India on the Move

Things start to heat up in the national capital when protests erupt in the campus of JNU against the protestors of the judicial hanging of Afsal Guru and Maqbool Bhat. Very soon the students would go from being research scholars to ‘jihadis’, ‘violent communists’ and ‘anti-nationals’ resulting in the larger questions of a true nationalist. Slogans like Bharat mata ki jai and Jai Shri Ram, which were traditionally used to express reverence to the nation and a salutation to Lord Rama respectively, have been appropriated as political slogans. Whilst until now, Bharat Mata ki Jai and Jai Shree Ram ran parallel in the country’s political discourse, today they lead the same way. On one hand, there are those who view patriotism and nationalism as synonymous with blind obedience and conformity. On the other, those who believe in a more inclusive and diverse India, where dissent and criticism are essential components of a thriving and functioning democracy. This book attempts to view events following the JNU event, the farmers’ protest, Balakot strikes and the subsequent unravelling of deep fissures within us.