Anti-National
A long read, but trust me, it’ll be worth your time. Even if you’ve not followed the issue at hand, at all.
The ‘Anti-National’ debate and its likes.
I have a LOT to say about this issue, but I suppose we have all had our share of frustrating social media discussions over the same in the last few days.
So I have tried to summarise my opinion about the ongoing Ramjas College debate and other similar instances of late, in 10 points:
1. Never make the mistake of making India an emotion. It is much more than that.
2. Before forming an opinion on any such issue, PLEASE READ ABOUT VIEWS THAT DO NOT RESEMBLE YOUR OWN VIEWS.
3. Branding someone is easy, what is difficult is to understand what the reason behind their opinion is.
Ex. Kashmiris and their pain is not fictional. It exists.
Ex. Kashmiris and their pain is not fictional. It exists.
4. There are larger forces at work who intend to polarise our nation and make most of it, so think before you fall for a narrative. Ex. The ‘anti-national’ narrative.
5. A different opinion need not be taken as a personal attack. We are known world over for the unity in our diversity. Let’s listen, debate and then conclude.
6. Idiots normally politicise and dramatise issues like the ‘Army’, ‘The Indian Flag’ and ‘Religious Sentiments’ to drive their argument. Don’t fall for it. Ex. Saying that a section of the Indian Army is performing atrocities on Kashmiris, is NOT AN ANTI-NATIONAL ACT.
7. Cherry picked quotes, figures and facts are only publicised to divert our attention from the true issue at hand, which is the suffering of our own people.
8. Develop the art of reading news and follow diverse pages on Facebook as its ‘show them more of what they like’ algorithm is only polarising our world further.
9. Students are the future of this country and an open platform to debate is our biggest weapon to bring about change. Let’s not let politics enter our campuses.
10. An Indian is like the child who loves his/her mother, stands by her side in good times and bad, proudly praises her for all she’s done and at the same time, QUESTIONS/ CORRECTS her when he/she thinks she’s going astray.
I don’t know what I may be termed as when I grow up to bring about those changes that I intend to bring about in my motherland, but I know for a fact that I’m an Indian and a proud one.
For all the Pseudo Indians, I’d love to hear from you. That’s what separates us. Jai Hind.
