Latest news with #Indianness
The Wire
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Nationalism Is a Dishonourable Social Construct
Two thought-provoking pieces by Yogendra Yadav and Suhas Palshikar made for a fascinating debate on the texture and trajectory of Indian nationalism. Yadav argues that the rich legacy of Indian nationalism from our freedom movement which was about 'belonging without othering' and unity sans uniformity, has been overwhelmed in the last decade by a Nazi version that upholds national interest over individual freedom and identifies the government with the nation. But he also blames the liberal, secular elite for the regression in the pristine nationalist spirit, charging them with a 'deracinated cosmopolitism' that ignored the cultural and spiritual undertone, because of which they lost touch with the common man. Palshikar is emphatic that nothing can mitigate the virtual dismantling of nationalism by the current regime through practice and ideology which, he believes, is not backsliding 'but a resolute replacement of Indian nationalism'. He contends that excoriating the secular-liberal elite as abettors for the crisis in Indian nationalism, as Yadav has done, is to attach significance to a marginal force. Of much greater import were the deep fissures that were evolving in the late 19th and early 20th century between an inclusive Indian nationalism and its phoney alternative that was 'rooted in othering and instrumental unity without genuine belonging.' To add my twopenny bit, notwithstanding the toxic faith-based majoritarian nationalism germinating on the side, our nationalism was not in a bad place until the 1980s. Yogendra Yadav may turn up his nose at my lived experience of an that was pluralistic, inclusive and grounded in democratic values where we didn't need to prove our Indianness or be judged by the clothes we wore or the size of our eyes; nor did we feel the need to tamper with historical facts or denigrate our freedom fighters in order to craft an alternative Hindutva nationalist vision. I remember an unselfconscious nationalism, respectful of religion but not obsessed with it, a milieu where our patriotic instincts were fired up by the histrionics of 'Mr Bharat' Manoj Kumar and the dulcet tones of Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. There was no deliberate fostering of deep cultural and spiritual traditions but that 'shallow modernity and deracinated cosmopolitanism' worked very well for us. If only we could get back that nationalist spirit. In debating Indian nationalism – good and bad – these two public intellectuals have broached a subject of the greatest significance. It has turned the world upside-down, particularly in the last decade. The nationalism that we witness today is the depraved patriotism of the mob. In truth, nationalism has been commandeered to legitimise all forms of bigotry. In the crazy world that we live in, the insurrectionists who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, are released and hailed as nationalists whereas the protestors in Los Angeles fighting for justice against the authoritarian Trump regime are hounded as anti-nationals. It is necessary to draw a distinction between nationalism and patriotism in terms of the emotive quality of loyalty to the nation. Nationalism invokes blind support for everything the country does –a syndrome that incites aggressive assertion and a lust for power, whereas patriotism is tolerant, humane and critical of actions that are destructive of the values that the country cherishes. Is it any wonder then that the world's great minds were not enamoured of nationalism? H.G. Wells condemned nationalism as 'a monstrous can't that has darkened all human affairs.' He believed that our true nationality was mankind. Rabindranath Tagore was no devotee of the constrictive tendencies associated with attachment to the nation which he viewed as 'holding up gigantic selfishness as the one universal religion.' Dr B.R. Ambedkar was wary of a nationalism 'that is at once a feeling of fellowship for one's own kith and kin and an anti-fellowship feeling for those who are not one's own kith and kin.' He warned that loyalty to the nation was endangered by competitive loyalty to religion, to culture and to language. The iconic revolutionary Bhagat Singh represented a nationalism that was the very antithesis of what's being practised today. His nationalism was anchored in his atheism and signified much more than driving out the British. It meant ridding our society of the evils of casteism, untouchability and communalism. Sadly, today he is glorified but his revolutionary nationalism that was centred on the oppressed and the poor has been overwhelmed by one that is cruelly majoritarian and focussed entirely on the needs of the privileged. 'Where guns boom' Today's nationalism bears an eerie correspondence with the German experiment of the 1930s that played on the fears and prejudice of the majority. The most obvious similarity is between the Nazi doctrine of nationhood based on an exclusive ethnic German-Aryan homogeneity and rabid antisemitism vis-a-vis our indigenous fascist mobilisation constructed on a deviant interpretation of religion and morbid hatred of the Muslim. And just as Hitler expanded his enemy list of Jews to include communists, Catholics and liberals, the current regime has gone way beyond targeting Muslims and Christians as the archetypal 'Other', to branding all dissenters as the 'ant-national, tukde - tukde gang'. Prime minister Narendra Modi has been given the credit for bestowing the name 'Operation Sindoor' to the military operation post Pahalgam, so clearly his camp followers think it's a great appellation. But how blasphemous to bestow an offensive military campaign with the moniker of 'sindoor' which is so sacred to the institution of the Hindu marriage, especially for the woman. It is as inappropriate a name as the one given by the USA to its largest non-nuclear explosive weighing 9,800 kgs, labelled 'the mother of all bombs'. That great humanist, the late Pope Francis was outraged: 'A mother gives life and this one gives death…What's going on?' The fig leaf of national interest and security have been used by this Government as a pretext for the furtive secrecy surrounding the Pahalgam horror and the aftermath. The nation is still in the dark about the murderers, the intelligence failure, the number of our planes shot down and fate of the pilots, Jaishankar's self-defeating forewarning to Pakistan, Trump's alleged intervention, our suicidal foreign policy that has all our neighbours gunning for us and a lot more. The bizarre decision to keep Operation Sindoor alive is clearly intended to avoid owning up to failure on multiple fronts. Arthur Miller had observed that 'when the guns boom, the arts die', but with Operation Sindoor it is not the arts but truth that has got buried. The nationalist fervour gripping the country has confused and equated loyalty to the nation with fealty to the government, though crafty ones like Shashi Tharoor have used it for their own self-serving purposes. Nationalism is the subterfuge for officially sponsored propaganda, downright falsehoods, jingoism, moral grandstanding and for treating dissent as anti-national. Modi's flurry of ' goli khaao' speeches following the ceasefire, are testimony to this ugly manipulation of nationalism. Look at what nationalism has spawned across the world. The likes of Zionist nationalist Benjamin Netanyahu and MAGA white racist Donald Trump – post-modern versions of the Fuhrer and Duce – flaunt the badge of nationalism to wreak death and suffering. Let's all agree that Howard Zinn was spot on when he observed: 'Nationalism – that devotion to a flag, an anthem, a boundary so fierce it engenders mass murder – is one of the great evils of our time along with racism and religious hatred.' Mathew John is a former civil servant. Views are personal. This piece was first published on The India Cable – a premium newsletter from The Wire & Galileo Ideas – and has been updated and republished here. To subscribe to The India Cable, click here. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
United News of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Volunteers should work for social transformation through Panch Parivartan: Mohan Bhagwat
Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh), June 18 (UNI) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat today said that India has been a Hindu nation since ancient times and this has been decided by the Hindu society this information, RSS Varg Karyavah Dr. Pratap Singh said Bhagwat had come on a four-day tour to theRashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Karyakarta Vikas Varg Pratham, and addressed students on the last day of the tour today. Bhagwat told the students that in the centenary year of the Sangh, every volunteer should go to the society with the topics of Panch Parivartan - social harmony, family enlightenment, environment, civic duty and indigenous lifestyle. This will bring positive change to society. Indianness should be reflected in the mother language, attire, bhajans, food, travel, etc. Modernisation is not bad but blind imitation of the West is not right. Pratap Singh said Bhagwat also replied to the queries of the students on various topics of national importance. UNI ZC SSP
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
RCB coach Andy Flower: ‘Indian insight, knowledge in coaching staff was important'
Ahmedabad : Much like the team, RCB's backroom boys also came together as a cohesive unit. and Mo Bobat, the head coach and director of cricket respectively, forged a successful partnership during their stint with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Add to that the astute Dinesh Karthik and the tactical acumen of bowling coach Omkar Salvi, and RCB had a mix of intentional flavour and men who had their ears to the ground in domestic cricket. Also, with the likes of Malolan Rangarajan, the Indianness among the coaching staff is unmistakable. Flower, acknowledging the role of the Indian coaches — Karthik in particular — pointed out, 'I think having that Indian insight and knowledge in our coaching staff has been really important for this campaign this year. DK particularly, I think, as mentor and batting specialist, he's been brilliant. I've loved working with him.' 'A particularly special feeling': Andy Flower hails Virat Kohli, RCB after historic title win Karthik went from one of RCB's best finishers last year to batting coach and mentor this season. On the former wicketkeeper-batter's growth, Flower stated, 'He's got great energy. He's got a smile on his face most of the time. And I think he's really enjoyed his job this year. It's quite a transition to make from playing to coaching, and he's done it amazingly well.'
India Gazette
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Gazette
Delhi : President Droupadi Murmu confers National Florence Nightingale awards 2025
New Delhi [India], May 30 (ANI): President of India Droupadi Murmu on Friday presented the National Florence Nightingale Awards for the year 2025 to nurses from across the country in recognition of their meritorious services. The award ceremony was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President's Secretariat said in a statement. This year's awardees include nursing professionals from various states and union territories, representing categories such as Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), Lady Health Visitor (LHV), and Staff Nurse. From the ANM category, the awardees included Reba Rani Sarkar (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Valiveti Subhavathi (Andhra Pradesh), Saroj Fakirbhai Patel (Dadar & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu), Raziya Beegum P B (Lakshadweep), and Sujata Ashok Bagul (Maharashtra). In the LHV category, Ms Bina Pani Deka from Assam was honoured. Under the Nurse category, the award was conferred on Kijum Sora Karga (Arunachal Pradesh), Dimple Arora (Delhi), Major General Sheena P D (Delhi), Dr Banu M R (Karnataka), Leimapokpam Ranjita Devi (Manipur), Ms V Lalhmangaihi (Mizoram), L S Manimozhi (Puducherry), K Alamelu Mangayarkarasi (Tamil Nadu), and Doli Biswas (West Bengal). The ceremony acknowledged the unwavering dedication and commitment of nurses who have played a crucial role in strengthening India's healthcare system, particularly in underserved and remote areas. Meanwhile, on Thursday, President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated a two-day 'Literary Conference: How Much Has Literature Changed?' at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre in New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that since her student days, she has felt respect and gratitude towards literature and writers. With time, this feeling of special respect for literature has become even deeper. It was her wish that many writers should come to Rashtrapati Bhavan. She appreciated the Ministry of Culture and Sahitya Akademi for organizing this conference. The President stated that our country boasts a multitude of languages and an infinite diversity of literary traditions. But in this diversity, the vibration of Indianness is felt. This sense of Indianness is also deeply ingrained in the collective subconscious of our country. She said that she considers all the languages and dialects of the country as her language and dialect and the literature of all languages as her own.(ANI)
India Gazette
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Gazette
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates two-day literary conference at Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday inaugurated a two-day 'Literary Conference: How Much Has Literature Changed?' at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre in New Delhi, President's Secretariat said. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that since her student days, she has had a feeling of respect and gratitude towards literature and litterateurs. With time, this feeling of special respect for literature has become even deeper. It was her wish that many litterateurs should come to Rashtrapati Bhavan. She appreciated the Ministry of Culture and Sahitya Akademi for organizing this conference. The President stated that our country boasts a multitude of languages and an infinite diversity of literary traditions. But in this diversity, the vibration of Indianness is felt. This sense of Indianness is also deeply ingrained in the collective subconscious of our country. She said that she considers all the languages and dialects of the country as her language and dialect and the literature of all languages as her own. The President said that the establishment of enduring human values amidst changing contexts is the identity of timeless literature. As society and social institutions have changed, challenges and priorities have changed, and changes have been seen in literature as well. But there is something in literature that remains relevant even after centuries. The literary contexts of affection and compassion keep changing but their emotional background does not change. Taking inspiration from literature, human dreams and makes them come true. The President said that today's literature cannot be didactic. Today's literature cannot be a sermon. Today's literature cannot be a book of morals. Today's writer walks along like a fellow traveler, sees and shows; experiences, and makes others experience. She expressed confidence that in this literary gathering, a constructive dialogue will be established between the speakers and the participants. On Friday, the Conference will deliberate on topics such as 'Feminist Literature of India: Breaking New Grounds'; 'Change in Literature vs. Literature of Change'; and 'New Directions of Indian Literature in Global Perspective'. It will conclude with the saga of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar celebrating her 300th anniversary. (ANI)
