The Battle of Belonging written by acclaimed author Shashi Tharoor is a book that is relevant to India's current political and social environment. It is 408 pages long and covers wide-ranging issues of Nationalism, Patriotism, Religion, and related subjects.
The book is divided into six sections. Each section has chapters dealing with the theme topics of the section. There are 38 chapters. In the first section, Shashi Tharoor discusses the idea of Nationalism and defines it in greater detail by giving thoughts of various thinkers on Nationalism vs Patriotism. In the next section, he tries to fit the template of Nationalism into the idea of India. In the third chapter, he discusses Hindutva idea of India and explains the faultlines of the same. In the Fourth Chapter the 'ongoing battle of belonging' is discussed in the context of incidents like polarisation, jingoism, the assertion of right-wing ideology, etiolation of Democratic Institutions, Assertion of Hindi, NCR and CAA, Bigotry, and mandir in Ayodhya. The next chapter deals with the Nationhood with the reaffirmation of Civic Nationism and Patriotism. In the last chapter, he outlines action to reclaim the soul of India.
The book is dotted with many live examples of dilemmas of Nationalism. Shashi Tharoor was born in England and had all the right to get settled in England as a born British subject. Yet he chose to live in India despite working for many years abroad. He preferred to continue to hold on Indian Passport whereas he could have easily obtained a British Passport. The dilemma of Danish Kaneria of Pakistan not being considered a true Muslim; Omar Bakhat of UNO, born in Eritrea, moved to Sweden did not appear to be Swedish; the dilemma of Serbians ; Ansar Hussain Khan who was born in a Muslim family in Calcutta, moved in 1948 to Pakistan and while working for Pakistan in UNO applied for Indian Citizenship and got it, but he became an outcast for friends in Pakistan and died as a broken man in Geneva. Discussing the difference between Patriotism and Nationalism he quotes French leader Charles De Gaulle, "Patriotism is when the love of your country comes first; nationalism, when hate for people others than your own country comes first".
He describes his own Nationalism as ' Civic Nationalism' which is a hybrid of good Nationalism and patriotism that rests on the institutional and constitutional pillars. Talking about the dilemma of Nationalism he gives an example of Talitha Kohona, born in Sri Lanka, who migrated to Australia, and worked in the UN for Australia but while watching a cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia could not help to cheer for Sri Lanka. He later reverse-migrated to Sri Lanka and again got posted at the UN as permanent representative of Sri Lanka. Such support for various sports teams is common in the case of NRIs who cheer for India rather than the country where they mad migrated to. UK politician Norman Tebbit questioned the 'Patriotism' of such NRIs.
Words of Lala Lajpat Rai are worth reading where debating Nationalism he says, "Honest differences, controversial discussions, and criticism of public men by public men, are absolutely necessary for healthy growth of nationality. It is wrong to suppose that idea of Nationism requires complete freedom from sectarian quarrels or disputes."
The author devotes the latter part of the book to the present atmosphere of surcharged jingoism, Islamophobia, and increasing polarisation in the society on religion and caste lines. He warns against tempering with constitution and subversion of democratic institutions, declining ethos and media standards, and pliant judiciary, and misuse of social media platforms to spread misinformation. In the last section, he gives out action plan to counter ethnic nationalism propagated by BJP Government of Narender Modi rather Modi-fication of India. He looks up to India which respects all religions, faiths, beliefs, regions, castes, and classes of all individual citizens. He says that this idea of India is under threat from those who seek not just to rule but to change India's very heart and soul into something it was never meant to be. Our patriotism must be anchored in unity, promote inclusion, and upliftment of the downtrodden. It must celebrate a sense of belonging and not hostility towards others. It should be Nationalism of hope, not fear. He gives the example of an Australian Dr. David Baker who taught in St Stephens College, Delhi, and fought hard to get Indian Citizenship.
The book must be read by all citizens who love our country. The book is well researched and draws heavily from various sources that are quoted to prove the point.
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