Why We Must Love the Nation: Are There Other Options?

It's reasonable for a country to expect its people to be patriots but not everyone feels like one

- MANU JOSEPH

A national secret is normally guarded by the government. But there is an Indian national secret that is held by India's people—probably thousands of them, or maybe millions. We can never be sure of the number. And the secret is that they may not be patriotic. It has to be a closely guarded secret because today every Indian is expected to be a patriot. The other option is simply not available.

Whether you are in the government or opposed to it, everyone is expected to be patriotic. Even activists, 'rebels' with tattoos and long hair, posh avocado-eaters, rebellious teenagers and people who "don't love anyone." Patriotism has become a foundational virtue. You can say you don't have some qualities, that you can't love, that you are greedy, that you do not think monogamy works. You can even say you are an atheist. But you cannot say you don't love the nation.

Today, when people are critical of India, they add that they are critical because they so love the nation. Nobody has other reasons.

A few days ago, Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor of political science at Ashoka University, was arrested. He had suggested that India's media briefings of Operation Sindoor, given by two women officers of the armed forces with Hindu and Muslim names, was important as "optics" but needed to translate into ground reality for women and Muslims. In his defence, he stated that his views were "entirely patriotic statements."