The entities in South Asia that constituted a British India till six decades ago are still referred to by most English-speaking people as the Indian subcontinent. By that token, thousands of netas of India can claim to be mahatmas just like MK Gandhi who is referred with that tag as a sort of brand name. That would include UP chief minister Mayawati who ridicules him as a nautanki. It would also cover former BJP Chief MM Joshi who blasts her for her blasphemy although the Sangh Parivar was no less charitable before coming to power. Weirdly enough, the colonial power that brought English to India is derided for having created divisions among the different peoples inhabiting the region. It is uncharitably accused by those who have usurped power for adopting a divide-and-rule policy.

Common people have been brain washed with false propaganda right from primary school level. A dispassionate reading of world history shows that there has been nothing like a united India which encompassed the entire territory under British rule. Even during Mogul times, there were many pockets in the South, North East and West that were never disturbed. In fact, it was after colonisation by Europeans that numerous fragments in the region were united and the resulting entity named British India.

Soon after World War I, the British government understood that holding onto its colonies was a losing proposition. Briefed by the Motilal Nehru Commission, it decided it would leave the colony to be self-governed by a fair dispensation with judicious representation to Muslims, Dalits and others. But the Indian National Congress was not prepared to lose its tag of 'freedom fighter'. The party mischievously bundled all the 'others' and designated them as Hindus. That included Dalits who hated the faith that condemned them as untouchable serfs destined to serve the high born even in their rebirths. Even tribes people in various pockets, who had no idea about religions, were branded Hindus.

It was MK Gandhi who was instrumental in rooting for the one-man, one-vote type of democracy. In the prevailing circumstances, it was like asking lambs and tigers to compete on an equal footing to establish a united society. He was vehemently opposed to Dalits professing other religions to escape their social stigma. Gandhi, in the guise of societal unity, rejected the idea of separate electorates for Muslims and Dalits. The ploy was to establish the dynasty of his protege Nehru by blotting out any competing Muslim leadership. The protagonist of Indian unity did not mind inviting agonising partition just to serve his purpose.

It is time that fake fathers of the nation in the region and such mahatmas were knocked off their high pedestals. Unless the deviousness behind the founding of the nation is realised, the different nationhoods in South Asia will continue to remain in conflict. Consequently, babus will prevent Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs from mingling with those on the other side and perpetrate tensions to force those within their jurisdiction to live divided. There will be more Liberhans that will drag at public expense, more Thackerays, Advanis and Narasimha Raos, more Tytlers, Sajjan Kumars and HKL Bhagats. As a result more masjids, Muslims and Sikhs will be put in peril!