If we take spirituality as a pursuit of individual in his journey towards the highest then any kind of politics has little value except as a passing distraction or in so far as it helps create a collective atmosphere conducive to the spiritual seeking. In this sense we can see this digging as part of the general revival in certain cultural values that once helped the spiritual and national life of India. However in doing so we should be careful to take into account the new conditions. To revive or stick to the old forms is to take the clock backwards. It is like the parable of Sati whose corpse had to be destroyed by Vishnu so that Sati herself can take a new body in the mountains. It is the spirit that is eternal and must be preserved but given new forms that take into account the march of civilisation. The digging therefore should not become a means to insult and humiliate a whole mass of mankind who, for good or worse, are here to stay. We have to find ways and means to deal with the problem of Muslims in India, through enactment of laws, rather than through appeasement or through denigration. It is sometimes a thin line but hate and retribution are never a strong footing to build a national life. The digging, in my view, should be limited to the most important symbols and icons. One should be careful especially that in wrestling with an enemy we do not unwittingly assume or identify with some of his characteristics. Hate is a very strong emotion, the other side of love and hence when we hate someone we tend to acquire the very things that we hate. These few diggings therefore should be seen as nothing more than part of a national revival rather than a means to earn political points or to go overboard and completely disrupt the life that has organically grown around it.
However behind these movements there are larger forces at play that use human beings as instruments. There is a force justice that comes to clear the way before the Age of Truth can take firm roots. From the perspective of a wider spirituality that takes into account the world march one can see the movement of nationalism as a necessary part of digging and clearing the past of the earth. There is the catharsis of supressed subconscious anguish that lingers as a deeply embedded pain incurred during the Age of Empires. The only way to avoid it is a deep introspection within the groups whose ancestors once inflicted grave wounds on a civilisation. That seems unlikely and hence the assault of forces seems relentless. Anyways these are passing phases. Once the collective pain is released there will be genuine efforts at a discovering a larger principle of harmony and unity in the spiritual evolution of mankind that awaits its hour.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
