sciences and technology. True, the advances of the west in this direction commenced after the European Renaissance and during this entire intervening period we could not register normal rate of progress for the simple reason that we were throughout engaged in the life-and death struggle on a national plane; but it is an indisputable fact that Bhartiya Sciences and Arts had migrated to Greece via Arabia and Persia before the European Renaissance which was preceded by the Dark Age of Europe. Newton once remarked, “If I have been able to see further than others, it was because I stood on the shoulders of giants.”
What is true of individual can be equally true of a nation. Today we aspire to stand on the shoulders of the western giants; but the west could raise these giants because, during Renaissance, entire intelligentsia of Europe stood on the shoulders of Bhartiya giants. It is, therefore, unrealistic to describe any knowledge as ‘western’ or ‘eastern’; it is all universal.
Essentially Human: - Instincts, impulses, urges, intelligence, sentiments, emotions,-even intuitions,- all these are essentially ‘human’; they cannot be branded as ‘western’. What then precisely is ‘western’?
Cultures Differ: - Though human mind everywhere is essentially the same, it would be unrealistic to deny the fact that different societies have gone in the past through different situations and different historical courses of events and these have left deep impact on collective mind of every society. Geography and history are main factors responsible for such differentiation. The type of civilization too has many features which differentiate it from all other regions of the world while they are common to whole country in a degree sufficient to justify its treatment as a unit in the history of social, religious and intellectual development of mankind. Among other things, geo-political factors contribute substantially to such differentiations. All such distinctive factors give rise to different cultures.
What is Culture? What is special characteristics of western culture?
The culture denotes a trend of impression on the mind of society which is specific to its own and which again is the cumulative effect of its own passion, emotion, thought, speech and action throughout its history. This trend of impressions cannot be the same in case of different societies. Naturally, the western culture is different from that of Bharatvarsh and other oriental countries.
The modern west has also certain special characteristics of its own. Being predominantly materialistic, consumerist and devoid of spirituality, it has evolved a value system with hedonic consumerism as its pivot and permissiveness its natural corollary. The exclusive concern of all the modern western thought system is the appropriate socio-economic transformation. They have no time to indulge in the subject of psychological transformation which will, they are convinced, take care of itself after the inauguration of new social order. Homocentricism is yet another special characteristic of the west. Humanism is no doubt preferable to self-centered individualism. Western scholars treat our own human species as the centre of entire existence which is doing injustice to all other non-human species and components of the existence. They declare that all things are part of man; all things are for man, exploitation of man by a man cannot be tolerated but exploitation of non-human beings by human beings can even be encouraged. For western scholars and human rightists, non-human beings are entitled to no rights. They say – culture is what we are and civilization what we have. Because of its characteristic values of life, even humanism of the west could not be adequately humane. Firstly, it has been anti-God and homocentric. And secondly, it could not generate an environment conducive to the growth of human harmony. They believe in the doctrine of ‘survival of fittest’ whereas we practice that of ‘co-existence’. Exclusive emphasis an ‘human rights’ leaving behind love, care and concern for others is another peculiar characteristic of the western value system which stands in contrast to that of ours. These are the causes of clash between civilizations of east and west. Again, the thinking of the west has always been compartmentalized, its approach fragmentary. They fail to understand inter-relatedness and inter-dependence of all phenomena. In this globally interconnected world, physical, biological, psychological, religious, social, political, economic, cultural or environmental phenomena are all inter-dependent. Problems confronting mankind are many and varied but these are all different facets of a single crisis. The west has not yet realized this basic fact. Indiscriminate addiction to ‘growth’ without first defining the growth concept with reference to and in light of other varieties of growth has rendered western schools of economics unrealistic and irrelevant. In the light of above, is it practical for us to follow the west blindly? This is the reason that most of our social reformers were staunch patriots not at all inclined to get westernized. There can be progress without aping the west.
Westernization : Neither simple nor Innocent : - Let us understand clearly that the process of westernization is not that simple or innocent. In the past, we have always enriched and strengthened our cultural identity and national personality by adapting and assimilating whatever good was found in foreign cultures, structures and systems, but every time, it was a process of assimilation. The concept of ‘westernization’ implies loss of cultural identity and national personality. It implies our own absorption in and assimilation by foreign cultures. Even if there is something good which the west can sell us, should we purchase it by paying as price, our individuality? “Of what profit would it be if you gain the whole world and in the process, lose your soul” asked Jesus Christ. This question is equally pertinent even in the present context. Assimilation? Yes, Loss of Identity? No. But assimilation negates the process of ‘westernization’. Our discussion centers around the problem of ‘westernization’.
The Genesis of problem of Westernization :- History has witnessed rise and fall of many empires. During its hey day, civilization of every empire was accepted as standard by its satellites. After its fall, the glamour of its civilization used to fade out in course of a few decades. The distinguishing features of the withdrawal of white imperialism are (i) its sustained grip over its erstwhile colonies in intellectual and ideological matters which is the natural outcome of its brain-washing propaganda during the imperial days and (ii) its determined effort to continue and tighten its stranglehold on the economies of these countries which has given up to a sort of tug-of-war between the northern white countries and the southern non-white countries that are part and parcel of the non-aligned movement.
Macaulay’s Success: - In India, the Macaulian campaign succeeded in selling to Bhartiya intellectuals the idea of ‘white –man’s burden’ in creating inferiority complex in their minds and in convincing them that the European civilization is the only standard, ideal civilization. Every society or people in the world, we were told, has necessarily and inevitably to pass through the same stages of evolution which are characteristics of European history. Every Indian situation must be gauged by European standards. There is no escape from this. For, we were told; western paradigm is the universal model of progress and development.
Sex Education :- An International conspiracy :- Today, the Bharatiya young scientist, doctors, Engineers, technocrats, economists, social scientist, litterateurs, environmentalists and young experts in all other fields of global concerns are dong miraculous jobs through their genius and hard work. This has surprised the western countries particularly USA, UK, Vatican and others. They want to spoil these youths and forth coming young generation so that our vital youth force is destroyed and our country is hollowed from within. After destroying their own youth force due to their wrong policies and pornographic education, these countries are now targeting Bharatiya youths. They have many plans for it. Westernization is a master-plan which have several sub-plans and there are many westernizing agencies at work. Sex education, nay, introduction of vulgarity and pornography in school and college curriculum is such a sub-plan to de-humanize our society as western countries are. They say that sex education is necessary to prevent HIV/AIDS. In the name of sex education, they are encouraging to have free sex to satisfy the lust and for that they plan to distribute condoms and other devices of contraception. In fact, the youths and students should be taught to practise abstinence and Brahmacharya. They should be moulded and encouraged to be faithful to their wives. No extra marital or pre-marital conjugal relation. If this is practised, HIV/AIDS will automatically disappear. Sex education is not necessary for eradication of HIV/AIDS. Sex education is already prevalent in the western countries like USA, UK, France and others, why HIV/AIDS are increasing day by day in these countries? There are several NGOs over active in Nagaland and other states of NE region funded by International Funding Agencies. These NGOs are creating a psychological fear of HIV/AIDS in the young minds out of proportion without suggesting a relevant remedy to ever growing demon called HIV/AIDS. Distribution of male and female condoms to young boys and girls, encouraging them to enjoy sex any time, anywhere and with anybody will increase HIV/AIDS along with other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD). It will increase sex-related crimes giving rise to many other social problems like theft, robbery, murder and suicide.
The sex education will awaken and re-vitalize the sensuality in pre-mature mind in adolescent age. There is co-education in schools, colleges and universities. Instead of inspiring students to concentrate their minds on rigorous study, the so-called sex education will divert it to sensuality and with legalization of use of condoms and other contraceptives before marriage make the young mind think that they are in safe-zone and can enjoy sex without any restriction and without control of the society. Thus, this type of education encourages the youths to break the barriers of cultural ethics and religious discipline. Nobody gives sex education to animals and creatures but life cycle goes on and on. Therefore, following points should be born in the mind by the advocates of sex education.
(i) Let nature do its work. Nature’s cycle should not be disturbed by artificial means; it will boom rang one day.
(ii) It is an explosive thought to impart sex education to young minds.
(iii) There are certain deeds and its doctrines which are liable to be kept secret. It cannot be discussed in public. Sex is also such a thing which cannot be discussed openly in the name of science and openness of the society.
(iv) The fundamental principle of education is the maturity and ability of learner. Everything cannot be taught in childhood. HIV/AIDS are spreading in western countries and some of the Bharitya states like Mizoram and Nagaland. It is not because of lack of knowledge of sex but because of excessive involvement in illegal sexual intercourse before and after marriage. HIV/AIDS are the outcome of extremity of sex. It is also because of the use of infected needles for injecting toxic drugs, kidney transplant, blood-transfusion and many more. Sex education – the proposed remedy of HIV/AIDS by some is rather more and more problematic.
(v) Sex education will harm the sanctity of educational institutions – the temple of learning.
(vi) Sex education will break the family ties. As we cannot give rifles in the hands of children to protect from terrorism and to check terrorists. Similarly, children cannot be given sex education for prevention from HIV/AIDS. They are required to be given lessons on morality, self-discipline, abstinence and spirituality. The idea of controlling HIV/AIDS through sex education is just like an idea of building a palace in sky. Sex education does not fit into Bharatiya Sanskriti (culture). More over, sex education and HIV/AIDS are subject of doctors, not of teachers.
This is the reason that the league of students, parents/guardians and teachers are opposing the imposition of sex education. But the strong wind of westernization in the modernization and rapid reform is sweeping the land. This strong wind of westernization is required to be checked.
Growing Scepticism :- Now, western paradigm is failing in achieving their cherished goals. There is growing scepticism in the west about the efficacy of its paradigm. The dazzling advance of science and technology, they are now realizing, is not exactly an unmixed blessing. The rape of nature with no consideration for either ecological factors or the fate of the future generations is already becoming a boomerang. The technological development unaccompanied by commensurate cultural elevation is likely, they apprehend, to lead mankind to its total annihilation. They have, no doubt, taken due cognizance of all the maladies their societies are suffering from. The chronic and degenerative “disease of civilization” such as heart disease, blood pressure, cancer, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), HIV/AIDS etc., severe depression, schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders, rise in violent crimes, mass and individual suicides, accident, alcoholism, drug-addiction, rapid depletion of energy and natural resources such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, metals, forests, fish-reserves, oxygen, ozone etc., severe degradation of the natural environment affecting not only humans but also plants, crops, animals, ecological systems and global climate resulting in ‘nebulous veil of air pollution’ encircling the entire planet, high rate of inflation, massive unemployment and mal-distribution of wealths, are costing the world over one billion dollars a day.
Wrong Values :- Ignoring the fact that everything in the west is only in an experimental stage and not yet tested by time, we rushed to appreciate and applied their values of life based upon materialism, hedonic consumerism, homocentricism and unalloyed individualism. Now it is being realized that these are precisely the values that are responsible for disintegration and disorganization of individual, family and social life in United States which is full of large crowds of solitary, self-alienated individuals. Their systems are decaying and declining. The euphoria of capitalism of west is fading away. It has not delivered any good. The western democracies today are in a state of political crisis and spiritual confusion.
All the noted Bharatiya thinkers have already expressed their scepticism about this western system and dispassionate \thinkers from the west are arriving at the same conclusion. Socialism, too, has lost its glamour and grip on public mind. Communism which presented itself as the better alternative, has also failed miserably, Marxism is being rejected in the country of its birth-Russia.
A Search: - A few but saner sections in the west are already in search of a new path, a new value system, a new culture, a new paradigm. The myth of universality of European experience is also exploded.
Exercise in Futility: - Unfortunately for the third world countries, history is not going to repeat itself in precisely the same manner. A few commendable coincidences that culminated in the inauguration of Industrial Revolution, newly grown geopolitical importance of sea-routes during the pre-aeroplane era, internal, domestic pre-occupation of powers governing countries with abundant raw material and market potentialities, circumstances favourable for empire-building by naval powers, practicability of sustaining domestic economy on the strength of exploitation of colonies. All these circumstances are not going to be repeated for the benefit of the third World countries. The prosperity of white nations was built upon the foundations which will not be available now to the non-white countries. Hence, it is futile to imitate western example and accept the western paradigm as a model.
The New Goal: - It is, therefore, essential to set a new goal or objective for all national striving in southern countries keeping in view the failure of western paradigm as well as the significant difference in the historical courses of the events. The ultimate goal of life is to attain MOKSHA (Salvation) through Dharma, Artha (wealth) and Kama (national life). National programmes are required to be framed keeping this goal in view.
Distinctive Characteristics of Bhartiya Doctrine: - For the purpose of this discussion, it is immaterial whether someone accepts the cultural superiority of Bhartvarsh or not. But all have unanimously recognized that Bhartiya culture has its own distinctive characteristics. We know how a visit to Bharatvarsh is considered as a pilgrimage by enlightened humanists from all parts of globe whether it is grand son of Henry Ford or daughter of Stalin or Huentsang and Fahyan of China or Megasthenes of Greek.
Wanted Our Own Model : - It is, therefore, necessary to assert that we must conceive our own model of progress and development in the light of our own culture, our own past tradition, present requirement and aspirations for the future. We should study in depth the western paradigm and benefit from it whenever possible but not accept it as model for future. Apart from our own cultural heritage and rich historical experiments we have before us example and experiments of some non-white countries such as, say, Japan or Mao’s China. Japan has kept its cultural traditions intact while exposing itself selectively to western technology. And Mao who is credited with sinicisation of Marxism itself, had guts to proclaim that ‘modernization is not westernization’.
The southern countries (Asia continent) will find themselves more capable than what northern ones would have them believe if only they relieve themselves of their inferiority complex and commit themselves to mutual cooperation. They will have, further, to give up the western values of life and (i) evolve a co-coordinated system of wage differentials and status differentials which would ensure reconciliation of equality with incentive (ii) generate, consequently, the psychological and cultural environment in which there would invariably be an inverse ratio between social status and personal wealth. In Bharatvarsh, it is heartening to note that the foreign inspired attempts to de-link modern science from culture are being opposed by some of the eminent scientists. Dr. Raja Ramanna, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission advocated the synthesis between science and spiritualism. Shri K.I. Vasu of Indian Institute of Science at Bangalore launched a Swadeshi Science Movement. Only such a Swadeshi Science Movement can make our nationhood fulfilled, our ruralism protected, our culture preserved and the whole world served. There is a Swadeshi Technological Movement launched by eminent scientists and engineers. They believe that every culture has its own paradigm and model of progress and that development of technology should be suited to the character of such paradigm and model.
Bharatvarsh is third largest scientific community of the world. If properly motivated, our scientists, and technologists can certainly accomplish this task. After indiscriminate globalization of Bharatiya economy initiated two decades ago during Rajiv Gandhi’s regime which still continues in same direction, multinational companies are in race to invest in our country because our country provides them one of the largest markets and in the process, indigenous industries are dying. Swadeshi Jagaran Munch initiated by noted scholar and leader of working class Dattopant Thengadi is spearheading the movement to check the blind globalization and encourage native industries.
By the God’s grace, to us are available all the factors that go to make any country great - the human, the material and the intellectual resources. Bharatvarsh is second to none in all these matters. What is lacking is the requisite national will leading to national unity. Bhartiya Dharma and culture do not reject the old in favour of the new but blend the two expressing new dilemmas in traditional language and accommodating fresh insights to establish view points. The ability to adopt itself to changing circumstances has been a mark of Bhartiya Dharma throughout its history and the unifying factor bringing together its many diverse threads lies in their common history within this unique weaving together of tradition and innovation. Bhartiya Dharma is ever the same, yet different.
Several Janjatis and non-Janjati communities of North-east region are worst victim of this blind westernization in the name of modernization giving rise to innumerable socio-cultural and economic problems. This seminar aims at focusing the gravity of the problem and find out the ways and means of curbing this rapid westernization. A case study of a particular state or community is expected from the scholars in their seminar papers.
