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national identity sans freedom
A few quotes from this article in the Hindustan Times - incidentally it also includes what I rambled….
Freedom means everything. But I’m not free. All these concepts are self-imposed imprisonments.—Roshan Seth, actor
Independence has provided me with a national identity but it hasn’t meant freedom. I find myself enslaved to narrow ideas of patriotism. I’m trying to break free. And writing a book on Delhi, the capital of the ‘enemy’ nation, is my first step.
—Raza Rumi, blogger
Personal freedom is crucial to my growth as an artist. ‘Independence Day’ is a distant celebration for me. Each year, as mid-August approaches I am conscious of a sense of loss — I wonder what could have been had the subcontinent not been splintered.
— Sehba Sarwar, poet
Being a (somewhat) responsible parent, I will share with my children the notion that today we remember our national heroes. And amidst the nationalistic pop nuggets being broadcast round the clock, I hope they hear Yeh watan tumhara hai, tum ho Pasban iss kay, yeh chaman tumhara hai, tum ho naghma khwan iss kay…
— Shandana Minhas, author
Tags: 14 August, freedom, HT, Independence, India, pakistan, Partition
August 21st, 2008 at 9:15 am
I found an interesting account of what should not have been happening after six decades of freedom at: http://www.rkmania.com/getfile.php?trck=2463&PHPSESSID=782a609eaadb5139878abe865c56ff53
August 21st, 2008 at 9:33 am
Raza, hello!
I’m intrigued to know how important ‘national identity’ is to you anyway. Could you provide some links to your writing on the history of Delhi ? (Turab is also very keen to read what you have to say).
Best wishes,
b.
August 25th, 2008 at 9:02 am
WHAT IS A NATION ? IS THE POLITICAL WORLD MAP A HOLY COW… PERMANENT… AND ETERNAL ?
Vir Singhvi has touched a raw cord and spoken the truth. The partition of India was a man-made disaster that was AVOIDABLE. Congress (then an umbrella organisation like the Sangh Parivar of today) did NOT want to share power with the Muslims. They wanted Muslim League to “Merge” with the Congress in UP. That is the root. Even today, whenever the Congress is in an upbeat mood (few electoral victories), it asks the Samajvadi Party to “MERGE/Dissolve” with the Congress in UP ! It wants to deal with the “other”parties., at a time of its own convenience., when IT is in a position of strength.
Inability of the Congress to share power., to share spoils of the state led to the partition of india. Gandhi ji preferred partition of India over the Cabinet Mission Plan 1946. Fact of the matter is : Savarkar/Bal-Lal-Pal desired and worked for the partition of india right after 1915. Gaining political freedom from Britain was secondary. The primary motive/desire was to rid India of its Muslim Culture. Hence replacements of Urdu with Hindi (1902); dress (khadi); food (vegetarianism); new symbolism… Vande Mataram (1st edition : against British… 3rd edition : the villian changed to “muslim”)… Partition of Bengal.. the famine… New symbolism was sold along with the “Freedom Package” by Gandhi ji…. and that was the reason for his popularity and success.
Once that was achieved., Hindu-Muslim Unity was put on the back-burner. It was rendered superficial. It is then, that Madan Mohan Malaviya (founder Hindu Maha Sabha) becomes President of the Congress. Lines are blurred.
Partition of India : should have been done in a decent organised manner. Why was Aug 1948 pre-poned to Aug 1947 ? The British (and the Congress, fearing it would lose its popularity.. it was rising the crest of the Hate… us v/s. them wave) agreed to it. No time was allowed for discussion. First agree to Pakistan, and then we will decide the boundaries… the British forced Jinnah. It was like placing the cart before the horse.
Why did Jinnah accept it ? Muslims werent angels.. if it was detrimental to their interests, why the hell did they accept it. Why did they go for a loss-deal ? They were losing Calcutta, Delhi, Lucknow and Hyderabad… in favour of Karachi and Lahore. Was it worth it ? Fact of the matter is : The situation was very fluid. Post WW-II, nobody knew what was happening….. except Britain and by extension the RSS.
RSS never participated in India’s freedom struggle… Scindia supported the British (today their grand-children are CM and MPs in India). Tipu Sultan fought the british, and his great-grand children are pulling rickshaws.. and Tipu is branded a Communal Terrorist. Maharaja of Kashmir was a british stooge… his progency is MP and what not… whereas Bahadur Shah Zafar’s progency is pulling rickshaw !
Partition of India was done in a very ugly, hap-hazard manner. RSS unleashed riots in Gurmukhteshwar (Bihar) where muslim infants were nailed to trees ! This was done to break the nerves of the muslims. It was a horrible environment. Any sober discussion was rendered practicaly impossible. It was like setting fire to the hut.. and one runs in panic. Riots were unleashed throughout India. (Gandhi ji’s “Non-Violence”… regular Fasts.. Satyagrahas… served as a technique.. or signal.. for storing pent-up energy for FUTURE USE). It was amply used in 1947/48. What was non-violent became so ugly…
The Britishers wanted to teach Indians (esp muslims) a lesson. Remember that they had taken India from a Muslim King. Half a million muslims were slaughtered post-1857. The foremost enemy of East India Co. & Brit. Empire were Muslims. The foremost freedom fighters (terrorists) were Muslims from Madrasas ! They never forgot that. So when the right time came., they ensured that they would teach the Muslims a lesson.
Mountbatten was thoroughly compromised and partial. They inducted the “doctrine of lapse”. India had 560 kingdoms. B.R. Ambedkar had written a wonderful article… that this “doctrine of lapse” was a dangerous lolli-pop.
Jinnah the constitutionalist wanted partition in a decent way. Population exchange (Hostage mindset) was never on the cards. Sardar Patel was clear on J& Kashmir. It must go to Pakistan… he said… while Hyderabad (Muslim King /80 % hindu population) must go to India. That was the right thinking.
In the early 1950s, India should have gone for plebescite. It had some goodwill then. Now after 60 years, it has lost all its goodwill. Nations are not “permanent” or eternal. India - as a nation - as an idea of a nation - is a young experiment. To strengthen the title, good behaviour (good governance) is key. You win the hearts and minds of a people… and they stay with the IDEA. You kill/burn/rape… and you alienate the people.. who move away from the IDEA.
Political map changes every century. It is not a holy cow. It is not something eternal. It changes according to human aspirations. Countries break up… and then come together again.. in Unions.. Confederations.. etc. etc.
Vir Singhvi and Arundhati Roy have touched the raw nerve… and spoken plain truths. Truth must be banned… and those who speak the TRUTH must be allowed for sedition. Lies (manufactured history) must be given free reign… RSS-hate shop must be given a free hand. Can you buld Nationalism on the RSS-model (lifted from fascist Italy / Nazi Germany). What happened to the Nazis in Germany will happen to RSS in India.. but at a huge cost. Lost of millions of human life. Indians are not realising the power of “love”…. and the benefits it entails.
They are on a hate-ride. Let RSS rule India.. let Modi/Thackerey take control of India.. and do what they want.. Let Savarkar world-view take control of India… and see the outcome. Hypothetically, let us suppose all indian muslims (15- crores or 150 million) are eliminated. THEN WHAT ??
Exactly what is happening in Afghanistan and Pakistan will happen in Hindu India. The Caste System will have to go. A Brahmin will have to give his daughter to a Harijan. Incomes (spoils of state) have to be equally distributed… failing which… the servant race will enter the house of the “master race”. Its the perfect formula for disaster.
We do not want Hindu Taliban to turn India into a Hindu Pakistan.. or a Hindu Afghanistan… but RSS is bent upon doing it… Destroy India in the name of Hindutva… and in this civilisational experiment… Hinduism will be the biggest casualty (ideologically). Muslims will be eliminated (physically)., but this will be at a price. The ideological wiping-out of Hinduism.
Why ? Hinduism can survive.. after all Muslims are eliminated… Look at Afghanistan.. 100% muslim population.. and yet !