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 caught in a trap. If we side with a party, we may not be able to question them when needed, without fear of shattering our public ego. If we oppose a party, we may not be able to appreciate them when needed, again our ego is at stake, our position is at stake, our side is at stake. 

If me vs you battles don't work in a relation, it may not be a bad idea to assume they won't work in a nation either. After all, the nation is just a summation of all our relations. Can we citizens get back to taking "stands" instead of "sides"? Can we ask our politicians not to stand "with" us, but just stand "for" us? Is there place for nationalistic liberalism in today's India, in today's Hindustan, in today's Bharat?