IS THERE PLACE FOR NATIONALISTIC LIBERALISM IN TODAY'S INDIA?
I know a lot of good-willing patriots who take pride in our nation's culture and history. While they acknowledge the external and internal infliction of injustice on us over the last few centuries, their point of view doesn't start and end with hatred. These are South Indians who love the North and North Indians who respect the South. These are Dravidians who don't hate the Brahmins, Brahmins who don't reject the idea of privilege. These are Hindus who don't hate the Muslims, Muslims who don't subscribe to the ideas of Islamic politics. These are capitalists who don't believe in labour exploitation, environmentalists who are not against industrialization. Yet, when it comes to citizenry, we want to take sides. My caste, my religion, my language, my state, my ideology. And the political world loves this because when we take sides, it gives them an opportunity to show the other side darker and reinforce their position. But the moment we take sides, we are cau...