New Delhi: In order to underline the greatness of the community that it is supporting, religious nationalism accuses the historian’s history of bias and invents its own, argues one of India’s leading public intellectuals Romila Thapar.
In an exclusive interview, Thapar, who has co-authored a new book “On Nationalism” with A G Noorani and Sadanand Menon, talks of nationalism, pseudo-nationalism and what type of nationalism is best suited to our country.
In the book, published by Aleph, the authors provide calm and measured insights into the origins, nature, practice and future of Indian nationalism.
Thapar is of the view that by inventing its own history, religious nationalism in a sense creates its own mythology that draws in current issues.
“An analysis of such mythologies would provide an added explanation for their need in current politics. The target of hostility in religious nationalism is not the coloniser but the competitor for power. Therefore in this nationalism antagonism is directed towards an insider,” she says.
In comparison, secular nationalism tends to use history as researched by historians, and tries to avoid fantasies about the past.
“Where secular nationalism is also anti-colonial nationalism as it often was in ex-colonies, there the hostility is directed against the colonial power which is external to the society, and in many cases is culturally alien. Hostility towards the coloniser helped to bind the groups participating in this nationalism,” says the historian.
Asked why is it important to understand what nationalism means, she says, “Since we are a nation it is important to understand how this came about and what it is that keeps us together as a nation.”
She terms nationalism as a phenomenon of modern times and early forays into such thinking and acting date to about the last three centuries.
“In India they came somewhat later. Historical changes brought about new aspirations and these took shape in various ways, one of which was nationalism. It is important to understand that nationalism as a movement and a concept does not go back to ancient times, although the heritage and history that contributes to the idea of nationalism may well be earlier.
“Indian nationalism had its roots in the anti-colonial movement when various categories of people from a variety of religions, castes, classes, language groups and regions, came together to demand independence from the colonial power and worked towards achieving it. It was a movement that was inclusive in the sense that it encouraged all Indians to join in as equals, and it provided a new identity, that of being Indian citizens,” she says. .
PTI
