Page:My Dear Pranav.pdf/90

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

God's names as believed in by all religions.

In September 1962, Vinoba was allowed access to Assam through East Pakistan, as he was walking on foot for his bhoodan. Pakistan never had good relations with India. Vinoba was in a position to appeal to the heart of East Pakistani farmers as easily as he was in a position to do so everywhere else in India. And they responded equally well.

Vinoba said that his idea of India consisted of A B C as triangle, where A stood for Afghanistan, B for Burma, and C for Ceylon. He considered this landmass or sub-contient as one cultural unit. Its religions may be different, but culture remains the same. It is like a “common European home” for Europe. On 13th September, 1962 he suggested the idea of India-Pakistan Confederation as a solution to the problem of political divisions. He explained this idea in Rangpur in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). He wanted it as a first step towards World Confederation or Jai Jagat.

Vinoba’s holistic approach and very deep perception is clear in all his minor and major campaigns. His capacity to interpret old idioms in new contexts was remarkable. I have written to you from time to time about it.

With love,

Yours, L.N. Godbole

Letter FS


9th December, 1990 My dear Pranav,

Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a great statesman and parliamen- tarian was a prominent leader in the early part of the twentieth century. He was a contemporary of Lokmanya Bal Gandhar Tilak. Their approaches to the betterment of India were poles apart. Gokhale was a “gradualist”, and he wanted the consti-


80 �