Nationality Question and National Integration: Reflections on Paradoxes Confronting the Indian State

The paper examines the nationality questionin India and takes a critical look at the role of theIndian state in dealing with the problems ofnationalities primarily by using the unifying ideologyof ‘national integration’ as a process of statebuilding.It focuses on the reactions of differentnationalities, with special reference to the responsesof some regional parties which have been articulatingthe aspirations of smaller nationalities, to attempts atassimilation and examines the contradictions arisingout of the two parallel processes of nationalintegration and identity assertion by nationalities. Thepaper concludes by observing that the aspirations ofnationalities need not come in conflict with statebuildingin India, provided the Indian State refrainsfrom all assimilationist moves including a resort to aforced integration which will alienate rather thanintegrate the emerging nationalities