Page:Calcutta Review (1925) Vol. 16.djvu/395

1925] Mohammedan Nationality on this basis! The religious unity of the Mohammedans of different parts of India is being used as the magnet to draw the heterogeneous multitude together. Then an uniformity of language is being attempted to be introduced; of this more later on.

Though language is one of the strongest factors in the nation-building, yet the unity of language always does not make one nation. The community of language in the case of Aryan and Dravidian groups of languages do not exist in India. In this matter it falls short of Cunow’s formula; and a homogeneous Indian nation, then, is not possible? The nation is a complex of various factors. If the language factor fails here, other factors and affinities exist to bind the members of two language groups as one nation in juristic sense; but the mental homogeneity lacking here, sentiment of kindredship will be wanting and a homogeneous nation in cultural sense will not develop.

Thus though linguistically India is divided into two groups, the community of character developing out of community of fate will bind the future Indians together, though the case of the formation of a homogeneous nationality will remain doubtful. The fates of the former Austro-Hungarian monarchy and the Turkish empire serve us as examples.

As said beforehand the community of character and language is developing provincial nationalities, and in some cases it has developed different nationalities in the body-politics of India. But within some of these groups attempt is being made again, to develop nationality on the basis of religion and artificially introduced language. Thus the Mohammedans are trying to solidify the heterogeneous Islamic populations under the influence of religion and artificial (not mother-tongue) language. Attempt is being made on all parts of the country to make Urdu as the common language of these heterogeneous elements. The largest number of Mohammedans dwell in the Panjab and in Bengal. The