Neither, what happened in the JNU at the beginning of the current controversy can be condoned, nor what has been happening in its aftermath. It is craziness after craziness, which is hitting the nation in quick succession. The current Government is pursuing its Corporate and Communal agenda at the cost of the people. Its socioeconomic policies are hitting the masses in a substantial way, and it is using the communal agenda to cover up its corporate agenda as well as to hide its failure to give the masses what they need. In the process, not only it has lost its direction, it has also lost control of the situation. The nation stands at a juncture where dangers are looming large over it.
“Nationalism” and “Patriotism” are not the one and the same thing. For Hindutva, not only both are the same but Nationalism also means Hindu nationalism where any other ideology has no place. Patriotism denotes natural love for one’s mother land and the desire to see it remain peaceful and prosperous. Nationalism means supporting the State irrespective of the justness and genuineness of its objectives. A nationalist position may not necessarily mean patriotism, and true patriotism often challenges nationalism.
When America attacked Iraq, millions of Americans joined the marches against the war. They were true patriots and not those American “nationalists” who were supporting American State. The time has proved that the patriots were right and the nationalists wrong. Even a Muslim basher like Trump is now openly questioning Bush’s war against Iraq on fallacious, motivated and concocted grounds.
There is no doubt that the slogans that were raised cannot please any Indian patriot. But there are many questions that come up. If such slogan shouting had taken place in a gathering of Kasmiris or Khalistanis, it would have been understandable. Kashmiris have never felt comfortable with the accession of Kashmir with Indian state. But why such slogans were raised in a gathering of hundreds of students and why almost all of them either the chorus or remained silent without any appreciable opposition is something beyond understanding. It was a clear case of some conspiracy. And the chances of the conspiracy become real considering the fact that JNU campus has always been a thorn in the eyes of Hindutva. There is no reason to believe that the gathering really intended “tukre” of the country or had any real love for a failed state like Pakistan. Either they took this step just in retaliation against the hatred being spread by the forces of Hindutva or the forces of Hindutva themselves planted some elements in the gathering with the purpose of opening another front in their war against their ideological opponents. The truth may never surface.
Muslims need not show support to any of the factions, ultra left or ultra right. They must better remain silent and watch the events from outside while maintaining utmost vigil. Muslims are no less patriotic than any other community of the country. True patriotism demands that they should stay away, and let the ultras fight. If at all they can play any role, they must do it by trying to bridge the gap between the two.
Agree
That is very well articulated. Let this situation take its own course and there is no need for Muslims to get involved.
These are testing times for the Country and who knows might be watershed in determining the true democratic india or a fascist India.
Syed Adil