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THE JAINA GAZETTE because every one of you, I presume, is more acquainted with these things than I am, and mainly because I do not want the public to think that I have spoken well of your religion in exchange of the honour you have conferred upon me. For, this idea will undervalue all my appreciation of Jainism. I consider it your duty to enlighten the world on these points with all your might and zeal, for, the world at present stands in need of these truths. I will here draw your attention to some other vital problems which require our immediate solution, problems touching our very life and death as a nation.
The most important thing that we Indians have to learn, and which, unfortunately, we as a nation have not yet learnt, is the truth expressed by Dr. Iqbal in the couplet :
Mashab nahim sikata apasa mem barai rakna
Hindi hai ham vatan hai hindustan hamara. That is, the fact that we differ in religious views should not give rise to quarrels in secular, social, and political matters. We must remember that we are inhabitants of the same country Hindustan, and therefore we are all Hindus, whatever may our religions be.
Strictly speaking the religion of every individual differs from that of another. My wife's religion, for instance, is different from mine as my father's is different from that of my son, both of whom differ from me in their religious views. We do not on that account fight and live at loggerheads. If any person belonging to another family attacks my father, however my father may differ from me in his religious views, I will not join hands with the alien invader, however he may agree with me in my religious beliefs. Such is the relation of love and fellow feeling that should exist amongst the followers of various religions living in the same country because their secular interests are common. I do not agree with those people who want to see one religion before they dream of one nation, for, that time will never come. Our draw. back is not that we have so many religions in India, but that we lack in common sense. To be a united nation, I do not think it is necessary to sink our religious differences, for, it is differences alone that enrich Unity. We should rather have harmony of Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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