Nationalism- Ver. 20.16

For the past few weeks, my Facebook page is flooded with all kinds of articles and news clips and quotes. I have shared a few as well, which I found appropriate. Being a Theory of Knowledge teacher, I could not but think what prompted me to select a few articles and share while leaving the rest to become ghosts in my own personal digital history?

The issues that are being considered from all fronts remain the same which have piqued the interest of philosophers- What is meant by nationalism, patriotism, democracy, secularism etc and above all the liberty of us in the supposedly largest democracy of the world

Needless to say, that the concept of every modern state rest on these ideals.However, the recent academic outrage and the common man’s divided opinion leads me to try to understand these ideals in relation to recent scenario unfolding in India.

In 1947, gaining independence seemed easy compared to the perils that the new nation faced- partition,  communal riots and massacre, a war at the front, death of a revered visionary leader and a government at the helm who had spent most of their pre-independence days in jail or under house arrest. Nevertheless, we had the plan laid out in front of us- with over 170 million poor the plan laid out depended heavily on industry instead of agriculture and irrigation. In the second five year plan, the focus shifted to industries with massive import. No doubt, the price rose by 30%. And then onward, it has been a careful tap dance by each successive government. The first government had already sworn its allegiance to certain group of people- the upcoming industrialists and a retinue of middlemen.

Over the successive policies and systems and numerous plans in place, the state of the nation’s health remains same –Massive number of malnourished, hungry, uneducated, unskilled young population. The new government at the helm has already revamped and put forth 55 policies and schemes of entitlements or "yojona"- eager as a child to show how different and lovable they are from the old one.From the very beginning instead of listening to Gandhi whom the politicians conveniently called Bapu, the strengthening of clerical education continued with emphasis on Universities than primary schools. IITs were set up but not many primary schools opened. Hence the disparities grew- between rich and poor, between employed and unemployed, between marginalized and the mainstream upper castes. Scientific education was and still is limited to only a few. When resentment grew, politicians knew how to appease the masses because they had taken their lesson from history – from the best people actually- so divide and rule followed. Instead of secular policies, the various policies of appeasement was started and is still continuing. Where else on earth would you find a secular government paying money for the marriage of Muslim girls instead of paying for their education. This is the story of secularism in India.

The idea and the state sanctified version of nationalism is closely tied with this policy of deception followed even from Pre-independence days. Tokenism was the rule of the hour- so starting from Gandhi in South Africa- the Dalits , the Muslims were accepted as  a mere tool to gain power vis a vis independence.  In the entire history of Indian National Congress in its 130 years of existence, we find just a handful of Muslim and Dalit names. A country or a party evolves through experiences just like an individual. Hence Congress is always afraid of a rerun of events leading to Poona Pact. Thus, instead of eradicating this menace to civilization once and for all, it continues to treat the issue as a situational skirmish and individual resentments. And when the appeasement fails, comes the rhetoric that have made them almost the owner of Indian freedom struggle- the idea of patriotism and nationalism. So Bapu is called upon again and the ghost of the great statesman saves the sycophancy from total annihilation.

For a country like India, with 22 scheduled languages, diverse customs, a straight-jacketed idea of nationalism as that of Ireland or Italy or Germany would be difficult to fathom, let alone work. Our idea of nationalism is as diverse as the land we live in.

Borrowing from Tagore, here is one idea of nationalism- “Patriotism cannot be our final spiritual shelter; my refuge is humanity. I will not buy glass for the price of diamonds, and I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live. ”And at the other spectrum of the idea is the belief of Netaji Subhash Chandra- “Nationalism is inspired by the highest ideals of the human race, the truth, the God, the beautiful.”

The political nationalism of Netaji that is flaunted so much nowadays is a borrowed concept from the West; born of war, guilt and millions of death and destruction. Modern India is still a land as ancient as the civilizations of the world, born at a time when the West did not exist. The customs, the philosophy born from this ancient land is quite different. Here the society gives rise to kings and government and not the other way round. The idea itself is a failed concept that has already caused numerous fragmentation of the land on the basis of language, people of Telengana being the last victims.  The tribals, the marginalised people, the upper castes, the states with their languages- each has their own brand of nationalism where the loyalty and priority shifts with time and situation.

When it is convenient, go for regional autonomy, otherwise, talk about national unity. So whenever there is an exchange of fire at the border, suddenly we are reminded of our sacred duty to defend our land. At all other times, we are happy to see our caste, our language, our region prosper at the cost of social, secular interests of the country as a nation.

 It is so amazing that what Tagore said a hundred years ago still holds true-“Yes, this is the logic of the Nation. And it will never heed the voice of truth and goodness.It will go on in its ring-dance of moral corruption, linking steel unto steel, and machine unto machine; trampling under its tread all the sweet flowers of simple faith and the living ideals of man.” 

It is time that we upheld that simple faith and the living ideals of man and not this profound and all engulfing hatred called as Nationalism.