Posts Tagged ‘anti national’
National Anthem in Cinema Halls
I normally avoid writing on such contentious issues which involve nationalistic fervor. Simply because it’s lose-lose situation. Take for example the current Supreme Court order on National Anthem before movies in cinema halls across the country. If you are for the decision, you will be labeled jingoistic, right wing extremist. If you are against the decision, you will earn the wrath of being anti-national.
Hence a worthwhile conversation goes out for a toss. Still I would try to clear my views on this. National Anthem is a celebration of the constitution state we live in. It’s the celebration of the togetherness among the citizens, togetherness of agreed upon rules which govern us, celebration of a culture, and celebration of the country. Do I respect National Anthem? Yes. Do I stand up when it is sung? Yes. Do I hate the fellow who does not stand up? Meh!
My view is, disrespecting is not the same as not-respecting. I don’t think, sitting falls in the category of disrespecting or being anti-national. If a person starts dancing, goes shirtless, maybe. But still not anti-national. Take for example a person who stands up for the national anthem but take bribes. And a person who does not stand up for the anthem but is a hard working, non-corrupt person. Who will you call anti-national. Either or Both? I think, not standing for the anthem is wrong but should not be termed anti-national.
Consider a guy, who has been wronged by corruption and muscle in society. Justice failed him. He might feel anger towards the county and what more peaceful way to show that anger? If we take that peaceful protest away from him, we are leading him to a path of violent protest. The more we force someone, the more rebellion we will face.
There have been occasions when I have come across people not standing for the anthem. I have gone up to them and had a conversation. I started the conversation by, “Sir, you have full right to do what you want. I just want to know why you don’t want to”. Most of the times, people realize their folly and apologize. Sometimes they are angry with the corruption, with something they feel wronged about, that they don’t want to. Sometimes they feel that it is wrong to impose and that they should not be forced to prove their nationalism.
As I said it’s a tricky situation. Again, I think the people not standing are wrong but I won’t go as far as terming them anti-national, specially if they are not corrupt and help in nation building in their own way.
Wrong v/s Anti-National
I think most of us are getting the issue wrong. People who are saying Govt. action is wrong and students at JNU and people in general have all the right to shout anti-national slogans, are missing the point here. There is a difference between being wrong and being anti-national. There is a difference between moral and legal right.
I agree God had given us every right to agree/disagree with whatever we want. No one can take that away from us. No one is saying people who shouted anti-national slogans are wrong or bad. They are people just like everyone else.
They are just being called anti-national. And people are confusing it as if they are being inhumans or bad people. No. To understand this, we have to understand the term anti-national. It means people who are against the nation. Now nation here is India. If you feel and act against India, you are anti-national. This does not means for everyone around the globe. An American or a Chinese will not be called anti-national if he/she shouts anti-India slogans. Only citizens of a nation.
India as a nation is itself quite new. It all began with princely states coming together under a single flag post 1947. In 1950 we as a nation agreed to be bound by a set of rules, we called Constitution. So if anyone goes against the nation, it is anti-national. They may be perfect human beings who don’t like the nation as it is. They might not agree with the Constitution as it is. Which is not morally wrong. But under the ambit of nation, it is anti-national.
Let’s dispel this confusion once and for all. Perfectly good human beings can be anti-national. We as a society have decided to put them behind bars. As they have the potential to destroy the nation as it is.
Maybe you agree with this. Maybe you don’t. If you disagree, you will have to wait till another revolution when you change the Constitution and burn down the nation. Within the ambit of the Constitution that we have, if you raise such anti-India rhetoric, you will be labeled anti-national. Better get in line and work for the betterment of the nation.
Supreme Court while granting bail to JNU student leader has made similar scathing remarks. When on one hand people die at border defending the nation, some people sitting in coziness are trying to destroy the nation. This cannot be justified.
JNU: No To Politics but Yes to Dissent
I have been very vocal against politics and strikes in Colleges and Universities across India. Specially when they are being subsidized by the taxpayers. Education and not politics should be mantra in Campus. If education is hampered, it erodes the nation building.
There are a lot of ways to control politics. Student body elections can be abolished. If not, then students getting only Top 1% marks should be allowed to contest student body elections. This will incentivize students to study more, if they want to run for elections. And there are numerous methods by which politics in Colleges can be controlled so that Education stays Supreme.
At the same time, I am also an advocate for dissent at Colleges, if students do not cause physical harm to anyone. What has become of JNU over the years is a mockery of Education. But there is a reason why Police do not enter Colleges and College authorities are the first responders and adjudicator for most issues.
College is a place where most students are developing their identities and gathering their beliefs. College years are the formative years when students search for what they want to be. Students decide what they want to become in life, they decide their political ideology, they decide which economic school of thought they want to follow etc. Students become part of heated debates; dissents etc. to open up their thoughts, get 360 degree view and enhance their understanding in life.
If students at JNU were in touch with sleeper cells or Hafeez Saeed then it is one thing, but the anti-national slogans by students does not mean sedition. They are coming to know of most things that were not known to them. They are understanding the concept of nation, democracy and many are struggling to decide what they believe in. It is an internal upheaval which they are going through. Do I support anti-India slogan. No. But I don’t think it should be sedition for students. To disagree with the Democracy, Constitution and our Nation is also a democratic right. More so for students for whom these are years to explore these concepts.
If there is a proof that students were colluding with terrorists, please take action and put them behind bars. But if it’s a case of slogans and dissent, I would rather say no to police action. Our constitution of which I am great believer, allows us the right not to have faith in it. Not having faith is not akin to committing a crime. Anti-national slogans should not be akin to sedition. Not at least at College Campuses.
Suppressing the peaceful dissent is akin to saying we live in a perfect world with no room for improvement. It’s akin to destroying the space for discourse.
What is happening at JNU is not education
What is happening at JNU is not education. Students are being exploited for political gains. Students with political ambitions and teachers with an agenda, are destroying this temple of education.
I don’t remember any political activity happening in my college, leave aside such anti-national rallies. I remember once a pro-swadeshi speaker addressed a talk and the organizer students were cautioned soon after that no such things will be tolerated in the college. I was angst then but now I understand the importance of that reprimand.
I think its time to take a stand. What should the colleges stand for in our nation? Should they be the research wagons taking India forward or should they be ring of political slugfest. It saddens me to say that I see no solution to this epidemic. This situation is going to go grave.
Democracy which was meant to bring power to the people, hasn’t served its purpose. Not just in India but across. What it has done is progress such illicit activities by people wanting to gain power for themselves. Let’s not be too naive to fail to see this is all to win elections one way or the other by all and sundry.
Rule of law has become just an after thought amidst all this conundrum. We can only hope this goes away. However I highly suspect that.
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