Maharaja.Ranjit.Sing.. - Gurmat Veechar

section of political parties, led by Mr. Kuldip Nayar,
made a petition to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha for
admitting a motion on the subject for debate.
The response of the then governments ( in 1947
and 1953 ) led by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was indeed
lukewarm, perhaps for the reasons that the country was
fresh from the yoke of centuries of slavery and plunder,
had before it a number of vastly important issues crying
for attention and had yet to gain its bruised confidence
and self-pride. The role of the British in our economic
reconstruction and international affairs was indisputable
and the country could ill-afford to annoy the people,
the government and the Royalty of a friendly nation.
A lot of water has since flown down both the
Ganges and the Thames. The youthful and resurgent
Indian Nation has restored its pride and looks to the
future with hope and confidence. It is on way to
becoming an economic and scientific super-power and
will have an increasingly important place in
international affairs. On the other hand, the Indian
community in the U.K. has come of age and has e..~ned,
by dint of hardwork and merit, its rightful place in the
economic, social and political life of the country. The
bond between the U.K. and India as independent,
sovereign entities has been well tested during the past
over 50 years and has strengthened. New generations
with new vigour and vitality, new capabilities and
competences, new hopes and aspirations, new problems
and priorities, and a futuristic outlook, are now on the
scene in both the countries and therefore, the issue
needs to be examined in a fresh perspective with the
future in mind rather than the past.