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 inte
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, Ms 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. Ms 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,” 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,” 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.
“Indian nationalism had its roots in the anti-colonial movement when various categories of people came together to demand independence from the colonial power and worked towards achieving it,” she says. The aim of nationalism, according to Thapar, is to include everyone as equals and to establish a state that concerns itself with the welfare of all its citizens.
“Pseudo-nationalism consists of those movements that build on identity politics, and give priority to members of a particular religious community as citizens. It is rooted in British histories of India that became hegemonic and argued for a Hindu and a Muslim nation permanently antagonistic to each other,” she adds.
