PATRIOTISM " VS " NATIONALISM

Hi friends....As you all have read my earlier
blog you must have categorized me as a nature loving blogger who prefers to express the beauty and raw feelings of nature. However , this time I am writing outside my bed of roses. I am enforced to write this blog after observing the social and national unrest in our country.

At present, the most blistering discussions which is going on is "Patriotism and Nationalism."
Almost 70% of people in India think that these two are synonyms for each other. However, there is a vast difference between these two. Let us first try to understand what these two jargon's stands for.

PATRIOTISM means different things to different people. A Patriot is someone,who loves her country, vigorously supports it, never talks ill of the country, joins Army to fight for his country etc. irrespective of race, religion, culture,language etc.

On the other hand, NATIONALISM is a concept that involves a feeling of strong attachment towards ones own country on the basis of factors like race, religion, culture etc. or we can also say " It unites people on the basis of ethnicity or culture." The Hindutva  movement in India is a good example for this.

To make it more clear I would like to draw your attention towards the past incidents which challenges the definition of these two. I would like to take all of you on a flash back when some states like Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Gujarat had banned the sale of meat on the occasion of the Jain festival. Not only this, but a nation wide complete Beef Ban was in progress. One of our honorable minister said on a NEWS channel that, " We have allowed Muslims to stay in our country  after Independence and in return we are just asking them to leave having beef. " This had created a a feeling of discomfort in many parts of the country. For example. A day before the J&K assembly was scheduled to take up a bill on Beef Ban , Independent MLA, Rashid threw a " BEEF PARTY " in Srinagar.
Rashid chosed Srinagar's MLA hostel to throw the party. He also hanged a banner at the gate as an invitation to the members of civil society. All these people lives in the same country , but are fighting against each other to protect their own identity. They all call themselves as Indians . So ,what you all think , are these people Patriots Or Nationalists ?

This incident was so highlighted that most of the NEWS channel were covering this discussions. You all must have observed that there was no NEWS on rape victims or any other criminal activities during these phase.
Every NEWS channel were busy in increasing their TRP. Everyone was so focused that they did not care what was going on in other parts of the country.

I would also like to draw your attention towards the most flaming issue which has shocked the whole country. On 9th Feb,2016, some students from Jawaharlal Nehru University(JNU) sought permission  from the University for organizing an event called , " Poetry Reading - The Country without Post-Office". But when the program initiated, it was totally a different scene.In the event students were protesting against the execution of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt and for Kashmir's right to self-determination. According to some NEWS channels , at the protest meet, students were using anti-India slogans like, " Kashmir ki Azaadi tak jung chalegi ( War will continue till Kashmirs freedom) and Bharat ki barbadi tak jung chalegi (War will continue till Indias demolition). Not only this but when the Enquiry Committee of University questioned those students as how they can use anti-India slogans that too in an Indian University. A very brave answer was heard as they are using their Right to freedom of speech and expressions. Guys can you all believe this. However, the Enquiry Commitee recommended some students to be debarred from academic activities.

This was not the end. This issue was spreading like an inferno and our so called political party leaders started baking their own political chappatis on it. Members of ABVP demanded the expulsion of the students who had organized this event. Union Home Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh of BJP said that the students should not be spared and legal actions should be taken against them. JNUSU members said that the entire incident has been used to malign the JNU students. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said that," It seems that only BJP and ABVP people have been given license to say who is a traitor and who is a patriot." Everyone was fighting with each other rather finding a solution.

So, our motherland is really going through a tough time to maintain it's identity and on the other side our utmost responsible political parties were busy in grinding their own political axes using these issues. All these incidents are making our country weak from inside. If this continues like this, it will be worthless guarding our borders from external infiltration. Our martyrs who have sacrificed their lives will all go in vain. These people are like termites who are eating way our country's resources.

Guys it's high time now . These incidents must be taken seriously as this is tarnishing the image of our country. Ruling party, Opposition parties and Government administration should work together towards the development of our country. The all three limbs of our constitution Legislature, Executive and Judiciary should kick start a ventilated room of enquiry to solve these issues.

Encapsulating I would like to give my view as every citizen has been provided with the Right to freedom of speech and expression.but. if anyone shouts anti-India slogans and challenges the nation's sovereignty and integrity while living in India, should not be spared and they should be put behind bars.

Jai Hind... .