That nationalism has been reduced to waving flags, shouting slogans and penalising people for not chanting 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' shows “lack of confidence among those making the demand for slogans”, writes Romila Thapar in her new book.
The book, titled ‘On Nationalism’, which she co-authored with legal expert A. G. Noorani and cultural critic Sadanand Menon, addresses one of the hotly debated topic of our times.
The veteran scholar says in her article that nationalism has more to do with understanding one's society and finding one's identity as a member of that society.
While expressing displeasure with the way right-wing Hindutva forces have interpreted ‘nationalism’ in the light of recent events in Jawaharlal Nehru University and University of Hyderabad, she says that while someone who deliberately abstains from paying taxes is not declared anti-national, someone who doesn’t chant ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ is.