Analysis
By Dr. Jaipal Singh
Nationalism and Freedom of Expression are valued concepts in the democratic world but, at the same time, very often misinterpreted and abused too in the context of the Indian polity and society as well. Ordinarily, the nationalism is taken as a politico-social and economic system by promoting the interests of a sovereign country free from any outside interference and linked with the concept of freedom of speech and self-determination. In a nutshell, the concept of nationalism is identified and fostered with a sustained national identity based on the shared values like identical past, culture, language, belief system, political objectives, and so. Many a time, people loosely tend to synonymize the nationalism with the patriotism despite a delicate difference that a nationalist feels allegiance and pride for his country in a sort of unflinching patronage often de-linking with merits, while every patriot is proud of his country for what he does for it i.e. an inclination with a committed sense of responsibility.
Unfortunately in post-independent India, even the connotation and nuances of the nationalism changed depending upon who is talking about it. For instance, if a Hindu person talks about the nationalism, he is often interpreted as a rightist and Hindu nationalist by certain ilk of politicians, media, and the traditional Indian secularists/liberals, who hold the “Hindu nationalism” as a potentially dangerous and serious threat to the modern India as a secular nation. On the other hand, the same set of people often self-certify themselves as the true nationalist and patriot. Then just because the particular minority holds their religion above the country or nation, some political parties and people with so-called left-centric and left ideology avoid even making a reference to nationalism lest it may hurt sensitivities of the minorities and adversely affect the former's electoral base. Then some left parties go to the extent of referring genuine nationalist sentiments as “hyper-nationalism”.
Oxygenating Anti-Nationalism in
Indian Environment
During the freedom struggle against the British colonial rule, the nation clearly had two sets of nationalist and patriotic freedom fighters. The first set of people were mostly represented by the dominant leaders and followers of the Indian National Congress, way back created by a British national in 1885, who were moderate pursuing middle path and often friendly to the British rulers. The second set of freedom fighters were hardcore patriots mostly revolutionaries and some Congress leaders such as Subhash Chandra Bose, who were not averse to even armed struggle to secure freedom from the British. But the irony of the politics is such that the latter category suffered to the maximum extent during the British rule making sacrifices of life and possessions for the cause of freedom while the former category all along received good treatment from the British even when imprisoned and, ultimately, the British chose them only for the transfer of power in August 1947.
Initially for many years, the Congressmen and Communists remained the only significant political parties with the former ruling the country under Jawaharlal Nehru and later by his pedigree politicians. Although the partition of the country was accepted on communal lines by carving out an independent nation (Pakistan) for Muslims, the majority of them later stayed back in India under a political agreement and leaders of the nation opted for a secular and democratic political set up for India. Subsequently, the Congress found it convenient and beneficial for the party to constantly follow the appeasement policy for the minorities (mainly Muslims & Christians) to remain in power and several legislations favorable to them were made accordingly. The height of appeasement could be seen from the Congress Ex-Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh who is on record to state in 52nd meeting of National Development Council (NDC) that the government have to devise innovative plans to ensure that the minorities, particularly Muslims, have first charge on the national resources sharing the fruits of development.
Thus discrimination in dealing with various communities for a long time, particularly at the socio-political and economic cost of the majority Hindu community, clubbed with the appeasement of minorities have, in fact, created rift and division among communities rather than joining them for an integrated development. Later on several communists and region based socialist parties too resorted to same plank of appeasement to garner their electoral mandate giving tough competition to the Congress. Besides, the Congress and allies also simultaneously fostered and groomed a section of media and intellectuals/liberals on the concept of the shared common interests and benefits; and in effect this ecology of politicians, media and intellectuals/liberals have by and large dominated the Indian political scene for the decades. The first setback to this symbiotic ecology occurred in May 2014, when the Indian electorate gave a clear majority and reigns of the Central Government to Prime Minister Narendra Modi led National Democratic Alliance, with Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) emerging with a comfortable majority.
Since early 1990s, no political party had ever received a clear mandate from the Indian electorate at the national level. However, Mr. Narendra Modi led BJP was elected again in 2019 Parliamentary Election with a massive mandate and clear majority. For the first time in the last several decades, India is not only experiencing an integrated and wholesome development in all sectors but also its reputation has considerable gone up in the international community. However, these favorable developments have only heightened sheer frustration and disappointment to the power hungry and selfish opposition politicians, and their sympathetic media and intellectuals/liberals so much so that criticism or opposition have no more remained merit-based; instead, they now tend to oppose every, action, policy or program the Central Government. This criticism and opposition is often so intense and mindless that their action goes against the interests of the very nation itself and can be easily categorized as anti-national activity. Such people with their anti-national activities or actions harmful for the nation could be broadly summarized under the following categories.
- Mainstream Opposition Political Parties
Enormous poll debacle in 2014 and 2019 parliamentary elections followed by consecutive failures of the party to convince voters in many state assemblies' elections in Northern India and other parts have left serious impact on the morale and psyche of the Congress Party. Besides, the zero-tolerance policy of Modi Government against corruption has also put on dock several party leaders including members of the dynastic family with a question mark on their future in the party with ongoing investigations and criminal court cases. A party which has ruled the country directly or through proxy for a long period since independence is simply unable to compromise with the present nemesis. Consequently, the Congress and some other mainstream opposition parties like the Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janta Dal, Aam Admi Party and some others with dubious and doubtful credentials or integrity have resorted to oppose every move or action of the present Central Government as also the BJP governments in the states out of sheer desperation and in a hurry to dislodge Mr Narendra Modi and the BJP.
This opposition and criticism of the Modi Government has grown to the extent that on many occasions these political parties and their leaders are found pitted against the national interests. For the illustration's sake, just a few examples of their unwarranted criticism, opposition and vigorous protests against the Removal of the Article 370 in Kashmir, Rafale Deal with France, Demonetization, Citizenship Amendment Act, GST Reforms, Ram Mandir Case, Central Vista Project, legislation against the evil practice of triple talaq, World Yoga Day, introduction of the Bullet and Vande Bharat trains, the Statue of Unity, and New Parliament House are quoted here. Thanks to the hypocrisy and partisan approach of the major opposition parties like the Congress, and their boycott of its inauguration on silly pretexts, the Western media has already started calling the New Parliament House as a “controversial Parliament” made by the “Hindu nationalist ruling party”. Even the armed forces of India have not been spared by the Congress and some other opposition parties in that the two surgical strikes against terrorists on the Pakistan soil by the army and air force during the recent years and their valor and successes against ever hostile China during the prolonged Doklam stand-off in 2019 and Galwan Valley clash in 2020 have been openly questioned at the national and international forums by them. The leaders of Congress have not stopped here; instead, some of them such as Mani Shankar Aiyyer in Pakistan and the Gandhi scion in UK have been found seeking foreign support during abroad visits to change the existing regime by levying imaginary charges and fears. To be continued….
(The Author is a retired civil servant and freelancer; His core areas of specialization have been public administration, finance, information technology, human resource development, budget and planning, and legal matters) (Courtesy: Boloji.com
