Deciphering media role in promoting nationalism
The Indian polity is moving through yet
another decisive phase of re-inventing nationalism, secularism and plurality.
The issue has generated endless debates and discussions all over the country.
Nationalism often subsumes patriotism when it arrogates different forms, in
terms of religion, language and ethnicity. Nationalism is volatile and also
violent. India has opted for secularism and plurality as enshrined in our
constitution unlike many of our neighbours. The greatest virtue of India is its
multicultural mosaic of diverse ethnicity, denominations and ideologies. The
political structure of India is directly imported from Whitehall, and this is
not acceptable some scholars and political outfits. The Nehruvion obsession
with soviet socialism and subsequent industrialization were not in tune with
the Gandhian economics or his political ideology. Gandhi wanted production by
humans, not by machines in a populous country like India where massive
employment strategy is the need of the hour. The recent politico-cultural
developments besides economic measures have been lapped up by media for its own
discourses. The idea of nationalism always manifests in violence as evidenced
in human history. The two world wars are a fine example of how nationalistic
tendencies can bring in colossal destruction to mankind. Though Mahatma Gandhi
and Rabindranath Tagore differ on the issue, their goal of peace and
prosperity of mankind is undeniable. Gandhi’s passive resistance demonstrated
that nationalism can also be non-violent, a unique initiative.
Again, we have borrowed the western
concept of secularism, which some scholars consider alien to our cultural
ethos. For them, it is Abrahamic, not acceptable to Asia. Whatever the argument
is, undeniable is the fact that India is a shining star of tolerance and amity,
to the best possible extent. The peaceful co-existence of different ethnicity
and social categories is appreciated all over the world. However, it is always
useful to conduct a micro analysis of the media role in promoting secularism,
or for that matter, nationalism, for a peaceful state. Plurality of opinion is
the basis of a democratic existence. The media should focus and emphasize for
the creation of a pluralistic society. Dissent is the life-blood of democracy.
Unfortunately, it appears that Indian media suffer from pluralistic ignorance,
detrimental to a free society. The international seminar “Re-inventing
nationalism, secularism and plurality: Media discourses and deconstruction” is
a sincere attempt to decipher the media role in various spheres of political
operations. Trust it will be a fruitful deliberation for two days.
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