By Justice (R) Markandey Katju (India)
The newly formed Ishq Karo Party (IKP) has received a remarkable response on social media. Many people initially misunderstood the name, assuming it to be a light-hearted or romantic expression. Some even thought it was a joke, perhaps a Valentine’s Day-style invitation to young people. That, however, is a complete misconception.
The Ishq Karo Party is a serious endeavour. It has been created to address one of the most urgent needs of India today: the need for unity among its people. By “ishq”, we do not mean romantic attraction between men and women. We mean love for India and for all the people who live in it, irrespective of religion, caste, language, region, or race.
India today faces enormous challenges. Poverty remains widespread. Unemployment has created frustration and insecurity among millions. Child malnutrition continues at an alarming level. Healthcare and quality education are still beyond the reach of large sections of the population. Prices of essential commodities continue to rise, making life increasingly difficult for ordinary citizens. Alongside these economic and social hardships, caste and communal hostilities have deepened divisions within society.
These problems cannot be solved by a divided people. A nation fragmented by caste, religion, language, and race cannot wage the kind of collective struggle required to overcome poverty, unemployment, hunger, and backwardness. Unity is not merely a moral ideal; it is a historical necessity.
Unfortunately, the people of India are today often divided by selfish political forces. Many political leaders do not genuinely care for the welfare of the people. Their principal concern is power, position, and personal gain. For electoral advantage, they exploit caste, communal, linguistic, and regional identities. They polarise society, create suspicion, and weaken the collective strength of the people.
The objective of the Ishq Karo Party is to combat this divisive tendency and promote genuine unity among Indians. We must develop love for all our people, not only for those who belong to our own caste, religion, language, or region. Only such love can become the emotional foundation for a mighty people’s struggle a jan sangharsh, led by modern-minded, secular, patriotic leaders.
The word “ishq” has a deep cultural and philosophical meaning. In Urdu poetry, which has been profoundly influenced by Sufi thought, ishq does not merely signify physical love. It often refers to a higher love: love for truth, justice, God, humanity, or a noble ideal. In this sense, ishq is a consuming passion for something greater than oneself.
Ghalib wrote: “Ishq par zor nahi hai yeh woh aatish Ghalib
Ki lagaaye na lage aur bujhaaye na bane.”
This ishq is not ordinary sentiment. It is an inner fire. It cannot be mechanically produced, nor can it easily be extinguished once it has taken hold of the heart. It is this kind of passion that has moved history forward.
All great revolutionaries and nation-builders possessed ishq in this sense. George Washington was a wealthy landowner, yet he accepted the risk of leading the American struggle for independence against British rule. Had the British captured him, he could have been hanged as a rebel. In England, Cromwell and his followers fought against royal absolutism. In France, revolutionary leaders like Robespierre and Marat challenged the old order. In Russia, Lenin dedicated his life to transforming society. Whether one agrees with every aspect of their politics or not, one cannot deny the intensity of their commitment.
India too has known such figures. Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Surya Sen, and Khudiram Bose gave their lives for the freedom of the country. Their ishq was not private emotion; it was patriotic devotion. The famous line “sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai” became the battle cry of an entire generation willing to sacrifice itself for India’s liberation.
Today, India again requires such passion not for hatred, revenge, or sectarian dominance, but for national reconstruction. We need people who possess ishq for India, who can rise above narrow identities and dedicate themselves to the welfare of the masses. The country needs modern, scientific, secular, and patriotic leadership capable of guiding the people towards social and economic transformation.
The real transformation of India can begin only when its people are united. Taking advantage of India’s tremendous diversity, internal and external enemies have always attempted to divide us.
The Ishq Karo Party seeks to organise genuine patriots who understand that love, unity, and social justice are inseparable. Its purpose is to awaken the Indian people, strengthen fraternity, and prepare the ground for a new political and social order in which India can rapidly industrialise, eliminate poverty, provide employment, ensure education and healthcare, and steadily raise the standard of living of its citizens.
India does not need more hatred. It needs ishq — a passionate love for the country and all its people. That is the message and mission of the Ishq Karo Party.
Author is a jurist, philosopher and Former Justice of Supreme Court of India.
