Pt. Jawahar Lai Nehru was a great statesman. He is called the maker of modern India. He was the first Prime Minister of Independent India and remained on the post for 17 long years. Pt. Jawahar Lai Nehru made the democratic system in India more powerful and efficient. He was a supporter of liberal nationalism.
He led the country forward on the way of democracy. He motivated country and the countrymen to stay aloof from the two giant groups of the world. According to him, the emotional relation between man and the country is called nationalism.
The Pt. Nehru’s nationalism can be understood in the following point given below:
1. Support to moderate and balanced form of country:
According to Nehruji, nationalism provides the nation the historic lifeline arid the way of sustained development.when people of a nation start to stay separately from the remaining world, they cause to develop factionalism in the world. It is quite improper from the global viewpoint. Nowadays, no country can progress by ignoring the world.
2. Emotional aspect of Nationalism:
Nehruji supported the emotional aspect of nationalism. According to him, nationalism is a collective memory of achievements, heritage and experiences of the past. The nationalism was never so stronger as it is today. The feelings of nationalism become more powerful during crises. People have always tried hard to get strength and commitment from such nationalist sentiments.
3. Theory of National Independence:
According to Nehruji, independence is the first and last condition of nationalism. Every country must have control over its internal as well as external policies. He believed in the integrity and sovereignty of every nation.
4. Opposed Narrow Nationalism and Colonization:
Nehruji opposed the narrowness of Nationalism and Colonization. According to him the narrowness is the greatest enemy of the nationalism and globalism. If an imperialistic country for its political or economic selfishness, tries to harm any country, then it will be a hateful crime.
5. Adjustment among past, present and future:
Nehruji said that the evils of past must be avoided. He exhorted the people to be proud on the good things, think and act for a prosperous and golden future, take the present as an is peering power, be capable and able and then mould themselves with the challenges of the future.
6. Nationalism based on People’s Power:
Nehruji considered that our valleys, mountains, forests, rivers, etc might be beloved for us but the significance of a nation is“the People of the Country”. He said, “Bharat mata ki Jai means the victory of all of you as you are the integral part of India. It is you, whose union makes India.”
7. Secular Nationalism:
Nehruji believed in Secular Nationalism. He did not agree with the concept of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Maharishi Arvind Ghosh, Bal Gangadhrar Tilak, etc. on Hindu Nationalism. Nehruji was a firm secularist. He did not accept any kind of communalism. In fact his nationalism was creative, not destructive.
