Once that problem was sorted out they live as one nation with a sense of political unity. All these examples clearly bring out the fact that political unity and sense of common nationhood need not depend on religious unity but on political, historical and cultural factors. Religious nationalism is not a viable category as same religion can be, and oten is, embraced by different racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Religion, it should be remembered, is a spiritual and moral category whereas nationalism is a political cum territorial category. The two should not be confused together.
Composite culture can be a more viable base for nationalism than religion alone.
Religion provides for common spiritual experience and shared moral and ethical vision whereas nationalism provides for shared political concerns, cultural practices and historical heritage. South Asia had such common heritage. Its division was brought about by extraneous factors like British imperial policies rather than by differences of religion. A South Asian confederation is a must for this region to usher peace and prosperity in the region. There are also political theorists in post colonial period who reject the whole idea of nationalism.