I’m not allowed to be political and hence the title. But would that mean that the Elections of 2019 did not grab my attention? They most certainly did. As a soldier, I see any national election as a revalidation of my role in the society. It is an emphatic display of the nation’s strength of character and it’s collective vision which I fight for or train relentlessly to fight for. (or whatever that you assume that a soldier does). The collective identity which the nation expresses during elections, is what I preserve and hold dearly in life and death.
I assume one of the reasons any country usually holds its military in highest regard is because military, in its law, culture and organisational goal truly attempts to preserve & protectthis identity of the nation and as a result, also everyone who has enrolled to fight for it. With reason and common purpose, dignity and service of each man amongst various identities forms the basis of the Military Ethics. ‘Service before Self’, rightly so, happens to be the motto of the National Defence Academy which trains 17 year old boys to become future commanders of troops who will then be completely dependent on them as their ‘men’.
But I digress.
As I look at the elections and the hysteria around it, it overwhelms me in its magnitude. And now when ‘provision of Roti Kapda Makaan' to every citizen has become an outdated, obvious and somewhat satisfied conversation regardless of the result of election, the emotion this time invoked is that of ‘identity'. Security of one’s identity as an Indian & pride in its existence is this next level of conversation that the nation seems to be having. This is refreshing too, because we shall have lesser internal conflicts and enemies within if we all become proud Indians first. A common purpose and identity for all helps have a clear vision for the future generations. And for good then of course, this time around clearly, that identity has been defined. We are Indians first. Period.
It is also no co-incidence that the Military has been invoked as the spirit of nationalism in our country these elections and everyone is immersed in the discovery of that spirit. Patriotism, clearly is a wonderful emotion. But from the prism of reason, patriotism and Armed Forces are so deeply intertwined only because military is arguably the closest apolitical microcosm of the complete diversity that the nation contains and yet a bunch of highly patriotic people (one can safely assume). Not only geographically, but also by class, caste, religion and gender, the diversity of the Indian Armed Forces is a classic sample set of how ‘Nationalism’ could probably look like practically in this country now that it is anyways being spoken about.
One of the primary reasons of success in maintaining this spirit in Military is a deliberately maintained dispassion for any other identity other than the service that one performs. When one’s service, and only service is linked to his/her patriotic spirit, other differences don’t really matter. And although that sounds difficult to achieve, it is to be understood that learning to live together with our pride and differences will be at the core of a true ‘wave’ of nationalist spirit and not a mere consequence of it. This is precisely what the military strives to achieve and facilitate in its bearing and social conduct. Love for the nation and hate for the enemy are transcendental and difficult to achieve emotions for an average individual in their absolute sense. Being balanced and part of the team is enough.
And this is precisely why, before calling oneself as a patriot, an introspection is essential. After all, a patriot is one’s best self and nothing less. Nothing lesser is even acceptable to be an Indian simply because it doesn’t get bigger than this. The spirit of India needs everybody’s best and that is only possible when we seek a balance in ourselves. Extremes will be damaging. Inspire, create and grow stronger because when it comes to our country, we cannot go wrong.
I sincerely hope we proceed to seek this spirit at least till the next elections and then evolve it gradually too. Let us create a country with fewer worries for the next generation. The essence of nationalism is in its spirit of creation and preservation of the best of everyone and not the destruction of the worst.
Leave that to us.
Jai Hind.
Leave that to us.
Jai Hind.
