FROM MAULANA’S DESK

making radical changes towards making France a strong state, while taking the risk that he may not get elected for a second term. In life it often happens that individuals or nations are unable to avail of the first chance. This is why they have to plan again for a second time. This is what happened with France: it was not able to avail of the first chance, as its leaders realized that they had been left far behind in the age of nuclear science. Then they engaged in re-planning, which was successful and France again became a powerful country of Europe. But the price of this re-planning was that when Charles De Gaulle died on 9 November 1970, he had lost his former popularity and very few people came to mark his funeral. De Gaulle suffered a personal setback, but France emerged with a stronger economy and an independent nuclear capability as the most powerful nation of Europe. This is a good example for India to emulate and with sound re-planning, we too can become a strong nation amongst the nations of the world. o Maulana Wahiduddin Khan editor@thespiritofislam.org Follow Maulana at speakingtree.in Peace is the Only Religion Peace is the only religion for both man and the universe. In a peaceful environment all good things are possible, whereas in the absence of peace, we cannot achieve anything of a positive nature, either as individuals, or as a community. The same holds true at national and international levels.