Democracy at altar of bigoted nationalism

In this theekha-dhoondhar no-holds-barred ongoing electioneering in five states, political Delhi was yanked back to reality when a rajnitik slugfest erupted in Delhi University over a college being forced to withdraw an invitation two Jawaharlal Nehru University students accused of raising anti-India slogans at an event last year for a seminar on “Culture of Protests.’ The culprits? The RSS-affiliated ABVP leaders and Left-wing AISA, thereby sparking an intense debate on freedom of expression across various platforms. The message rang clear: In Modi Raj nationalism is the final act of patriotism and criticism is beyond the pale!

Adding to the fracas all hell broke lose when a Kargil martyr’s daughter Gurmehar Kaur started a social media campaign, “I am not scared of ABVP…Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him”. Leading to her being ridiculed and trolled on social media. Worse, 5 Union Ministers came down like a tonne of bricks on the collegian stating, “nobody has the “absolute right” to define nationalism and anyone who wants to break India and support terrorists is anti-national… Those who are supporting Gurmehar are all pro-Pakistan. Such people have no right to live in India and they should be thrown out of the country.”

More. Defending nationalism they wondered why this word is considered a “bad word” only in India. A BJP MP compared the hapless girl to Dawood Ibrahim. “At least Dawood did not use the crutches of his father's name to justify his anti-national stand.” Countered Congress’s Rahul, “Against the tyranny of fear we stand with our students. For every voice raised in anger, intolerance and ignorance there will be a Gurmehar Kaur.” While Left leaders joined AISA protest march promising to raise the issue in Parliament. Sic.

Blistering comments which strip India of all balance, open-mindedness, equilibrium and tolerance. Raising a moot point: Is taking cudgels against the ABVP anti-national? How does exercising one’s freedom of speech tantamount to spreading “hatred”? Is the NDA crushing free expression, suppressing debate and dissent which are essential pre-requisites of creative and thinking minds?

Questionably, have we lost the ability for free speech and accept criticism? Bordering on a narcissist phobia? Is the polity afraid of the clash of ideas in our public life? Is it mere coincidence or a sign of an increasingly knee-jerk, reactionary country? Should a debate become litmus of one’s patriotism?’

And is nationalism per se a justification to stifle critique? Are our rulers so paranoid or intolerant that any act of laughter, joke or perceived bigotry is viewed as a threat to the nation, the Constitution? How does merely criticising a belief or thinking tantamount to spreading “hatred”? Do we want to produce robots on the campus who only act at the command of what their leaders and chela thinkers, benefactors, innovators, scientists and wealth creators’ desire?

Arguably, how does raising a question or criticizing the Government be considered anti-national? And sacrificing democracy at the altar of a virulent bigoted form of "nationalism" be seen as just and natural? Think. The State is a creature of the Constitution and not its creator consequently safeguarding its democratic character is its most primary obligation. By not doing so it makes a mockery of the concept of a “nation” built on the values of democracy.

True, none appreciates sloganeering like, Bharat tare tukre hone tak, jang jari rahe gi, Bharat ki barbadi tak! India murdabad, India go back, Kashmir magein azadi, kitne Afzal Guru maroge, har ghar me paida hoga ek Afzal, Afzal bole azadi, chhinke lenge azadi, Kasab aur Afzal ke hatiyaare zindabad, tumhare maut ka badla hum lengeh!

At the same time the ABVP is not alone is polluting student politics in fact many youth studying in various educational institutes enjoy the idea of being a ‘rebel’ a la ‘Rang de Basanti’ that they feel they can be the change. Remember a Hyderabad student Rohith who committed suicide sparking protests, followed by JNU’s Kanhaiya Kumar who became an overnight star by raising anti-India slogans, the Jadavpur University protests, Punjab and even Pune Universities have jumped in the controversy.

Failing to realise that their anger is conveniently misused by Parties, be it the BJP, Congress and Left leaders who revel in joining any campus melee, using students as a tool to increase their vote bank succinctly underscored in ‘Gulaal’. Arguably, why are seats of learning turning into political battlegrounds? And why is only the youth being targeted? Is it because they are easy soft targets? Are they being mislead in the name of freedom of speech?

Failing to realise that they are playing with fire exposing their deplorable and dangerous lack of tolerance and determined to turn most things into a bone of contention. In an era of political correctness where fundamentalists march as patriots in uniform, an invitation to persons who are non grata, debate or reference becomes anti-national. Wherein, life is lived in the slim strip called the official.

This growing uneasy trend has resulted in President Mukherjee not so discreet advice to students and teachers to “engage in reasoned discussion and debate rather than propagating a culture of unrest.” But it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. All forgetting that universities are for learning and not a fight for political control. Undeniably, freedom of speech and expression enshrined in our Constitution is sacrosanct and inviolable that needs to be cherished and protected, certainly not misused in the name of freedom.

Simultaneously, they are not unfettered rights. Every right has limitations. There is a line that divides right to have academic debate and support to terrorism or the idea of terrorism, In the name of intellectual freedom people cannot be allowed to hold public meetings to honour men who worked against the State and its institutions.

Courts are there to safeguard this right in letter and spirit and citizens enjoy the fundamental right to have different opinions, criticize Government actions and policies and express disagreement with judicial pronouncements. The aim should be to raise the bar on public discourse, not lower it any more than has been done.

After all, democracy is not just a system of Government, it is a way in which evolved and civilised societies organise themselves; within which people live and interact with one another; based on the values of liberty, equality and fraternity not only in governance but to living in a democratic country.

Pertinently, India is renowned for its cultural values and long tradition of tolerance. Clearly, sacrificing democracy at the altar of virulently bigoted form of "nationalism" is unacceptable. Those who reduce the level of discourse to such depths only do so at the cost of exposing their prejudices leaving India dangerously intolerant and violence-prone.

In the ultimate, the way forward is to desist from acerbic and speeches and narrow-mindedness. Governance is not about play-acting. Time has come for our polity to redeem itself. What gives?

By Poonam I Kaushish