Ram Puniyani’s new book, Indian Nationalism Vs Hindu Nationalism, published by Pharos Media was released at a joint programme organised by Jamia Collective and Pharos Media in the national capital on 16 April. It was followed by a panel discussion wherein Professor Ram Puniyani, a social and human rights activist; Om Thanvi, a senior journalist and Shail Mayaram of CSDS expressed their viewpoint and reflected on the topic.
Iqbal Ahmed of BBC, while opening up the programme and introducing Ram Puniyani, said that the knowledge and understanding of communalism cannot be ensured without going through the book of Ram Puniyani on communalism. Ram Puniyani, after the book release, said that we all are aware of how efforts are being made to curtail our freedom and various methodologies being used at various levels to impose one set of culture, religion, tradition and Hindu nationalism on the pretext of nationalism aimed at polarising the community in order to cherish the old agenda of Hindu Rashtra.
The two incidents like the demolition of Babri Masjid and Bombay riots in particular and the riots in general, according to him, compelled him to think and it had a great impact on him. He said, the negative thought process and the prejudices and hate mongering that began gaining roots after the Babri Masjid demolition like Babar ki aulad and the notion behind such remarks are still relevant today. The demolition of Babri Masjid is very much linked to the agenda of Hindu Rashtra of RSS. India is at the crossroads socially, culturally and politically and passing through a very difficult phase which is endangering our democratic space gradually. Shabnam Hashmi of ANHAD said the idea behind the programme Guftgu is to create that democratic space.
Puniyani further said the point to be noted is that Prime Minister before 2014 elections made a statement in Mumbai that he was from a Hindu family and at some other place he said he was a Rashtrawadi. But later on it was combined and it became Hindu Rashtrawadi. From here it struck my mind that the same agenda of Hindu Rashtra is in play and this time efforts have been made to project this with some attractive packaging.
His book is a reflection on the emergence of the idea of Hindu Rashtra, socio-political upheavals and the tug of war between Indian nationalism and Hindu nationalism. The pattern of social changes and its impact on socio-polity and culture has been realised and presented in a very lucid and meaningful manner to project one set of minds at loggerheads with the other having different socio and political identity.
Om Thanvi categorically said that undeclared emergency is more dangerous and if anything is imposed on the people where will be the freedom and democracy. Prof. Sadiq-ur-Rahman Kidwai presided over the programme and Shail Mayaram also reflected on the topic.