Recent discourse on nationalism in the light of JNU controversies needs a thorough review.
In the parliamentary debates and elsewhere, our elected
representatives barring the N D a and allies, tried to insist upon the point
that “nationalism was a dangerous idea because it was fascism in disguise,” as
the noted journalist Tavleen Singh puts it.
During TV shows the same argument was put forward by
numerous communist leaders and their sympathisers. Some of them quoted Tagore
as the staunch opponent of the term nationalism. They forgot that the same
Tagore had returned his Nobel Prize as he loved India and could not tolerate
the colonial forces oppressing Indian aspirations. Had he not been a
nationalist he would not have considered himself as an Indian and returned the
highest honour.
At a critical time, when the world is facing the grave
threats from the extremists and the terrorists all over, when the U S,
supported by the European Union, is trying to control the world by the
international agencies like the united nations organization, the world Bank,
the international Monitory Fund etc., when Islamic fundamentalism, strengthened
with the Arab support, is ready to use its devastating forces on innocent men
and women world over, we cannot run away from our responsibility which calls
upon all lovers of India to join hands for sacrificing our self-interests for
the greater cause of assuring the safety and security of our motherland.
What is nationalism?
Nationalism is
nothing but one’s love for his country and his motherland. When the British
established their oppressive rule in India, this very feeling of nationalism
inspired common men and women of the nation sacrifice their lives in the
struggle for the liberty of the motherland from the blood sucking clutches of
the colonial regime. Martyrs like Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh Bismil etc.
made the supreme sacrifice for the independence of India. Netaji moved many
steps forward and established the Indian National Army for the same cause
wherein, thousands of the Indian soldiers, who had been previously fighting
under the British flag, joined Netaji in his noble mission. It was through
these greatest of efforts of our common masses enlightened with the sentiment
of nationalism that we attained our freedom after millions of our youth
dedicated all that they could, including their lives, in honour of the
motherland that they loved passionately and could not tolerate that someone see
mother India with evil eyes.
The present scenario:
Now let us see the meaning of nationalism in the present
context. In J N U campus, people hurled abuses upon our motherland, they
shouted slogans vowing for the disintegration of India, showed disrespect to
our judiciary by referring to the decisions of the highest judiciary as
“judicial killings”, and the students who were present there, remained silent.
They maintained calm and composure. They could not think that insulting India
was equal to insulting Indians as India consist of Indians. They could not
connect themselves with India. Hence, the anti-national elements kept on
raising highly objectionable slogans and the JNU students kept on watching the
situation. No objections raised, no protests were made, no frustration was
expressed, and no remorse was seen. After a while, some of the students tried
to protest but these voices were suppressed in the name of right to expression.
In favour of the antinational elements, many voices were heard stating that it
was the right to expression in respect of the sloganeers. Later on, the
Print/Electronic media advocated the same and tried to justify the antinational
elements in the name of right to expression. Therefore, it is high time that we
consider the idea of freedom of expression in terms of our national interests.
I shall not go into legal complications – let the legal
fraternity take legal decisions. Neither shall I go into the constitutional
provisions regarding the freedom of speech. There had been lovers of India even
before we got our constitution. My only concern is the integrity and security
of India. The actions which have the tendency to weaken the unity and integrity
of our country, the expressions which can give strength of justification to our
enemies, the behaviour which is unworthy of being an Indian and above all, the
freedom which may lead to strengthening of terror networks has been and is the
reason to worry to me.
When we consider the recent occurrences of JNU, we find
that anti-national sentiments have been systematically working there for long.
These happenings cannot take place in just some days or weeks. In the name of
freedom of expression, antinational sentiments are being encouraged in the
University campus. Maoist insurgents have joined hands with Kashmiri
separatists. Communists are giving political support to this. Congress is
supporting the same in the hope that it may weaken BJP and hence it may prove
to be to their benefit. Presently, other political parties also think in terms
on joining hands with congress and communists in order to weaken the BJP. Thus,
the political support which is seen in the JNU row, is more in terms of
dislodging BJP than the support to the freedom of expression. The political
class thinks, most of the time, in terms of its political interest. Divided opposition
cannot withstand the majoritarian BJP approach. To make a dent in the ruling regime,
opposition needs one or the other issue. JNU anti-national brigade has given
them a big one. Communists are comparing the arrest of their student leader
with the emergency rule of the congress. And the irony is that the congress has
no objection to this comparison. Questions are raised over the sedition charges
clamped upon some of the students. Police action against the anti-national
elements is considered as an attack on the autonomy of the Universities. The opposition
is trying to make it an issue of atrocities on Dalits connecting the JNU issue
with the suicide of a student in Telangana University. The government of the
day is charged with political interference in the autonomy of universities and
institutes. And the last but not the least, nationalism is being compared with
fascism.
However, no government can tolerate anti-national
approach; be it by some students of JNU or Kashmiri terror brigade. In the name
of freedom of expression, if we condone the antinational slogan raising, if we
do not curb antinational sentiments, if we let the antinational forces work
unnoticed, no surprise then, that the insurgent views would evolve and revolve
unregulated. Terror outfits would be easily able to brainwash innocent men and
women and very soon an army of nexels, a brigade of home grown terrorists, and
an antinational force of India’s own citizens would be challenging our forces. We
will have to face a civil war. We have seen the same in Punjab. The political
class used Sikhs as a tool to weaken the then Government of Morarji Desai. In this
process, Sikh devotee Sant Bhindranwale became a terrorist. Our forces have to
flush out the terror forces in his leadership from the Golden Temple through an
Operation called the Blue Star, wherein, hundreds of our soldiers were
martyred. In that home grown insurgency, Pakistan played a crucial role. The same
is being repeated in JNU, where our intelligence agencies are clearly observing
nexus between the Kashmiri terror outfits like the Lashkar and the Maoist
insurgents. I request the political class to review the situation and stop
encouraging these anti-national elements. In my view, one or the other
political party will win the battle of democracy and gain power. Elections would
come and go. Political parties shall keep on changing hands. But if India is
not strong, if our national forces are dented, if we do not feel any pride in
considering ourselves as Indians, if we permit nationalism being insulted in
the name of freedom of expression, if we do not curb the anti-national forces,
if we keep on indulging in the petty political selfishness, if we keep on using
religious minorities as vote banks, if we let the society divide in the lines
of caste and languages, all democratic institutions are bound to collapse. In the
event of democratic institutions being collapsed, no freedom can survive, let
alone the freedom of expression.
Let us not support those who raise or support anti-national
slogans. Let us deal with them with firm hands. Had we taken action against
Arundhati Rai right at the time when she supported Kashmiri separatists, the
present situation would hav3e been avoided. And as JNU row found support in
political class as well as the Media, the same antinational feelings are
spreading in other universities too.
Therefore, let us stop encouraging antinational elements.
