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Contours Of A Citizen: The Nationalist, The Patriot, The Radical, And The Voiceless

By Srestha Banerjee

21 February, 2016
Countercurrents.org

In the past few weeks over the incidences at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and the Hyderabad University, in India we have seen 3 groups of citizens on the stage; the nationalist, the patriot and the radical. The fourth group, the ‘voiceless’ remained in their place- continuing with their role as the exploited, fighting the endless regular battle. There of course must have been a vast number who belong to ‘none of the above’ categories, but in this climate of arguments and counter-arguments, and power and oppression, I am setting them aside for the simplicity (that’s one thing I have learnt really, making things simple). Maybe this none of the above category by their own virtue in some ways will find their place among the rest four.

Anyway, let me first clarify why I chose to write on these categories. It is not because I want to explain these terminologies/ categories; many eminent philosophers and scholars have discussed and debated on them for ages, it’s another question that whether they have been read or not. But, I thought it is pertinent to understand these in some ‘simple’ way for citizens like us, so that we can appropriately use our power, show our dedication, perform our duties, demand our rights, and claim our benefits.

I often think that the most difficult times are also provide opportunity for learning. In the past few days therefore, I tried to learn and relearn some of the frequently uttered words. Like many I also got caught up in the crisis of understanding once identity- A nationalist? A patriot? A radical? Or merely a helpless recipient and abider of decisions thrust upon?

Maybe many of us in social media will not fit into the fourth category. But I thought this worth mentioning here. Though oppression by the power machineries is a way of life in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada region (and many more), but the recent attack on the JagLAG (Jagdalpur Legal Aid Group) and the attack on Soni Sori once again came out at a time when the National Capital is being rocked.

Anyway, going back to the categories to place oneself in a mass of more than 1.2 billion.

The most certain one that came out first was of being a nationalist. The black and white question that emerged was whether I love India or not? Hounded by this question constantly but indirectly, I did think that I loved my country. But then was I a nationalist? This took me to revisit some arguments and writings of some of the greatest minds. What came out clearly from all of these was that I could not be “classified like insects” (refer Orwell), and confidently be “labeled” good or bad. Neither could I set aside the thoughts of all good and bad in the pursuit of a “power”. And as a selfish human, the question that lingered what power that does deliver to us individuals? Therefore I turned away from the nationalist one, without denying that I cared for my country.

Then am I a patriot? Well to begin with I got a little confused with the convenient interchangeable use of the terms “nationalist” and “patriot” over the past days. Giving up the urge of instant placement or distancing myself from the category, I tried to see if there truly exists a distinction as I presume. Luckily there was. Patriotism actually signaled a devotional perspective “towards a particular place and a particular way of life” which was more defensive in nature. I was a bit more comfortable to go by this idea until the question came again. Devotion but to what end? Again, I could not deny my duty as a citizen or the urge of meaningful engagement, but the unconditional submission that devotion requires lingered the discomfort. If we are citizens of a republic, then how can my very existence become unconditional?

With this I turned to the radicals who questioned ‘conditions’. Now radicals are a very broad category with a spectrum of questions, may be interlinked or exclusive- in their characters and demand. However, the idea is characterized by departure from something in place. This is not to say that a departure is always good (or bad), but it has the possibility of the other. And may be it is just the possibility of this other that we, a mass of people, floating between the changing faces of governments and institutions, constantly seek. Therefore being radical was not something revolutionary or larger than life prospect. It was in many ways merely not resigning to fate, something just more than a vegetative self. Arguably, then a radical can ‘choose’ to love at some point a thing/ a place/ a person, that a patriot devotes her or his love; just is comes through a process of negations and choice. Maybe the radical is thus not a bad place to find oneself. After all, we have not yet denied the laws of evolution. And my science and philosophy thus directs me only to seek a reasoned place.

Finally I turned to the fourth category, the people who are barely heard. Of course I am not categorized here. I do not dare. This is the category often I consider to be the most “dutiful” citizens; without a wage. They have immense power burning within, only to be rendered powerless. They can be made the best patriots, or the worst anti-nationalists.

And that broadly stands the contours of a citizen today. An anatomy we are trying to fit in to seek power, perform duties, demand rights, and claim and prove citizenship.

Srestha Banerjee is working with the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi in the area of environmental policy research & advocacy



 



 

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