After the Government of India’s retaliatory military ‘surgical operations’ across the LoC in PoK killing 38 terrorists, 2 Pakistani soldiers and destroying 9 terrorist launch pads in response to the killings of 18 Indian soldiers at Uri Indian army outposts by ‘Jaish’ of Pakistan, all hyperbole phrases have come into play in almost hysterical debates in public domain. The media remained dominated by rhetoric of those claiming credit for ‘surgical operations’. However, Pakistan flatly denied any such operations causing any casualties on their side. In this context, international media and those in opposition to the BJP in India demanded evidence of the ‘surgical operations’. Instead, the BJP started celebrations of the ‘surgical operations’ by holding rallies and putting posters, particularly in the north Indian States, where Assembly elections will be held within the next few months.
The campaign of the saffron outfits for political mileage led to the political rage of the Congress. Vociferous war of words, insinuating the pedigree of each other, exploded. The military surgical operations in the hostile territory at borders shifted to, no holds barred, to ‘surgical operation’ of political parties, persons and personalities. The integrity, valour and sacrifice of our military for defending our national honour are sidelined.
Irrespective of the merits and demerits involved in the mud-slinging controversies about the military and political ‘surgical operations’, the crux of the matter is that attention of the people is getting diverted to issues of ‘nationalism’ and ‘patriotism’ instead of development and progress. Power crazy leaders are doing their best to confuse and mislead the people by using and misusing these words for remaining or seizing power by igniting the emotions and sentiments of the people.
Patriotic sentiments are natural and generally all inclusive. One’s patriotism cannot be branded and bandied about as superior to others’ patriotism. Patriotism is simply a commitment of allegiance to one’s country without limitations of cultural, regional, territorial or geographical identities. Patriotism craves for peace, prosperity and love as a natural urge of homo-sapiens.
But extreme form of patriotism laced by arrogant, aggressive, superiority complex assumes narrow nationalistic colours for identifying national unity, collective identity and autonomy.
Nationalism is exclusive, generally identifying with culture, language, ethnicity and geographical boundaries. It has evolved historically. Its misuse in political space needs critical appreciation. ‘Nationalism’ needs to be distinguished from ‘political nationalism’ which is a refuge of political opportunism encouraging hatred and war. Political henchmen go on making hyper cocktails of such issues to divert the attention of the people from the miseries of poverty, inflation, unemployment, lack of security and dwindling faith in the basic principle of democracy i.e., rule of law. Fundamental basic issues of health and education have seldom been of much concern to destiny makers of the nation.
No precise definitions of such abstract sentiments and emotions are available. No tests have been devised to testify credentials of one’s nationalism. Self-proclaimed patriots and nationalists have assumed powers to asses and certify such qualities and declare as to who are patriots and who are anti-nationals. No one dares to question them as how they got the authority to issue such certificates to anyone. Gullible people get convinced that such fanatics and vigilantes identifying with Indian ancient cultural philosophy have the proprietary rights over the sensitive volatile products of patriotism and nationalism.
Just if you have a scope to get audio-video bytes and target to victimise someone, label him as an anti-national and secessionist on some pretext. Whether eventually the allegations get legally sustained or not is no one’s business. The amity of the social fabric gets damaged. The accused gets condemned by the media trial. The system does not ensure any compensation to such an accused. If one becomes a victim of intolerance and ultra nationalism, even his life may get cut short.
George Orwell of the ‘Animal Farm’ fame observed in one of his essays that “by nationalism I mean first of all the habit of assuming that human beings can be classified like insects and that whole blocks of millions or tens of millions of people can be confidently labelled ‘good’ or ‘bad’.” If we agree with George Orwell, just imagine as to how the present day zealots of nationalism consider the people like insects while swaying them to follow the directions of their choice.
Historically the monopolists of ‘nationalism’ have been a product of ambitious, arrogant and imposing leadership without much love for the people. Humanism stands silently sacrificed in the hollow crossfire of great hullaballoo of all other isms. Humanity needs to be encouraged and spread instead of tirelessly to go on inciting the people against each other by making them prisoners of boundaries.
Nationalism committed to democracy and to an equitable social and economic order in a culturally cohesive, geographical space is necessary for healthy polity and managing state affairs by good governance. Nevertheless all nations must shun promoting aggressive and egoistic nationalism and propagate humanity as how to live in harmony and unity. But if jingoism of nationalism is not checked, we are marching towards our own damage and destruction.
Barack Obama in his final address to the UN Assembly as US President said, “We have to insist that all parties recognise a common humanity and that nations end proxy wars that fuel disorder.” At a time when humankind appears totally lost in hatred, materialism and violence, only persons like Obama, products of Ivy League, having a farsighted broad vision and a capacity to think out of box can make such a precise and comprehensive statement.
(The writer is a retired Senior Grade Goa Civil Service Officer.)
