Source: The post Exclusionary nationalism is weakening Indian constitutional values has been created, based on the article “We should prepare for a world of ever-improving super-Einsteins” published in “Indian Express” on 27 May 2025. Exclusionary nationalism is weakening Indian constitutional values
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-Constitution of India —historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant
provisions and basic structure.
Context: The recent India-Pakistan conflict has revealed a fundamental shift in Indian nationalism. The inclusive, democratic spirit inherited from the freedom struggle is now replaced by a narrow, imitative, and exclusionary ideology that endangers constitutional values and national unity.
Distortion of Indian Nationalism
- Imitating Foreign Models: Indian nationalism now mimics German ethnonationalism, the Israeli security state, and Pakistan’s religious identity model. This departs from the original idea of a secular and plural India.
- Collapse of Constitutional Discourse: In the Ali Khan Mahmudabad case, the Supreme Court did not refer to freedom of expression or constitutional rights. Legal reasoning was overshadowed by rhetoric around national interest, and dissent was treated as betrayal.
- Citizens Positioned Against the Nation: A false binary now exists: loyalty to the nation vs. personal liberty. Even nuanced critiques of policy are condemned as anti-national, stifling democratic dialogue.
Undermining Democratic Norms
- Government Becomes the Nation: Criticism of government silence on issues like the US President’s remarks is punished, while leaders use propaganda and military optics freely. Questioners are accused of playing politics; leaders are exempt.
- Loss of Democratic Accountability: In contrast, Atal Bihari Vajpayee demanded a special Parliament session after the 1962 war, and Ram Manohar Lohia criticised Nehru’s China policy. Neither was branded anti-national.
- Uniformity Replaces Unity: Calls for One-Nation-One-Something confuse unity with sameness. Victims of hate, like Mahmudabad, are blamed for division, while those spreading hate avoid scrutiny.
Legacy of Indian Nationalism
- Belonging Without Othering: Original Indian nationalism focused on fighting colonialism, not attacking communities or neighbours. It supported anti-colonial movements in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and anti-apartheid struggles in South Africa.
- Mutual Respect Across Communities: Majorities often defended minorities. Hindi speakers supported non-Hindi regions, while non-Hindi speakers worked for the Nagari Pracharini Sabha. Indian identity embraced religious and linguistic diversity.
- Pluralist Democratic Nationhood: India adopted a state-nation model, not a European-style nation-state. It allowed debate over national identity, balancing democracy with deep differences.
Rise of Narrow and Aggressive Nationalism
- Neglect of Real Issues: Today’s nationalism obsesses over Kashmir and Muslims, ignoring pressing issues like Manipur, or inter-state disputes between Punjab-Haryana or Karnataka-Tamil Nadu. Ideological division takes priority over real governance.
- Strategic Weakness and Isolation: Despite aggressive posturing, there is meekness before China or the US. Obsession with Pakistan has diplomatically coupled India with it and alienated neighbours, creating hostile borders on all sides.
- Principle-Free Foreign Policy: India lacks reliable global allies in times of crisis. The recent episode showed that without principle-driven diplomacy, national interest cannot be protected.
Shared Responsibility and the Path Forward
- Elite Disconnection from People: Post-independence elites promoted shallow modernity devoid of emotional or spiritual content. Their cosmopolitanism did not connect with the masses, leaving a void filled by exclusionary ideologies.
- Vacuum in Nationalist Ownership: Haunted by European fascism, liberal elites abandoned nationalism. This allowed forces with no contribution to the freedom movement to capture the nationalist narrative.
- Urgent Need for Reclaiming Legacy: The most pressing task today is to reclaim the inclusive, democratic, and plural Indian nationalism. It must be re-rooted in justice, belonging, and diversity.
Question for practice:
Examine how the rise of exclusionary nationalism in India has distorted its constitutional values and democratic legacy.
